Angela I. Hutchins - The Infertility Handbook: The complete resource for couples longing to have a baby

My aim with this book is to help couples through the often difficult and confronting experience of being diagnosed as infertile. Infertility comes in many forms. As with all disease, there are myriad variations and complexities; infertility (IF) is no different. A person may be completely sterile, which means they have no reproductive cells in the testes or ovaries. Biological conception is therefore not possible. Another person may be sterile but have a small number of sperm or eggs available, offering hope and the possibility of biological children. Other people are diagnosed with hormone issues, structural problems or blockages that prevent conception. Then there are the couples who conceive easily yet suffer repeat miscarriages. I must mention that repeat miscarriage is not considered an infertility issue; however, emotionally these women suffer in a similar way to infertile women, which is why they are included. Other issues that affect conception are genetics, infections, immunity problems, blood-clotting issues and a small percentage who have unexplained infertility, with no known cause. Unexplained or idiopathic infertility was the diagnosis my husband and I received. All of these disorders, diseases, syndromes and issues come under the single term infertility, as they all deal with the same consequence: the inability to reproduce. When trying to become pregnant, the vast majority of the population will conceive within twelve months. Random unprotected intercourse at least twice a week will achieve the desired result for most people. Infertile couples fall outside this group. In fact, women over the age of 35 should see a doctor if they havent conceived within six months. Female fertility begins to decline in the mid-thirties so its best to act sooner rather than later when age is an issue. Generally, if you dont conceive within twelve months, infertility is suspected.

Finding out the cause of your infertility, and learning what your options are, can be a long and confronting path. As you progress through the assessments and into various treatments, I offer insight and information to help you grasp whats happening. The book begins with a basic introduction to reproduction and hormones to bring you up to speed with how your body works. This will make understanding why your body isnt working a little less confusing. The next chapter covers ovulation, offering techniques for you to become aware of when you are most fertile. I then cover toxic substances and practices harmful to reproduction, providing links to organisations specialising in information on substances known to cause foetal abnormalities (these are known as teratogenic substances). This is tangible information you can use to make lifestyle alterations and enhance your fertility potential. The information given on assessments and treatments should prepare you for what to expect as your doctors try to find a cause for your infertility. Each chapter ends with a Resources and further reading section to give you more avenues to explore. I also look at what is happening around the world, as new methods and medical breakthroughs happen each year, continually improving pregnancy outcomes. Acupuncture, for instance, can improve pregnancy rates when used in conjunction with in vitro fertilisation (IVF). Assisted reproductive technology (ART) is the gold standard treatment for the infertile, yet there are other avenues if IVF doesnt work for you. Traditional Chinese medicine and naturopathy do offer alternatives for some couples; many couples have success with these treatments after failed IVF. We were one of those couples. While alternatives arent for everyone, I think its important to present couples with all the options. When we began IVF I really felt it was the end of the road, our last chance at conceiving. As each cycle failed, the crush was devastating. When I discovered there were other, legitimate ways I could approach treatment, a dark cloud lifted.

The emotional turmoil that is part and parcel of being infertile can be counterproductive. Learning techniques to help you cope is vital, not just for your emotional wellbeing but for improved pregnancy outcomes. These issues are covered in detail in the chapters on emotional aspects of infertility, loss and grief, and other issues concerning infertility. I suggest a variety of complementary therapies that focus on emotional wellness. I also explore the options when a biological child is not possible, and look at involuntary childlessness plus many other issues pertinent to couples dealing with infertility.

This book is the book I looked for but could never find. It provides enough information to give you a clear picture of what is happening without a lot of confusing medical terminology, which can feel like another language entirely. Infertility is such a huge topic, covering so many areas. This looks at all the issues of infertility, from the initial diagnosis through to parenting after infertility.

Part of my coping strategy was collecting information, in an effort to make sense of our unexplained infertility. Every assessment and test we had was normal; we were by all accounts reproductively healthy. Yet conception either naturally or via IVF was not happening. Two miscarriages in seven years was the best we could do. My husband and I both agreed we would accept not being able to have a biological child if we tried everything and exhausted every option. Our search began with our test results: were they within normal range or were we borderline in any areas? Could we improve on these results, was there anything we could do? As time progressed with no definitive cause or solution for our infertility, our questions were mounting and nobody had answers. Infertility represents a complete loss of reproductive control. This caused us an immense amount of frustration and stress. Whether or not we had children became the responsibility of a third party. By searching for information, I just wanted to make sure that we had the right person helping us.

Knowledge provides understanding about how your body works and how it should respond reproductively. You can then offer more detail to your doctors and healthcare providers, so they in turn can make a more definitive diagnosis. Information can give you courage to seek out alternatives, particularly if you have exhausted your finances, emotions or faith in the current treatment direction.

This is not a fantasy storyI did it, so you can too. We all know it doesnt always work that way. Instead, this is a resource to help make sense of what is going on with your situation. The Infertility Handbook was not written by a doctor or psychologist. The information it contains does not take the place of your doctor, psychologist or counsellor. You should never self-treat or self-prescribe. But hopefully this book will provide clues to your situation and open doors you didnt know existed. It is a guide to refer to as you progress through infertility. Pieces of my experience are scattered throughout the pages, although its not a story about my husband and me. It is purely and simply a resource to link you with the professionals able to provide the help and information you need. Where appropriate, chapters include focus on contributions from specialists in relevant fields, to offer even greater insight and information.