Leah Hazard – författare

“Page for page, I may not have ever learned more from a book.... Womb is a history book as well as a biology book but it’s also an adventure and a celebration.” —Rob Delaney, actor and author of A Heart That Works

A groundbreaking, triumphant investigation of the uterus—from birth to death, in sickness and in health, throughout history and into our possible future—from midwife and acclaimed writer Leah Hazard

The size of a clenched fist and the shape of a light bulb—with no less power and potential. Every person on Earth began inside a uterus, but how much do we really understand about the womb?

Bringing together medical history, scientific discoveries, and journalistic exploration, Leah Hazard embarks on a journey in search of answers about the body’s most miraculous and contentious organ. We meet the people who have shaped our relationship with the uterus: doctors and doulas, yoni steamers and fibroid-tea hawkers, legislators who would regulate the organ’s very existence, and boundary-breaking researchers on the frontiers of the field.

With a midwife’s warmth and humor, Hazard tackles pressing questions: Is the womb connected to the brain? Can cervical crypts store sperm? Do hysterectomies affect sexual pleasure? How can smart tampons help health care? Why does endometriosis take so long to be diagnosed? Will external gestation be possible in our lifetime? How does gender-affirming hormone therapy affect the uterus? Why does medical racism impact reproductive healthcare?

A clear-eyed and inclusive examination of the cultural prejudices and assumptions that have made the uterus so poorly understood for centuries, Womb takes a fresh look at an organ that brings us pain and pleasure—a small part of our bodies that has a larger impact than we ever thought possible.

*WINNER OF THE SCOTTISH BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD**A FINALIST FOR THE 2024 PEN / EO WILSON LITERARY SCIENCE WRITING AWARD*

A landmark book on the womb - its history, its present and the possibilities for its future - by the bestselling author of Hard Pushed: A Midwife''s Story

''A gripping exploration of the science of the uterus, the politics of medicine and the future of reproductive freedom'' New Statesman

''Page for page, I may not have ever learned more from a book'' Rob Delaney, author of A Heart that Works

''It will change the way you think about bodies forever'' Rachel Clarke, author of Dear Life

''Empowerment in book form'' Maxine Mei-Fung Chung, author of What Women Want

''A phenomenal book'' Elinor Cleghorn, author of Unwell Women

The womb is the most miraculous organ in the body - with the power to bring life or cause death; to yield joy or pain - yet most of us know almost nothing about it.

In this book, midwife and bestselling author Leah Hazard sets out on a journey to explore the rich past, complex present and dynamic future of the uterus. She speaks to the Californian doctor who believes women deserve a period-free life; walks in the footsteps of the Scottish woman whose Caesarean section changed childbirth forever; uncovers America''s long history of forced and coercive sterilisation; observes uterine transplant surgery in Sweden and takes a very personal dive into the world of ''womb wellness''.

Written with wisdom, warmth and nuance, and combining the author''s years of experience as a midwife with medical history, scientific discovery and journalistic inquiry, Womb is an extraordinary exploration of a woefully under-researched and misunderstood organ. Above all, the book reveals that the uterus is more than the sum of its biological parts: it influences all our lives in the twenty-first century, and how we celebrate, medicate and legislate the womb might yet control where we go from here.

