Objective:

to analyze the status of midwifery in Jalisco, Mexico and its professionalization process.

Methodology:

a case study conducted from June 2011 to July 2013 in three stages: I. in-depth interviews with 20 midwives, II. four regional assemblies with 44 midwives, and III. a state assembly with 136 midwives, health care staff and other social actors. The three stages employed popular educational techniques. In addition, qualitative data were analyzed using the actantial semiotic model, and the midwives' sociodemographic data were processed in Epi Info 7. Finally, a meta-inference was performed with the findings from both datasets.

Results:

a total of 180 midwives participated in the study, 89% of which operate in rural areas. The average age was 56, and 73% of the midwives had secondary education or less. Moreover, 95% of them were traditional midwives who adopted this practice since their adolescence and received training from health care providing institutions and from other midwives. In addition, 16.7% studied nursing in order to obtain positions in institutions while remaining midwives. They currently provide care for mothers and children as well as for patients with traditional nosologies. They also mention that they suffer institutional neglect. Among doctors and nurses, there are positions of rejection and acceptance regarding their inclusion in the health sector, while other social actors request their acknowledgement.

Conclusions:

midwifery in Jalisco, Mexico, is a traditional and vital practice with or without institutional recognition. It is an answer to the need for health care. Likewise, it is necessary to consider the socio-demographic profile of midwives, their current role, the views of the health care staff and other social actors and the close cultural and economic relationship of the Country regarding its professionalization.

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