Michel Odent

Michel Odent at a conference in Budapest, Hungary, in 2004.

Michel Odent is a retired medical doctor. He was born in France in 1930 and studied medicine at Paris University. He is known for his role in the natural childbirth movement and for promoting water birth. Odent has stirred controversy at times by arguing that fathers should not be present at birth.^[1]

Medical training

Odent did his initial training in general surgery,^[2] and was in charge of the surgical unit and the maternity unit at the Pithiviers state hospital (1962–1985). He then practiced in London, and subsequently founded the Primal Health Research Centre.^[3]. He does not hold specialist qualifications in surgery any more, nor is he listed in the EU-wide specialist register for general surgery.

Publications

Odent has published 50 scientific papers and 11 books which have been printed in 21 languages.

His more recent books include:

• 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)
• The Functions of the Orgasms: The Highways to Transcendence (2009, Pinter & Martin Ltd.)
• Childbirth in the Age of Plastics (2011, Pinter & Martin Ltd.)

He has also written the foreword to the new edition of Childbirth Without Fear, by Grantly Dick-Read.

See also

• childbirth
• lactation
• midwifery
• cesarean
• Water birth

External links

• Information about Michel Odent's Primal Health research
• Essays by Michel Odent
• Antonella Gambotto-Burke's review of The Functions of the Orgasms

References

1. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/oct/18/men-birth-labour-baby
2. ^ http://www.nesacademy.org/memberprofile.php?id=46
3. ^ http://www.wombecology.com

Persondata
Name	Odent, Michel
Alternative names
Short description	French Doctor
Date of birth
Place of birth	France
Date of death
Place of death