It is suggested that midwives came to be established during the 15th century.[7] This was shortly after the emergence of European schools and universities, but many of these early institutions excluded women from their programs and restricted their access to certain subject areas.[3] At the time, men had monopolized many areas of the medical industry.[3] This led to women's usage of natural remedies to help the sick and advance their practice of midwifery. However, because of preexisting social standards, it was difficult for women to gain the right to practice within other sectors of medicine. Few women practiced as surgeons and barbers, but many of these women were married to men in similar fields.[3] Thus midwifery became women's primary role within the medical world.