Google honors 17th century midwife who challenged the patriarchy

Justine Siegemund was first in Germany to write a book on obstetrics from a woman’s perspective

In the 17th century and earlier, German midwives learned their skills from other midwives. There were no standardized documents to show how to help women during difficult pregnancies.

That’s how Justine Siegemund — who was born in 1636 in Rohnstock, Lower Silesia — was misdiagnosed as pregnant when she actually had a prolapsed uterus. Siegemund’s experience prompted her to become a midwife and improve obstetrical education.

When she finished her apprenticeship, Siegemund helped underprivileged women free of charge.

As her skills at safely guiding women through difficult births spread, she was offered “an official position as the City Midwife of Lignitz in 1683 and later became the Court Midwife in Berlin, where she delivered children for the royal family,” Google wrote.

During this time, Siegemund published “The Court Midwife.”

“On this day in 1690, the European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder) certified her book … as an official medical textbook,” Google wrote. “During a time when few women had access to formal education, Siegemund became the first woman to publish a seminal medical text in German.”

“The Court Midwife” was the first publication to offer a comprehensive guide on childbirth in Germany.