Jennifer Block's book was such an eye-opening read on the status of women's health in the U.S. Highly recommend for everyone with a uterus!

This book isn't something I would typically pick up, but I was really intrigued by the subtitle: "Why Health Care Needs a Feminist Revolution." I was expecting more of a sociological look at how how women are treated by our healthcare system, but I felt like there was a little bit too much medical jargon and explanations in it to be super readable.

Block obviously did a lot of research and immersed herself in the world of women's health, covering everything from infertility and birth control to abortion and pregnancy. However, I wish there had been a clearer point of how these issues affect women below the poverty level, women of color, etc. More information about the feminist aspect would have been more interesting to me rather than the focus on how medical procedures and medications were developed.

Overall, there were some interesting points and I learned a lot about women's health but there wasn't anything that really stood out to me as truly thought-provoking.

I had trouble getting into this book. While I agree with the premise, I found Jennifer Block's writing and initial arguments to be somewhat condescending and tough to follow. Unfortunately, this one just didn't hook me from the outset however I may return to it again after I have had time to digest it. I will say that even though I finished reading this months ago, it has stuck with me and made an impression.

Advance copy form NetGalley-- and I am grateful. I didn't realize there was so much I didn't know about my own reproductive organs (and a lot I did know but it's still fascinating to read about). If you want to know more about how ignorance of the female anatomy system and pathology has painful consequences for women, read this book to better educate yourself and others so that more doctors/nurses/medical professionals will listen to women.

"Women are more likely to have physical symptoms than men as a result of stress. That's not because we're the weaker sex, it's because we're wired differently." So yay for hormones. Also the stress of racism can stimulate fibroids.

Unnecessary procedures and too little care when needed, especially surrounding pregnant women, while simultaneously the medical community was having a discussion about overtreatment and overdiagnoses.

Personal Opinion: Which is why we should move to a Universal Healthcare model in the US so that patients don't get overlooked because of our pay for procedure structures.

Engaging read.
Helpful to see a new perspective - less conforming but possibly less careful than books on similar topics. Eye opening but could be difficult to balance if a woman reading it only has this perspective.
A brave book that I can appreciate overall however.

Thank you netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I thought this was a very well written book. It is related from a feminist perspective on women's health and the disparity that still exist in medicine. Heavy reading material but digestible if you are interested in this topic. The author raises good points on the importance of women taking ownership of their health and the medical industry making necessary changes to provide more accessible, intuitive healthcare.

Block takes a hard look at the health care field and its historic--and current--treatment of women's health. From doctors dismissing birth control side effects, to C-sections becoming more common as a way to alleviate hospital liability, decisions about women's health are often being made by male doctors who don't listen to their patients' concerns.

As a non-medical professional, I can't say that I've evaluated all of the scientific evidence in this book, but the author brings up some important issues that need to be addressed by our modern medical system. Women's health, happiness, and sometimes their very lives are at stake.

This book. I will be recommending this book to every woman in my life. I'm going to be running out and buying myself a copy of this as soon as I can! This book is so amazing and enlightening. I know I'm going to be doing more research for myself and keep this book close. This book was so eyeopening and I can't even adequately explain my feelings about it.

Everything Below the Waist is a thorough investigation of women's health care. Block examines topics such as birth control, fertility/infertility, routine gynecological exams, and so much more. She dives deeply into each topic, and her research often goes back decades as she strives to give readers an understanding of how practices have evolved over the last 50-100 years. She makes a solid case that many common practices for women's health care are not based on good research and are not serving women well.

This book has the potential to be controversial, and I believe Block alludes to that throughout the book. She wades into the murky debate of many different big issues, and she isn't afraid to highlight issues on both sides. Despite the book calling for a feminist movement in women's health care, Block shows how the feminist revolution may have hurt or, at the very least, hindered women's health care over the past few decades. She also doesn't stray away from highlighting poor medical practices or sharing the stories of women who have been bullied by doctors.

I will admit, there were times where my perspective on things did not line up with Block's, but I really appreciated her research, as well as the way she weaves statistics and stories into a cohesive narrative. It's also worth knowing that some of the stories are heart-wrenching and shocking--there were moments where I wanted to cry for the women who have dealt with awful situations brought about by the very people who were supposed to help them.

While I have never experienced a traumatic experience like some of the women in the book, I know what it's like to feel belittled by a medical care giver, and I've had situations where I have avoided unnecessary procedures by doing my own research and being my own advocate. However, the only way I've been successful is by having a primary care doctor who not only took the time to listen to me, but was also respectful of my desires and willing to consider what was truly best for me. I deeply appreciate the case that Block makes for a health care system that truly values and respects woman because I want good health care for myself and all the women in my life. If I had any criticism at all, it would be that I didn't find her chapter on abortion compelling, and it didn't seem as thoroughly researched as her other chapters. However, this is one area where my personal beliefs don't align with hers, so I freely admit that my criticism may be coming out of my own bias.

