By Sharon Bond, Ph.D. '09, MSN '92, CNM '83, FACNM Associate professor, retired 2014
Celebrating Midwives A brief history of the Nurse-Midwifery Education Program at the MUSC College of Nursing from 1973 to 2009 By Sharon Bond, Ph.D., CNM, FACNM
F
achieved exceptional milestones educating trailblazing
birthing at the Penn Center in Beaufort, South Carolina, and
nurses who serve the health care needs of families,
some county health departments. Maude E. Callen, certified
communities and populations; nurses who change what's
nurse-midwife (CNM) and graduate of Tuskegee University,
possible through nursing care. One milestone worthy of a
taught at the Penn Center from 1944 to 1964, and assisted
look back is the history of the nurse-midwifery educational
more than 800 women in giving birth in Berkeley County.
program, from 1973 through 2009.
Each year, Callen taught six-week initial training courses and
or 138 years, the MUSC College of Nursing has
In mid-20th century South Carolina, the outlook for
Many grand midwives acquired their knowledge about
a two-week refresher course to grand midwives. Callen is
women giving birth, especially in rural areas, was bleak.
a well-recognized hero in South Carolina and the recipient
Many families lived in extremes of poverty, lacked plumbing,
of many awards, including an honorary degree from the
electricity and access to health services. Perinatal statistics
Medical University. Her work was tenderly portrayed in W.
at the time depicted a sad state of health for women, ranking
Eugene Smith's photo essay published in a 1951 issue of Life
South Carolina as having the third-highest rate of maternal
Magazine.
and infant mortality in the United States. During these years, especially in the Lowcountry, many
By 1970, the MUSC College of Nursing and the MUSC Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology began exploring
women received care by the "granny," or grand midwives,
the feasibility of bringing a certified nurse-midwife (CNM)
women whose faith, experience and wisdom called upon
education program to the Medical University. Lawrence
them to give compassionate assistance to women birthing
Hester, M.D., then chair of the Department of Obstetrics
at home during a time when hospital care was unaffordable.
& Gynecology, recognized that using registered nurses in
In 1950, about 100 grand midwives licensed by the South
an expanded role was necessary to meet the demand for
Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control
services and improve perinatal statistics. Marcia Curtis,
(DHEC) assisted in 15,799 births registered in South Carolina.
Ed.D., then dean of the College of Nursing, understood that a
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