Author: Emily Oster
Started: May 23, 2019
Finished: June 5, 2019
Pages: 336
Genre: Pregnancy
First Sentence: In the fall of 2009 my husband, Jesse, and I decided to have a baby.
Summary: [From BN] Pregnancy—unquestionably one of the most profound, meaningful experiences of adulthood—can reduce otherwise intelligent women to, well, babies. Pregnant women are told to avoid cold cuts, sushi, alcohol, and coffee without ever being told why these are forbidden. Rules for prenatal testing are similarly unexplained. Moms-to-be desperately want a resource that empowers them to make their own right choices. When award-winning economist Emily Oster was a mom-to-be herself, she evaluated the data behind the accepted rules of pregnancy, and discovered that most are often misguided and some are just flat-out wrong. Debunking myths and explaining everything from the real effects of caffeine to the surprising dangers of gardening, Expecting Better is the book for every pregnant woman who wants to enjoy a healthy and relaxed pregnancy—and the occasional glass of wine.
Thoughts: I'm glad this is the last book on pregnancy I read. It was a very rational way to end my research on the subject.
Oster's book works because she doesn't actually advise you to do anything. She lays out the existing science on various things, offers some pros and cons of the studies and the findings, and then lets you make up your mind. Each section ends with "The Bottom Line," a box of basically tl;dr information.
Aside from the content, Oster's writing style is approachable. She structures the book as she moves through her own pregnancy, brings forth questions she or her pregnant friends have, and then looks at the evidence. The text is straightforward with just a touch of sass to show some personality.
If you only read one book on pregnancy, read this one. It's straightforward style is informative and reassuring.
Rating: 7/10 [Very Good]
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