17 Best Books for Fertility, Pregnancy, & Women's Health
This blog is supported by our readers and contains affiliate links. If you purchase a recommendation using the article links, we may earn compensation. As an acupuncturist and integrative health practitioner, I recommend products to my patients following extensive research and clinical use. I am not compensated for endorsing these products and the opinions written in this article are my own. Additionally, as an Amazon Associate I earn compensation from qualifying book purchases. OMBE Integrative Health Center is an independently owned company located in the South Shore of Massachusetts.
My Women’s Health Reference Library
Over the years, I've put together several book lists covering a wide range of women's health issues for my patients. These books allow my patients to dive deep on specific topics of interest and gain more insight on the research and wisdom behind certain recommendations.
These publications sit on my office shelves and have become trusted resources over the years. I return to these shelves every week and realized that I had created my own women’s health reference library. Shelves include infertility, pregnancy, labor and delivery, and breastfeeding. Other sections focus on pediatrics, PCOS, endometriosis, breast cancer, and mindfulness. If you have a favorite book related to women’s health, please contact us as we would love to hear from you. Here is a list of my favorites:
1) Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom by Christiane Northrup
Dr. Christiane Northrup is a board-certified OB/GYN and advocate for integrative medicine and women’s health. Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom* includes a detailed section on every subject imaginable from puberty to menopause and beyond. The book also has a devoted section on the breast which includes many topics related to breast health, as well as treatments for breast cancer screening, prevention, and treatment.
This section is an excellent starting point if you have a specific concern, if you have never thought about breast health before, or if you are debating the many care options available to women today. Whether you are a breast self-exam pro, or have never had a mammogram, reading this chapter guide you. This is the type of book that you will want to keep on your shelf for years for the many insightful chapters devoted to the female body.
2) Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler
Taking Charge of Your Fertility* is the definitive guide to understanding your menstrual cycle. You will find the tools to help you in this book whether you are trying-to-conceive, interested in natural birth control, or troubleshooting another issue related to reproductive health. Learning to chart your cycle is an invaluable tool to have as a woman. I wish it were required reading for every student enrolled in a health education class. Additionally, The Smart Teen’s Guide to the Mysteries of Her Body is the perfect text for any teen beginning to learn about reproductive health and gain an understanding of their body.
3) Making Babies by Jill Blakeway and Sami S. David, MD
This booklist would not be complete without at least one book written by an acupuncturist. Making Babies: A Proven 3-Month Program for Maximum Fertility* is cowritten by acupuncturist, Jill Blakeway and physician, Sami S. David, MD. Dr David specializes in fertility treatment without the use of IVF. Blakeway is the founder of the Yinova Center in New York City.
This book includes thoughtful insights, combining treatment strategies from Chinese and Western medicine perspectives. This is a great read for anyone trying to conceive regardless of where they are on their journey. Whether you are just beginning to try to expand your family, have already undergone multiple IVF cycles, or interested in acupuncture treatment, you will find relevant and helpful information.
4) It Starts with the Egg by Rebecca Fett
Rebecca Fett was diagnosed with diminished ovarian reserve at age 26 and told that she would have difficulty conceiving with her own eggs. Her background in molecular biotechnology and biochemistry led her to read and analyze every clinical study available on egg quality and fertility. The book is now recommended by reproductive endocrinologists and fertility centers.
It Starts with The Egg: How the Science of Egg Quality Can Help You Get Pregnant Naturally, Prevent Miscarriage, and Improve Your Odds in IVF* is an evidence-based guide to help women conceive and deliver a healthy baby. The book covers data-driven recommendations for nutrition, supplements, as well as ways to reduce harmful chemicals known to affect fertility.
5) The PCOS Diet Plan by Hillary Wright
PCOS is one of the most common reproductive disorders experienced by women. One study estimates that the prevalence of this condition could be as high as 20%. PCOS can lead to infertility as well as increase the risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and endometrial cancer. However, PCOS still remains difficult to diagnose with few treatment options. The PCOS Diet Plan* is a useful resource with practical tips, offering an integrative approach including diet, supplement, exercise, and lifestyle modifications.
