Hawaii

Western Influence

The arrival of Western missionaries and settlers transformed the nature of Hawaiian society; the first Western women came as missionaries in 1820. Gradually, more and more settlers arrived, and a modern, Western-style hospital was built. It was not long before many Polynesian Hawaiians started to adopt Western practices and their health system. As this was taking place, many Asians and mainland U.S. citizens started settling in Hawaii. This resulted in a truly multicultural society, with some of the best medical facilities in the Pacific. There are now hospitals throughout the Hawaiian islands, but practicing as a direct-entry midwife remains illegal in Hawaii under certain circumstances.

The Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children, in Honolulu, Hawaii, is the only hospital in the state that specializes in the treatment of children. Originally opened by Queen Kapi'olani in 1890, in 1961 it was the birthplace of Barack Obama. Queen Kapi'olani remains highly respected by many Hawaiians, and since the 1980s there have been many Hawaiian women active in politics, including Eileen Anderson, mayor of Honolulu from 1981–85 and mother of three children; Margery Bronster, Hawaii's Attorney General from 1995–99; and Linda Lingle, who was elected governor of Hawaii in 2002, as the first female and the first Jewish governor of the state.

In 1970, Hawaii repealed its existing laws against abortion to allow abortion on demand, and family planning programs were introduced. The birth rate in Hawaii is now 14.8 and the fertility rate is 2.2 children per woman—the latter being one of the highest in the 50 states. In addition, there are an average of 2.9 people per household in Hawaii (as opposed to the country's average of 2.6), which may indicate the presence of many members of an extended family.

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