Given No Choice: A History of Abortion Rights is a deeply reported history of abortion in the United States, tracing the legal, political, and human realities of reproductive care before and after legalization. Drawing on years of archival research, court records, and original reporting, the book reconstructs a world often reduced to abstraction-one shaped by underground networks, quiet acts of resistance, and the evolving boundaries of law and medicine.
Moving from the early twentieth century through the fall of Roe v. Wade and into the aftermath of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision, the book situates abortion not only as a legal issue, but as a central thread in American political and social life. It examines how laws were enforced, how physicians and patients navigated risk, and how activists on all sides reshaped the national debate.
Through detailed case studies and on-the-ground reporting, Given No Choice captures the lived consequences of shifting policy: from the realities of illegal abortion and the emergence of informal provider networks, to the modern landscape of restrictions, ballot initiatives, and renewed legal battles. It highlights the role of doctors, patients, law enforcement, and political actors in defining what access meant in different eras-and what it continues to mean today.
Written with the narrative depth of long-form journalism and grounded in primary sources, this book offers a comprehensive account of one of the most consequential and contested issues in American history. It is essential reading for those seeking to understand how the past informs the present, and how the future of reproductive rights is still being shaped.
Review :
"This is a must read book on the history of abortion politics in the US. If, like me, you think you know it all, you will be blown away by the intimate and absolutely accurate history of the movement, the leaders on both sides and the paths they took to either block or provide access to safe abortion. If you are new to the issue-perhaps concerned now that Roe has been overturned and every woman has lost all right to end a pregnancy-you will be inspired by those who have gone before and the struggle that lies before us. Frankly, it is the best book on the issue I have ever read-and I've read them all."
-Frances Kissling, President, The Center for Health ethics and Social Policy
"Finally! A rights-based approach to the history of abortion in the United States. This book tells the abortion rights story at the right time, giving us an accurate view of where the fight has come from and where we have to take it to secure sexual and reproductive freedom for now, for all, forever."
-Dazon Dixon Diallo, Founder of SisterLove
"Given No Choice: A History of Abortion Rights is an engaging and authoritative account of one of the central stories of our time-the struggle for and against abortion rights. This book is valuable beyond the story of where we've been and how we got here. It also surfaces important lessons learned-many by those who dedicated their lives to the cause. These lessons may very well inform our current political moment as well as generations to come. Whether you have a passionate, passing, or professional interest, Given No Choice is a good read and an essential reference."
-- Frederick Clarkson, Senior Research Analyst, Political Research Associates
"Cody McDevitt's book illuminates the complex history of a woman's struggle to maintain bodily autonomy in order to protect her life, health and ability to maintain economic equality with men. By understanding the past, McDevitt's important, well-documented work can help men and women work together to create a more just and enlightened nation on this issue."
-Bill Baird, Reproductive Rights Pioneer
"A sweeping, deeply researched book of feminist history, which exhaustively details how reproductive rights in the US have evolved over the years and how we got to where we are today. The battle over abortion is far from over, and Given No Choice is compelling, important reading for anyone who wants to better understand the past in order to keep fighting for access in the future."
-Rebecca Grant, author of Access: Inside the Abortion Underground and the Sixty-Year Battle for Reproductive Freedom
"Cody McDevitt's book, Given No Choice, is an important addition to the library of publications concerning the long and tortured fight for women to have the freedom to have safe abortions in the United States. His book is well-written and highly readable. It cont
