Published Recueil des secrets

In 1635, near the end of her long career, Louise Bourgeois published Recueil des secrets in Paris, a further collection of medical and obstetric knowledge that supplemented and extended the material presented in her earlier Observations diverses volumes.

This later work reflects the continued evolution of Bourgeois's thinking and practice over more than three decades of professional midwifery, incorporating additional remedies, practical techniques, and household medical knowledge that had accumulated through her extensive career serving both royal and non-royal patients. The title, translating roughly to "Collection of Secrets," suggests a compendium format common to period medical and household manuals, blending practical recipes with clinical guidance.

Published just a year before her death, this work represents one of the final contributions of a woman who had spent her life documenting and disseminating knowledge about childbirth and women's health at a time when such knowledge was rarely committed to print, let alone by a female author. It stands as a testament to Bourgeois's enduring commitment to sharing practical medical knowledge widely, beyond the confines of oral tradition among midwives.

Together with her earlier Observations, this publication cements Bourgeois's legacy as one of the most prolific and influential female medical authors of the early modern period, whose combined body of work shaped obstetric literature and practice for generations following her death.