The Great Sperm Race

By B. Kohl.  New York, NY: Farrar, Strauss and Giroux, c2007.

This personal memoir of a woman’s struggle to conceive discusses religious and ethical concerns, along with many details of the scientific processes she encountered.  Although not a guide to “what went wrong and how to fix it,” the reader can find many useful medical information scattered throughout.  This book reads almost like a novel, with lots of dialogue and some humor.  It may be comforting to infertile women who are burned-out on reading the latest step-by-step “how to get pregnant” book.

By T. Weschler.  New York, NY: HarperCollins, c2006.

This bestseller is now available in a new, 10th anniversary, edition with a CD-ROM of the “Taking Charge of Your Fertility” software (trial edition.)  This is the definitive guide for learning how to chart menstrual cycles, basal body temperature, and other signs of fertility.  Numerous appendices discuss irregular cycles, drugs that may impact your cycle, terminology, abbreviations, recommended books and websites.  There is even a bit of humor sprinkled throughout.  The extensive nature of the glossary, bibliography, and index is commendable.  Ten blank charts are included, to be photocopied as needed.  The book is printed on heavy newsprint-type paper, to keep the price of this nearly 500 page volume reasonable.  The font is very attractive, and it is laid out with wide margins for taking notes.  A section of color photos in the center is very useful.

By J. Tomlins.  Crows Nest, NSW, Australia: Allen & Unwin, c2003.

Another book written by a woman who struggled for many years with infertility.  This one is notable for its non-USA-centric story.  Chapters on “Single women and lesbian couples” and miscarriages are unique features not found in similar books reviewed here.  This book was accessed via the NetLibrary subscription-based e-book system, where each page is a PDF version of exactly how it looks in the print version.  The fonts and layout are clear and easy to read.  Illustrations are simple pen & pencil drawings, but adequate.  The bibliography and list of “further reading” are useful, as is the glossary.

By S.J. Silber.  New York, NY:  Little, Brown, c2005.

The author is an M.D. and director of the Infertility Center of St. Louis.  This is his latest revision of a popular book originally published in the 1980s.  The writing style is a little wordy, but still clear; black & white drawings and photos are used liberally throughout to aid in understanding.  Topics include misleading diagnoses, charting and testing, and step-by-step guides to IUI and IVF.  The role of hormones is discussed in detail, along with chromosomal abnormalities.  This doctor seems to recommend that patients try IVF sooner, rather than spending a lot of money and time on other techniques first, and then trying IVF later.  The book suffers from the lack of a glossary, and the price of the hardcover is a bit high.  A softcover version was printed in 2007, but it is not known whether there is any new information in the softcover.

By D. Kenigsberg.  New York, NY:  Avery/Penguin, c2006.

This book, authored by an M.D., who is a reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist in Long Island, has a fairly clear writing style.  It covers topics such as confirming infertility, getting the right testing, getting a good doctor, making sure you have emotional support, and planning your finances. Techniques such as IUI, IVF, acupuncture, and traditional Chinese medicine are also discussed in detail.  Special topics are addressed in gray boxes to the side of the main text.  Includes a glossary, list of organizations, and an extensive index.  This softcover book with an attractive layout on heavy newsprint-type paper is priced reasonably for the mass market, and contains a great deal of helpful information.

http://www.healthywomen.org/

Although this non-profit organization is not dedicated exclusively to infertility issues, it is included in this list because women’s health should be treated holistically; that is, one’s uterus does not exist in a vacuum, it is affected by other aspects of a woman’s overall health.  This web site is well-organized, and provides “physician-approved” information on a variety of health topics.  See particularly “Reproductive Health Center” page (http://www.healthywomen.org/healthcenters/reproductivehealthcenter).  Also see the page listing recommended books on infertility (http://www.healthywomen.org/resources/books/dbbooks/q/topic/healthcenter-infertility).  A great deal of information is available for free on the web site.  In addition, many attractively designed publications can be downloaded as PDF files for free and printed at home.  They can also be ordered in bulk for free (you pay only shipping and handling) — this would be very useful for public clinics, health fairs, schools, etc.  Free e-newsletters and RSS feeds are available for the woman who wants to keep up-to-date on the latest health news delivered automatically to her computer.  One particularly interesting feature of this web site is the ability to “ask an expert” — see the page “Ask the Reproductive Health Expert” (http://www.healthywomen.org/columns/askthereproductivehealthexpert) to submit a question or read past questions and answers, along with short biographies of the experts who answer them.

and

Pregnancy and birth sourcebook.

Both edited by A.L. Sutton.  Detroit, MI:  Omnigraphics, c2004.

These two related volumes provide a comprehensive guide when used together.  Both are a compilation of information from various reliable sources, including hospitals, the government, and non-profit agencies.  Many chapters in “Women’s Health Concerns Sourcebook” specifically deal with reproductive issues, including a thorough explanation of the female reproductive system, tips on maintaining gynecological health, a discussion of sexuality, and 11 pages on infertility.  Section 35.3 cautions women not to worry if they don’t get pregnant in a year of trying, that most will get pregnant by the end of the second year without any medical intervention – a perspective not seen in other resources reviewed here.  The “Pregnancy and Birth Sourcebook” goes into detail about the steps leading up to pregnancy, including 41 pages on infertility.  It covers basic infertility testing, tips on selecting a fertility specialist, and a guide to the various Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ARTs.)  Each volume includes a glossary and a listing of public health agencies which provide assistance for low-income women.  Both books feature a clear writing style, explaining most terms within the text.  However, they suffer from a complete lack of illustrations, and there are no books or articles listed “for further reading.”

By M.J. Minkin & C.V. Wright.  New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, c2003.

Comprehensive guide from an MD, published by a trusted source.  Highly recommended for all general questions and many detailed questions.  Excellent glossary, although the list of resources (further reading) was very brief for most topics.  Illustrations were simple black & white computer drawings, not elegant, but adequate.  This book was accessed via the ebrary subscription e-book system, but the pages are exactly as they look in the print version, and are easy to read.

By M. Lombardo.

http://iammorethanmyinfertility.wordpress.com/

This blog is written by a licensed clinical social worker, who has also written a book with the same title as the blog, and writes for the magazine “Conceive.”  Some of the Conceive magazine articles can be read online as PDF files (http://iammorethanmyinfertility.wordpress.com/archive-conceive-magazine-emotionally-speaking/).  While in some senses the blog can be seen as an extended advertisement for the book and magazine, it still contains relevant and useful information and links to other sites of interest.  Topics such as religious faith in the midst of infertility struggles are discussed, as well as adoption.  Celebrity interviews and movies dealing with infertility are critiqued.  A few podcasts (http://iammorethanmyinfertility.wordpress.com/marinas-podcasts-on-infertility/) on infertility topics are available.  Quarterly newsletters can be read on line or sent via email (although the subscription link was not working when tested August 2 and August 6, 2008.)