Midwife – Often, these practitioners are women with specialized knowledge in prenatal care, birthing assistance and aftercare. The midwife may employ the use of massage, diets, medicines and ritual, prayers and/or counselling. Traditional midwifery exists worldwide and involves a variety of skills, often biophysical, but can also include spiritual and ritual activity as well. None of the specialized categories are solely exclusive; rather, they are often interdependent and some practitioners may hold a number of specialized knowledges. In this sense, the literature suggests that traditional medicine is similar to Western medicine in the range and variety of special.
