You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.17 AVERAGE
4.17 AVERAGE
Unfortunately, i've never encountered a poem that romanticizes the uterus in the pillowy language reserved for hearts. The uterus is "more like a heart" than any other organ, Leah Hazard states in her introduction, and yet we are never pulled to buy roses or chocolates because of it. Here though, the uterus is the central character. Playing a central role as a protective shield from the world during our development, the uterus also stands as symbol for womanhood, femininity, cyclical pain, hidden shame, and persecution.
There are some really stirring themes throughout this book. Hazard explores the lifecycle of the uterus and the patriarchal control of women's bodies throughout history. One short parable explores just how much a male-dominant lens has distorted even the most basic myths we have. She retells the classic copulation theme with a deeper understanding of the uterus an active participant. The sperm's role is undoubtedly half the story, but the control mechanism of the uterus to block and allow certain sperm is just as critical. I think there is an evolutionary perspective here that is really interesting, and introduces a stronger model of female agency.
Given the political climate of child rearing in the U.S (limited maternity leave, State limitations to abortion, healthcare disparities among class/race), it's hard to imagine the more egalitarian vision offered by Hazard toward the end of the book. Imagine 60 years after the pill was created, there are new frontiers for women to manage their control. Women's choice here expands beyond the abortion debate - we identify women tracking periods, deciding to have hysterectomies, and managing the birthing process through medications and procedural decisions.
The theme of technologies emerges and reappears throughout the book. The dual edges of knowledge and control, have both created and removed possibilities for women. Pregnancy still carries risk, but through the standardization of cervical measurements, cesarean births and genetic testing - carrying to term no longer imperils the mother. Hazard also explores the ways in which women have been mistreated throughout history by not controlling their uterus. Eugenics, rape victimization documented throuhgout wars, limitations to aboriton, and misogny regarding female effluent/period cycles.
Really great read. A good balance of medical knowledge and social context. As a writer Hazard is farily striaght forward, but there are certainly some funny quips and thoughtful asides. Some chapters interested me more than others, but really enjoyed Hazard's vocabulary and historical insights into pregnancy. Although clearly this is about a centrally female experience, I thought Hazard's inclusion of transexual men, and non-birthing women gave a wider space to understand the experiences women have to their reproductive systems.
There are some really stirring themes throughout this book. Hazard explores the lifecycle of the uterus and the patriarchal control of women's bodies throughout history. One short parable explores just how much a male-dominant lens has distorted even the most basic myths we have. She retells the classic copulation theme with a deeper understanding of the uterus an active participant. The sperm's role is undoubtedly half the story, but the control mechanism of the uterus to block and allow certain sperm is just as critical. I think there is an evolutionary perspective here that is really interesting, and introduces a stronger model of female agency.
Given the political climate of child rearing in the U.S (limited maternity leave, State limitations to abortion, healthcare disparities among class/race), it's hard to imagine the more egalitarian vision offered by Hazard toward the end of the book. Imagine 60 years after the pill was created, there are new frontiers for women to manage their control. Women's choice here expands beyond the abortion debate - we identify women tracking periods, deciding to have hysterectomies, and managing the birthing process through medications and procedural decisions.
The theme of technologies emerges and reappears throughout the book. The dual edges of knowledge and control, have both created and removed possibilities for women. Pregnancy still carries risk, but through the standardization of cervical measurements, cesarean births and genetic testing - carrying to term no longer imperils the mother. Hazard also explores the ways in which women have been mistreated throughout history by not controlling their uterus. Eugenics, rape victimization documented throuhgout wars, limitations to aboriton, and misogny regarding female effluent/period cycles.
Really great read. A good balance of medical knowledge and social context. As a writer Hazard is farily striaght forward, but there are certainly some funny quips and thoughtful asides. Some chapters interested me more than others, but really enjoyed Hazard's vocabulary and historical insights into pregnancy. Although clearly this is about a centrally female experience, I thought Hazard's inclusion of transexual men, and non-birthing women gave a wider space to understand the experiences women have to their reproductive systems.
So necessary. I hope this becomes a mandatory requirement for all medical, healthcare and social science students to study!
informative
reflective
medium-paced
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
This review originally appeared on my blog at www.gimmethatbook.com.
