Table of Contents
Part 1 Getting deadly for Pregnancy 14
Chapter 1 Adjusting your lifestyle 15
Weight 16
Why it matters
Find your BMI
Managing weight
Exercise 18
Moderate exercise is best
Athletes and fertility
Exercise and weight Getting started
A well-rounded fitness program
Stress 20
Your body and stress
Fertility and stress
Sex and stress Relaxation techniques
Sleep 24
Sleep and your overall health
Night shifts and fertility
Stops for good sleep
Alcohol, tobacco and other toxins 26
Alcohol
Tobacco
Other recreational drugs
Other toxic substances
Diet 29
Dawn's story 30
Chapter 2 Eating to conceive 33
Carbohydrates: Natural, not processed 34
Garbs explained
Carbs and blood sugar
Carbs and fertility
Dietary fats: Go for good fats 35
Phasing out trans fat
Look at the label
What should you eat?
Protein: Eat more beans and nuts 37
A protein plan
Dairy products: Creamier is better 39
Caffeine and conception 40
Focus on your health 42
Chapter 3 Additional preparations 45
Going off birth control 45
Medications and supplements 46
Prenatal vitamins 48
Vaccinations 49
Guide to vaccinations and pregnancy
Vaccines during pregnancy
Chronic medical conditions 52
Genetic tests 53
Take heart 55
Chapter 4 Producing healthy sperm 57
Sperm health and fertility 57
Quantity
Structure
Movement
How to improve sperm health 60
Maintain a healthy weight
Eat a healthy diet
Exercise
Manage stress Prevent and treat infections
What to avoid 64
Part 2 How to Get Pregnant 66
Chapter 5 How babies are made 67
Reproductive organs 67
Femi organs
Male organs
Ovulation 69
Fertilization 71
Implantation 72
Pregnancy 73
Multiple babies 74
Chapter 6 Ovulation and fertility signs 77
Your menstrual cycle 77
The follicular phase: Prep time
The ovulatory phase: Go time
The luteal phase: Resolution time
Your fertility window 79
Use a calendar
Monitor your temperature
Watch for cervical changes
Putting it all together
Products that can help 82
Ovulation predictor kits
Fertility monitor
Other devices
Don't be afraid to seek help 85
Amber's story 86
Chapter 7 Tips for increased success 89
Plan ahead 89
Know your window 90
Have sex often 91
Frequent sex and semen quality
Forget about positions and routines 93
Avoid lubricants 93
Have fun 95
Chapter 8 Are you pregnant? 97
Early signs and symptoms 97
Home pregnancy tests 98
Reading the results
Test accuracy
Follow-up blood test
When to see a care provider 101
Beeding Emergency symptoms
Miscarriage and ectopic oregnancy
Chapter 9 Miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy 105
Miscarriage 105
Signs and symptoms
Causes
Getting medical attention Treatment
Recovery
Recurrent pregnancy loss 109
Causes
Evaluation
Treatment
Ectopic pregnancy 112
Signs and symptoms
Treatment
Heterotopic pregnancy Future pregnancies
Trying again 114
Emotional recovery
Physical recovery
Kristen and Chris' story 116
Common Fertility Problems
Part 3 Common Fertility Problems 118
Chapter 10 Effect of age on pregnancy 119
Female reproductive life span 119
Female fertility and age 120
Fertility over the years
What about today?
Related risks 123
Pregnancy lose
Chromosomal abnormalities
Other complications
Male fertility and age 126
Effect on pregnancy rates
Health of aging sperm
Related risks 128
When to seek help 128
Jane's story 130
Chapter 11 Female problems: Common and unusual 133
Ovulation and hormone issues 134
Thyroid problems
Elevated prolactin
Hypothalamic dysfunction
Polycystic ovary syndrome
Primary ovarian insufficiency
Luteal phase defect
Structural and anatomical issues 140
Fallopian tube damage or blockage
Hydrosalpinx
Endometriosis Congenital abnormalities
'Tipped uterus'
Uterine growths
Cervical narrowing or blockage
Unexplained infertility 148
Chapter 12 Male problems: Common and unusual 151
Sperm matters 152
What causes a low sperm count?
