It's now possible to take a home pregnancy test eight days after ovulation, yet in the 16th century, women sometimes turned to astrologers for confirmation. And in the 1950s and 1960s, one might send a urine sample to an address in Sloane Street where they would inject it into a tropical frog that would lay eggs. In this episode of the LRB Podcast, Erin Magl ... Show More
Mar 18
Ordinary Abuse
‘I hadn’t wanted to have sex with the prince,’ Virginia Giuffre said, ‘but I felt I had to.’ Reviewing Giuffre’s memoir, Nobody’s Girl, in the LRB, Andrew O’Hagan writes: ‘All the pomp, tradition, ceremony and “loyalty” in the world can’t wash away the simple facts. Ghislaine Max ... Show More
56m 25s
Mar 12
On Politics: Keir Starmer’s Mess
Less than two years after winning a huge majority, even many of Keir Starmer’s own MPs think he’s doomed. But is he? Despite a historic loss to the Green Party in the Gorton and Denton by-election last month, the prime minister has managed to cling on, for now. His critics point ... Show More
1h 11m
Mar 11
What next in Iran?
On 9 March, Donald Trump described the war against Iran as ‘very complete, pretty much’. Later that day, his secretary of war, Pete Hegseth, told ABC that the ongoing strikes were ‘just the beginning’. In this episode, Adam Shatz is joined by Robert Malley and Esfandyar Batmanghe ... Show More
58m 33s
Jul 2021
SMNTY Classics: A History of Pregnancy Tests
<p>Pregnancy tests have a colorful history tracing back to 1350 BC -- and, as you might imagine, the methods have varied greatly over the centuries. In this classic episode, Caroline and Cristen look at the history of pregnancy tests. </p><p> </p> Learn more about your ad-choices ... Show More
23m 52s
Jan 2025
Overthinking About Fertility
Delicate does not even begin to describe this week's topic, and we're so thankful for the vulnerable thought spirals listeners submitted for discussion. The concept of fertility is often surrounded by an overwhelming mix of mystery, pressure, shame, fear, and misinformation—and, ... Show More
1h 9m
Jun 2025
Everything You Need to Know about Progesterone with Dr. Amy Beckley of Proov
<div>Today, we're talking about "Everything you need to know about progesterone" with the CEO and Founder of Proov test, Dr. Amy Beckley. With a PhD in pharmacology, and a history of infertility, Dr. Beckley created a test to confirm successful ovulation at home by tracking PdG. ... Show More
20m 43s
Nov 2024
Your 1% Boost: The Pregnancy Doctor REVEALS 3 Ways To INCREASE Your Chances Of Pregnancy NATURALLY
In this moment, world-renowned fertility expert Dr Natalie Crawford discusses how to improve your chances of conceiving. According to Dr Natalie, timing is a key factor in achieving pregnancy, and she explains that the optimal window for conceiving happens around the ovulation ph ... Show More
11m 52s