Pear shaped : the life story of your uterus

Pear shaped The life story of your uterus

Marlies Bongers

Book - 2025

"It gives life to humankind, billions of people have one, and yet the uterus is still mysterious to many. And talking about it can feel taboo. But when you don’t talk about it, you don’t discover what’s normal and what’s not—or what questions to ask at the doctor’s office. The reality? This versatile, pear-shaped organ is worthy of everyone’s attention. In Pear-Shaped, a gynecologist and a science communicator join forces to tell the life story of your uterus. Did you know that the uterus is a muscle? Or that it can stretch to the size of a watermelon? In Pear-Shaped, the authors reveal surprising facts about the uterus, alongside practical, helpful information including: A detailed anatomy of the uterus with illustration...s. An overview of its many functions. Complications that can impact fertility, childbearing, birth, and menstruation. Tips for advocating for yourself at the doctor’s office. Descriptions and images of what the uterus looks like (including the fact that it doesn’t always look the same for everyone). Real case studies from the author’s gynecological practice. Information about menstruation, contraception, abortion, pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause. As Pear-Shaped shows, the uterus is truly fascinating. But it also can be a source of serious concern for many. Pear-Shaped also discusses various problems and diseases that arise in the uterus—including endometriosis, PCOS, fibroids, and unwanted pregnancy—and how everyday people work with their doctors to find a solution that works for them."--

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Subjects
Uterus > Popular works.
Women > Health and hygiene > Popular works.
Utérus > Ouvrages de vulgarisation.
Published
Vancouver ; Berkeley ; London : Greystone Books 2025.
Language
English
Dutch
Main Author
Marlies Bongers (author)
Other Authors
Corien van Zweden (author), Gijs Klunder (illustrator), Alice Tetley-Paul (translator)
Item Description
Translation of: Biografie van de baarmoeder: het ingenieuze orgaan dat vaak niet begrepen wordt.
Includes index.
Physical Description
238 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm
Issued also in electronic format
ISBN
9781778401602
  • Foreword
  • 1. A Pear-Shaped Muscle in the Pelvic Cavity
  • On the anatomy of an ingenious organ and what can go wrong
  • 2. The Uterus as Performer of the Monthly Cycle
  • On the complex interplay of hormones and the role of blood
  • 3. Preventing the Uterus From Doing Its Job
  • On ways of avoiding, preventing, or terminating pregnancy
  • 4. The Uterus as a Threat to Health
  • On fibroids, tumors, and heavy blood loss
  • 5. The Uterus as a Cocoon
  • On an extremely expandable muscle and what grows inside it
  • 6. The Uterus as an Expelling Force
  • On the process of giving birth
  • 7. The Non-Fertile Years
  • On the half of life in which the uterus cannot give birth
  • Glossary
  • Acknowledgments
  • Literature
  • Index
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

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)

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