Women's Health: A Herstory

Women's medicine for the vast majority of human history has been taken care of by women themselves. Knowledge of common women's health matters was, and to a great extent still is, within the realm of women, passed on from one generation of women to another.

Because of women's involvement in child bearing and care-taking, women have also had a primary role in the health care needs of the entire family. Historically, women in a village or tribe who spent a great deal of time assisting other women and their families with their health needs were often referred to as midwives, nurses, medicine women or other similar terms.

Women's direct involvement in defining and developing their own health care has prompted some women's clinics today to use the term "herstory" rather than "history" in referring to a female health background. When you think about it, this does make sense because, after all, it is her story!