This work investigates the historical shift in American legal and social attitudes toward abortion during the nineteenth century. James C. Mohr, a historian specializing in American legal history, utilizes extensive archival research and primary source documentation to trace how abortion transitioned from a common, largely unregulated practice to a strictly prohibited medical procedure by the turn of the twentieth century. The book argues that this transformation was driven by a complex interplay of professional medical interests, changing social norms, and evolving legislative frameworks.

Experts and historians frequently cite this work as a foundational text for understanding the origins of American abortion policy. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which provides a rigorous and comprehensive look at the legal evolution of the subject.