What to Expect When You're Experiencing Infertility: How to Cope with the Emotional Crisis and Survive

by Debby Peoples and Harriette Rovner Ferguson

A practical guide advises couples on how to cope with the emotions surrounding infertility, how to manage the stress of medical treatment, and how to select a doctor. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0393041042
• ISBN13: 9780393041040
• Release Date: February 1998
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Length: 297 Pages
• Weight: 1.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 7.3" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

The women in this book are ME

I was browsing through the bookstore and this book caught my eye. I thumbed through it, and could not put it down. I bought it, and read the entire thing in one night.I cried all night. I relate to the women in that book so much. Everything that was said, I have felt. I especially appreciated the section on Secondary Infertility, since that is what I am facing. Most books and other infertility resources don't even acknowledge that Secondary Infertility is a real problem-it makes those with Secondary Infertility feel so alone.If you're looking for a book that helps you cope, helps you know that you are not alone in your struggle with infertility, and really helps you feel validated in your feelings, then I highly recommend this book.

The more I read this book, the more I love it.

The more I read this book, the more I love it. I've read it and reread it many times over the past year for my own personal support. I frequently refer to it as my "Coping Bible." You can't help but feel that the authors actually "get it." They are not only professionals in the field, but they really do understand what it is like to ride the infertilty "emotional roller coaster." The book covers it all, from keeping your identity, primary and secondary infertility, communicating with your spouse, friends and family, balancing a job and baby making, coping with grief and loss, decision making and knowing when to move on. It also features frequently over-looked issues such as waiting for your baby (pregnancy and adoptive) and living life childfree.

Coping Bible

I was very excited to learn Experiencing Infertility would be coming out in paperback. I have struggled nearly 19 years with infertility personally. As founder of HOPE Infertility Support and Cofounder/Director of Community of ChildofmyDreams.com I work closely with many who are experiencing infertility. This book has not only helped me with my own issues, but helped me support others who are having a rough time with their own. I have dubbed Experiencing Infertility as my "Coping Bible." It's been nearly two years since I first read Experiencing Infertility and I can honestly say my life has improved tremendously because of the coping strategies outlined in the book. Harriette Rovner Ferguson and Debby Peoples really "get it." They fully understand what it is like to ride this emotional infertility roller coaster.The book covers all aspects of infertility including keeping your identity and communicating with your spouse, friends and family. It aids you in balancing your job with what can be stressful baby making. It helps even those who are preganant after infertility as well, which can be a time of fear as well as happiness. It's also covers the hard-to-face aspects of knowing when to move on, adopt or remain childfree. It's helped me tremendously in making my own decision to live life without children after years of failed fertility treatments. I feel Experiencing Infertility is a "must have" for everyone trying to cope with the heartache of infertility. A big thank you to the co-authors for this wonderful book.

the best book around on the emotional effects of infertility

Quite simply, this book should become the Bible of infertility sufferers. It fills a glaring gap in the bookshelves by addressing the social and emotional costs of infertility, rather than the technical and medical details that go out of date so quickly. I had fertility problems so rare most technical manuals were useless to me, but, just like so many others, I struggled with unsympathetic employers, all-too-fertile friends and relatives, and tensions with my husband. This is the only book I know of specifically written to address those issues and it does, in detail, the most important thing any infertility book needs to do -- acknowledge that this isn't just a physical problem. Read it and know you're not alone.

I highly recommend this book. I call it my "coping bible".

I'm very impressed with this book. It's brand new at the book stores and the best I've read on coping. Reading it, you can't help but feel that the authors actually "get it." They understand what it feels like to ride the infertility emotional roller coaster. The book covers keeping your identity, primary and secondary infertility, communicating with your spouse, friends and family, balancing a job and baby making, coping with grief and loss, decision making, when to know to move on, and even child free living. It also covers waiting for your baby whether it's through adoption or pregnancy.I really feel this is GREAT. It's a must have for everyone. I've only had this book a few weeks and it has already helped me to cope with my decision to move on to a life after infertility and remain childfree. Those who know me, know what a struggle this has been for me.I highly recommend this book. I call it my "coping bible".