Random House presents the audiobook edition of Hard Pushed by Leah Hazard. THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER________________You haven''t slept for twenty hours, haven''t eaten for ten, and you''re in charge of twenty heavily pregnant women at midnight.Welcome to the life of a midwife. Life on the NHS front line is tougher than you could imagine. Marathon shifts, endless birth complications, staffing shortages, pushy families, panicking mothers – and that''s a quiet Thursday afternoon.But the strength and camaraderie of the women working under such intense pressure is a beautiful thing. Together, they must withstand one of the world''s most difficult job, one that produces moments of pure, absolute joy and –terrible, heart-wrenching grief. Through the experienced eyes of Leah Hazard, we meet women from all walks of life: the scared fifteen-year-old whose baby could be months premature, the same-sex couple whose child will be a miracle of modern medicine, the woman giving birth in a room drenched in essential oils and love, and the mother-to-be whose tale of exploitation and endurance has carried her thousands of miles to Leah’s ward.Moving, compassionate and intensely candid, Hard Pushed is a love letter to new mothers and to Leah’s fellow midwives – there for us at some of the most challenging, empowering and defining moments of our lives._____________________''The stories in Hard Pushed highlight the bravery of our midwives, and the women they care for.'' CHRISTIE WATSON, author of The Language of Kindness''Heart-rending, inspiring and funny, Hard Pushed brings alive the world of midwifery in all its complexity and radiates love and respect for women.'' PROFESSOR LESLEY PAGE CBE, former president of the Royal College of Midwives''It is Leah Hazard''s capacity to love and give so personally to the many thousands of women she has worked with which imbues this book with its power.'' JULIA SAMUEL, author of Grief Works''Not only powerful but well written too . . . a worthwhile addition to a genre fast becoming as crowded as a busy maternity unit.'' DAILY EXPRESS''A riveting read: heartwarming and heartbreaking'' SHEENA BYROM OBE, midwifery consultant and author ofCatching Babies''A beautifully written, intimate portrait of the extraordinary work that midwives carry out each and every day.'' CAROLINE ELTON, author of Also Human: The Inner Lives of Doctors

Vi har alla börjat våra liv inuti en – men hur mycket vet vi egentligen om den, livmodern?För att sammanföra medicinsk historia, vetenskapliga upptäckter och journalistiskt grävande ger sig barnmorskan och författaren Leah Hazard ut på jakt efter svar om kroppens mest mirakulösa, okända och omtvistade organ.Vi får möta människorna som har format vårt förhållande till livmodern: läkare och doulor, lagstiftare och banbrytande forskare. Med värme och humor lyfter författaren frågor som: Utgörs ”det fertila fönstret” endast av några dagar i menscykelns mitt? Finns det en koppling mellan livmodern och hjärnan? Varför tar det så lång tid att diagnosticera endometrios? Måste vi verkligen menstruera?Resultatet är en skarp genomgång av de kulturella fördomar och antaganden som under århundraden har hindrat vår förståelse för livmodern. Boken visar oss hur en så liten del av vår kropp kan påverka så mycket. Alla vägar leder, faktiskt, till livmodern.* * * * *LEAH HAZARD är barnmorska och har tidigare gett ut The Father’s Home Birth Handbook och biografin Hard Pushed. Hon är född i USA och utbildade sig vid Harvard University innan hon flyttade till Skottland. Hazard arbetade från början som journalist och utbildade sig till barnmorska efter hennes två döttrars mycket olika födslar. Hon arbetar för att synliggöra barnmorskans roll, bland annat genom podcasten ”What the Midwife Said”.

Vi har alla börjat våra liv inuti en – men hur mycket vet vi egentligen om den, livmodern?

För att sammanföra medicinsk historia, vetenskapliga upptäckter och journalistiskt grävande ger sig barnmorskan och författaren Leah Hazard ut på jakt efter svar om kroppens mest mirakulösa, okända och omtvistade organ.

Vi får möta människorna som har format vårt förhållande till livmodern: läkare och doulor, lagstiftare och banbrytande forskare. Med värme och humor lyfter författaren frågor som: Utgörs ”det fertila fönstret” endast av några dagar i menscykelns mitt? Finns det en koppling mellan livmodern och hjärnan? Varför tar det så lång tid att diagnosticera endometrios? Måste vi verkligen menstruera?

Resultatet är en skarp genomgång av de kulturella fördomar och antaganden som under århundraden har hindrat vår förståelse för livmodern. Boken visar oss hur en så liten del av vår kropp kan påverka så mycket. Alla vägar leder, faktiskt, till livmodern.

***

LEAH HAZARD är barnmorska och har tidigare gett ut The Father’s Home Birth Handbook och biografin Hard Push. Hon är född i USA och utbildade sig vid Harvard University innan hon flyttade till Skottland. Hazard arbetade från början som journalist och utbildade sig till barnmorska efter hennes två döttrars mycket olika födslar. Hon arbetar för att synliggöra barnmorskans roll, bland annat genom podcasten ”What the Midwife Said”.