Born: A History of Childbirth and the Female Struggle to Govern Our Bodies

Despite what some natural birth enthusiasts might imply, there was never a time when women gave birth without pain, according to this eloquent account from historian Inglis (Milk of Paradise). Childbirth, she argues, has always been fraught with danger, underscored by hope, and communal, with “every successful birth... a small victory for humanity.” The book begins in prehistory, showcasing how birth was both a struggle and a place for innovation: the first known pregnancy test, from 1350 BCE, involved having a pregnant woman pee on barley and wheat (it was amazingly pretty accurate); women would nurse puppies to take care of oversupply before breast pumps were invented; ancient Egyptians used mysterious objects called “birthing bricks,” whose purpose is “a source of great contention among historians.” Among Inglis’s aims is to show that premodern people, from the ancient Greeks to the 18th century, well understood anatomy and medicine, but that poor implementation, warped by politics or economics, could lead to unnecessary tragedy—such as when male Renaissance midwives invented forceps but made them proprietary and thus difficult to access. Turning to 20th-century eugenics and abortion rights, Inglis depicts birth as increasingly central to political power struggles. With birth stories from the author’s own family gracefully woven in, the result is a nuanced and tender look at an intimate yet universal human experience. (Oct.)