Minnesota-based and Hugo award-winning writer Naomi Kritzer started thinking about her latest book, Obstetrix, when Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022. “What would states do if they lost all their obstetricians?” she asks on the latest episode of Book Stuff.
What if states created laws around pregnancy and healthcare, especially medically needed abortions, that forced OB/GYNs to leave certain states?
Naomi then imagined those living in those OB-less states could drum up a solution: if you don’t have a doctor, kidnap one — Obstetrix was born.
This is what happens to Liz, the main character, who is an obstetrician escaping a state where she was acquitted for performing the last abortion. In a high need for a gig, she falls into a trap and kidnapped into a fundamentalist group who live on a rural compound in the west. The group needs someone to deliver babies.
But some of the women turn out to, unfortunately, be just teenage girls, showing Liz just how fundamental the cult is. Books are banned, internet is restricted, movement is controlled, men are armed. Liz is the only medically trained person present, and is soon asked to go beyond her specific OB abilities.
This light-footed thriller sits at just-over 200 pages. It barely pushes the sci-fi button because of the possibility of its reality occurring: you’ll recognize this world more clearly than Republic of Gilead. I would almost classify this work as law-fi or med-fi that sends jostles your vertebrates due obsessive legal (and literal) atmosphere.
Liz finds comfort in stories. In memorized sections; imagined stories; remixed stories; and a book hid in a toilet tank. She gives this gift of escape — a connection to the outside world — to a younger character who grew up in this oppressive cult without the language for such stories. Naomi told me it’s a theme of her work: that words matter. They can change how a person feels about a day or their life. You need to find a way to believe your words matter.
(Naomi gave a speech about this at WisCon in 2025. She also provides frequent information about local political races and political news in Minnesota on her website).
For the duration of this episode, we dug into the details of the book, Naomi’s inspirations for the characters and plot, and the importance of obstetricians.
Enjoy this episode on the Book Stuff website and on Apple and Spotify.
Stay curious, keep reading.
