Johanna Maria Hedén, née Bowall (1837-1912) was a Swedish midwife, Feldsher

Feldsher

Feldsher is the name of a health care professional who provides various medical services in Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union, mainly in rural areas...

, apothecary

Apothecary

Apothecary is a historical name for a medical professional who formulates and dispenses materia medica to physicians, surgeons and patients — a role now served by a pharmacist and some caregivers....

 and barber

Barber

A barber is someone whose occupation is to cut any type of hair, and to shave or trim the beards of men. The place of work of a barber is generally called a barbershop....

. She is the first known licensed female feldsher in Sweden and as such the first known formally educated and trained female surgeon in Sweden.

Johanna Hedén was born in a poor family: her mother died in childbirth because of an incompetent midwife. Her father denied her education because of her gender and provided her a position as a domestic in Stockholm. Her employer, however, persuaded her brother to allow her to study. Hedén took her license as a midwife in 1858, after which she also trained as an apothecary. In 1863, she graduated as a feldsher and barber. she became a teacher at the obstetrics institution i Gothenburg in 1867. Johanna Hedén founded Göteborgs Barnmorskesällskap (The Gothenburg Midwifery Association) in 1885, which was the first union for women in her country, Svenska Barnmorskeförbundet (The Swedish Midwifery Association) in 1886 and the paper Jordemodern for midwifes in 1888.

A street in Gothenburg was named after her.