Unbearable: Five Women and the Perils of Pregnancy in America

This disquieting exposé from New York Magazine reporter Carmon (Notorious RBG) reveals the inadequacy of maternal healthcare in the U.S. Partially inspired by her own pregnancy during the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, the author highlights the “neglect, infantilization, and criminalization” endured by patients within the healthcare system via the experiences of four women who are either pregnant, postpartum, or trying to conceive, as well as an ob-gyn who seeks to open a birth center in post-Roe Alabama. Carmon follows each individual as they navigate the strained, impersonal, and at times punitive medical systems in New York and Alabama: one woman is jailed after giving birth for “chemical endangerment” of her fetus; another is “robbed of her options” for managing a miscarriage due to abortion restrictions; the two New York women, Maggie and Christine, are both subject to botched C-sections by the same surgeon, causing internal bleeding—only Maggie survives. Carmon poignantly reports on the grief and subsequent activism of Christine’s fiancé, whose concerns were dismissed by the hospital before her death. Emphasizing these stories of neglect by hospital staff, as well as indifference from politicians, Carmon presents a vision of a healthcare system where “no matter who you are, or what privileges you enjoy, nothing can guarantee your personal safety or security.” It’s a passionate and potent wake up call. (Oct.)