Product Description

Dealing with infertility is, at best, a frustrating experience. At work, it's confusing, emotional grueling, and expensive. But it doesn't have to be. Resolving Infertility, from the country's foremost infertility organization, is an invaluable roadmap to navigating the vast landscape of infertility options. Its special interactive design offers simple tools to facilate your decision making, from "Decision Tress" to "Questions to Ask" to sections sharing firsthand accounts from people coping with infertility. You'll also learn,in clear, compassionate language, the latest information on:

Product Description
"Office-Based Infertility Practice" is an invaluable resource to all physicians treating infertile couples. The text emphasizes the practice of infertility in the office setting, reflecting the current trend away from the hospital into the outpatient environment. The most current and advanced therapies available are discussed by recognized experts in the field. The first half of the book is devoted to the evaluation and work-up of the infertile couple, including evaluation of the male, female, age-related infertility factors, and the roles of ultrasound, endometrium saline sonography, falloposcopy and diagnostic laparoscopy and hysteroscopy. The second half of the book presents the treatment and operative procedures for the infertile couple, including ovulation induction, IUI, tubal cannulation, treatment of cervical stenosis, the use of office laparoscopy and therapeutic hysteroscopy, male treatment as support for IVF, vas reversals, and testicular biopsy, as well as routine IVF, intratubal gamete transfer, and micromanipulation. With over 60 illustrations, this book is a must for all infertility specialists, obstetrician-gynecologists, fellows, and residents. Its practical, comprehensive approach will be of daily use to the office practitioner treating women of reproductive age.

David B. Seifer, M.D., is a tenured Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and the Director of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. He completed his residency at Stanford University Medical Center and a fellowship at Yale University School of Medicine. Dr. Seifer is Board Certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology with Subspecialty Certification in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. He has received career development awards from the American Society of Reproductive Medicine and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He is a member of the Ostetrics and Gynecology Medical Devices Panel of the Food and Drug Administration. Dr. Seifer is funded by the NIH for research pertaining to the female reproductive aging.

Robert L. Collins, M.D., Board Certified in Reproductive Endocrinology, received his M.D. from the University of Tennessee. He completed his residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu. He received the National Fellowship in Reproductive Medicine from the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Collins is currently Director, Section of Reproductive Medicine at St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Youngstown, Ohio, and an Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Northeast Ohio University College of Medicine in Rootstown, Ohio. ... Read more

Product Description
"Fertile Thinking" is a unique, practical guide for women experiencing difficulties conceiving. Unlike other books that provide medical or nutritional advice alone, "Fertile Thinking" aims to help women gain a sense of control over the process and feel whole and happy. Drawing on coaching tools and techniques as well as Anya's expertise in her field, "Fertile Thinking" provides practical exercises, tips and advice that offer couples who may have given up hope a renewed sense of possibility and purpose. According to the Assisted Conception Taskforce (ACT), one in every six couples worldwide is currently experiencing difficulties conceiving, and IVF specialists predict this could increase to one in three. Support currently available to such couples includes counselling, websites and helplines (such as the Infertility Network), and books which often focus on diet, exercise and complementary therapies. "Fertile Thinking" takes readers on the journey from diagnosis of infertility to a place where they can feel happier and more in control of their lives. Thousands have testified to the positive effect Anya's sessions have had on their lives.Some of those stories are included as inspirational case studies within the book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

oozing support
I like this book a lot. Fertility treatment is hellish for so many people & Anya clearly knows what this means as she shares some convincing (and personal) practical tools to support you through what can be a very rocky journey ahead. Her engaging and refreshing style conveys an authentic warmth and compassion, and somehow conveys a hope that may well be very difficult to hold onto yourself at a time of infertility. Even if you haven't faced a fertility battle, I bet you know someone who is in its midst, and this would be a brilliant gift. Well done Anya! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

An eye-opening book - We're now pregnant, thanks to this book!
Update on Nov 30, 2009: My wife is now 3+ month pregnant, 100% naturally, four month after completing antibiotic therapy with Dr. Toth.Our previous (fist) child (now 2 yrs 8 months old), was born after 5(!) painful, heavy-duty IVF cycles (3 fresh, 2 frozen) with one of the top NY IVF clinics (CHR) - they told us we had one blocked, one "facing wrong way" fallopian tubes.I give 100% credit for this natural pregnancy to Dr. Toth's therapy.

