 Many of the women who give birth in rural areas are treated by midwives who do not have any formal training but who are believed in the Maya religion to have received training in dreams.The traditional birth attendants are known as "comadronas" or "iyom kʼexelom", and receive prestige for their practice.Midwives in Maya societies are responsible for the "ajtuj" ("pregnant woman") and her unborn child throughout the pregnancy as well as the week of bed rest following the birth.