Infertility Books

This book gave me a place to write ALL my thoughts, hopes, feelings and dreams for the child we haven't conceived yet. It will be a keepsake for our child in years to come.

I recommend it to anyone looking to record lots of pregnancy and prepregancy information.

I liked this book a lot! It gave me hope after 3 miscarriages to try again with my husband! I would defiantely recommend it to everyone!

After reading several other pregnancy books, although reading over the same topics, Ann Douglas provides more helpful information. Her writing style is easy to read, funny at times and not biased. You feel as if you are listening to a friend sometimes. This book covers everything from preconception to delivery. This book provides excellent questions for interviewing doctors/midwives. She provides helpful charts. I would recommend the purchase of this book.

I got this based on the reviews, expecting something really awesome. I honestly just found it OK. It seems extremely basic, which can be good for an overview type of book, but I thought it would be much better. I wish I had flipped through it at the bookstore before deciding to purchase it. One of the things I like about it, opposed to many other pregnancy books, is that it has a little section on pre-conception, which is what I was looking for. It talks about some things you can do to prepare before getting pregnant, but it doesn't go into as much detail as I was hoping. I will keep it to have on hand, but would definitely not consider it "the best pregnancy book."

I just bought this book amongst others and it is average, not "the mother". Ironically, the book I was most hesitant to buy "What to expect when your expecting" had more information about DHA, supplements, etc. than this one did.

I bought this book to figure out what I should be doing prior to getting pregnant. I did not know how to alter my diet, exercise, when the best time was to try to get pregnant, how to best 'interview' my doctor. This book was very helpful in providing answers to those questions. Although I am not pregnant yet, I did go for my "preconception check up" at the doctor's and am taking the steps toward a healthy, planned pregnancy.

My wife is in her twelfth week of pregnancy and this book was read but not used as a reference for her pregnancy. We tried to figure this out since it got some outstanding reviews. I concluded the style (breezy) appeals to certain people and the reason for the good reviews. We ended up using The Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy as the cover to cover and everyday reference book for her pregnancy. The Mayo was a power pack book of information that was organized exceptionally. If you like a breezy, casual girlfriend chatty type book then the "Mother" book is for you. Otherwise stick to the Mayo.

I read this book a few years back in High School and it has been my favorite since. My niece has gotten into African-American literature and I introduced her into the more older fiction world with this book. The story was good and she loved it also. We have had great discussions because of this book.

One of the best books I've read. Ms. Roby never disappoint. Her books are great.

I bought this book when it came out initially, the hardbound that cost 20- something dollars. Paying that much is the only reason I finished it and I tell you, I was at work when I finished and wanted to throw it from the 10th floor where I was. I haven't bought anything by Ms. Roby since then but I'm sort of scrapped for good story lines right now and may give her another try. I mean, at least with "Here and Now," she was thinking with some depth, although she was unsuccessful in pulling it off. Perhaps at this point, Ms. Roby has found her voice.

AS usual the author has written a book that surpasses all others. Makes you laugh and cry.

Ms. Lawson Roby is an excellent storyteller and one of my very favorite writers. I was into this novel from start to finish.

This is a interesting book. Very Educational and I learned alot about the body and fertility.

This book is a brief but good overview of the critical highlights of conceiving a child. I recommend the book. It does highlight the need for preconceptual care and other issues people don't think of before trying to have a baby.

While it has a lot of info....I feel that the info in the back of the book should be in the front and vice versa. It was a little basic.

This book really fills a need. It gives basic (as well as detailed) information that can help you achieve preganancy quicker and with less stress!

My husband and I are looking to start a family in the next 5-6 months. I just finished reading this book and found it to be very informative, especially for someone who is just taking the first steps at learning how to optimally prepare for trying to conceive. It is written in simplistic language (which could seem overly simplified and repetitive to those who were already familiar with the information but was absolutely perfect for me, who just wanted to soak up all the information I could and fully understand what steps to take to promote pregnancy in the timeframe we are hoping for). I think it is perfect to read about 4-6 months prior to trying or if you have been having difficulty in conceiving, as the author does take a significant amount ot time explaining possible causes and alternatives.

