Guide to Fertility and Pregnancy

Contents: Preface. 1. Living on the edge: no pregnancy, yes pregnancy. 2. What is infertility? Does it mean a pall of gloom for the couple? 3. How the natural system of procreation works? A long and ardous journey indeed! 4. Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs): a great bane of liberalization. 5. Fertility is a teamwork: you can't expect a baby in isolation. 6. Role of life style factors: fortunately infertility is not inevitable in most cases. 7. Exclusive male factors: not a female issue alone. 8. Assessment of an infertile couple: how to proceed? 9. How to bring back fertility? not a cakewalk in all cases. 10. Abortion and miscarriages: spontaneous or otherwise. 11. Secondary infertility: a full stop after first success. 12. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). 13. After infertility: when pregnancy bell rings. 14. Adoption: can it erase the plight of infertility? 15. Fertility: newer trends and news. Appendices. Index.
"This book is a complete guide to couples craving for their first or subsequent child and those who are lost in despair and gloom of infertility. This should help not only the couples suffering from the problem, but also their family members and friends. The chapter on "frequently asked questions", which includes answers to most of the basic questions posed by the patients, will help in the clearing of doubts and other misgivings. The chapter on 'fertility trends and news' brings the latest information on the subject and collates it for easy reference for the medical personnel and public alike. Important aspects, related to advancements in Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART) such as the IVF and ICSI, the procedures, which looked liked fantasies till yesterday, are routinely employed today in the treatment of infertility. It is unfortunate that there is some exploitation of infertile couples in the use of reproductive technologies by some unscrupulous elements. This does not in any way diminish the importance and significance Assisted Reproductive Techniques. These and many other important issues concerning fertility and care of pregnancy have been very well highlighted in the following pages. The book is likely to be equally useful for general physicians and medical doctors not involved infertility care. It will serve as a guide on the subject for all the interested persons. Written in simple language and easy style, it will prove useful to remove doubts, myths and ignorance on health issues and medical  problems in general and fertility and pregnancy in particular." (jacket)