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
Jun 21
Poetry and the Turning World: Divorce
Poets have always written about love, but the divorce poem is a much more recent subgenre. In this episode, Sarah and Sandeep ask if the formal processes of legal separation can be successful material for poetry, starting with a look at Milton’s prose arguments in favour of divor ... Show More
1h 18m
Jun 17
On Politics: What went wrong with HS2 (and almost everything else)
HS2 was conceived at a cost of £37.5 billion and originally supposed to link London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds. It will now connect only two stations outside London and Birmingham at a projected cost of more than £100 billion, and perhaps won’t even be ‘high speed’. To dis ... Show More
1h 4m
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
Mar 2025
Ep 168 Pregnancy: Act 1
Content Warning: This episode includes mentions of miscarriage, pregnancy loss, pregnancy complications, traumatic birth experiences, and other potentially disturbing topics related to childbirth, pregnancy, and the postpartum period. With this and the next three episodes, we’re ... Show More
1h 38m
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