This book and its references have saved me many trips to the doctor as well as a lot of pain and suffering. I recommend it to all my friends. I used to have bad cramps until I started following Shannon's advice, and I haven't had cramps now for a few years. I totally recommend it!

I have had this book for years and continuously refer back to it for many reasons. I think it wonderful! I have shared it with many people and I am considering a 2nd copy, one for me and one to keep sharing! I would highly recommend this book.

Excellent book. Essential companion to Taking Fertility in your Hands. After years of trying to figure out my cycles, this pair has saved me from going through a million confusing and inaccurate dyagnoses AGAIN.

Informative book starting from the basics about the female reproductive system to different situations that women encounter with their body throughout their life. Would definitely recommend this book to ALL females, so they know how their lifestyle affects their cycle and possible fertility status.

I found this book on my first read to be informative, well sourced, and well thought out. Marilyn offers many tips on diet and supplements, many of which I'm trying to implement but I'm having a little trouble with the dietary because I'm a vegetarian who doesn't eat too many eggs or dairy, and she recommends 3 servings a day of dairy but then goes on to let you know that there can be some problems associated with dairy for infertile women, and that if you have PMS you can help the symptoms sometimes by avoiding dairy. Anyway, I thought the rest of the advice seems sound and is worth trying! It's a well-written book and I'm going to recommend it.

If you are at all a Christian, you will not like this book. The first chapter suggests getting pornography to keep your physical relationship going with your partner. Later in the book, the author suggests lying to those around you, saying that the "Truth God" doesn't want to go to baby showers either. Also, it talks about stabbing people with needles who make insensitive remarks. This book focuses almost entirely on IUI and IVF, and if you are not willing or able to go those routes, it has very little for you.

Overall, I thought the book had a desperate, snide attitude - unless you are obsessed with carrying a child and willing to go to any lengths to get there, you will get very little from this book. There is some good basic medical information - other than that, it was almost useless. I'm glad I didn't waste my money and buy it at full price. If you are like me and would LIKE to get pregnant but your whole life doesn't depend on it, and you can still look at a pregnant women without feeling sad, you won't find this book appealing - much of it is spent talking about how the author couldn't even look at a pregnant women or go to a baby shower - not everyone is like that.

Also, some of the advice is impractical - like telling your boss you will be late on the days of treatment or bloodwork - if you are a teacher (or countless other jobs) like me, you can't just show up late on a whim. And the financial information is misleading - the author uses her own insurance coverage as an example, but my insurance covers nothing, so it is WAY more expensive than she says.

I can't say enough bad about this book - don't buy it! If I could give zero stars I would!!

I just started my first IVF cycle. My best friend who also went through IVF bought this book for me. She read it and thought it would help me. It really has!
I read it in three days. I laughed, cryed and was uplifted. Elizabeth's story is compelling, heartfelt, but most of all imformative. Believe it or not it was even comforting to know we aren't alone in this world of infertility. If you are having trouble starting a family and would like to explore all of your options, I urge you to read this book. It is brilliantly written.

This book was a quick read with lots of good information. It covers a wide variety of topics, from IF treatments to how it affects your relationship. I really enjoyed this book.

Goodness, I wish I had read all of the reviews before purchasing this book. When my husband and I found out that we had a few infertility issues to address we promised ourselves to try and stay positive and not to become obessed with having a biological child. The experiences Ms. Swire-Falker had to endure were incredibly unfortunate, but I found myself thinking...stop the procedures and get on with your life. She seemed obsessed with having a baby and I simply didn't relate. My husband and I love children and want to have a family, but not at the cost of my career, our marriage, or financial security. There was some useful information, so I did find the book helpful on some fronts.

While the writing is accessible and conversational, I found this book to be heavily biased towards IVF (at one point stating "In vitro fertilization is truly amazing and miraculous."). Falker provides a wealth of information for women considering IVF, but in her descriptions of alternative treatments, she inevitably makes a statement along the lines of "but IVF is better." I know she wishes she had tried IVF sooner, but for some people IVF just isn't an option. In order to truly be an "infertility survival guide" the book needs to have some focus on the positives of other fertility treatments/options. It really should be called the IVF survival handbook.

