Fertile Roots

An exploration of the use of herbal medicine in reproductive health and how it can complement Western medicine in a time when women feel that their needs are not being adequately addressed At the intersection of medicine, culture, and social science, Fertile Roots gives readers the information they need to take control of their health by reconnecting with our herbal heritage. Anthropologist Dr. Emily Donaldson highlights the ways herbs can and should be studied and incorporated into medical institutions so that women today can have the same bodily autonomy as those who have come before. She highlights untold stories of women from diverse cultures who are using their knowledge of medicinal plants to control fertility including: women in Peru and Guatemala are using avocado seeds as a contraceptive, women in Rajasthan, India, who are turning to a traditional preparation of pandanus leaves to bring on menstruation when they’ve missed a period, and women on an island near Bali, textile makers are ending unwanted pregnancies with the same herbs they use to dye cloth. In America, women often stumble across these medicines on their own, with little guidance on how much to take or for how long. Too often, they forge ahead without professional assistance, sometimes with dire consequences. Fertile Roots offers insights from ethnobotanical research, herbalism, midwifery and traditional medicine to inform readers about where to find guidance and expertise on every aspect of women’s reproductive health. For patients, doctors, midwives, and herbalists: everyone should be able to build a more personalized, private, safe, and fair model of care for women and babies.