Harare — IMAGINE your pregnant wife being helped to deliver by a male midwife, as she writhes in agony?

Or better still, picture yourself in the shoes of a male midwife probing the cervix of a pregnant woman to determine how far she is from giving birth!

Such is the situation and life of Moses Mushayi (40), who has helped many women deliver at the Chitungwiza Central Hospital where he is employed.

Although he is yet to complete his midwifery course in May next year, Mushayi, a qualified general nurse, says he has presided over many births such that he doesn't feel any discomfort in seeing different women giving birth.

"Because of my age and the exposure I have been working with female reproductive organs, I am now used to the environment. Imagine we work with them (pregnant women) from the antenatal stage up to the time that they give birth.

"There are times when we put our fingers into their cervix to determine whether or not the centimetres are ready for the passage of the baby from the womb," said Mushayi, with a smile on his face.

But what motivated him to take up midwifery -- whose name alone suggests that it is a profession that was originally meant for women -- instead of pursuing other areas of nursing?

"First of all, it was all about saving lives. Women are the producers of life. If we save their lives then we have saved many lives. Secondly, the number of deaths that were occurring during childbirth touched me.

"I also realised that there were very few men who were practising midwifery in Zimbabwe, so I wanted to add to their number.

"Lastly, I got into it as a promotion after completing my general nursing that I studied from 2001 to 2004," he said.

But how is his relationship with the women he helps in giving birth, considering that he is a man and they are women?

Aren't instances whereby he feels over-exposed such that his love life is adversely affected?

"Once you are into nursing, and midwifery in particular, you are unisex. The aim is to save life.

"You don't have to look at sex. Most of them appreciate me for what I am. In fact, men have more sympathy than women do.

"We feel for women, whereas women don't feel for one another. This is probably because women pass through the same phase. We (male midwives) believe that pain is pain and it is real.

"Most of my patients always commend me saying that sekuru you have done a great job," explained Mushayi, who is married and is a father of five.

But how does his wife regard his job, doesn't she feel jealous of having her husband seeing other women?

"She is very supportive because she knows it is my job where our bread is buttered.

"She knows that I am in a position to even help her deliver in the event that an emergency arises and I have the proper instruments at hand. I can even assist other members of society in the case of an emergency."

Mushayi, however, has to live with some jokes by some people in society who have nicknamed male midwifes as "middlemen."

"Some people call us middlemen, because they feel the word wife in 'midwife' doesn't apply to us since we are men.

"But in as much as they might call us that, the fact still remains that we are into the job to save lives.

"I think its high time that the term midwife changed to encompass all since men are now also into the same field," he said.

Mushayi vividly remembers his first experience of helping a patient deliver.

It was while he was still practising as a general nurse before specialising on midwifery.

"I felt great because delivering a live baby is something great. Imagine cutting the connection between the mother and the baby and still manage to keep the baby alive.

"It is an important field because you learn a lot about the evolution of life in the womb, from a sperm, to the development into a zygote until birth, in fact, the entire creation of life.

"No wonder the women we help in delivering are a happy lot after delivery because after all the pain is gone, they know they had trusted you with their lives and that of their babies," said Mushayi.

He said he doesn't see himself leaving midwifery.

"I still want to be in that field for a very long time of my life. It is a noble profession, something closer to God."

With more than 30 deliveries to his name, Mushayi sure looks like someone who is here to stay in the midwifery profession.

"What is important is to understand your patients and listen and communicate with them.

"But others decide to turn a deaf ear to patients not knowing that they are turning a deaf ear to precious human life. Isu toita zvebasa (we take our work seriously)," said Mushayi.