Michel Odent

Michel Odent, MD is a French obstetrician known for his pioneering work in researching and developing birth centres, low intervention childbirth, and the practice of water birth. In the 1960s he established a maternity unit at Pithiviers Hospital in France which specialized in low intervention labour and birth. Odent, in collaboration with six midwives, provided care to women in the unit and oversaw the births of nearly one thousand babies a year. They achieved excellent statistics with low rates of intervention.

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Odent has published articles in many medical journals, including The Lancet and the British Medical Journal, and has appeared in TV documentaries such as the BBC film "Birth Reborn". After he ceased practicing in hospital he assisted at homebirths.

Publications

In addition to over 50 scientific papers, Odent has published 11 books which have been printed in 21 languages. His books demonstrate his approach of turning traditional questions around: "How do we develop good health?" instead of "How do we prevent disease?" or "How do we develop the capacity to love?" instead of "How do we prevent violence?"

His more recent books include:

• Birth Reborn
• Birth Traditions & Modern Pregnancy Care
• Entering the World : The De-Medicalization of Childbirth
• Birth and Breastfeeding
• Trust Your Body! Trust Your Baby!
• We Are All Water Babies

• The Farmer and the Obstetrician Published by Free Association Books www.fabooks.com)
• The Caesarean (Free Association Books www.fabooks.com )
• Scientification of Love (Free Association Books www.fabooks.com)

See also

• Water birth
• Birth centre