The term "obstetrics" initially encompasses any form of assistance during the childbirth process, which has been associated with various difficulties and dangers in humans since the adoption of upright walking and as a result of the greater development of the brain compared to all other mammals. Obstetrics in this sense is as old as humankind, even though history teaches us that instead of rational measures, many actions were often based on gross superstition and mystical beliefs that constituted the entirety of assistance. For compelling reasons of space, we will refrain from providing a superficial historical overview, as we believe that a history of obstetrics is only beneficial when it can delve into the details. We refer to the relevant historical literature for this purpose.