infant by turning it, thus saving two lives. She also invented a method of deftly turning a face or oblique presentation so that the infant could be born with forceps, and of replacing a protruding arm or shoulder before it was too late. Lachapelle's work in birthing technique, hygiene, and education at La Maternité comprised the majority of her career, where she worked alongside her friend Dr. Jean-Louis Baudelocque, who was in charge of the theoretical part. Lachapelle also made strides in the hygiene practices of the hospital; her efforts to reduce child mortality rates were quite successful, including her restrictions on visitors. Throughout her career, she delivered approximately 40,000 babies; this experience led her to begin writing a textbook on midwifery and obstetrics. Her greatest innovation lay in realizing the value of collecting statistics on great numbers of cases. She also published five case histories in 1819, in the Annuaire Médico-Chirurgical, Observations sur divers cas d'accouchements (rupture du vagin; présentation de la face; issue prématurée du cordon; accouchement précédé de convulsions ("Observations on various delivery cases"). In her three-volume treatise, she introduced an improved classification of fetal positions, reducing Baudelocque's 94 positions to 22. She always insisted on minimum use of instruments. Her tables settled many questions still debated in obstetrics up to her time: average length of pregnancy, the average duration of labor; frequency of certain pelvic abnormalities, etc. In her second volume, she reviewed the extraordinary cases, and their treatment and in her third volume she focused on the new operation, symphysiotomy. Publications (volume 1, volume 2, volume 3; Retrieved 6 February 2013.) She also wrote articles recording her observations for the periodical Annuaire Medico-Chirurgical and furnished statistics for the members of the conseil d'administration des hospices. Honors Doctor of medicine degree from a German university Sources Citations References 1769 births 1821 deaths French obstetricians French midwives People in health professions from Paris 18th-century French women scientists 19th-century French women scientists 18th-century French scientists 19th-century French scientists