This work investigates the intersection of reproductive technology, cultural identity, and the evolving definition of what it means to be human in an era of technological intervention. The authors, Joseph Dumit and Robbie Davis-Floyd, assemble a collection of essays from anthropologists and sociologists to examine how medical advancements in fertility and genetics reshape the experience of pregnancy and birth. By analyzing the social and ethical implications of these technologies, the text argues that the 'cyborg' nature of modern reproduction is not merely a biological shift but a fundamental transformation of social structures and personal agency.

Experts in medical anthropology and science and technology studies frequently cite this text as a foundational examination of the social dimensions of reproductive medicine. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which provides a rigorous look at how technology influences the most intimate aspects of human life.