Translation guide
A midwife is a healthcare professional who assists women during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. In Japanese, the standard term is 助産師, but related terms exist for traditional roles and male practitioners.
A licensed medical professional who provides care during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum.
The modern, standard term for a licensed midwife. This is the most common and neutral word used in medical and everyday contexts.
A non-licensed, often elderly woman who assists with childbirth in traditional or rural settings.
Refers to a traditional birth attendant, often without formal medical training. This term is historical and may be used in stories or to describe pre-modern practices. Not used for modern licensed midwives.
助産師 is the modern, licensed professional. 産婆 refers to a traditional, often unlicensed birth attendant from the past. Use 助産師 for contemporary contexts.
助産師 is gender-neutral, but if you need to specify a male midwife, use 男性助産師. The older term 助産婦 explicitly means 'female midwife' and is now avoided in official usage.
She works as a midwife at a hospital.
助産師が自宅出産をサポートしてくれました。
The midwife supported our home birth.
An older term for midwife, literally 'assist-birth-woman'. It is still understood but has been largely replaced by 助産師 in official contexts. May carry a slightly traditional or gendered nuance.
昔は助産婦が自宅で出産を手伝っていました。
In the past, midwives helped with home births.
Specifically refers to a male midwife. Since 助産師 is gender-neutral, this term is used when gender needs to be specified, though male midwives are still rare in Japan.
日本では男性助産師はまだ珍しいです。
Male midwives are still rare in Japan.
村の産婆が赤ちゃんを取り上げました。
The village midwife delivered the baby.
Literally 'delivering old woman', a colloquial and somewhat rough term for a traditional midwife. Rarely used today and may carry a derogatory tone.
This term can sound disrespectful; avoid in polite conversation.
昔は取り上げ婆が各家を回っていた。
In the old days, midwives would go around to each house.