'Shaped by meticulous research Inglis writes with clarity pace and a sharp eye for surprising
details.' - Alice Loxton author of Eighteen and Uproar 'Deeply researched smart poignant
and witty.' - Karen Bloom Gevirtz author of The Apothecary's Wife Women have been fighting
for control over their bodies for thousands of years. From Neolithic hunter-gatherers to the
reversal of Roe v. Wade this is their story. Acclaimed cultural historian Lucy Inglis takes
the reader on an epic journey through the stories of women over hundreds of thousands of years.
From ancient Mesopotamian birthing practices to the lost contraceptives of Ancient Rome and the
strange story of the feminists who fought for the right to forget childbirth this is a truly
sweeping history that explores the competing ideologies and lived realities that have shaped so
many lives. Lucy Inglis charts the battle for control throughout history over reproduction
birth and women's bodies - a fight still raging in many places across the world. With birth
rates falling and infant mortality in many societies on the rise once more this bold and
timely book raises vital questions about how we think about motherhood and pregnancy today.
Lucy Inglis has spent over a decade researching the history of childbirth drawing on new and
unseen sources from a wide-ranging array of disciplines. Charting the powerful interests and
dedicated scientists that have shaped women's maternal experiences this is a must-read for
anyone who wishes to understand how we all came to be here.
