Pear-Shaped: The Life Story of Your Uterus

Journalist van Zweden (Breasts) teams up with gynecologist Bongers to explore the uterus’s many “guises and roles” in this hit-or-miss guide. Emphasizing that the organ “does all sorts of tasks” outside of its “main business,” childbirth, the authors devote each chapter to a specific aspect of uterine function (and dysfunction). A section on menstruation covers premenstrual syndrome and amenorrhea (the absence of a menstrual period) while the chapter on nonfertile years outlines how the uterus comes out of “its hiding place” during puberty and then, during menopause, “goes into retirement for the remaining thirty or so years of a person’s life.” A discussion of the uterus as “a threat to health” describes such abnormalities as tumors, fibroids, and cancer risks. The “core task” of pregnancy and childbirth get their fair share of attention, as the authors trace uterine development from fertilization to delivery. There’s some solid biological information on offer here, but the chapters are marred by abrupt jumps between topics, and the authors emphasize potential problems and abnormalities but provide little practical advice for those experiencing such issues. Readers are likely to be left wanting. (May)