Her personal experiences made for a nice touch, but I found a lot of it too negative. I really don't want infertility to become the sole focus of my life, so I found how all-consuming her process became very, VERY scary. She does offer some helpful hints on how to tell people that you are struggling with fertility and how to deal with the many off-hand comments that people make about having children & dealing wtih fertility issues (although a lot of her focus is on how insensitive people are, so again... venturing to the negative). Personally, I found the book to be negatively focused and a little disheartening.

I found this book to be a bit negative at times... But I think that the author addressed the emotional/spiritual issues of infertility very well. Many times she really hit the nail on the head and it was comforting to read that others have felt the same things I'm feeling. In addition, I found some things about the book very helpful. All of her coping strategies were things I already knew. But I still liked the idea of the minis, which is simple to remember and can be used any time. I also loved reading another perspective like talking to your family and friends about infertility. I had been avoiding talking to my parents about it completely. But based on her comments I thought that I would share some of my struggle with my mom (no details) and it went very well and we both felt better. I also keep thinking about the author's statement, which she makes several times throughout the book, that some day this struggle will be over and life will go back to normal and if you really want to be a parent you will be. This keeps me sane when I feel trapped in the nightmare of infertility.

I found the relaxation exercises to be very basic techniques I was already familiar with, although I did appreciate the reminder to take time each day to relax.

Maybe because I already have a support forum and have discussed the emotional issues with my RE, I didn't have the eye-opening sense of surprised self-recognition of some reviewers. Yes, she accurately describes many of the emotional pitfalls of infertility, but I never thought I was the only one who was jealous of pregnant relatives and coworkers or who had a hard time finding sympathy for those with secondary infertility.

The biggest problem I had with the book was that I came away from it feeling hopeless. So many of the stories are about situations where all attempts failed. She stresses adoption and childlessness, which are valid choices and obviously must be considered at some point. But I feel like I need to go into these procedures with a positive attitude and this book robbed me of the hope I had been clinging to. As an example, I became convinced that my cycle was going to be canceled due to lack of response to stimulation and spent several days worrying about that, needlessly it turns out. Before reading this, I wasn't worried at all because I knew that my eggs develop slowly.

In summary, some good relaxation techniques, although probably nothing new to you, and probably helpful if you have no infertility support group already.

Domar is a smart, well-informed, articulate author who writes very well about a difficult subject. She provides concrete examples of how to adjust your attitude toward infertility, including advice on managing both depression and anxiety. This isn't just another book telling you "just relax and you'll get pregnant": she demonstrates how a positive attitude can help boost your fertility, but more importantly, she reminds you of ways you can enjoy your life regardless of your fertility.

After reading this book, I definetly have more coping skills for managing the stress and anxiety of our fertility journey. Domar devotes a whole chapter to relaxation techniques and stratedgies, which I am already seeing the benefits of everyday! In my opinion, she spends a little too much time discussing the sadness, jealousy, and anger some women feel towards their pregnant family and friends. Don't get me wrong, I definetly identified with the emotional sadness and struggle, but felt it was over discussed. I will keep this book handy as we start our second IVF, hopefully much more relaxed this time!
Best of luck for healthy babies in 2008,
Jamie Lynne

I liked this book because it gave suggestions on relaxing and trying to deal with infertility. It gave me ideas on what to do when I am feeling anxious. I know how to handle my emotions better.

I almost couldn't get throught the first half of this book. I felt bad for her with all her health problems that held her back from having everything she wanted out of life. She however disguisted me very early in the book on how unstable she was. She could never dedicate herself to any of her marriages because her head was so focused on having a baby. Like that is the most important & only thing in life. She was beyond obsessed with having a baby at the cost of her health, possible health of her future baby, & her marriages. She should have perserveired as much in her marriages & all aspects of her life as she did in her baby dance. This women reminded me of someone that is very unstable!

