FREAKONOMICS meets WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU'RE EXPECTING in this groundbreaking guidebook.

Expecting Better is a fascinating and reassuring tour of pregnancy and childbirth, with data leading the way at every juncture. From start to finish, Oster easily leads us through the key findings of the extant pregnancy-related research. My only regret is that my wife and I had three children without the benefit of this insightful approach. -- Charles Wheelan New York Times bestselling author of NAKED STATISTICS Expecting Better gives moms-to-be a big helping of peace of mind! Oster debunks many tired old myths and shines a light on issues that really matter. -- Harvey, Karp, Md bestselling author of THE HAPPIEST BABY GUIDE TO SLEEP and THE HAPPIEST BABY ON THE BLOCK It took someone as smart as Emily Oster to make it all this simple. She cuts through the thicket of anxiety and received wisdom, and gives us the facts. Expecting Better is both enlightening and calming. It almost makes me want to get pregnant. -- Pamela Druckerman New York Times bestselling author of BRINGING UP BEBE and BEBE DAY BY DAY The only antidote to pregnancy anxiety is facts, and Emily Oster has them in spades. Disarmingly personal and easy to read, this book is guaranteed to cut your freaking out in half. Pregnancy studies has a new heroine. Every pregnant woman will cheer this book-and want to take Oster out for a shot of espresso. -- Rachel Simmons New York Times bestselling author of CURSE OF THE GOOD GIRL This is a fascinating-and reassuring-look at the most important numbers of your pregnancy. It will make parents-to-be rethink much of the conventional wisdom: think bed rest is a good idea? Think again. This may be the most important book about pregnancy you read. -- Steven D. Levitt New York Times bestselling co-author of FREAKONOMICS

Emily Oster is an associate professor of economics at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. She was a speaker at the 2007 TED conference and her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and Esquire. Oster is married to economist Jesse Shapiro and is also the daughter of two economists. She has one child, Penelope. https://twitter.com/emily__oster