What to Believe When You're Expecting

Jonathan Schaffir, MD, is a practicing obstetrician with more than twenty-five years of experience caring for pregnant women and delivering babies. He is also a medical educator and teaches on the faculty of the Ohio State University College of Medicine. He is the former president of the North American Society for Psychosocial Obstetrics and Gynecology, an interdisciplinary society that brings together various professionals who have interests in sociocultural and psychological aspects of obstetrics and women’s health. He has extensive experience researching and writing in the field of obstetrical folklore and has been quoted in outlets such as Parents, American Baby, Self, and Child magazine. He has also appeared on local news programs to comment on these studies when they have been published.

Have you ever heard that eating sweets means an expectant mother will have a girl? Or that pregnant women should eat dates in order to ease labor pains? Dr. Schaffir explores the origins of these and other stories about pregnancy and birth that have endured through the centuries. Chapters follow pregnancy from conception through birth, addressing varied topics including fertility, efforts to choose and predict gender, and labor. Schaffir examines research from throughout the centuries and puts specific studies into historical context. His years as an obstetrician and educator have given him insight into the tales that continue to persist despite decades of medical advancement. Throughout the book, Schaffir’s tone is approachable and compassionate towards expectant and hopeful parents. He is well versed in folktales from multiple cultures and world regions. Given that folklore about pregnancy and birth remains prevalent while other outdated medical advice has been left behind, What to Believe When You’re Expecting is a fascinating look at beliefs and stories for parents and nonparents alike.