Midwife: A professional trained to support women during childbirth. In addition to assisting with deliveries, many midwives offer prenatal care, childbirth education for expectant mothers and their partners, and postnatal care for both mothers and newborns. Depending on regional regulations, midwives can facilitate births at the mother's home, in birthing centers or clinics, or in hospitals. Typically, midwives focus on normal, uncomplicated births, while referring cases with potential health issues that may necessitate hospitalization to hospital-based settings. Some midwives collaborate with doctors as part of a healthcare team. The legal requirements for practicing midwifery vary across different states in the US and around the world.
