"This book fills a gap in the current cultural historical literature on pregnancy….It paints the big picture from late antiquity to the modern period."Neil Pembroke, University of Queensland, Australia "This work is an important contribution to the current debate about human procreation, fertility and female reproductive autonomy. Combining sources from theological anthropology, legal documents and medical practices, from Antiquity to our time, Anne Stensvold demonstrates how doctrinal concepts are influenced by historically varying biological theories. Her work clarifies how religion and culture interact to shape Western ideas about contraception, pregnancy, abortion and childbirth."Kari Elisabeth Børresen, University of Oslo, Norway