Original revew below:

A must read for all couples that are trying to conceive or any woman with PMS, pelvic pain or early menopause.Highly recommend.Approximately half of all "unexplained" infertility cases are caused by bacterial infection and can be reversed by a special antibiotics treatment.Dr. Toth explains his theory in detail and supports it with numerous examples from his practice.

The best book on fertility
Dr. Toth is ahead of his time. He understands infertility better than anyone in the world. After reading this book,I decided to go for treatment with Dr. Toth. My husband and I had spent over a fortune on treatment for 11 years prior to Dr. Toth. His amazing help and approach is the reason we have a beautiful baby girl now. I can not thank him enough and I hope everyone reads this book as well as his others! ... Read more

Product Description
Infertility is a major increasing concern. As the male factor contributes to about half of the infertility cases, sperm analysis is extremely important for diagnosis and investigation of infertility. In this book, the cytometric techniques used to evaluate sperm DNA/chromatin integrity together with some other functional properties of the male gamete are described and advantages and limitations are discussed. In addition, the authors provide an overview of how antioxidative and redox systems participate in spermatogenesis and in pathological conditions, such as heat stress, in the testes. Oxidative stress-induced damage to both oocytes in vivo and embryos in culture are also examined, as well as the role of ROS signalling in embryo development. Furthermore, endometriosis is an oestrogen-dependent disease which affects 6 per cent to 30 per cent of women in reproductive age and is associated with infertility in approximately 60 per cent of cases. In this book, classic and recently proposed etiopathogenic mechanisms or endometriosis-related infertility are discussed, as well as some aspects of its clinical investigation and medical treatment.Other chapters in this book assess the capability of combining of Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) and embryo quality as predictors of pregnancy outcome and an examination of how the use of animal models can help us to understand the female reproductive system and the aetiology of some female infertile disorders. ... Read more

Product Description
Most conventional specialists treat infertility with a combination of drugs, surgery, and modern technology, often overlooking the emotional, biological, and environmental causes. Such standard treatments can be costly and risky (some infertility drugs are implicated in ovarian cancer), and often do not result in conception (the success rate for in vitro fertilization is only 22 percent). While exploring alternative treatments for herself, Shana Albo discovered that many causes of infertility in both men and women can be controlled naturally through regulation of environment, diet, and stress. Because each couple and every situation is different, Infertility Solutions covers all of the natural ways for improving a couple's chances for conceiving, from changing their lifestyle to using estrogen, vitamins and minerals, herbs, flowers, the healing touch, and meditation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Infertility Solutions
After searching for natural approaches to my infertility problem, I found this book. The book offered me practical information on how vitamins, minerals, exercise, diet, etc. can increase one's fertility. I decided to make many lifestyle changes suggested in the book, and after 5 months (after years of infertility), I became pregnant. ... Read more

Product Description

To breed or not to breed? That is the question twenty-eight accomplished writers ponder in this collection of provocative, honest, soul-searching essays. Based on a popular series at Salon.com, Maybe Baby offers both frank and nuanced opinions from a wide range of viewpoints on parenting choices, both alternative and traditional.

Customer Reviews (23)

I am so thankful for this book
As a happily married woman in my late 20s, I'm bombarded with questions of when I'm going to start having babies. The desire to have a child (let alone more than one) has not materialized and I'm starting to doubt it ever will. This has been a hard discovery for me, as I used to believe every woman just feels the urge to procreate. I'm starting to accept that I may never feel that urge, but I'm not all that comfortable with it.

When I ran across this book, I was looking for some insight into why people choose to have kids because I've never understood it, and also for some insight into whether I might regret it down the road if I don't have children. I expected a balance of Yays and Nays in "Maybe Baby," but what I wasn't expecting was the breadth of different circumstances and viewpoints in it. My mind was certainly opened by the authors' deeply personal and thoughtful essays.

I'd recommend this book to anyone considering becoming a parent, whether you think you may want children or not.

Baby Baby, not Maybe Baby
These essays definitely side with having a baby - so if you are expecting a lot of validation for feelings at the opposite end of the spectrum, you won't find them here. The essayists in the opening (slim) section "No Thanks, Not for Me" express a good deal of ambivalence and regret over their decisions to not have children, and would have been better placed in the "On the Fence" chapters. All of the pieces when taken as a whole are decidedly pro-parenting, and in many ways made me feel worse about my own mixed feelings. The writing is good, but this collection will not help anyone leaning toward "no baby".

good book
A good book, filled with emotions, a balance of all kinds of desisions, well written and I'd reccomend it.

