Ina May Gaskin

Ina May Gaskin (1940–2024) was an American midwife and author widely associated with the natural childbirth movement. She became known for her work at The Farm in Tennessee, where she helped develop community-based midwifery and maternity care. Gaskin’s writing brought practical guidance and advocacy for physiologic birth to a broad readership. Her best-known books include *Spiritual Midwifery* and *Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth*, which combine birth stories, midwifery perspectives, and information for pregnant people and clinicians. Through teaching, speaking, and publishing, she influenced conversations about childbirth practices, women’s autonomy in birth, and the role of midwives in modern maternity care.