Book Description

Women’s Health in Britain and America: Texts and Contexts offers an unparalleled record of women’s health in the United Kingdom and the United States since 1750. Through chapters on pregnancy and childbirth, contraception and abortion, and breast and gynecological cancers, today’s readers can better understand historical precedents for contemporary issues. Introductory overviews present context about the history of medical care for women, such as diagnosis and treatment of specific conditions, medical advances, social and political contexts, and the effects of these on their lived experiences. The book presents a collection of primary texts including archival memoirs, letters, and diaries as well as published fiction, poetry, and medical advice. Women’s Health in Britain and America provides the necessary background for those new to the subject while also offering unique texts that will engage those already immersed in the field. As the political and social discussions around women’s bodies become more contentious and consequential, the history and the multiplicity of voices presented on these pages are more important than ever.