Womb

“Leah Hazard conducts a searching and compassionate investigation into ‘the most miraculous and misunderstood organ in the human body.’ … All but the most learned medical historians will be astonished by what Hazard reveals, both in the scope of what the womb can do and in the work it has taken, over several centuries, to produce our still-evolving body of knowledge about the organ.” – New York Times Book Review

“Leah Hazard approaches a fascinating topic with professional expertise and lively human sympathy.” – Hilary Mantel

“Hazard delivers a bravura cultural history of the uterus and the politics that surround it…. Hazard’s eye is keen, her range broad, and her tone scrupulously compassionate…. This is essential reading.” – Publishers Weekly (starred review)

”[Hazard] fearlessly tackles the myths, history, and science of the uterus in this new book…. A revelatory, straightforward, and important work.” – Library Journal (starred review)

“Meticulously researched and powerfully told, Womb is an awe-inspiring exploration of one of the most misunderstood organs of the human body. Compassionate and compelling, Leah Hazard’s vital new narrative reveals the importance of understanding the uterus for body autonomy, reproductive justice, and human rights. A phenomenal book.” – Elinor Cleghorn, author of Unwell Women

“An erudite, compassionate and fascinating biography of a much-maligned organ. Womb is sharp and political, learned and wise, and urgent and necessary. Above all else, Leah Hazard is a brilliant storyteller. I loved it.” – Katherine May, author of Wintering

“Page for page, I may not have ever learned more from a book. And I enjoyed myself throughout. Yes, Womb is a history book as well as a biology book but it’s also an adventure and a celebration. It’s sensitive but unflinching and a very, very worthy introduction to an organ I once inhabited but can only now say I truly appreciate. I loved this book.” – Rob Delaney, actor and author of A Heart That Works

“Well-researched and enlightening.” – Kirkus Reviews

”[A] searching and compassionate investigation into “the most miraculous and misunderstood organ in the human body.” – New York Times

Leah Hazard graduated from Harvard University, working in print journalism and television before the births of her two daughters prompted her to change direction. She is now a practicing NHS midwife in Scotland and has worked in a wide variety of clinical areas, from labor wards to outpatient clinics, delivering hundreds of babies and caring for countless families along the way. Her memoir, Hard Pushed: A Midwife’s Story was a Sunday Times bestseller in the UK. Leah hosts the popular podcast What the Midwife Said and is a frequent commentator on women’s health across the media.