Contents -- Acknowledgments -- INTRODUCTION: "Terrible Torture" or "The Nicest Sensation I've Ever Had"?: Conflicting Perceptions of Labor in U.S. History -- 1 Ether and Chloroform: The Question of Necessity, 1840s through 1890s -- 2 Twilight Sleep: The Question of Professional Respect, 1890s through 1930s -- 3 Developing the Obstetric Anesthesia Arsenal: The Question of Safety, 1900 through 1960s -- 4 Giving Birth to the Baby Boomers: The Question of Convenience, 1940s through 1960s -- 5 Natural Childbirth and Birth Reform: The Question of Authority, 1950s through 1980s -- 6 Epidural Anesthesia and Cesarean Section: The Question of Choice, 1970s to the Present -- Glossary of Medical Terminology -- A -- B -- C -- D -- E -- F -- G -- H -- I -- L -- M -- N -- O -- P -- R -- S -- T -- U -- V -- Notes -- Index -- A -- B -- C -- D -- E -- F -- G -- H -- I -- J -- K -- L -- M -- N -- O -- P -- Q -- R -- S -- T -- U -- V -- W -- Y -- Z.