When there's no sperm Leukocytospermia
Structural and anatomical issues 155
Varicoceles
Undescended testicles
Sperm duct abnormalities Hypospadias
Tumors
Hormone imbalances 158
Primary kypogonadism
Secondary hypogonaoism
Ejaculation issues 161
Retrograde ejaculation and anejaculation
Ereclile dysfunction
Chromosome defects 163
What happens next? 164
Evaluating infertility: A summary 165
Part 4 When You Need Some Help 166
Chapter 13 Seeing a doctor 167
When to see a doctor 167
Who should you see?
How to choose a fertility doctor or clinic
What to expect 170
Medical history
Physical exam
Fertility tests
Tests for women 172
Ovulation tests
Ovarian reserve tests
Uterine and fallopian tube tests Hormone Tests
Tests for men 177
Semen analysis
Other tests
Keeping a positive outlook 178
Lisa and Scott's story 180
Chapter 14 Medications and surgery 183
Many options 184
Fertility medications 184
Clomiohene
Aromatase inhibitors
Gonadotropins Human chorionic gonadotropin
Metformin
Medications for specific conditions 188
Fertility procedures and surgeries 189
Intrauterine insemination
Surgical procedures for women
Surgical procedures for men
Looking ahead 195
Chapter 15 Reproductive assistance 197
What is assisted reproductive technology? 197
The first test-tube babies
IVF today
How IVF works 201
Superovulation
Egg retrieval
Sperm collection or retrieval
Fertilization Embryo transfer
Freezing extra embryos
Risks of IVF
Advanced ART 213
Zygote intrafallopian transfer (ZIFT)
Gamete intrafallopian Transfer (GIFT) Assisted hatching
Preimplantation genetic testing
The success of ART 216
Costs
Extra embryos
Treating infertility: A summary 218
Chapter 16 Third-party reproduction 221
Donor eggs 222
Do you need donor eggs?
How egg donation works
Donor sperm 224
Do you need donor sperm?
How donor sperm works
Donor embryos 227
Surrogates and gestational carriers 227
Do you need a gestational carrier?
How gestational careers work
Selecting a donor 229
Egg donor
Sperm donor
Gestational carrier
Known donor
Costs and contracts 232
Donor sperm
Donor eggs
Donor embryos
Gestational carriers
Known donors
Take your time 233
Ashley and Susie's story 234
Chapter 17 Coping and support 237
Stress and infertility 238
Causes of stress
Sexual dysfunction
When to seek help
Coping techniques 242
Support groups and counseling
Other coping techniques
Part 5 Special Considerations 246
Chapter 13 Fertility preservation 247
Reasons for fertility preservation 247
Cancer
Other medical conditions
Personal reasons
Seeing a specialist 249
Options for women 249
Embryo cryopreservation
Oocyte cryopreservation
Radiation shielding Ovarian transposition
Conizanon and radical trachelectomy
Options for men 253
Sperm cryopreservation
Radiation shielding
Ovarian transposition
Conizanen and radical trachelectomy
Options for men 253
Sperm cryopreservation
Radianon shielding
Looking forward 255
Chapter 19 Unique circumstances 257
Choosing single parenthood 257
Issues to consider
Reproduction options 258
Women without a male partner
Men without a female partner Same-sex couples
Cultural and religious considerations 263
Concerns about in vitro fertilization
Intercourse restrictions Sperm collection
Melissa's story 264
Chapter 20 Other options 267
When to consider alternatives 267
Deciding as a couple
Adoption 269
Issues to consider
Selecting an adoption resource
How to begin the process
Forums and support groups
Child-free living 271
Myths and facts about child-free living
The benefits of child-free living
Other ways to get involved with children
Finding support 273
Additional resources 274
Index 275