I have read Kate's book. I also worked for her and therefore felt compelled to respond to il fiore's comments. When Kate had her daughter she was married and her husband was making a good living. Shortly thereafter that marriage ended and from that point on Kate struggled as a single parent, living on limited funds, while dealing with a very serious, very active and debilitating disease -lupus. When I went to work with Kate she was opening The Mind Body Fertility Clinic based on Ali Domars work at Harvard because she so wanted to help other women "find their babies" either biologically or thru adoption. Most importantly she wanted to help women learn to take control of their lives again, stop the insanity that infertility creates, save their marriages, stop hating themselves and their lives, and have hope. The tips that she advocates are for women of any economic background - relaxation, diet, meditation, journaling, time with your partner. The program that she started was open to anyone and if the couples could not afford it then Kate would work out a way for them to attend anyway...even if it meant that she lost money. She is an amazing woman and your review was mean spirited. Kate wrote about her experiences so that other women could see that there are options outside of endless medical tests and last time I checked she had received little to no money for all the time and effort she put into writing I Got Pregnant You Can Too. I recommend this book and if you are in LA I recommend attending The Mind Body Fertility Clinic - which is now being run by Dr. Laurel Kline.

I have read Kate's book. I also worked for her and therefore felt compelled to respond to il fiore's comments. When Kate had her daughter she was married and her husband was making a good living. Shortly thereafter that marriage ended and from that point on Kate struggled as a single parent, living on limited funds, while dealing with a very serious, very active and debilitating disease -lupus. When I went to work with Kate she was opening The Mind Body Fertility Clinic based on Ali Domars work at Harvard because she so wanted to help other women "find their babies" either biologically or thru adoption. Most importantly she wanted to help women learn to take control of their lives again, stop the insanity that infertility creates, save their marriages, stop hating themselves and their lives, and have hope. The tips that she advocates are for women of any economic background - relaxation, diet, meditation, journaling, time with your partner. The program that she started was open to anyone and if the couples could not afford it then Kate would work out a way for them to attend anyway...even if it meant that she lost money. She is an amazing woman and your review was mean spirited. Kate wrote about her experiences so that other women could see that there are options outside of endless medical tests and last time I checked she had received little to no money for all the time and effort she put into writing I Got Pregnant You Can Too. I recommend this book and if you are in LA I recommend attending The Mind Body Fertility Clinic - which is now being run by Dr. Laurel Kline.

How hearing some woman's sad, sad story and all the sad stories of her famous (but she can't say exactly who) friends helps anybody with infertility is completely beyond me. What a dumb book. I could'nt even make myself finish it. So, unless the second half of the book instantly becomes helpful, I think it is a waste of time. It's not very well written on top of its total uselessness.
However, if you don't believe me , I know where you can get a used copy in fabulous condition.

Some of the lower-rated reviews of this book focus on the author's "privilege." Personally, I didn't see it that way at all. I'm a fairly middle-class woman who doesn't have the freedom (or cash) to jet off to Arizona, but the advice and esecially "life lessons" in this book helped me enormously! Reading this book made me feel like I was getting advice from a big sister who's been through it all.

Yes, there are some New Age references in the book, but they seem awfully tame and in no way inconsistent with her also speaking of God. Her best advice (and I wish more doctors felt this way) is that a positive attitude can aid the fertility process. Katie (I hope she doesn't mind me saying that!) is in no way blaming women for their infertility. Rather, she's asking women to evaluate their readiness and prepare themselves mentally and spiritually for parenthood, something more of us (even the fertile!) should be thinking about. Nor is she arguing that her book is somehow a bible for getting pregnant. This book introduced me to the work of Louise Hay, Susun Weed, and Alice Domar, and she definitely encourages women to learn as much as they can about their condition in order to help their doctors help them. In this respect she's a lot more rational than some New-Age fertility "gurus"--she advocates an informed use of technology aided by positive thinking. And, as someone who's also gotten more than a few gold stars from the school of hard knocks, I really admired her resiliency and emotional depth. Her story alone is well worth the read.

I wish I'd had this book when I was starting out on the "roller coaster" in 1996--it could have saved me a lot of grief. As it is, her suggestions have improved the quality of my life immensely, and I now have the satisfaction of knowing that my husband and I will be much better parents than we were in '96 (and more balanced people). So--a big hug for Katie and Mimi!

My husband and I recently decided to begin trying to have a baby. We decided to buy this book along with a couple others so that we could prepare. This was one of the 1st books that I read and after about the first half, I was convinced that I would be infertile and unable to have a baby. Some of the information is very good but a good proportion of the book covers the plethora of things that can cause a woman to be infertile and then all of the latest medical treatments that can help an infertile woman get pregnant. This might be a great book for the woman who has been trying for a while without success but for me, I finished it and was scared to death!

