Midwifery in the heritage of Islamic manuscripts

The significant advancements made by Muslims in the field of medical sciences had a clear impact on inculcating a scientific culture within Islamic societies. This is evident in the illustrative depictions found in various literary and historical manuscripts, especially those related to obstetrics and childbirth. While the artists were not strictly obligated to address these topics in such detail, given the literary and historical nature of these manuscripts, they nevertheless chose to do so.
This Article begins by defining obstetrics linguistically and scientifically, followed by a discussion of the roles played by Muslim scholars in advancing this field. It then delves into the scientific books related to obstetrics and how they influenced the Islamic culture, even among those who were not medical specialists. The study further explores the impact of obstetrics on Islamic art, as seen in anatomical illustrations of fetuses within the womb in scientific books. It also examines depictions of childbirth, both natural and surgical, in literary and historical manuscripts, as well as the use of childbirth scenes in the ornamentation of applied arts. Finally, the research delves into the images and forms of medical tools used in childbirth and women's health.