---
title: "\"Our Bodies, Ourselves: Pregnancy and Birth\" (2008)"
date: 2024-02-17T20:29:00-05:00
author: Missy Moyer
canonical_url: "https://ourbodiesourselves.org/publications/our-bodies-ourselves-pregnancy-and-birth-2008"
section: Publications
---
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[Publications](/publications)# "Our Bodies, Ourselves: Pregnancy and Birth" (2008)

[![Our bodies ourselves pregnancy and birth](data:image/png;base64,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)](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/publications/our-bodies-ourselves-pregnancy-and-birth-2008)

Pregnancy and birth are normal, healthy processes for most women, the vast majority of whom have healthy pregnancies and babies. Yet childbirth is often seen as an unbearably painful, risky process to be managed in a hospital with the use of many tests, drugs, and procedures. This book presents the best available evidence about the advantages and disadvantages of a range of practices, from epidurals to episiotomies, and explores options for improving birth experiences and outcomes.

- [Read the introduction](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/publications/introduction-to-our-bodies-ourselves-pregnancy-and-birth)
- [View the table of contents and list of contributors by chapter](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/publications/our-bodies-ourselves-pregnancy-and-birth-pregnancy-birth-book-contributors)
- [Praise for "Our Bodies, Ourselves: Pregnancy and Birth"](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/publications/praise-for-our-bodies-ourselves-pregnancy-and-birth)
- [Read “Challenges to Producing ‘Our Bodies, Ourselves: Pregnancy and Birth'”](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/publications/challenges-to-producing-our-bodies-ourselves-pregnancy-and-birth)
- [Read a Q&A with OBOS founder Judy Norsigian](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/publications/our-bodies-ourselves-pregnancy-and-birth-q-a-with-editor-judy-norsigian)