Childbirth and the Evolution of Homo sapiens

by Michel Odent

The period surrounding birth is a phase of modern life that has been dramatically altered in recent decades, and emerging scientific disciplines have shown that this short period is critical in the formation of human beings. Michel Odent, former obstetrician and revolutionary childbirth pioneer, believes that these are two good reasons to raise questions about the way babies are born, and the consequences this may have for the evolution of Homo sapiens. Furthermore, the transmission of acquired traits to subsequent generations can now be scientifically interpreted (epigenetics, the transmission of the mircobiome, etc), which may represent a defining moment in our understanding of the mechanisms by which evolution occurs. Recent scientific advances have been so spectacular that they merit this updated edition of a book that was originally published in 2013.

Obstetric practice is generally evaluated in the short term; this ground-breaking book encourages us to think about modes of birth in the long term, and to consider the impact they have on our species and its evolution. It is a readable, yet thought-provoking book, which will give anyone interested in evolution and the future of Homo sapiens much new material to consider.

A previous edition of this book was published under the title Childbirth and the Future of Homo sapiens.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Science

162 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 23, 2014

About the author

For several decades Michel Odent has been instrumental in influencing the history of childbirth and health research.


As a practitioner he developed the maternity unit at Pithiviers Hospital in France in the 1960s and '70s. He is familiarly known as the obstetrician who introduced the concept of birthing pools and home-like birthing rooms. His approach has been featured in eminent medical journals such as Lancet, and in TV documentaries such as the BBC film Birth Reborn. With six midwives he was in charge of about one thousand births a year and could achieve ideal statistics with low rates of intervention. After his hospital career he practiced home birth.


As a researcher he founded the Primal Health Research Center in London (UK), which focuses upon the long-term consequences of early experiences. An overview of the Primal Health Research data bank ( www.birthworks.org/primalhealth) clearly indicates that health is to a great extent shaped during the primal period (from conception until the first birthday). It also suggests that the way we are born has long-term consequences in terms of sociability, aggressiveness or, otherwise speaking, capacity to love.


Michel Odent has developed a preconceptional program (the "accordion method") in order to minimize the effects of intrauterine and milk pollution by synthetic fat soluble chemicals such as dioxins, PCBs, etc. His other research interests are the non-specific long term effects on health of early multiple vaccinations.


Author of approximately 50 scientific papers, Odent has 11 books published in 21 languages to his name. In his books he developed the art of turning traditional questions around, looking at the question of “how to develop good health” rather than at that of “how to prevent disease”, and at the question of “how the capacity to love develops”, rather than at that of “how to prevent violence”. His books The Scientification of Love and The Farmer and the Obstetrician raise urgent questions about the future of our civilizations. His latest book ('The Caesarean') has been published in April 2004.

Reviews

[Ferou Nukao · Rating 4 out of 5]

Livre extrêmement pertinent si vous voulez accoucher un jour ou si vous voulez que l’humanité ralentisse sa cadence pour revenir à ses racines de mammifères. C’est donc intéressant à lire sous une lentille anti-capitaliste. L’auteur met l’accent sur les cultures des humains ayant dramatiquement influencé l’accouchement au cours de l’histoire, et ce, à travers le monde. Il parle des interventions médicales invasives (qui ne sont plus considérées comme telles, par exemple l’administration d’ocytocine et la césarienne planifiée) et de leurs impacts sur l’évolution des humains. Il parle aussi de l’impact de ces interventions sur le développement du bébé; y aurait-il un lien à faire avec l’autisme, l’anorexie, l’asthme? C’est matière à réflexion.

Bien que je trouve ce livre très important à lire, j’aurais aimé qu’il parle davantage en profondeur de certains sujets; ce livre fait un survol de beaucoup d’enjeux et de recherches. J’ai trouvé qu’il demeurait beaucoup dans les scénarios hypothétiques… en même temps, c’est ce qu’Odent dénonce: l’aveuglement scientifique face à ces enjeux qu’il juge prioritaires pour le bien de l’humanité.

4 ⭐️

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book completely changed the way I view childbirth. Essentially, this book seems to be a call to arms for future scientists to devote more time and importance to the perinatal period. He claims that the way a child is born, specifically the hormones one is exposed to and the amount of uninterrupted bonding time they get with their mother immediately after birth, determine the little future human's capacity for love. In a time where a lack of love or even appreciation for the environment is propelling our species towards self-destruction, maximizing one's capacity to love right from the get-go seems more important than ever. The only reason I did not give this book five stars is because I found the author's habit of ending chapters with questions slightly annoying.

An absolutely necessary read for anyone who seeks to better the future of humanity, and to understand our history.