6) The Endometriosis Natural Treatment Program by Valerie Ann Worwood and Julia Stonehouse
Endometriosis is a chronic condition characterized by severe pain during periods, sexual intercourse, bowel movements and urination. Approximately 10% of adolescent girls and women of reproductive age are affected by endometriosis according to World Health Organization estimates.
Similar to PCOS, the theory as to why endometriosis develops is still a work in progress and treatment options are limited. Given the complexity and potential severity of this condition, an integrative approach to treatment is essential. The Endometriosis Natural Treatment Program* offers a practical, step-by-step guide to address the multiple factors that can benefit endometriosis including specific dietary, supplement, and lifestyle modifications.
Additionally, the book addresses an additional topic that I believe to be one of the keys to treating and preventing endometriosis for future generations of girls: daily exposure to environmental toxins. If you would like to learn more about the link between endometriosis and chemicals in our environment, visit our: Chemical Exposure & Endometriosis article.
7) The Natural Pregnancy Book by Aviva Romm, MD
Aviva Romm is another pioneer in the field of women’s health and integrative medicine. As a Yale-trained physician, midwife, and herbalist, Dr. Romm has written several books covering a myriad of topics related to women’s health. The Natural Pregnancy Book: Your Complete Guide to a Safe, Organic Pregnancy and Childbirth with Herbs, Nutrition, and Other Holistic Choices* provides a thorough guide for prenatal care. Self-care during all three trimesters, birthing practices, as well as common concerns during pregnancy are all topics covered in this thoughtful reference.
8) Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin, MA, CPM, PhD (Hon.)
Ina May Gaskin, is an American midwife and founder the Farm Midwifery Center, located near Summertown, Tennessee. She and her husband, Stephen Gaskin, founded the self-sustaining birthing center and community in 1971. Gaskin’s work and research contributed to the rebirthing of midwifery practices in the United States. Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth* combines 40 years of midwifery experience, inspiring birth stories, as well as thoroughly researched chapters.
Ina May Gaskin’s research covers every aspect of birthing that an expectant mom may consider as she prepares for delivery. Additionally, the book also includes a well-detailed history of how various birthing practices have come into place, their purpose and efficacy, and ways for women to access their natural capabilities during birth.
9) Hypnobirthing: A Natural Approach to a Safe, Easier, More Comfortable Birthing by Marie Mongan
If you are considering a natural birth, pick up a copy of Hypnobirthing* by Marie Mongan. Mongan’s groundbreaking work has helped moms reduce labor pain, decrease the risk of various labor interventions, as well as shorten delivery and recovery time. Hypnobirthing classes are now available for moms-to-be and their birthing partners to learn in a setting with other expecting families.
This book will help you understand the theory behind the method and the techniques that take some practice. Even if you are not considering a natural childbirth, the techniques taught in the book will help any mom-to-be during delivery and postpartum.
10) Ina May’s Guide to Breastfeeding by Ina May Gaskin
While there are many excellent guides for breastfeeding, Ina May’s Guide to Breastfeeding* is probably one of the best places to start. Gaskin discusses the physiological benefits of breastfeeding for mom and baby, as well as practical tips, and stories from moms that have been there. Similar to all her other books, this text is well-researched and thoroughly covers each subject including nursing at work, night nursing, weaning, pumping, and many more.
11) The Sears Baby Book by James Sears, MD and Robert W. Sears, MD
The Sears Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby From Birth to Age Two* is part of the Sears Parenting Library. This book series includes more than twenty books cowritten by pediatrician, Dr. Sears and his wife, Martha Sears. Martha Sears is a registered nurse, former childbirth educator, La Leche League leader, and lactation consultant. Their book series is based on their experience raising eight children as well as their clinical practice.
These baby and family-centered references emphasize the benefits of attachment parenting while offering practical, common sense advise on every topic you can expect in the early years. Additionally, many sections provide helpful checklists for a variety of conditions that come in handy for parents sorting out the first fever, rash, or injury.
