Models of healthcare

“Labour gives birth to ideas…”

Jim Rohn

The last couple of years have taught us that successfully delivering public health messages can be tricky. Lockdowns, flattening the curve, social distancing and vaccine strategies all come to mind. None of this is new. Revolutionary France had a big problem, a falling birth rate. The actual issue was a rising perinatal mortality rate. Young French women were moving to large cities, away from family and traditional obstetric knowledge, wisdom and experience. In 1778 Madam du Couday was charged by Louis XV to fix the problem. The experienced midwife introduced models to teach illiterate and isolated young women the fundamentals of childbirth. These devices taught the physiology, variations and complications of delivery. The manikins were made of human pelvic bones held by metal rods on a wooden stand, upholstered in canvas, padded with cotton and lined with flesh coloured leather. Accessories included a full term foetal doll, a pair of twins and an opened uterus for detailed instruction. #supercreepy #letsmakelemonade