Archaic derogatory term for a midwife, literally 'bear-hand old woman'. Not used in modern Japanese; the standard term is 産婆 (さんば) or 助産師 (じょさんし).
In Edo-period documents, the word 熊手婆 appears as a derogatory term for a midwife.
Compound of 熊手 (くまで, 'bear hand', a type of rake) and 婆 (ばば, 'old woman'). The exact origin is uncertain, but it likely arose as a derogatory metaphor, possibly comparing the midwife's hands to a rake.