Navigating the Land of If: Understanding Infertility and Exploring Your Options » (Original)

Author of the extremely successful blog Stirrup Queens and Sperm Palace Jesters, Melissa Ford presents readers with a guide for navigating the complex world of infertility. The Land of If got its name not only because “IF” is the abbreviation for “infertility” in the online world, but also because there are so many “ifs” inherent in being here. No stranger to the Land of If herself, Ford shares her hard-earned knowledge and insights, helping couples struggling with infertility understand the lingo, learn the details doctors tend to leave out, and keep their emotional sanity despite seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Navigating the Land of If gives the nitty-gritty on injections, rejections, biting your tongue during happy parent-to-be conversations, and trying not to cry over baby shower invitations. With chapters that include how-to’s for same-sex couples, and present adoption or remaining child-free as plausible alternatives, Ford tells you exactly what you need to know, from one infertile to another.

Jodith Janes - Library Journal

Infertility gets two very different treatments here. Ford, the mother of twins conceived through intrauterine insemination, is behind the blog Stirrup Queens and Sperm Palace Jesters. Drawing on her own experiences and those of visitors to her blog, she aims in this conversationally written guide to give readers the confidence and tools to be their own advocates and to make decisions that work for them. After introducing the various types of infertility, she offers advice on seeking treatment, navigating the emotional and physical effects, deciding when to seek or end treatment, choosing whom to tell and when, and undergoing diagnostic tests and treatment. Lastly, she explores alternatives such as adoption, surrogacy, or living child-free. Sidebars that reinforce specific points, worksheets, and a list of resources and references complete this volume.

Clark, Jill Hayes, and Katherine Pucheu—all professors at Louisiana State University's Health Sciences Center—combine their medical and psychiatry backgrounds with lawyer Michelle Murphy's expertise to take a much more serious approach leavened with personal stories. Part 1 covers fertility workups and treatments, including hormone stimulation, intrauterine insemination, various assisted-reproduction technologies, donor sperm, eggs and embryos, surrogacy, and domestic and international adoption. Part 2 deals with the risks and benefits of these options. As in Navigating, the authors explore in detail physical, psychological, legal, and financial implications of each option. VERDICT Navigating is a solid match for people seeking an up-close and personal view of the complicated emotional journey ofinfertility. Packing serious depth, breadth, and authoritativeness, Planning Parenthood will appeal to information hounds seeking anything and everything on the subject.—Jodith Janes, Cleveland Clinic Fdn. Lib.