Women were irreplaceable as health practitioners and midwives in the Middle Ages. They aided women through the most perilous moments of their lives, childbirth, and were often the only people to treat them for specifically female maladies. The literature produced by women at this time, however, does not reflect their involvement in a straightforward way, as most women were barred from a university education or professional training. That is not to say they are completely absent, as there are many notable female authors who wrote on gynecology and obstetrics. In addition, if one looks outside of the written word, a veil lifts, opening up a variety of new sources where women and their contributions may be found.