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When most people use the Google search engine to look up information, they don't typically pay attention to the designs or artwork that Google may feature on any given day.

More often than not, online users are focused on finding the answers they're looking for. Asking themselves what the latest Google Doodle entails generally isn't too high on their list of priorities.

Nevertheless, these pieces often contain interesting backstories, sometimes with history to boot. Today is a prime example of this.

As of March 28, 2023, the world's top search engine site is paying homage to Justine Siegemund, an esteemed midwife from Germany who made history in her own right.

Who was Justine Siegemund?

Siegemund was born in December 1636 in Poland and passed away in November 1705 while in Germany. During her life, Siegemund became renowned for her work as a midwife and for being the first woman to author influential German texts pertaining to medicine.

As a midwife, Siegemund helped vulnerable women. She worked hard to ensure these women were able to have safe childbirth experiences that would otherwise be unlikely for them.

After becoming Berlin's Court Midwife in 1683, Siegemund went on to help German royal families deliver babies as well. Around this time, she also published her own book, The Court Midwife.

This piece specifically dives into the particulars of childbirth, real-life accounts of those who received services from Siegemund, and more. Originally written in German, The Court Midwife has since been translated into English and remains available for purchase online.

In addition to featuring Siegemund, Google furthermore acknowledges the role her work played in the medical field, especially in making childbirth safer for women.

What inspired Siegemund's work?

Before her days as a midwife, Siegemund suffered her own negative experiences in the medical field. When she was only 20, medical professionals mistook her prolapsed uterus for a pregnancy.

It seems this motivated Siegemund to become a midwife herself, to help ensure women from all backgrounds managed to receive the necessary care. There's no doubt that Siegemund's work from centuries ago still leaves an echo today, especially regarding medical care for pregnant women.