When I saw that a midwife authored this book, I knew that it would be relevant, detailed, and female-friendly. The womb is regulated by the government, dismissed by some physicians, and disparaged by men. It is also a misunderstood organ, considered to be simply the place where the fetus lives. That could not be farther from the truth! The uterus has far -reaching effects upon a woman, more than just the cause of mood swings each month during menstruation.
Each chapter discusses a different subject, such as endometriosis, hysterectomies, transplants (yes, you can put a uterus into a woman just like a heart transplant) hormones, and the various stages of the womb from first menses to menopause. The final chapters are reminiscent of BRAVE NEW WORLD, as the author discusses the possibility of an external uterus (called a biobag) and ways that a woman could be pregnant even without a womb.
There are stories in each chapter that make you realize just how much this organ is ignored and how men have used and abused it, from Josef Mengele’s experiments to the eugenics movement in the United States. Some of the details are cringeworthy, such as the woman who tried to remove her own uterus, or the story of the doctor at the Irwin County Detention Center whom they called the “uterus collector”.
Since Roe v. Wade has been overturned, women’s reproductive rights have been at the forefront of a great deal of news cycles. It seems unreal how the government, especially male politicians, have the final say on whether a woman can end her pregnancy or not. Regardless of your convictions (pro-choice or pro-life), it is unfathomable that a woman has no control over her own organs.
This book should be required reading for anyone that has a uterus. There are so many amazing facts and thought-provoking ideas – it’s almost guaranteed that you will learn something as you read WOMB. The author’s writing style is easy to understand, as she explains the science and history of this wonderful organ in a way that will make you want to keep reading.
When I saw that a midwife authored this book, I knew that it would be relevant, detailed, and female-friendly. The womb is regulated by the government, dismissed by some physicians, and disparaged by men. It is also a misunderstood organ, considered to be simply the place where the fetus lives. That could not be farther from the truth! The uterus has far -reaching effects upon a woman, more than just the cause of mood swings each month during menstruation.
Each chapter discusses a different subject, such as endometriosis, hysterectomies, transplants (yes, you can put a uterus into a woman just like a heart transplant) hormones, and the various stages of the womb from first menses to menopause. The final chapters are reminiscent of BRAVE NEW WORLD, as the author discusses the possibility of an external uterus (called a biobag) and ways that a woman could be pregnant even without a womb.
There are stories in each chapter that make you realize just how much this organ is ignored and how men have used and abused it, from Josef Mengele’s experiments to the eugenics movement in the United States. Some of the details are cringeworthy, such as the woman who tried to remove her own uterus, or the story of the doctor at the Irwin County Detention Center whom they called the “uterus collector”.
Since Roe v. Wade has been overturned, women’s reproductive rights have been at the forefront of a great deal of news cycles. It seems unreal how the government, especially male politicians, have the final say on whether a woman can end her pregnancy or not. Regardless of your convictions (pro-choice or pro-life), it is unfathomable that a woman has no control over her own organs.
This book should be required reading for anyone that has a uterus. There are so many amazing facts and thought-provoking ideas – it’s almost guaranteed that you will learn something as you read WOMB. The author’s writing style is easy to understand, as she explains the science and history of this wonderful organ in a way that will make you want to keep reading.
Womb: The Inside Story of Where We All Began By Leah Hazard
Is vagenius!!
Of course this is my jam! My favourite type of book: popular science, feminism, the human body, socioeconomic factors, intersectional, LGBTQ. It’s a true brain orgasm of information! Hazard is an excellent writer, and seems to be a wonderful mid-wife who is constantly learning and adapting their techniques for the benefit of their patient.
We learn in some of the most inclusive words (although the word they could have been used more) about periods, conception, pregnancy, loss of pregnancy, contractions, health, and menopause. We learn a lot about the history, and medical aspects but also about the socioeconomic influence onto our modern society. And individual people’s experience.
I found the section on cesarean very fascinating. I knew the USA and Brazil had some of the highest rates of C-sections. And had been educated that it was elective and a vanity or “too posh to push” something completely chosen by the patient. Turns out given further studies that Hazard highlights, it is actually for the convenience of the doctors, and the push from medical practitioners with sexist and racist abuse during labour in Brazil.
