Chapter 1: The Journey
Acknolwedging Infertility’s Losses
Finding Resolution
Becoming a Victim
An Infertile Future?
The Alternative
Resources
Chapter 2: Nobody Understands
Stress and Infertility
Who’s Infertile Here?–The Couples Factor
Dealing with Family and Friends
Resources
Chapter 3: Creating a Plan
But What if We Can’t Agree–Dealing with an Impasse
Reflecting
Building a Plan–The Retreat Weekend
Sharing
Inventorying Personal Resources
Information Gathering–Educating Yourselves
Setting Goals and Objectives
Strategizing
Following the Plan
Evaluation
Resources
Chapter 4: Choosing Service Providers
The Doctors
Should You See A Specialist?
Alternative Medicine
Mental Health Professionals
Adoption Professionals
Social Workers and Counseling Professionals
Attorneys
Adoption Consultants
Building Effective Relationships with Medical, Legal and Mental
Health Professionals
Who Is in Charge Here?–An American Perspective
Filling in the Gaps–Note to Advocates and Professionals
Resources
Chapter 5: Making Medical Treatment Choices
Doing Your Homework
The Basic Workup
Drug Therapies
Surgery–When to Cut
Assisted Reproductive Technologies
References: A Reasonable Request?
Clinical Trials and Research Protocols
Investing in a “Sure Thing”–Considering Packaged
Services
On the Horizon
Resources
Chapter 6: Beyond Finding the Cure
What It Means to End Treatment
Is It Forever?
The Dilemma of Unexplained Infertility
The Value of Rituals
Resources |
Chapter 7: Embracing Life without Children
The Impact of Language
Denying the Loss by Tuning Out
Getting There
Trying It On
Resources
Chapter 8: Collaborative Reproduction
General Issues
Donor Insemination
The Closeted Option
Nothing to Be Ashamed of
Choosing the Donor
Egg Donation and Embryo Adoption
Surrogacy
The Donor’s Place: Business Transaction or Extension of Family?
Should Age Be A Factor?
Resources
Chapter 9: Adopting
Bonding: The BIG Question
How Do We Know if Adoption Is for Us?
Adoption’s Choices
Getting Ready for Adoption
Bringing Your Family Aboard
Resources
Chapter 10: Pregnancy
Where Do We Fit?
Who’s In There?
The High Risk PRegnancy
Multiples
Abortion and Pregnancy Reduction
Miscarriage
The Baby Blues
Resources
Chapter 11: Parenting after Infertility
The Invisibly Infertile–Secondary Infertility
Entitlement
Unrealistic Expectations
New Roles, Old and New Relationships
What’s Normal, What’s Not
Resources
Chapter 12: What Should We Tell Our Kids?
How Children Learn
Keeping Information Age Appropriate
What Children Need to Know about Their Own Arrival
Getting Ready
Bottom Line: Whose Issue Is It?
Explaining Ongoing Treatment or Adoption Efforts
Preparing for the Arrival of a Sibling
Talking about the Loss of an Expected Sibling
The Heroes
Preventative Education
Resources
Chapter 13: Life Goes On
Resolved |
