Reproductive System & Sexual Disorders: Current Research
Open Access
ISSN: 2161-038X
+44 1300 500008
ISSN: 2161-038X
+44 1300 500008
Magda Helmi
Privat Clinic, Egypt
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: Reprod Syst Sex Disord
Civilizations rise and fall, and their knowledge and achievements wax and wane. This is true of medicine as well. Ancient Egypt had a sophisticated medical system that was well-advance, but this knowledge was largely lost over the centuries. As a midwife with over 50 years of experience, I have been interested in this history for many years. I have wondered why ancient Egyptian medicine disappeared, and what we can learn from it today. I believe that there are several factors that contributed to the decline of ancient Egyptian medicine. Another factor was the decline of the Egyptian empire. As the empire became weaker, it lost control of its territory and its trade routes. This made it more difficult to obtain the raw materials and medicines that were needed for medical treatment. Despite the decline of ancient Egyptian medicine, some of its knowledge survived. This knowledge was preserved in papyrus scrolls, and it was eventually rediscovered by European scholars in the 19th century. Today, we are seeing a resurgence of interest in ancient Egyptian medicine. This is due in part to the growing popularity of complementary and alternative medicine. Many people believe that ancient Egyptian medicine can offer us effective treatments for a variety of health conditions. I believe that it is important to study the history of ancient Egyptian medicine. This knowledge can help us to understand how our own medical system has developed, and it can also provide us with new insights into the treatment of disease. In particular, I am interested in the golden era of ancient Egyptian midwifery. This was a time when midwives were highly respected and skilled, and they were able to provide women with the best possible care during childbirth. I believe that we can learn a great deal from this era, and that it can help us to improve the quality of midwifery care today. However, I am also concerned about the future of midwifery. Our knowledge of midwifery nowadays seems to be progressing to the level of knowledge that was written in the papyrus (Kahon papyrus). This is a worrying trend, as it suggests that we are about to lose the knowledge and skills necessary for providing safe and effective care to women during childbirth. I believe that it is worth studying history to protect the future. By understanding the past, we can better understand the present and the future. This is especially true in the field of medicine, where knowledge can be lost and forgotten over time. By studying the history of ancient Egyptian medicine, we can learn from the past and improve the quality of medicine in the future. Keywords: civilization curves, ancient medicine, Egypt, midwifery, history, future.
Dr. Magda Helmi is an Obstetrics and Gynecology consultant who lives and works in Cairo, since her birth 1951. She graduated in Medicine from Cairo University in 1975, specialised in Ob.Gyn. from 1979, completed the MD in the same specialisation in 1991. She conducted research work for many years in the field of Ob.Gyn., specially in reproductive biology, where she collaborated with international entities. After a long period of responsibilities at Al Azhar University in Cairo she devoted herself to the dissemination of medical culture and helping poor people. She has three books in Arabic with a fourth under publication, her books cover topics about Ancient Egyptian Medicine, Antenatal care, Infertility and Menopause. She participated in many international meetings with clinical application papers, as well as social and scientific activities in urban rural areas all over the world in Egypt, Italy, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.