If you're a Christian, skip this book.
As I read this book, I honestly became more and more disgusted by the selfishness on display. The stories were filled with so many abortions, I wanted to cry. One women was blessed with twins, and then triplets, and she ended the lives of four of those precious little human beings. These women expressed no regret for ending the miracle of life.

It seems like the idea of giving these babies through adoption to couples who would love and nurture them never crossed their self centered conscious. Instead, they decided to play God and end these babies lives after their own irresponsibility with the birth control. Near the end of the book, I was so upset I almost didn't finish.

I plan to return this book to the library immediately and am very thankful I didn't spend money on it. I wish I hadn't wasted time reading it wading through the selfish tales looking for a few wholly positive stories. Even most of the few who expressed happiness at becoming a parent did so with such reluctance it would seem, being after having terminated previous pregnancies like they were nothing. A very depressing book for those in love with and longing to have children. If you have a deep desire to become a parent and you love children, don't read this depressing book. I was very very disappointed.

Writing is far fetched/ unrelatable
The writers here seem proud, smug, and so "me" oriented that I found them boring and unhappy.Regardless of their stance on child rearing, there seems an overwelming urge to be right rather than display any in-depth personal conversation.I was put off by some religious bashing...Is it necessary to reprimand Christians for wanting to reproduce?Do rich people make better parents?Shoulddeciding to have a child be as simple as deciding where to go on your next vacation?Some of the authors seem to think so.I was impressed by a few of the entries...hence the 1 star. ... Read more

Product Description
In Quest for Conception, Marcia C. Inhorn portrays the poignant struggles of poor, urban Egyptian women and their attempts to overcome infertility. The author draws upon fifteen months of fieldwork in urban Egypt to present moving stories of infertile Muslim women whose tumultuous medical pilgrimages - or their "search for children", as they call their quests for conception - have yet to produce the desired pregnancies. Inhorn examines the devastating impact of infertility on the lives of these women, who are threatened with divorce by their husbands, harassed by their husbands' families, and ostracized by neighbors. Beliefs about procreation and infertility causation and cure among the Egyptian urban poor derive from a five-thousand-year history of shifting medical pluralism. Although colonially produced Western biomedicine is the dominant system in Egypt today, it represents only one of an array of therapeutic alternatives. Infertile women seek help from both "biogynecologists" (practitioners of Western biomedicine) and "ethnogynecologists" (practitioners of indigenous ethnomedicine), often using the remedies of both simultaneously. Quest for Conception examines in detail the variety of ethnomedical and biomedical treatments for infertility and concludes that treatments of both types are often ineffective and sometimes harmful. Given this untherapeutic setting, the future of infertile Egyptian women is explored in light of needed changes in reproductive health policy and the introduction of new reproductive technologies. Quest for Conception is the first comprehensive account of non-Western women's experiences of infertility and is a novel study within the literature on Middle Easternwomen. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The underdstanding of the search for children.
Dr. Marcia Inhorn harps upon three major themes: infertile Egyptian women's attempts at having children, the history of the development of Egyptian medical ideas and practices from ancient times and their effectson the present,and the present collaboration of econimic and politicalagendas.This book is for anyone studying or just want to know aboutinfertility and the views of Egyptians. ... Read more

Product Description
After years of infertility, Ty Canady has turned her wallowing pain into a weathering passion. She openly explains in great detail how her circumstances consumed her and how her life has new meaning following this adversity. More than just an outpour of experiences, this book provides a forum for self-discovery. Serving as a step-by-step journal, readers are encouraged to reflect on their own feelings and experiences throughout their journey as a means of positive progression. This book will undoubtedly make a difference in the lives of people dealing with infertility with eye-opening experiences that bring about a deeper and different understanding of this difficulty and how it can be constructive, not destructive, in their lives. What to Expect, When YouÂ’re NOT Expecting lends a whole new perspective on life and adversities that arise. Whether youÂ’re an infertile woman/man, couple, or simply a supportive friend and/or family member, this book provides real insight that brings about awareness and added sensitivity to this growing phenomena. This book addresses REAL life issues you may experience, that most infertility books do not tell you and do not equip you on how to deal with the difficulty of infertility. Ty Canady reveals to you very personal and private experiences that she faced in an effort to help you through this difficult time as well ashow to use the power of adversity to enhance your life and the lives of others. After reading What to Expect When YouÂ’re NOT Expecting, you will undoubtedly be a changed personÂ…forever. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

Living Proof
I am Ty Canady - the author..and since writing this book (no children at the time - 2003)...I have had three children, all naturally - NO Medical intervention. So for those of you who believe my book was all spiritual and no medical comprehensive information. and no help at all...go find your 100s of medical books...and soon you'll return to my book - someone who has dealt with 10 years of infertility and now have three children..versus books wrote by medical professionals who typically have never personally dealt with infertility.

