- In Ancient Egypt, the medical function was governed by a strict organization, as applied to all officials of the pharaonic state. The health workers started from the generic title of swnw or physician. For this reason, if they rose in category, they became the head of the doctors and, at the top of the scale, the inspector or director of the doctors. The role of Egyptian women as therapists was reflected in tomb paintings, where they can be seen attending childbirth.
- Women in ancient Egypt had freedoms that they did not have elsewhere. In addition, it is known that the people of ancient Egypt worshiped goddesses such as Yuy to get pregnant, Hequet, Mesjenet and Shepset to help with childbirth, and Bastet to protect from possible subsequent complications.
- The Hebrew Bible, although it is not considered a completely reliable source of historical events prior to the seventh century BC, refers to the midwives in Exodus 1,15-16:
The king of Egypt also gave an order to the midwives of the Hebrew women: When you assist the Hebrew women, observe well the two stones...
- In Ancient Greece there was a law that prohibited all women from practicing Medicine and, specifically, the practice of Obstetrics. However, there is a story of a woman, named Agnodice, who was forced to disguise herself as a man to go study with Herophilus of Chalcedon, a famous physician and anatomist from Alexandria.