Pioneering women's health doctor, who delivered 6,000 babies, dies at 94

Dr. Margaret Smith, a prominent obstetrician and women's health advocate, passed away on July 14, her 94th birthday. Known for her dedication, she delivered an estimated 6,000 babies throughout her career.

Dr. Smith faced considerable sexism in the male-dominated medical field of the 1950s and beyond. Her medical school classmates, led by Frank Smith, who later became her husband, staged a protest to ensure she received a residency in obstetrics.

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I have to do everything he does backwards and in high heels, but fortunately I can make it look twice as easy.

She pursued specialist training in Edinburgh, earning a gold medal for her postgraduate work in 1963. Later, she and her husband spent seven years in Papua New Guinea, where she practiced medicine in challenging conditions, delivering babies and acting as a physician and anesthetist. She considered the safe delivery of triplets during this time a career highlight.

Returning to Perth, Dr. Smith was one of the few female practitioners. She once reflected on the sacrifices made by professional women of her era, stating, "I could not have had children, otherwise I could not have done what I did for other children." Her twin sister, Joan, and younger sister, Nancy, completed their family. Dr. Smith, often called Margie, was a twin herself, born four minutes after her sister Joan.

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I could not have had children, otherwise I could not have done what I did for other children.