This is the first piece in a series exploring the profession of a midwife and their value at birth. “Here comes another one.” The fetal monitor spiked as another contraction began. I paced the floor, trying to block out the beeping machines and freezing operating room. After three home births, this was no doubt unchartered territory. But the high-risk nature of delivering twins dictated that even a natural birth should take place here. Our babies arrived healthy and without complication. Working to make this happen was a medical team consisting of an obstetrician, nurses, and an anesthesiologist standing by in case of emergency. At the core of this group were two midwives whose support remain invaluable to this day. Midwifery is an anomaly to many in the modern world. The term often conjures images of home births with basic medical supplies. This is a snapshot of prenatal care in much of the developing world. In rural Lao PDR, midwives are stationed at the front lines of maternal and newborn health. A single clinic serves several …