Midwives In Malaysia

Prior to the existence of the modern healthcare system in Malaysia, midwives were highly respected figures in traditional indigenous communities for having the knowledge to cure diseases and being directly involved during prenatal care, labor, and confinement. Along with the passage of time, traditional midwives were upgraded with the introduction of nurses or trained midwives in clinics and hospitals nationwide. The Midwives Exhibition is a collaboration between The National Museum of Malaysia, Nursing Division of the Ministry of Health Malaysia, in conjunction with the International Day of the Midwife on 5th of May 2023.

MIDWIVES AND THE TRADITIONAL SOCIETY – Various traditional races and ethnicities in Malaysia recognise midwives as individuals who are influential in their lives. Individuals like the bidan, bobolian, bobohizan, and others like them, occupy a high social status within a community. Traditional beliefs regarding disturbances by ghosts, jinns, and evil spirits cause them to need those groups to prevent or repel those elements from disturbing their lives. Midwives are among the individuals who play a role in safeguarding the well-being and safety of the community from such disturbances, in addition to dukun (shamans), bomoh, tabib, pawang, halad and others. However, the midwife’s role is seen as being broader, and it covers a human’s entire process or life cycle. Midwives not only have knowledge in treating and curing common diseases, but are directly involved before a woman becomes pregnant, during pregnancy, during the birth process and after the birth process. A midwife must always be ready to serve at any time and situation, because the birth process is unpredictable. The social status of midwives also takes into account their expertise in the field of midwifery, which involves traditional rituals and customs practiced by the community.’