When abortion was a crime

This book provides a comprehensive history of abortion in the United States, from its criminalization in the mid-nineteenth century to the landmark case of Roe v.

Wade in 1973.

Leslie J. Reagan analyzes the four distinct periods of abortion criminalization, using legal and medical records, government documents, and personal accounts.

The book highlights how despite legal prohibitions, many women sought and obtained abortions, often from skilled physicians, and how the enforcement of abortion laws varied over time.

It also discusses the social, economic, and medical factors that influenced abortion practices and the impact of the Comstock Law and other legislative measures on women's reproductive rights.