THE UNEXPECTED

A guide to the trials and tribulations of second pregnancies.

In the first part of the book, Oster, author of Expecting Better, and Fox, a maternal fetal medicine specialist, offer “a general framework for how you might approach a pregnancy with or after complications.” The second part offers “condition-specific chapters.” Oster has written extensively about pregnancy, parenting, and health economics, and her goal in this book is “to bring maternal health complications into the light” and provide “an avenue toward more productive conversations with their providers.” The authors emphasize preparation of all kinds, and they cover everything from gestational diabetes and preterm birth to “severe maternal morbidity” and postpartum mental health. When it comes to records and medical history, “ground yourself in the necessity of accuracy and honesty, both for yourself and for your provider.” The authors recommend a litany of questions for medical providers, including, “Are you able to explain in simple terms what happened to me and, if you know, why it happened to me?” Throughout, the authors include instructive first-person accounts of women. Of preterm birth stories, for instance, Oster writes, “While the experiences these two women had were extremely different, the feeling of trauma is not.” Regarding the specific trauma of miscarriage, the authors are encouraging and empathetic: “The majority of miscarriages are due to a genetic abnormality in the embryo (it’s not your fault).…With time, continued trying, and sometimes interventions, nearly all couples will have a successful pregnancy (there is every reason to be optimistic).” The authors also recommend screening for preeclampsia at every prenatal visit because “it can happen to anyone without warning” and “often has no symptoms until later stages.” On every page, the authors offer extensive research and support: “It is perfectly reasonable to want a repeat cesarean. It is your birth!”

A comprehensive, empowering resource.