This book was wonderful. It throughly investigated the topic of contraceptives, and from many angles not often considered when choosing a method for oneself, such as the history of and environmental impact of contraceptive options.

I wish I had read this book, or one like it, as a teenager. I think this book is appropriate for people of all sexes, genders, and ages. Even if a reader has no interest in reproduction or contraception, In Our Control covers many social trends that effect everyone. This book reminded me of Naomi Wolf's _The Beauty Myth_ in that it talked about female bodies truthfully and fairly. There are a lot of politicians, advertisers, religious leaders, and drug company executives I wish I could force to read this book.

Some non-fiction books err in their tone, either swinging too far to the conversational and flippant or too far the other way, resulting in a dry, boring book. Eldridge hit the sweet spot, and In Our Control is written in language both precise and readable.

Some other reviewers described Eldridge as having a bias against hormonal contraceptives. I didn't see it this way. She was critical, but she turned this investigative eye towards all methods. The author seemed frustrated with the limited options available to women, and she didn't set out to suggest one over another. Every option has pros and cons, side effects and benefits, and each woman needs to choose the option which best fits her needs and situation. If Eldridge spent more pages on hormonal methods, it was because there was more information to share and examine. ( )

Greatly informative, interesting, and well written. Impossible to not learn something new. ( )

In Our Control is purported to be a non-biased review of various contraceptive, but the author is clearly not a fan of hormonal options. As someone who has had to use hormonal contraceptives for health reasons, this made me uncomfortable - and since I was considering switching contraceptives at the time I read this, I found that bias decidedly unhelpful. ( )

Some disclaimers: I am male; I am a feminist; I have not glanced at "Our Bodies, Ourselves" for over a decade; this is a living review, subject to revision as I encounter other material that is influential and related.

My purpose in reviewing the book is due to my being a parent of a teenage daughter and wishing to be informed on the topic of contraception. By this measure, the book was satisfying. I was hoping that in the 21st century there were more contraceptive options than were discussed in the book, and I was chagrined to learn that many options have been only minimally tested for safety/side effects. The book was not as in-depth of the use of the different contraceptive options as Our Bodies, Ourselves, but instead efforts were made to relay the history and the social concerns related to the options. I found the history fascinating. Unlike some of the other reviewers, although I agree there was some bias against oral contraceptives, my perception was that the author was reserved about her bias, and provided copious notes and sources to validate her position.

This is an important book, and I have recommended it to my circle of friends to read.

The topics of the book, included:
Contraception history before the 21st century (4 1/2 stars)
Hormonal contraception for the 21st century (4 1/2 stars)
Non-hormonal contraceptive options (3 stars)
Alternate distribution methods and hormonal contraception (4 1/2 stars)
Menstruation (5 stars)
Questions and controversies with new menstrual drugs (4 1/2 stars)
The morning-after pill (3 stars)
Fertility awareness and natural birth control (4 stars)
HPV vaccinations (5 stars)
No pill for men (4 1/2 stars)
Going green (5 stars - fascinating)
International issues in reproductive health (4 1/2 stars) ( )

In Our Control covers everything from the history and myths surrounding menstruation to the pros and cons of various contraceptive methods to the politics of the attempts to control reproduction.

Regarding menstruation: “both the medical and pharmaceutical communities have tended to gloss bodily processes that are distinctly female as equivalent with illness. In the early 20th century feminist activists rejected the idea that menstruation was 'mentally and physically debilitating' and that menstruating women were out of control and needed men to manage them.” In the 21st century pharmaceutical companies are proposing the idea that menstruation is “unnatural” and that menstrual suppression will bring women back to their “normal” prehistoric state in which women didn't menstruate but rather were pregnant continuously until they died. Advertisers of “menstrual suppression drugs seek to convince women...”that they should cede control of their bodily functions to a drug company.”
Eldridge discusses all forms of contraceptives from the Fertility Awareness Method to barrier methods (I was surprised to read that the diaphragm is more comfortable for both the woman and her partner than the smaller cervical cap) to pills. She's not a big fan of hormonal contraception, but she gives the pros and cons so that women can make informed decisions for themselves. There's even a section on the "male pill" (which has been 5 years away for several decades). My favorite, if it could ever be developed, would regulate calcium so that sperm couldn't swim, leaving the man temporarily sterile. It is thought if such a pill could be developed it could be a form of "morning after" pill for women as well as a temporary pill for men. Among the many side effects of hormonal contraception, Eldridge cites the feminization of aquatic animals from residual hormones discarded or urinated into the water system.

There's also an in depth discussion of the HPV vaccines Gardisil and Cervarix. Aside from being expensive, there's a chance that the protection they offer is not only short lived but may be delivered at a time when the young woman's own immune system is strong enough to reject HPV infection leaving her extra vulnerable later in life when she is more in need of protection.

The last chapter covers the politics of reproduction and the fact that economists have finally realized that improving women's lives can improve the economy of her country - which realization is in direct opposition to the push by conservatives in all cultures to suppress the rights of individual women in order to maintain traditional religious and social power structures.

The only topic not discussed in depth is various means of abortion, which I think would add to the completion of the topic of contraception.

I would recommend this book to any woman of any age wanting to know more about her own body and her place in society. ( )