For fans of Emily Oster's Expecting Better and Penny Simkin's works.

Plenty of pregnancy and birth books tell you what to expect during birth. This guide, though, is one of the few to delve deeply into one topic, delivering up-to-date access to the best medical research. In this data-driven birth book, award-winning childbirth writer and educator Henci Goer brings her 30-plus years of experience analyzing the obstetric research to the table, delivering the most thorough synthesis on the market. Yet she structures the book thoughtfully so you can take in information however suits you. Dig into every detail or skip to the summaries. Hear about every topic or jump to the ones that interest you most. Henci creates a judgment-free zone where you're in the driver's seat.

And she won't just provide the information you need to choose among your options, she'll also give you practical strategies for developing your plan and putting it into action. You'll know what you want, why you want it, and how best to get it—how to have the birth that fits best for you.

Inside, you'll find:

• Thorough, up-to-date, researched-based information on every strategy: epidurals, combined spinal-epidurals, opioids, nitrous oxide, and non-drug childbirth pain relief options.
• Advantages and disadvantages of those strategies—including pros and cons your doctor or midwife may not mention!
• Practical, actionable advice preparing you to implement your plan once you've made it.
• A comprehensive table comparing each of your pain relief options side-by-side, letting you see at a glance how the methods stack up against each other in terms of degree of pain relief, cost, side effects, effect on the baby, and more.
• Info useful to first-time and experienced parents alike.

You're the best person to decide what's right for you. Here's your opportunity to get the data. Make a plan. And take charge of your birth.