Angélique du Coudray facts for kids

Angélique Marguerite Le Boursier du Coudray (around 1712 – April 17, 1794) was a very important and pioneering midwife. She became famous at a time when men were starting to take over the field of childbirth. She came from a regular family but became so well-known that King Louis XV of France himself asked her to work for him.

Her Life and Work

Angélique du Coudray was born in Clermont-Ferrand, France. Her family was well-known in medicine. In 1740, when she was about 25, she finished her three years of training. She passed her exams at the College of Surgery.

Soon after, the surgery school stopped teaching female midwives. Du Coudray fought against this. She signed a petition, asking the University of Paris to teach all midwives. Because of her efforts, she was allowed into the school.

In 1743, male surgeons tried to take over midwifery. They refused to teach female midwives. Du Coudray and other midwives signed another petition. They said the surgeons were not doing their job. She argued that without proper training, midwives could not help mothers and babies safely. To keep patients safe, women were allowed to continue their training. After this, Du Coudray became the main midwife at the Hôtel Dieu in Paris. She became a very important person in the city.

In 1759, she wrote a book called Abrégé de l'art des accouchements. This book was a guide for midwives. It had her own drawings to show how to help with births. The book was translated into many languages.

That same year, King Louis XV asked her to teach midwifery to women in the countryside. He wanted to lower the number of babies who died during birth. Many people had died in the Seven Years' War. The king wanted more citizens for France's future.

Between 1760 and 1783, she traveled all over rural France. She shared her knowledge with poor women. She taught in over 40 French cities and towns. She directly trained about 4,000 students. Her students then trained 6,000 more women. She also taught about 500 male surgeons and doctors. In total, she taught over 30,000 students. Her teaching made her famous across France and even in other countries.

Angélique du Coudray died in Bordeaux on April 17, 1794. Her death is a bit of a mystery. It happened during the Reign of Terror, a very dangerous time after the French Revolution. Some people think she was killed because King Louis XV had supported her. Others believe she simply died of old age.

The Birth Machine

Du Coudray invented the first life-sized model for practicing births. It was often called "The Machine." Each machine cost about 300 livres to build. They were made from fabric, leather, and stuffing. Sometimes, real human bones were used for the torso.

Strings and straps helped show how the birth canal stretched. The baby model's head had a nose, ears, and an open mouth. You could put a finger into the mouth. This was important for learning how to help with breech births. A breech birth is when a baby comes out feet first. The machine helped midwives learn how to safely deliver and care for these babies.

Some people thought a Scotsman named William Smellie invented this. But Du Coudray's model was mentioned in a royal document from 1759. This shows she invented it first. You can see an old "Machine" at the Musée Flaubert et d'histoire de la médecine in Rouen, France. There is also a copy at the Musée de l'Homme in Paris.

Her Teaching Travels

Du Coudray first traveled to Moulins in November 1761. Many people were excited for her to arrive. In her first class in Moulins, 80 students came. Her course cost 36–40 livres, which included a certificate. She worked her students hard. They learned the basics, which was enough to be very helpful in their towns.

Classes were held six days a week, all morning and afternoon. They lasted about two months. This gave students plenty of time to learn and practice on the machine. Sometimes, her best students could watch real births with her. In most cities, she was paid 300 livres a month for her teaching.

She traveled to many other places, including Autun, Bourg-en-Bresse, and Poitiers. In all these places, she taught the same course. Du Coudray also taught midwives something new. If a baby seemed near death after birth, midwives used to focus only on the mother. Du Coudray taught them to try to save the baby too. This often worked.

Her Midwifery Book

Her book, Abrégé de l'art des accouchements, contained her lessons. It started by explaining the female body and how babies are made. Then, it talked about how to care for pregnant women. Finally, it explained how to deliver babies and handle common problems.

The book also covered rare birth situations. Du Coudray called these her "observations." She often referred to her "machine" in the book to explain ideas. Even though the book was small, it was very important for midwives in the 1700s.

Images for kids

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  Madame du Coudray. From Aloïs Delacoux, Biographie des sages-femmes célèbres, anciennes, modernes et contemporaines (Unknown artist. Paris: Trinquart, 1834)

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  'The Machine', the first life-sized obstetrical mannequin

See also

In Spanish: Angélique du Coudray para niños