Nathman and Wage offer a masterful integration of historical, psychological, and sociopolitical insight. Their exploration of perfectionism, systemic inequities, and the commercialization of birth mirrors the patterns I see in perinatal mental health where impossible standards fuel distress and disconnection. This book should be required reading for anyone shaping birth policy or practice in the United States.

Jessica Zucker, PhD, psychologist and author of "Normalize It" and "I Had a Miscarriage"

The Perfect Birth Myth is an urgent and compassionate examination of what birthing people in the United States face every day. Avital Norman Nathman and Deborah Wage remind us that safe, respectful, and equitable care is not optional, it's a human right.

Christy Turlington Burns, founder of Every Mother Counts

This book is a literal lifesaver for people considering pregnancy and motherhood. Nathman and Wage provide clear, informed, pragmatic, and compassionate context and advice for anyone who has to navigate the real consequence of America's maternal health crisis today.

Soraya Chemaly, author of All We Want is Everything: How We Dismantle Male Supremacy