Regardless, I believe that her research will be truly helpful to women, doctors, and health care professionals as they contemplate the current state of women's health care, and I hope that it will lead to future changes in the health care system.

A big thanks to Jennifer Block, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read and honestly review this book!

Holy. WOW.

Not even 5% into this eARC galley I was already astounded. Block does her research and backs it with scientific evidence, case studies, and even more research! Right out of the gate, she is offering factual information without holding anything back, yet staying absolutely in control of her writing. However, it's not like reading a text book- it's like listening to your best friend who happens to by a genius feminist OB/GYN give a presentation to a room full of women, and you happen to be in the front row and she's talking directly to you, conversationally, but also in a way that maybe you should be taking notes because EVERYTHING is important. I felt as if the introductory chapter of her book deserved a mic drop, because it was SO. DANG. POWERFUL.

But it didn't stop there. Every chapter, every discussion after was so amazingly complete. Not once did I feel like I was being spoon-fed information, nor did I feel like Block attempted to sway my opinion on any of the topics she discussed. She just gave me facts, research, and as much information as possible to help make informed decisions, and then added counterpoints to really make sure that all sides of the argument were explored.

I wish galleys allowed you to quote books pre-publication, because my golly, did I highlight the heck out of my kindle. I even had to start color-coding things- yellow for strong points and interesting facts, pink for personally relatable information (more on that in a second), blue for when the yellow got thick, and orange for quotes that I'm definitely adding to this post after the book's publication day!

The reason why I am so fascinated by Block's book is because I am a woman whose genetic history has effected much of my reproductive options. I am a genetic carrier of the Factor II blood mutation, which basically means that when blood clots get to step number 2, it messes up and starts again- meaning that I am genetically at high risk for blot clots. In chapter 1, Block discusses "The Pill", which isn't recommended for those with blood clots. My family has done a lot of research into birth control options, and learned that estrogen is necessary in the clotting process, and that women with clotting risks who take birth control methods with estrogens are 18% more likely to have have blood clots- so we've stuck with progestin only options, such as IUDs and implants. Turns out, those are just as risky, if not more. Additionally, there are a lot of other areas where this genetic mutation can affect reproduction, and I was surprised by how many thing are regulated by the health of one's repro system. Reading Block's research helped me gain so much insight that I and the women in my family have been so desperate and determined to understand.

Aside from how this book personally affected me, I found countless topics to mull over that I have or would like to eventually talk to friends about. Not only did Block discuss the ups and downs of "The Pill", but she discussed fertility (both male and female), birthing options, menopause, the female anatomy and structure, hormones, women's health research and statistics, abortions, miscarriages, and damn near everything below the waist- just as the title promises.

I feel that this book should be MANDATORY reading for every woman, and if you can get men to read this, the better. There is no tiptoeing around sensitive subjects, or ignoring proprieties- it's a straightforward discussion about women's health, where our society's knowledge lies, and the things we need to address to do better.

I finished this a couple of days ago but I was not sure how to review it.

I went back and forth on 4 or 5 stars, because there was a lot I disagreed with but ultimately it was so well written, and taught me so much I didn't know about previous fights for abortion rights, that I could justify the 5 stars for info and research. I loved the knowledge and history shared.

I knew a little about birth trauma but some of the stories in here...it's enough to make you rip your own teeth out in anger over how women and anyone with a uterus are treated. I'm so tired of women and anyone with a uterus being treated like they exist solely as vessels to procreate, placing the supremacy of the uterus and its contents over the person with the uterus (I'm trying to explain it without being trans-exclusionary, hope that's okay).

Recommended for anyone interested in human rights, healthcare policy, midwifery, doulas, childbirth, fertility issues, and anyone who cares about anyone w/a uterus.

Holy cannoli! This book is chock full of information and so many bits of historical information around why healthcare is the way it is for women today. I really didn't expect that when I requested this book, and I'm pleasantly surprised by that.

I have a public health background and did an internship at Planned Parenthood as a student, so these issues are near and dear to me. Jennifer Block did a great job at processing all the information and history around topics like birth control, abortion, and other women's health issues like how women have typically not been valued in the health care arena. I actually learned a lot of new information, which was intriguing to me and makes me think about the current abortion restrictions; will we possibly see some of these brown bags come back in states that have incredibly restrictive abortion laws? (If you don't know what this is about, get the book, because that really made an impact on me!)

This is a VERY information dense book. It may take some time to read, but it is a GOOD read for women to understand the historical reasons for the current state of women's healthcare in the United States.