I thought the book was ok but not really geared for couples just starting to try to conceive as it claims to be. There are a few helpful suggestions on baby making but most of the info is about the many things that can possibly be wrong with you or your spouse to cause you NOT to conceive and about medical treatments available.

My husband and I purchased this book while we were undergoing fertility treatments for "unexplained" infertility. The doctors had no other explanation for why two otherwise healthy people would be having problems conceiving naturally. I found this book full of information in laymen terms without all the medical jargon which can be boring and hard to understand. I wanted to be a better informed patient and be able to make responsible decisions regarding what treatments we were going to have. Getting Pregnant tells us about environmental factors, personal habits, and all the treatments that's available as well as general information for couples who are not experiencing infertility. I was surprised to read some of the unfavorable comments left by other readers. It is extremely draining physically and emotionally having to deal with infertility and everyone should take what they read with a grain of salt. I am happy to say that we had a beautiful baby girl while waiting for an IVF cycle and I guess that's where the "unexplained" comes in again. In all this book is well worth the read.

This book provides some wonderful information, in a very easy-to-digest format. The section on the pre-conception exam is great- you'll know what to expect, and how to make sure your doctor isn't overlooking something important. I also liked the attention on male fertility issues, which are often ignored. However, the first half of the book is esentially "you could be infertile, and not even realize it!" It describes the fertility problems caused by cysts, endometriosis, etc., and lists the very common symptoms (gee, who hasn't had headaches or heavy periods?) and stresses how frequently women have these diseases without realizing it. Halfway through the book, I was convinced I had every problem listed. The authors' approach may be helpful if you're having difficulty getting pregnant and want to educate yourself on possible causes, but I think for most people it's really overkill.

Ordered it....1 week later it came, I opened the box while my wife was doing the ept exam, two lines appeared, never read the book. One month later, gave it to my brother since his wife is trying to get pregnant. She says its pretty good.

I just couldn't get into this book. The writing just wasn't my style, and I didn't find the jokes funny... Oh well.

As some other reviewers have noted, this book can be useful both to those going through the experience of dealing with infertility, and to those who want to interact with them with tact and understanding. The author treats every conceivable aspect of the topic. Her approach is always intelligent and warm, yet never cloying or clinical.

The author's wit (and impressive familiarity with pop culture!) make the book compulsively readable and even---though I hesitate to apply the term to a book on such a serious subject---highly entertaining.

The book is filled with practical advice as well as with moral support for those going through the experience of trying to cope with infertility. Highly recommended!

A truly excellent book. It is funny, sad, deep, and very touching.

Everybody should read it, in particular people that did not go thru such an ordeal. It really opens a new window on a not so openly discussed problem.
It made me understand what friends, neighbors, relatives really went thru, and I suddenly felt so very close to them.

This book deserves more than a 5 stars rating.

CF

Dealing with almost ten years of infertility, I really thought this would be a book I'd breeze right through. Barna tends to speak only to IVF patients as she refers to the Lupron Loonies. What happened to the Clomid Crazies which I'm sure many more infertility patients can relate to? Not all infertility patients can afford IVF or even feel led to go down that road so I found her frequent mentions hurtful. I really did not laugh much. I expected to be laughing so hard I'd have to stop to wipe the tears or hold my sides but it was just a chuckle here and there. I found her wording to be difficult at times as if she was trying too hard for a laugh. Lastly, why is this book so much money? If you understand those of us going through infertility then you would also realize much of our money has gone to ARTs, adoption, HPTs, OPKs, doctor visits, surgery, tests, etc so where's the break? $20 could easily go toward a copay.

I have found this book to be very helpful in supporting and dealing with the emotions of my spouse as we go through our IVF journey. The book really helped me understand the delicate emotions of someone experiencing infertility and how comments like "relax", "stop worrying about it", etc. actually do more harm than help. As a result, I am much more supportive in this IVF cycles than I have been in other cycles because I changed the focus of my comments and have avoided saying the wrong thing.