To assist in childbirth; to deliver a baby as a midwife or obstetrician.
From French accoucher, derived from Old French acouchier, from couche meaning 'bed/lying down.' The word originally meant 'to put to bed' and evolved to specifically mean assisting in childbirth.
This French word is rarely used in modern English, but it's the root of 'accouchement' and 'accoucheur.' In medical and literary contexts, it preserves a more formal, almost elegant terminology for childbirth than everyday English usually employs.
Accouche (from French accoucher, to give birth) is explicitly linked to childbirth. Historically, men (accoucheurs) dominated obstetrics despite women doing the actual reproductive labor and traditional midwifery.
Use 'give birth' or 'deliver' when discussing the act. When using 'accouchement' in medical contexts, acknowledge midwifery and female practitioners' contributions.
["give birth","deliver","labor"]
Women were midwives for millennia before male accoucheurs professionalized and marginalized female practitioners from obstetrics in the 18th-19th centuries.
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