This book is one of the most informative I’ve read in a long time. I learned a lot myself, about my own body and maybe even things I might face in the future. It also shocked and angered me how women’s health issues are trivialized even in the medical community and the importance of us being informed and take care of our own health. Highly recommend to everyone.

Everything Below the Waist was an amazing read. It is filled to the brim with personal stories, facts and figures, and backed with research. I could spend another month reading all of the articles referenced in this book, and that is so necessary when we are talking about women's health, because people suddenly get emotional and feel it's a political comment instead of healthcare. This book should be required reading for any medical professional and especially for those in the American government that have impact on the care of women's health. Spoonies would also benefit from reading this book, it is affirming to read the research and know other women share your experiences. As I stated, it was an emotional read for me, and I believe it will be for other women. Jennifer Block carried through everything you need to learn about women's healthcare in America.

Fascinating read. I learned so much about how little doctors know about women's health issues. I would definitely recommend.

This is a topic near and dear to me and one about which I hop on my soapbox regularly. I both work in healthcare and have dealt with the healthcare system's inequalities and shortcomings as someone with a chronic illness, including two which primarily affect women. This book will feed your rage if you don't have it already.

When I read the synopsis of this book, I knew I wanted to read it immediately. As someone who has both chronic physical and mental illnesses, I have experienced the way our medical community often treats women. Everything Below the Waist contains not only a great deal of information on the state of women's healthcare, but also includes a lot of real life stories from women. I very much agree with the statement in the synopsis, that women are often over-diagnosed and over-treated. And I have witnessed first hand how male doctors often brush off female patients, as the author will talk about in the book. I am going to try not to make this a long review, but it is a topic I am fairly passionate about and I am so glad an author finally brought it to attention.

The author talks about a variety of women's health topics in the book and in one chapter, she talks about how women are frequently over-diagnosed and over-treated. I am going to tell a quick personal story about why I was so happy to see this finally addressed in a book. I have always have gynecological issues, ranging from reoccurring cervical cancer to ovarian cysts to a great deal of pain. Several years ago, my OB transferred me to another doctor within in the practice who dealt more with these issues. He has a great bedside manner and I really liked him. After looking over all my test results and asking me a great deal of questions, he did a pelvic exam. When he got to my right ovary and he could see I was in obvious pain, he made his diagnosis. He told me that I had endometriosis and that he could feel that my right ovary was adhered to my pelvic wall. I was surprised to hear this but grateful for a diagnosis until he sat there explaining to me that there was a good chance he would have to remove that ovary. I went home crying to my then boyfriend, now husband, and was incredibly anxious for 3 weeks until I had surgery. I had to write out all these medical instructions for the doctor depending on what he found, where he would have to come talk about anything with my mom & boyfriend before removing any organs. I remember walking into the hospital crying and shaking because I was scared of loosing my ovary. Fast forward to me waking up from surgery, groggy and disoriented. The surgeon comes into speak with us and says, "Well, I didn't find much, there is a small spot of endometriosis on one of the right ligaments that is too deep to remove and pelvic congestion syndrome, otherwise we flushed the tubes and uterus and everything looks good. I literally said, "What the f*ck?" to my mother & boyfriends horror because this surgeon had drilled into my head his "diagnosis" when really, he couldn't make a diagnosis until I had surgery.

Around this time, I started bringing my now fiance to all of my doctor's appointments, as I found my doctors seemed to listen to me and take me seriously with a man present. I continue to bring him to almost all of my appointments today. I imagine I am not alone in this and it is a tragedy that in our society, women can't always trust their doctors. I could write 100 personal stories that relate to everything the author talks about in this book, but I will spare you.

I have read quite a bit about the labor & delivery culture in America, which is far behind every other country in anything related to pregnancy, birth & infants. However, the personal stories in the section about this topic were horrifying to me. Doctors doing procedures even when a patient says no; doctor's calling CPS when a woman won't sign a consent form; unnecessary c-sections and stories of nurses holding patients down to do things against their will. I am currently pregnant, so some of these things I have read about but others were a total shock to read. That fact that this occurs in our country is more than the disturbing and I am so glad that the author has addresses all of these issues in her book.

There was a chapter on abortion, which I tried to read, but because of my personal beliefs, I ended up having to skim that chapter. I understand that it is part of the medical system that effects women, it was just too difficult for me to read.

Beyond that, this book was fantastic and I highly recommend that every woman read this book. I can't tell you how many times I stopped to tell my husband about what I had just read because it directed related to experiences I had with previous doctors. It was also nice to know that this happens to a lot of women and not just me. I could go on and on about how great this book was and I definitely recommend adding it to your TBR for July. It covers SO many important topics and I have to imagine that most women can easily relate to it.

Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin's Press, for sending me an ARC of this book.