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Meet the Woman Who Taught France How to Save Mothers and Babies - In 18th Century, childbirth was terrifying. Without proper medical knowledge or trained midwives, many women and infants didn’t survive. But Angélique Marguerite Le Boursier du Coudray, born in 1712, set out to change that. At a time when women had little access to education—especially in medicine—Angélique became a highly skilled midwife. And in 1759, she caught the attention of King Louis XV, who was deeply concerned about the rising number of maternal and infant deaths, especially in rural France. He gave her an extraordinary mission: Travel across the country and teach others how to deliver babies safely. What made her truly revolutionary was her invention—a life-sized, anatomically correct childbirth mannequin made from fabric, leather, and cotton. This “birthing doll” let midwives practice delivery techniques in a safe, hands-on way, long before modern simulators existed. Over the next 25 years, she trained thousands of women, dramatically reducing childbirth deaths in many areas. In 1773, she published “Abrégé de l’Art des Accouchements”, a practical, easy-to-understand childbirth manual that became required reading for midwives. Her work laid the foundation for modern obstetrics. While medicine has come a long way since, it’s thanks to pioneers like Angélique du Coudray that childbirth moved from being a deadly gamble to a safer, science-based process. She didn’t just deliver babies— She delivered a legacy that saved countless lives. #drthehistories