Collection of essays of contributors from many different countries about different dimensions of motherhood - e.g. motherhood of single women, teenage motherhood, ‘homosexual’ motherhood, ‘men-mothers’ (men who take upon themselves the maternal function), shared motherhood, surrogate motherhood - in the 21st century. The essays cover themes ranging from new methods of conception and 'artificial pregnancy' to questions raised by the mother-daughter relationship and the reasons for desiring, or not desiring, a child.