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The Stitch-Up by Emma Szewczak and Dr Andrzej Harris

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The Stitch-Up

Author
Emma Szewczak and Dr Andrzej Harris
Narrator
Emma Szewczak
Publisher
Random House
Publish Date
29 May 2025
Run Time
8 hours 45 minutes
Format
Audiobook
Genre
Health, illness or addiction: social aspects, Gender studies: women and girls, Social discrimination and social justice, Women’s health, Gynaecology and obstetrics

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What to expect

  • Excruciating periods? You should have a baby!
  • Birth trauma? Well, you had a baby.
  • Perimenopausal symptoms? Have some antidepressants.
  • Struggling to get help from doctors? Try our wellness candle!


It’s a stitch-up. And we demand better.

After receiving a vague diagnosis of ‘prolapse’ following the birth of her child, Emma spent years being shunted between specialists. The solutions on offer ranged from Kegels to hysterectomy and even labia trimming. Some doctors simply shrugged and said there was nothing they could do.

Inspired by the medical failure surrounding her own condition, Emma started to investigate more widely. Over and over again, she heard about women in pain, bleeding, dying, failed by the professionals who were supposed to help them. The Stitch-Up tells their stories and calls for better research, healthcare options, language and treatment, arguing that being female should never be a death sentence.

A shocking and deeply personal exposé of the women's healthcare crisis: 'This book could not be more timely' OBSERVER
'Inspiring and invigorating' JULIA BUENO, author of The Brink of Being
'Deeply unsettling and affecting' CATHERINE AIREY, author of Confessions

© Emma Szewczak 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

Critics Review

  • A long-overdue spotlight on medical misogyny… with extraordinary courage and candour… This book could not be more timely

    Observer

  • Reading about the comprehensive and egregious medical mistreatment of women in the modern era is unsettling, but the authors make it inspiring and invigorating. I have high hopes these stories will be tools in our ongoing fight for change

    JULIA BUENO, author of The Brink of Being

  • The Stitch Up addresses a national crisis in a profound yet incredibly humane way. Blending powerful personal stories and science, Szewczak & Harris prove that modern medicine has never served women’s needs and it's time for that to change

    EVE RODSKY, author of Fair Play

  • Deeply unsettling and affecting... Reading The Stitch-Up is like meeting up with that friend who will tell you how it really was with all the gory details, but they still manage to make you cry with laughter

    CATHERINE AIREY, author of Confessions

User Reviews

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Details
Author
Emma Szewczak and Dr Andrzej Harris
Narrator
Emma Szewczak
Duration
8 hours 45 minutes
Release Date
29 May 2025
ISBN
9781529904116
Format
Audiobook
Publisher
Random House
Genre
Health, illness or addiction: social aspects, Gender studies: women and girls, Social discrimination and social justice, Women’s health, Gynaecology and obstetrics

Synopsis

Excruciating periods? You should have a baby!Birth trauma? Well, you had a baby.Perimenopausal symptoms? Have some antidepressants.Struggling to get help from doctors? Try our wellness candle!It’s a stitch-up. And we demand better.After receiving a vague diagnosis of ‘prolapse’ following the birth of her child, Emma spent years being shunted between specialists. The solutions on offer ranged from Kegels to hysterectomy and even labia trimming. Some doctors simply shrugged and said there was nothing they could do.Inspired by the medical failure surrounding her own condition, Emma started to investigate more widely. Over and over again, she heard about women in pain, bleeding, dying, failed by the professionals who were supposed to help them. The Stitch-Up tells their stories and calls for better research, healthcare options, language and treatment, arguing that being female should never be a death sentence.A shocking and deeply personal exposé of the women's healthcare crisis: 'This book could not be more timely' OBSERVER'Inspiring and invigorating' JULIA BUENO, author of The Brink of Being'Deeply unsettling and affecting' CATHERINE AIREY, author of Confessions© Emma Szewczak 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

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