Six Steps to Increased Fertility: An Integrated Medical and Mind/Body Program to Promote Conception

I never write book reviews, but I owe the birth of my daughter to the advice given by this book! After 6 years of no contraception, my husband and I finally decided that we were going to REALLY TRY to have a child, so I bought this book, as a starting point to figure out what we--both over 35-- needed to do to get pregnant. In our case, the changes in lifestyle recommended in the book were all we needed; I got pregnant 3 months after putting its advice into practice. This is the perfect book to start with if you want to create a lifestyle that gives you the best chance for getting pregnant, without starting with the infertility drugs. Note that the medical options are also discussed in the book, as well as how much time is reasonable for trying to get pregnant "naturally." Good Luck!

My doctor told me and my husband that we needed IVF. We were a little concerned about the use of a high technology treatment so early in our quest to build a family. This book helped us identify many important life-style issues and stressors that probably contributed to our fertility problem. Fertility treatments can cause a lot of emotional stress, and this book helped us to cope with these problems. We think it helped us to get pregnant.

As a chef, i was in a high stress job, that required me to work over 60 hours per week. I followed the advice in chapters 1 and 4 and became pregnant in 3 months. Following the advice in this book was a lot better than going through IVF.

The book has two key points. The first key point is that small lifestyle changes can improve the fertility of a couple. for example, stopping cigarette smoking, keeping body weight in a normal range, limiting caffeine and alcohol intake can all improve fertility. The second key point is that stress and fertility problems are often related. Stress can cause fertility problems. Infertility problems and treatment can cause emotional stress. The book outlines many excellent ways to reduce stress and improve fertility. Dr. Domar is an expert on stress and fertility problems. I highly recommend the book.

I run a support group for women who have lost babies through miscarriage, and bought this book as a support resource for the women in the group who are having problems conceiving. The integration of Dr Domar's Mind/Body approach within the medical context of Dr Barbieri and Dr Loughlin is a stroke of genius, in my opinion! They have created a truly holistic look at the whole fertility issue, taking a thorough approach to the physical and emotional causes and effects for both men and women. This is very refreshing. The book starts by looking at the many things both men and women can do to boost their fertility - before they even see a doctor. It reflects the latest research and presents it in a non-patronising way, which is an excellent positive feature of the book. The positioning of the examination of lifestyle and its effects on fertility and pregnancy is superbly empowering, because it hits the reader from the start with things that can be done today to make a difference. Very positive!The medical aspects are explained clearly, you don't feel that you have to be a medical person to understand it all, nor do you feel that key information is being hidden from you. I can predict that many members of my group will want their own copy to work through!