Thank God..for giving me the vision to write this book to help THOSE WHO TRULY SEEK HELP!

Harvard Study
Harvard did a study that prayer and meditation improves the prognosis and coping of at least half the people in studies from heart, hypertension, to cancer and you name it, there is a study that belief makes a difference. Now, I wrote a book and it is also about spirituality. So when I say look at this book plese, by Ty Canady, I am not whistling Dixie!

Charlotte Fairchild, Fertile Prayers (author)
www.fprayers.blogspot.com

HOLY OVERKILL BIBLE THUMPERS!
OK.I tried to be flexible getting into this book, but I don't know about the whole preaching part of it.What a waste of money.Glad I got mine used.I plan to sell mine.

Definitely What I Needed!!!
I read reviews of those who were disappointed by the Christian overtone of the book and still decided to give the book a try. This book was awesome!!! I too contacted the author after reading the book.Her book is very inspiring and is what I needed.She unlike several of the infertility book author has a child after 10 years of infertility and is pregnany with her second child.She has gone through alot of the things I have gone through and is living proof that GOD will bless you with a child...not facts from some infertility doctor. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who SERIOUSLY wants to overcome infertility and all the challenges that come with it, be blessed with a Child versus tons of factual informational that will get you nothing but frustration.

looking for answers.
This book is not what i expected at all it was more religious
then i expected.Its for people that are searching for answers through god.I thought it was more of infertility infomation.


... Read more

Product Description
Award-Winning Finalist in the Women's Health category of the Best Books 2006 National Book Awards!

Nine million couples suffer the shattering effects of infertility. Unable to create the families they so dearly want, they feel isolated, depressed, and blameworthy, and fall prey to despair, which can make conception less likely and ultimately threaten even the strongest marriages.

Confronting infertility head-on, Dr. Matthew McQuaid and his wife, Michelle, grew to understand it as an obstacle that was as much spiritual as it was scientific. Adopting mind/body medical techniques such as meditation and yoga, they developed a state of profound well-being, relaxation, and unwavering faith. Eventually, their devotion was rewarded in the birth of their son Luke. Now, the McQuaids' well-earned formula for success is offered to other couples who hope to overcome infertility and create miracles of their own.

"Plenty of books focus on medical issues: this one focuses on the spirit, from reducing the stress associated with infertility and using mind/body techniques to improve medical outcomes, to undertaking emotional and spiritual changes that can lead to health improvements and fertility. Dr. Matthew McQuaid offers all the keys to emotional health, and connects them to fertility improvement, making it a "must" for any with trouble starting a family." - California Bookwatch

"Regardless of where you are on your journey with infertility, the reduction of stress and the realization that you need emotional care as well as physical care can be a great turning point for many couples. This book is very helpful in all of these respects." - Kim Elise Goldman, About.com ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Inspirational & Practical
What I loved about this book was the integration of a heartfelt story,beautiful photography and practical information on stress reduction.
Though the focus is infertility, the relaxation exercises are quick and easy and can be applied to your everyday life. I would highly recommend it to anyone faced with infertility.

Not as good as others
This book tries to pull from other theories but is not complete on any.
More useful books are by Alice Domar and others that have proven track records. Not recomended.

An accessible understanding of how to reduce the stress associated with infertility
Dr. Matthew McQuaid is an expert on overcoming the emotional challenges of infertile. A Spiritual Path To Overcoming Infertility: Creating Your Miracle Family Now draws upon the story of the birth of his own "miracle son" Luke to share inspirational guidance through the emotional pains and struggles of infertility and offer a knowledgeably approach to the problems of infertility and conception. Deftly guiding readers through the natural solutions, in vitro fertilization, and other processes for overcoming infertility, A Spiritual Path To Overcoming Infertility offers an accessible understanding of how to reduce the stress associated with infertility, apply simple health tips for greater success, use mind/body techniques to improve the outcome of medical treatments, choose the right doctor and clinic to match personal needs, eliminate blame and strengthen relationship, increase happiness and acceptance, and so much more. A Spiritual Path To Overcoming Infertility is very highly recommended for readers having to deal with infertility and conception issues of their own.
... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (5)

