Book · 1998 · Biography & Autobiography
The King's Midwife
A History and Mystery of Madame Du Coudray
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There's a wonderful book by Nina Galbart called The King's Midwife where she argues that you could extrapolate the number of successful births based on Kudra's training and then the midwives who followed her training.
Stephen Dubner · Freakonomics Radio · Jun 2025 Listen at 40:48 Why people recommend it
The King's Midwife by Nina Rattner Gelbart explores the life and historical impact of Madame du Coudray, an eighteenth-century French midwife who revolutionized obstetrical education under royal patronage. Stephen Dubner discussed this historical study on Freakonomics Radio during an episode titled 636. Why Aren’t We Having More Babies?, released on June 13, 2025. The host referenced Nina Rattner Gelbart's work while analyzing historical approaches to population growth and reproductive health, pointing out how the author demonstrates that one can calculate the approximate number of successful historical births by examining Madame du Coudray's specialized training methods and the subsequent work of the midwives who followed her teachings. The citation illustrated the profound societal impact of standardized medical education on maternal and infant survival rates during the Enlightenment era.
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Stephen Dubner There's a wonderful book by Nina Galbart called The King's Midwife where she argues that you could extrapol… 1
“There's a wonderful book by Nina Galbart called The King's Midwife where she argues that you could extrapolate the number of successful births based on Kudra's training and then the midwives who followed her training.”
