This is quintessential reading about the perils of pregnancy and childbirth in the United States. The Supreme Court demolished Roe, leaving millions of women without control over their bodies and in mortal jeopardy. Author Irin Carmon brings the stakes of pregnancy and childbirth in a post-Roe landscape to life by exploring the stories of five women who experienced pregnancy, miscarriage, and childbirth in this new era. At once harrowing, heartbreaking, and beautifully written. Carmon's deep research shows. Our maternal healthcare system is broken, we've been abandoned by legislators and the judiciary, and we are all poorer for it. This is a grim read but a necessary one to understand what's at stake for all of us.

This book is really an expose on women’s rights in America and how broken that system really is. This story illuminates the perils of five different women navigating pregnancy after the Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade. It shines a light on gender bias and poor policy making in the broken down system of maternal healthcare.

Written with empathy and great knowledge in reproductive rights, “Unbearable” is a real eye-opener. We live in a broken system and women, especially pregnant women, are the ones who suffer most. There was so much research put into writing this book and it is both illuminating and necessary to point it out.

Thank you, NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced reader copy

An absolutely essential read for anyone, whether pro-choice or pro-life. It's more important than ever to be fully informed about the battle for reproductive rights, and this book does a great job of exploring the humans behind the headlines.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I cannot express enough what an important book this is. Author Irin Carmen uses her investigative journalism skills to do a deep dive into the state of pregnancy in the United States. By following four different woman’s journeys the reader is exposed to the vast inequities found in pregnancy, labor and delivery. Especially in the post Roe V Wade landscape this critical look is essential reading.

Atria Books was kind enough to give me access to an eARC of this book (publication date set for October 28, 2025). This was a really enlightening read. It follows the stories of five women and the unique struggles they each faced during pregnancy while also underscoring the common ways in which our medical and legal systems have failed them all and so many more women in our nation. I highly recommend this book when it is released later this year!