Deciding to start or build a family is a life-changing decision, and, once the choice is made, there's a whole new set of unknowns -- including how challenging the journey will be. For the first time, fertility experts at Mayo Clinic offer an essential guide for those who want to have a baby. With color photographs and graphics throughout, this user-friendly yet comprehensive book provides answers and explanations on nearly every aspect of achieving a successful lifestyle and nutrition; the intricacies of natural conception; common fertility problems; the latest medical treatments (including intrauterine insemination,IVF, and donors); and information on special situations (including fertility preservation, chosen single parenthood, same-sex couples, and more).
This book is a solid overview of what's what in reproduction. If you're new to trying to conceive, this will be a great start for you, a place to get the basics. It is interesting and with clear, concise explanations. Diagrams and images help clarify. Further, I liked the almost bullet-pointed set up of the text, making it easy to read quickly and to jump around it the book as needed for one's personal situation.
However, there were no revelations for me, no fresh insights. The book focuses entirely on the proven, the sure, the mainstream, so if you have unexplained infertility the book will not especially help, if you're otherwise healthy.
This book made it easier for the average reader and wonderful photos too. It also provides brief medical information and potential options for someone trying to have a child. Most of this I am fully aware of and have had these conversations with my OBGYN; however, for the IVF and fertility options after the diagnosis and medical analysis, you have to go to a fertility clinic or doctor, not necessarily your OB-GYN.
Really useful and thorough book. Heavy on the research-based information, less so on the functional, daily living tips. But I appreciated and expected it to be science heavy. It did do an excellent job of briefly laying out dietary recommendations, lifestyle choices that can help or hinder, and what to look for in a prenatal vitamin. Tons of info on ART and navigating miscarriages too, if that's of interest. The specifics on how pregnancy happens biologically were wild. Did you know your ovaries aren't connected to your tubes and that little finger-like structures grabs a follicle, containing an egg, over from the ovary to the tube? Because I didn't.