Breathtaking
Having survived infertility I am always eager to read stories of other people's journeys to build a family.I was fascinated at the idea of this book being written by a man, and not just a regular guy, but a REAL writer.I am so glad I finally ordered it and I can't imagine why you can't wander into any bookstore and pick this one up - it ought to be standard reading for this topic.Brooks Hansen's humor makes the story readable even though, like most infertility stories, it has plenty of ugly moments.I appreciated his ability to strip his feelings naked, even when they were anything but complimentary.But what really knocked my socks off was that instead of being less interesting than the stories written by women (because of the lesser role the man typically plays in the world of fertility medicine) this was a MUCH better story than many of the women's tales precisely because the author did NOT take the shots, undergo the operations and indignities.From his slightly removed perspective the true gravity of the process was presented in bold relief.I found it both terrifying and exhilarating to have a taste of what my own husband's experience might have been as we underwent the heartbreak, over and over again.

Anyway, this was beautifully written with plenty of funny moments and sports references (you won't find THOSE in any other family building memoir) and had all the best elements of any good love story!Even if you don't have my macabre fascination with infertility this is an excellent memoir and will keep you glued to your chair!

Ignorant Author
It's clear from the author's comments on the [...] blog that he is profoundly ignorant of the impact of adoption on the real/natural/first/birth mothers and the children he adopts.He considers only his own need . He deludes himself into believing that he can excise the real/natural/first birth mother by having a closed adoption. Although he portrays the unknown mothers as saints who sacrifice their for the author's happiness, he has no empathy for what they may be feeling.Worse, he has no regard for the need of his adopted children to know their origins.

Please, for those of you considering adopting, forget this book and buy some of the excellent books on the adoption and real/natural/first/birth mother experience, such as those by B. J. Lifton.

riveting and beautifully written
As an adoptive mom, I've read literally dozens of adoption memoirs, and this is the finest out there.Hansen is brutally honest about the sometimes harrowing (sometimes amusing) world of infertility and adoption. In a genre that naturally lists toward the mushy, this memoir is both muscular and moving.Even though the book flap tips you off to the ending, the journey truly is a nail biter.Highly recommeded

Incandescent!
I'm not a parent, and I don't want to be a parent. I picked up this book because I'm a fan of Brooks Hansen. I am now an even bigger fan; nay, a DEVOTEE of Brooks Hansen! I wish I had words to describe how moved I have been by this remarkable account. Hansen can be as glib and laugh-out-loud funny (or more so) than Annie Lamott at her best, but much more than that, there is such riveting honesty and spiritual depth that shines through every page of this extraordinary book. The incisive and illuminating way that the story is told transcends the subject matter; it is a journey of the soul. It's so rare that a book brings me face to face, as this one has, with my most fundamental questions about what I believe is true about life, and what I value, and how I see my own role in the world. Thank you, Brooks Hansen! I hope this book gets the attention it deserves. If this is not a bestseller, the world will be poorer for it.

Essential Reading
This memoir is a page-turner about the 6 year journey Hansen and his wife endured -- from Manhattan fertility clinics to a children's hospital in Siberia -- to start their family. Hansen's writing is graceful and honest, sometimes dryly funny, sometimes quietly reflective. The book is essential reading for anybody navigating the complicated terrain of fertility treatment and adoption today, or anybody interested in a compelling, passionate account of one couple's struggle to become parents. ... Read more

Product Description

In this book, twenty-one researchers and clinicians review the study of the genetics of male infertility, the tools available in the laboratory and clinic, the current state of knowledge, and the future of research and translation into clinical diagnostics and treatments.

New tools discussed are discussed. This book therefore serves as a guide to evidence-based clinical applications, and a preview of future possibilities.

Product Description
Miscarriage is always devastating, but it is especially so for those who have invested effort, emotion, time, and money into getting pregnant in the first place. Feelings of failure and futility often accompany the heartbreak. This book provides comfort and hope for women who fear that their lost pregnancy may be their last. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

terrific book
this is a really terrific book. The author captures the experience of miscarriage after infertility in a clear and concise way. I would highly recommend this book.

Excellent
This book helped me tremendously. It addressed issues that most women do not go through after miscarriage being that it speaks to women who have miscarried after infertility. I highly recommend it.

