Introduction:

This article shows the preliminary results which are part of research "Social functions of nursing in different historical processes since the construction of the public health in the contemporary Costa Rica", whose purpose is to analyze the social and historical facts that favored the professionalization of nursing, initially, with the Foundation of the school of obstetrics in 1897.

Method:

This article responds to a historical research based on three steps: the revisión of primary sources such as the medical Gazette and the reports of the Board of charity, and secondary sources; the critical evaluation of data; and interpretation and conclusions from the facts.

Results:

The facts that favored the Foundation of the school of obstetrics was linked with the rising rate of infant mortality, the need to institutionalize health practices and sanitize the population to build a strong State for promoting economic development, as well as the struggle undertaken by the medical institution against popular health care practices.

Conclusión:

It is concluded that the repression of the quackery and midwifery was related to patriarchal power. In addition, the Foundation of the school of obstetrics was related to social, political and economic conditions of the time based on the line of development which was taking the country.