(nurse here) I don't think the midwives who gossip are much in the way of midwives. When I did my 2.5yrs of my RN (I know, so close yet never finished!), we were told that body hair has it's function and the function of pubic hair is to stop dust and stuff getting into the vagina and causing problems. The vagina is self clensing and the hair helps move the mucous etc away from the opening. We were told if you shave/wax, you are cutting back the bodies natural defense system. Now, I do shave occasionally, simply because when I have AF/bleeding, I find it easier and less messy, Dh enjoys it as a change and I feel a little more confortable. As a nurse however, I believe it is individual choice and I would never comment on that type of thing! Heck, by the time ur 9 months pg, how do u see or reach properly to shave it anyway? (And my DH is too timid to do it for me, he's scared he'll cut me!hehe). People should learn to accept others as they are and not comment about such things unless asked. As I said. If you feel more comfortable hairless, by all means do it (the infection risk isn't high enough to rule it out) if you're not, dont. Some women do it in case they need a c/s. However I was told by a midwive who trained me, that shaving actually is no longer recommended, even tho a lot of hosps do it (removing stickys from skin with hair is more painful, that is why they do it) as the main infection barrier to the wound is the hair. I'm not sure I am co-herrant. Sorry. Pregnancy brain and tired now...
I've heard nurses call it the "hairy scarey", I just laugh. It's not so scarey when you see a few of em *heehe*