There is a history of humanity that has never been told: the story of how we are born.

Acclaimed cultural historian Lucy Inglis takes us on an epic journey, one spanning hundreds of thousands of years – through the unheard stories of women to discover a history that has been overlooked and unrecorded.

From ancient Mesopotamian birthing practices to lost contraceptives of Ancient Rome, and the strange story of the feminists who fought for the right to forget childbirth, she explores the competing ideologies that have shaped so many lives and charts the battle for control over reproduction, birth and women’s bodies.

Bold and timely, this history raises vital questions about how we think about motherhood and pregnancy today, and is a must-read for anyone who wishes to understand how we all came to be.