Book excerpt: This book provides cutting edge information on safe motherhood in a global context. The chapters focus on research, program development and implementation, and policy dealing with various aspects of pregnancy, labor and delivery. Safe motherhood is a critical issue since healthy, safe motherhood is the prerequisite for a healthy, productive society. Writing about the situation in their countries, the authors are from Eastern Europe, America, Asia and Africa and are academic scholars and health practitioners. The book is multidisciplinary with scholars from sociology, gender studies, economics, social policy, social geography, population management and political science. Topics include lactation policy and misunderstandings of lactations in African countries and in the United States; postnatal stress disorder that is either understudied or not considered as a problem in many developing countries; potential causes of a decline of maternal health in democratizing states; the effect of geographical environment on reproductive health; and revelation of mysteries of consequences of pre-birth pain in the early life of children. Case studies provide examples of successful model programs. Solutions offered are based on utilizing available resources and technology in ways that maximize education and training of local health professionals and family members. This book was published as a special issue of Marriage and Family Review.