Never before have so many choices and so much information been available to women about life-style, health, family, legal rights, and their own history. Now The Women's Desk Reference, the first general reference book to address the broad spectrum of women's concerns, brings a kaleidoscope of information together for one-step access. The Women's Desk Reference contains more than fifteen hundred alphabetically arranged entries, carefully researched and extensively cross-referenced, on a vast range of topics: laws and significant court decisions; medical techniques and treatments; social and psychological theories; key works of literature; organizations of, by, and for women; and recommended dietary allowances, recommendations for emotional and physical health, and exercises for pregnant women. Numerous charts, illustrations, and highlighted boxes make this book easy to use, and up-to-the-minute help, information, and action guides on subjects such as child abuse, divorce, depression, and cancer steer readers to expert sources that can give them the kind of knowledge they need to be truly independent and resourceful. Whether a woman wants to read about alternatives to hysterectomy, parental rights, or the history of abortion legislation in the U.S., or just wants a list of great books written by women, The Women's Desk Reference answers the need in concise entries, written in an empathetic yet unbiased style. It's a vital addition to every woman's bookshelf