François Mauriceau

Who was François Mauriceau?

François Mauriceau was a French obstetrician from Paris. He received his training in obstetrics at the Hôtel-Dieu.

Mauriceau was a leading obstetrician in 17th-century Europe. He is remembered for publishing in 1668, Traité des Maladies des Femmes Grosses et Accouchées, a book that established obstetrics as a science, and was later translated into several languages. He is also known for development of a classical maneuvre of assisted breech delivery. He gave a description of tubal pregnancy, and with German midwife Justine Siegemundin 1650–1705, Mauriceau is credited for introducing the practice of puncturing the amniotic sac to arrest bleeding in placenta praevia.

In 1670, English obstetrician Hugh Chamberlen tried to sell the secret of a specialized obstetrical forceps to Mauriceau. Mauriceau became disgusted that the Chamberlen family kept such an important development a secret, and accused the Chamberlens of common swindling.

Mauriceau died in Paris.