How did women give birth in middle ages?

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Until very recently people gave birth in their homes. I was born at home, so was my sister (early sixties). In most European countries many women still give birth in their homes. With proper hygiene, qualified midwives and medical care during the pregnancy, there's nothing wrong with that. In my family birth is given in hospital when complications are expected. (That's anecdotal evidence, but I do hear that a lot.)

You are correct that the lack of hygiene was very dangerous to mother and child. In those days people didn't know any better - proper hygiene became prevalent after 1860-1880 with the advent of medicine.

But that doesn't automatically want to say that everyone died. More people survived giving birth, otherwise humanity would have been extinct.

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