Parallel to the age of 18th century enlightened absolutism in Central-Eastern Europe started the nationwide systematic legislation of health policy and providers' services in the Hungarian Kingdom as a part of the Habsburg Empire. The midwifery ranked after the physicians, surgeons (bathers) and pharmacists as a fourth regulated profession. Its significance mounted under Maria Theresa (1740-1780) since the enlightened health policy toward midwifery and its professional education was concerned as a most powerful tool of increasing the subjects? number. Historic legal regulation of midwifery contained also education policy, civil and penalty legislation as well as common and Christian canon law rules with guidelines for ethical behaviour. This typical multi-faceted content phased out gradually by legal professionalism, which became dominating at the end of the explored era. Concerning 200 years there were separately analysed all normative changes and modifications related to the ever ruling socioeconomic environment. This study aims to present the true nature of legislation by following primarily the mainstream of legal and medical contents.  Kulcsszavak: bábaság jogi szabályozása, szülészeti szakmai szempontok, népi szokások, vallási dogmatika a szülészetben, etikai normák