In a message dated 9/2/03 12:30:26 AM Eastern Daylight Time, Shalori@shalori.com writes: > It doesn't specifically state she is one but > neither does it state an MD was in attendance nor does it list any > hospital name. This was back in 1939. An address of 31 South 9th St. > Allentown is given. Can anyone tell me what the requirements were for > being a Midwife? They had to have some minimal training/experince. Did > they have to have some kind of certification? is there a register of > Midwifes we can look up Anna M. Zeigler in? Home births during the 1930's were reasonably common (probably 31 South 9th St. was someone's home). Women who had had children and helped other women during birth could become midwives (self-taught, or taught by an experienced midwife), and this was seen more in rural America and among groups of immigrants. Sometimes they were licensed by the state or Commonwealth, sometimes not (depended on the state). Today, most of the midwives practicing in PA are Certified Nurse-Midwives, who have formal education, pass a written national certifying exam, and are licensed by PA to practice. If Anna Zeigler was licensed, you could contact the Board of Nursing and inquire.