Questions of competence: the midwife debate in The Netherlands in the early twentieth century.

In the early decades of the twentieth century a "midwife debate" took place in the Netherlands, in a series of discussions on what the future role of the midwife would be and what tasks she should be allowed to perform. The word "debate" is carefully chosen, for while the exchange became vigorous at times, it never reached the proportions of a "problem" or a "controversy". The Dutch were not concerned with such fundamental issues as registration and control of the profession which dominated the often heated disputes preceding the Midwives Acts of 1902 and 1936 in England.1 Such questions had largely been settled, at least on paper. The Dutch debate was in stark contrast to the American "midwife problem", with its sombre consequences for the midwife, the undermining of her economic and professional position, fierce attacks on her abilities, and pressure to oust her from obstetric work.2 The importance of the Dutch midwife and her place in obstetric practice as attendant at normal births were not questioned. However, many of the issues raised in the Netherlands dealt directly with the right of the midwife