12) The Portable Pediatrician by William Sears, MD, Martha Sears, RN, Robert Sears, MD, James Sears, MD, and Peter Sears, MD
The Portable Pediatrician* is another reference guide in the Sears Family Library series that is worth keeping on hand. This is the perfect reference guide to have in your home library and when you pack your bags for the next family trip. The Sears Family Library includes over twenty different books, covering a variety of topics that most parents will find helpful. Breastfeeding, pregnancy, sleep, premature infants, and birth preparation are just a few of the topics covered.
13) The Complete Buddhism for Mothers by Sarah Napthali
The Complete Buddhism for Mothers* offers a realistic picture of motherhood while exploring the teachings of Buddhism. This book is meant to be read, bookmarked, and reread as your family grows and evolves. In each chapter, Napthali describes relevant teachings and how they can be helpful in dealing with the variety of emotions and situations that every parent finds themselves as they raise a family.
Additionally, Napthali guides the reader towards mindfulness techniques and in-the-moment tools based in Buddhism. These practices can be integrated into every day life as parents strive to feel more calm, experience less worry, and find more happiness in their home life.
14) Healing with Whole Foods by Paul Pitchford
Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition*, first published in 1993, was ahead of its time with an emphasis on the healing properties of whole foods. Additionally, the book discusses important concepts in healing including the use of food as medicine, periodic fasting, and seasonal eating.
Part Chinese medical reference and part cookbook, this is a wonderful text to keep on the shelves in your kitchen. You will find an unlimited number of recipes for specialty foods such as kimchi and many healthy meal suggestions for the whole family. If you are recovering from a particular condition, you will be able to find recipes sorted by Chinese physiology and Western diagnosis.
15) Vitamin K2 and the Calcium Paradox by Kate Rheaume-Bleue, B.Sc., ND
Vitamin K2 is a critical link between bone density, heart health, and a myriad of other important women’s health issues. Similar to Vitamin D, Vitamin K2 is a fat-soluble vitamin that once was part of our regular diets but now difficult to source leading to widespread deficiency. Vitamin K2 and the Calcium Paradox* provides a thorough explanation of how Vitamin K2 works in the body, its role in disease prevention, as well as how to include it in your diet. Additionally, Rheaume-Bleue includes a detailed history about the first and forgotten discovery of Vitamin K2, explaining why this important vitamin continues to be absent from mainstream conversations about women’s health.
16) Prepare for Surgery, Heal Faster by Peggy Huddleston, M.S
In the best-selling book, Prepare for Surgery, Heal Faster*, Peggy Huddleston outlines five research-based steps for patients to improve their recovery as they prepare for surgery. Research on her work shows that these steps reduce anxiety before surgery, improves insomnia, decreases the need for medication by 23-50%, and speeds healing time. The book contains special chapters addressing chemotherapy and preparing children for surgery. Additionally, the book covers specific supplements that will assist the healing process as well as alternative options for managing pain when medication is not an option.
17) Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D.
Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D founded a mindfulness-based stress reduction program (MBSR) and the Center for Mindfulness located at the University of Massachusetts Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, Massachusetts. Full Catastrophe Living* outlines the mindfulness-based stress reduction program for readers interested in using these techniques to heal both physical conditions and emotional stress.
The program is now used in medical centers worldwide and continues to be taught at the Center for Mindfulness. The updated edition of this book includes the impressive and growing body of research about meditation which examines the powerful effects of mindfulness on health and healing.
If you found this post helpful, you may also enjoy: Top 10 Women’s Health Reasons to Try Acupuncture.
More About Acupuncture
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*This blog is supported by our readers and contains affiliate links. If you purchase a recommendation using the article links, we may earn compensation. As an acupuncturist and integrative health practitioner, I recommend products to my patients following extensive research and clinical use. I am not compensated for endorsing these products and the opinions written in this article are my own. Additionally, as an Amazon Associate I earn compensation from qualifying book purchases. OMBE Integrative Health Center is an independently owned company located in the South Shore of Massachusetts.