A great little book that says a lot
I would strongly recommend this book to anyone dealing with infertility who has suffered a miscarriage. It is concise but thorough, and touches on many important issues. In addition, I'd recommend giving a copy to any relative or friend who wants to understand what you're going through. ... Read more

Product Description
This book provides comprehensive, detailed, and step-by-step descriptions of materials and methods currently used in laboratory procedures within the infertility clinic. It addresses the numerous highly sophisticated procedures resulting from research in the area of laboratory diagnosis and treatment of infertility. Among those procedures covered are: ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great
This is a collection of al that is known to man about impotence and its causes, treatments and symptoms. As a way to measure all the knowledge of the modern world this book is a great tool for those wanting to know everything that is known about impotence. [...] ... Read more

Product Description
This book is a discourse analysis of a series of interviews with women and couples who have had IVF unsuccessfully and who have subsequently stopped treatment. Taking a feminist approach, the book argues that treatment failure produces an ongoing and profoundly gendered burden of discursive work that is oriented towards locating the self, and the engagement with IVF, as "normal".
... Read more

Product Description
In "Twice Blessed, A Diary of Secondary Infertility: One Woman's Journey," Ninotchka Beavers chronicles her experience with what she thought would be a brief journey to conceive her second child. Unaware of the possibility of encountering any delays in conception, Ninotchka is devastated early on when month after month passes without a pregnancy. Because there is so little information readily available specifically about Secondary Infertility, Ninotchka struggles alone to endure the varied emotions that arise when one has conceived easily before but finds themselves unable to do so a second time.

What started as an uneventful continuation of her existing personal journal soon became a journal onto itself. Consumed with grief and ever-looming depression, Ninotchka pours her heart and raw emotions into her entries all the while desperately trying to brave the uncertainty of her situation.

Either resented by couples who have no children or dismissed by couples who do, she finds herself desperately needing but sorely lacking the support and validation she seeks. Not a part of the childless community, yet not the "Fertile Myrtle" she once thought herself to be, Ninotchka is helplessly caught between two worlds.

"Twice Blessed, A Diary of Secondary Infertility: One Woman's Journey" is a candid and touching memoir of a woman's struggle to understand, cope with and ultimately overcome Secondary Infertility. With a Foreword by Dallas OB/GYN Angela Angel M.D. and a comprehensive Resources page, this book is a must-read for any couple trying to conceive. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Not for those going thru secondary infertility
I'm sorry, I just don't see how someone who takes a little over a year to get pregnant, and never has to have intervention can call it true infertility.I'm not saying it's disappointing to not get pregnant right off the bat, for anyone ... but perhaps this should have been sold as some sort of diary on the road to conception, and not sold as a book about infertility.I will say this about the book:the author is very up-front about how painful it is not to get pregnant right away.Nobody should have to go through that kind of pain.It may be helpful for some to see they're not alone in wanting a baby NOW, and not being able to have one.But from my viewpoint, and from other women I know who have gone through years of secondary infertility, this just seems a bit insulting for some reason.At any rate, I'm very glad the author was able to add to her family, and I hope she encounters no difficulty the next time.I'm wishing I'd saved my money & not actually purchased the book, though!Should have ordered it from the library.

Not for couples who have experienced treatment
This book discusses the journey up until treatment but the author has 1 infertility counsel before getting pregnant.For those of us who are in the throws of infertility treatment the book is somewhat frustrating.There is no discussion of what it is like to have secondary infertility AND seek treatment with a child.After 14 months the author is preganant with spontaneous conception.The author misses the crux of secondary infertilty

