Synopsis
From a pioneer in the treatment of infertility comes groundbreaking medical information plus compassionate advice in the single most comprehensive and authoritative guide to overcoming infertility.
If you are one of the 5.3 million couples suffering from infertility, Dr. Richard Marrs' Fertility Book is the source you've been waiting for. In clear, concise language, Dr. Marrs, a pioneer in assisted reproductive technologies who currently heads one of the world's most prominent clinical fertility institutes, provides everything you need to know about the medical, emotional, financial, and practical aspects of getting pregnant, including:
* The most common--and uncommon--causes of infertility.
* How to find the right doctor with enough experience to save you time...and money.
* What fertility drugs can do for you, and the risks involved.
* The latest cutting-edge advances in infertility treatment--from in vitro fertilization through GIFT, ZIFT, sperm manipulation, and immunological therapy--how much they cost, and which one is right for you.
* The likelihood of multiple births resulting from different procedures.
Dr. Marrs also takes you beyond the medical. Having spent hundreds of thousands of hours treating infertile patients, he understands the important role psychological well-being plays in successful treatment. Co-authors Lisa Friedman Bloch and Kathy Kirtland Silverman bring a firsthand knowledge of what it means for patients to cope with the sometimes devastating emotional issues that are commonly faced, including:
* Dealing with your feelings of shock, denial, loss of control, anger, and depression.
* Recognizing that infertility can raise fears about your virility or femininity and impact your sexual relationship.
* Anticipating the pressures you may have from your job, parents, family members, and friends.
This important book will also help you prepare for the financial aspects of treatment by comparing costs at various clinics throughout the country. And it gives you a look ahead at new technologies being tested for the future. Teeming with critical information, authoritative advice, and compassionate guidance, Dr. Richard Marrs' Fertility Book breaks extraordinary new ground. In an era when many couples have been misled by fertility "experts" who don't have the necessary experience or knowledge--losing precious time and money--this book will help you get the most out of a complex and confusing medical system and become an informed and active participant in your own fertility treatment.
About the Author
Richard Marrs, M.D., was the second doctor in the United States to achieve the birth of a baby from in vitro fertilization; the birth of the first frozen-embryo baby in the country, as well as the world's first pregnancy using a combination of ZIFT and surrogate gestational carriers. He founded and was the first president of the Society of Assisted Reproductive Technology. He was a member of the National Ethics Committee, which produced the first document in the United States on the morals and ethics of human reproduction. And more recently he headed Advocates for Fertility Treatment, which lobbied both the White House and Congress to increase health insurance coverage so that all infertile couples would have the chance to have a child.
Lisa Friedman Bloch and Kathy Kirtland Silverman are a television writing and producing team with numerous television movies to their credit. Lisa Bloch, whose twins are now four years old, is also a former patient of Dr. Marrs'.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