We also learn about gentle c sections where the uterus “delivers” the baby and placenta by natural contractions after the OBGYN has made the first cuts. Honestly, the way it was presented seemed so wonderful it makes us question why it is not standard practice and why are births so rushed.
This book is for anyone who enjoys medical science, anatomy, and feminist intersectionality. It is LGBTQ friendly and intersex is highlighted throughout. And does speak about transitioning, uterus transplants. It is exclusively about the Womb, or uterus, and has high proportion of the book deals with pregnancy and getting or wanting to get pregnant- without the emphasis on the fetus. It’s fascinating what the human body can do!
Is vagenius!!
Of course this is my jam! My favourite type of book: popular science, feminism, the human body, socioeconomic factors, intersectional, LGBTQ. It’s a true brain orgasm of information! Hazard is an excellent writer, and seems to be a wonderful mid-wife who is constantly learning and adapting their techniques for the benefit of their patient.
We learn in some of the most inclusive words (although the word they could have been used more) about periods, conception, pregnancy, loss of pregnancy, contractions, health, and menopause. We learn a lot about the history, and medical aspects but also about the socioeconomic influence onto our modern society. And individual people’s experience.
I found the section on cesarean very fascinating. I knew the USA and Brazil had some of the highest rates of C-sections. And had been educated that it was elective and a vanity or “too posh to push” something completely chosen by the patient. Turns out given further studies that Hazard highlights, it is actually for the convenience of the doctors, and the push from medical practitioners with sexist and racist abuse during labour in Brazil.
We also learn about gentle c sections where the uterus “delivers” the baby and placenta by natural contractions after the OBGYN has made the first cuts. Honestly, the way it was presented seemed so wonderful it makes us question why it is not standard practice and why are births so rushed.
This book is for anyone who enjoys medical science, anatomy, and feminist intersectionality. It is LGBTQ friendly and intersex is highlighted throughout. And does speak about transitioning, uterus transplants. It is exclusively about the Womb, or uterus, and has high proportion of the book deals with pregnancy and getting or wanting to get pregnant- without the emphasis on the fetus. It’s fascinating what the human body can do!
It was an alright overview of everything related to the womb but it came off as very pushy of an extremely woke agenda. Not that I'm not for wokeness, but it seemed to cast everything in this light and disregard completely valid arguments from more centered views.
The author also asked her interviewees leading questions to push a narrative on specific diagnoses. Iirc she asked something like "how did X negatively impact you?" I believe that these experiences are horrible but the way she went about the research leaned towards finding confirming evidence.
I'd still read it to learn about the womb as a whole but would be cautious of taking the ideas wholesale.
The author also asked her interviewees leading questions to push a narrative on specific diagnoses. Iirc she asked something like "how did X negatively impact you?" I believe that these experiences are horrible but the way she went about the research leaned towards finding confirming evidence.
I'd still read it to learn about the womb as a whole but would be cautious of taking the ideas wholesale.
When I borrowed this (audio)book from Libby, I expected it to be a take on the uterus from a sociological and feminist angle. Because, if there is an organ that can be detailed from such angles, you bet your ass, the uterus would be the top contender! So, I don't know why a lot of reviews of the book are disappointed that it does not go more into the biological workings of the uterus. I think reading (*eye roll* ugh fine, listening) about hysteria, whether periods are necessary debates and how the uterus is marketed throughout its different stages, is far more captivating than the biology part of it. Of course, this comes from a biologist who already has a fair bit of understanding of its biology, but still, that is knowledge one can get from any textbook! And, to be entirely fair, the author goes into the endocrinology more than is necessary and to the extent that I now have a better understanding of how my uterus works!
so, if you are looking for a very feminist take on the uterus, this might be it! I agree, that some future visions that the author has envisioned may be a tad too optimistic and not grounded on scientific reality, but otherwise, pick this book up for a balanced take on the different issues that the organ goes through since its genesis till the end.
so, if you are looking for a very feminist take on the uterus, this might be it! I agree, that some future visions that the author has envisioned may be a tad too optimistic and not grounded on scientific reality, but otherwise, pick this book up for a balanced take on the different issues that the organ goes through since its genesis till the end.
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
informative