Awesome book teaches about infertility and about LIFE!
In a world where most people hide their true feelings, I found "Twice Blessed: A Diary of Secondary Infertility - One Woman's Journey" a breath of fresh air because of its honesty and rawness.From the anticipation of 5 years before she even starts trying to over a year of month after month of different procedures, attempts, and disappointment, you feel Ninotchka's every emotion on this journey.I cannot imagine being so ready - having my life together so young, being so happily married, with a great husband, an awesome first child, a beautiful home, having a great career, running marathons, surrounded by so many great friends with whom you share your life with, et cetera - in other words, having and living such a fully complete and fulfilled life - and then finding myself unable to add on to that life and family with another child.Isn't that what we all dream of?Wow!How frustrating indeed to not be able to conceive, especially for no apparent reason.Whether for a month, or 13 months (as Ninotchka's experience was), or 5 years, I think the disappointment is all the same.Any woman who has tried to get pregnant and couldn't, or has been blissfully pregnant and knows what it's like to plan and actually bring a child into the world, could totally feel for Ninotchka.I know I did.Infertility is described as being unable to conceive after one year of trying but gee, no one shares what one goes through during that horrible year.One often hears about infertility but not secondary infertility too and, honestly, I don't know which is worse.My husband and I are about to start trying for a second child and I can't even fathom not being able to give my little boy a brother or sister.I am hoping our journey is not as arduous as Ninotchka's and her husband's but at least now I know it is a possibility so we probably won't be as bewildered and shocked if it happened to us.But that's only possible because of this book.Thank God I read it and thank you, thank you, thank you for writing it!I am basically ahead of the game in 2 major ways because of this book.One is that after much research in preparation for our second baby, I feel as prepared as I can possibly be to deal with both the social and emotional issues and not just the physical ones should I be unable to readily conceive.And two, this book has made me so grateful for what I already have (my son) because of Ninotchka mentioning how grateful going through this made her for her own daughter. Children are indeed blessings and miracles and I'm glad that because of this book, I am present to it yet again.I can think of more ways I have been impacted by this book too -- it brought up compassion for me for a fellow human being, faith, hope, love, determination in the face of adversity and despair (to just keep going with one's life even when so disappointed and sad is just so admirable!), and triumph -- and as I write this I realize that's the HUMAN SPIRIT!No wonder this book landed as so good to me!I now see that Ninotchka having gone through this is actually a BENEFIT because due to her sharing her story, anyone who reads it can learn about this much-too-little-discussed issue AND life itself.This book has really helped me and I will for ever be grateful.Thank you again and may I also be Twice Blessed!

Repetitive and insulting, just too much drama.
Infertility is such a deep reaching issue that engulfs one's soul.I won't go into my own story here.However, what I will address is this horrible book I purchased in a moment of need to connect with other infertiles.What I found was a drama queen that cries wolf.As per RESOLVE, infertility is defined as the inability to conceive after one year of unprotected well-timed intercourse.While true, Ms. Beavers did take 13 cycles to conceive, she started crying infertility when she didn't get her way after cycle #1.I was insulted and easily bored.This is a quick read.I skimmed through a lot of it because it was soooo repetitious a la "dear diary, I'm not pregnant.I'm so mad.Boo hoo why me!I just knew I'd get pregnant the 1st time I had unprotected sex!"She defines infertility as having wanted to have an "oops" baby for years because she always hoped her diaphragm would get a hole?Seriously, don't waste your time or money.There are better resources on the web!

Complete Disclosure
Twice Blessed will take you for a ride on an emotional rollercoaster.Ninotchka intimately discloses feelings, procedures, and thoughts that are generally regarded as private.She "outs" all of the raw emotions that build up inside when facing infertility.Her honesty will bring you to tears and laughter.Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down.It's not only a must read for those facing infertility, but for women everywhere considering childbirth.When I finished the book, I looked at my 8 year old son and thought - Life is truly a miraculous blessing! ... Read more

Product Description
Practical, frank, and compassionate advice from an infertility specialist.

A diagnosis of infertility can be devastating for the woman or couple who is ready for a baby, but those suffering with infertility should know that there is still hope. Fortunately, there's a helpful, compassionate resource that offers readers just that.

The Baby Solution is a step-by-step, practical guide to overcoming infertility. Reassuring and friendly, this book will give readers an insider's view on getting expert care, providing information about intrauterine insemination (IUI), in vitro fertilization (IVF), and other standard infertility treatments, as well as the latest state-of-the-art care. It also includes such alternative means of improving fertility as acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine. This essential resource gives readers tips to help them financially negotiate a field where the cost of treatment is high and the business concerns of clinics and doctors can sometimes override a patient's best interests. This guide will tell readers how to choose a doctor or a clinic that will give them the best chance of success, how to get the most out of their insurance coverage, and how to keep their relationship intact during treatment. Third-party reproduction options, including sperm and egg donation, surrogacy, and embryo donation, are also discussed. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Helpful and reassuring
After reading several books regarding infertility, this one most clearly explained diagnosis and treatment. It uses facts, statistics, and the doctor's own experiences to explain choices in infertility treatment. Highly recommended as a resource for all women facing infertility. ... Read more