Henci Goer

Informed Choices in Childbirth

Henci Goer specializes in birth issues.

Henci Goer, award-winning medical writer and internationally known speaker, is an acknowledged expert on evidence-based maternity care. Obstetric Myths Versus Research Realities, to which Optimal Care in Pregnancy and Childbirth: The Case for a Physiologic Approach is the successor, was a valued resource for childbirth professionals. The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth has been the same for pregnant women. She has also written consumer education pamphlets and articles for trade, consumer, and academic periodicals.

Goer is a resident expert on Lamaze International’s website where she moderates the "Ask Henci" forum and appears as a regular guest blogger on Science and Sensibility.

Visit Lamaze's "Ask Henci" Forum

Join Henci Goer in discussing common practices and policies in pregnancy and childbirth. Learn about the evidence supporting normal birth. Get information that can help you — or your students or clients — make informed decisions about care. Find out the characteristics of providers who practice according to the best evidence. The "Ask Henci" Forum is free and open to all. Henci hopes you will join her there.

The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth

“With the help of this book, any intelligent person can obtain the information necessary to make informed choices.” — Don Creevy, M.D., FACOG obstetrician-gynecologist, Clinical Assistant Professor, Stanford University Medical School

In The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth, Henci Goer provides you with up-to-date medical information that will help you make informed decisions and practical advice that will help you avoid unnecessary procedures, drugs, and restrictions. The book covers cesareans, vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC), epidurals, induction of labor, and much more. Learn more about the The Thinking Woman's Guide, read the Introduction or a sample chapter on Slow Labor, or order a copy today. (Also available in Spanish.)

Thinking Woman's Guide to Better Birth cover

Thinking Woman's Guide cover - Spanish Edition

Optimal Care in Childbirth: The Case for a Physiologic Approach

“Optimal Care in Childbirth is a long overdue and very important contribution that will lead to a more safe, sane, and satisfying pregnancy care system.” —Steven Calvin, MD, Clinical Associate Professor, Maternal-Fetal Medicine, University of Minnesota School of Medicine

Meticulously documented, Optimal Care in Childbirth: The Case for a Physiologic Approach pulls back the curtain on medical-model management of childbirth. Written for those who want to practice according to the best evidence, assist women in making informed decisions, or advocate for maternity care reforms, Optimal Care in Childbirth provides an in-depth analysis of the evidence basis for physiologic care as the standard of care.

Cover of 'Optimal Care in Childbirth: The Case for a Physiological Approach