Customer Reviews

Getting Pregnant: What You Need To Know Right Now

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

I suffer from infertility and endometriosis. The latest edition of "Getting Pregnant" is excellent and a huge improvement from the last edition. It has been completely revised and updated for the millenium with all of the latest information on infertility treatment and fertility procedures. I feel that this would be one of the most helpful books for anyone who is trying to get pregnant (and I own A LOT of fertility books). I also consider this to be a great source of information for couples who are suffering from infertility.

The 2000 edition contains a bunch of new information and is twice the size of the 1992 edition. It includes the more "advanced" fertility info on immune disorders, male infertility, diet & "fertility foods", preventing miscarriage, new fertility surgeries, latest on high-tech fertility procedures, latest on fertility drugs and as well as the more basic information on how to increase your chances of conceiving, etc. (stuff for "beginners").

I finally did conceive last month, but I sadly miscarried 2 weeks ago. I was looking for pregnancy loss books, when I noticed that my "Getting Pregnant" book had been updated. I decided to purchase this book instead of a miscarriage book. I am really glad I did! It has helped me look forward to resuming my infertility treatment so I can try to get pregnant again. I am also looking forward to discussing many of the things that I learned from this book with my Reproductive Endocrinologist at our next consultation.

I really appreciate how encouraging Dr. Laurensen is. He is positive and upbeat, while remaining realistic. I am going through a really difficult time right now and this book has "lifted my spirits" a little bit. The book is also very easy to read, eventhough it covers some very technical stuff. It is very "reader-friendly"!

Much thanks to Dr. Laurensen and Ms. Bouchez for revising and updating their book!

I unintentionally stumbled upon this book in a bookstore in 1996 while trying to conceive my first child. I was not having fertility problems but before reading this book was going on information from my OB/GYN about how to achieve pregnancy regarding timing of relations and the "window of opportunity" for conception. I figured I'd read the book for the heck of it to see if there was something useful in it that went above and beyond the information my doctor already provided me with.

I was happy to find a very easy to read format and very understandable information. I was surprised to find different information regarding timing of relations with ovulation than my own doctor had given me. Specifically I learned that if I followed my doctor's method, conception would be far less likely to take place (according to the author/doctor) than if I followed the information recommended in his book. I learned the details of the fertility cycle and specific information about using (the inexpensive) ovulation predictor kits to help narrow down the fertility "window". At the time, I thought it humorous to read of intentional gender selection. I learned that gender selection does have a scientific reason and factors under the control of the woman and man can determine the gender of the baby. I did have a thought that a certain gender as a firstborn would be nice. I decided to follow the instructions in the book exactly and see if I'd conceive a certain gender. With the use of (the least expensive) ovulation predictor kits from the drug store I was happy to achieve pregnancy on the first month of following these directions. Additionally I ended conceiving a baby of my "choice" of gender, after following the instructions for that gender.

Women talk to each other about pregnancy and infertility; it is a natural thing between women, especially between pregnant women and women who are already mothers. As my friends and co-workers would tell me of their infertility problems or mention they want to begin trying, I explained that this book helped me, and I recommended that they read this book and educate themselves rather than just follow what their OB/GYN or Infertility specialist said to do. (I did not and am not recommending to ignore a doctor's advice, but to supplement it with self-knowledge obtained by reading this book.) Eleven women that I lent my book to ended up pregnant after reading this book and following the directions regarding timing, understanding their fertility cycle, and general nutritional recommendations. (I was so surprised at the success rate that I kept track of the numbers.) The women undergoing infertility treatment and procedures told me this book recommended more frequent intercourse than their own doctors did. The women who wanted a certain gender followed those instructions and every one of them conceived the gender they tried for. The women who didn't have a gender preference achieved pregnancy with a "surprise" gender and were happy.

What bothered me about the book was the detailed information about miscarriage and infertility treatments. Since I was not officially considered infertile I didn't have an interest in this and found those sections scary. I chose stop reading those chapters because at that point I was not considered medially "infertile". Instead I concentrated on the lifestyle recommendations that were definitely under my control such as nutrition, what to avoid eating or being exposed to, fertility cycle information, and conception and gender selection tips. My point is that this book is helpful even if you have not yet officially begun trying to conceive and is still helpful if you are not officially deemed "infertile".

Knowledge is power. I feel that every person should educate themselves about issues they are concerned with. Even if you are seeking the advice of a doctor or even an infertility specialist, I recommend you educate yourself about the topic. This is a very good book about achieving pregnancy, read it! Don't just rely on experts, become informed yourself. The price of this book is so much lower than expensive ovulation predictor kits and ovulation predictor computer programs. Rather than immediately think there is something wrong with your body, read this book first and see if you really are setting yourself up for success. Before rushing off to get a consult with an infertility specialist read this and make sure you have been "doing things right". If you have already been diagnosed with an infertility problem, then you definitely should read this and educate yourself, as it will help you have meaningful discussions and more able to make informed choices when talking with your infertility specialist.

Although I found some parts informative, I found a lot of the info more alarmist than helpful at this stage in my life (30, trying to conceive for the first time about now). It tells you way too much about all the things that can go wrong with fertility, all the things to avoid or else you won't conceive, to get a fertility test etc. Yes it also tells you how to time sex so you have more chance of conceiving fast, and what to eat. But basically, if you are thinking about/have just started to try conceiving, and are not in a particularly "at risk" category (not alcoholic, heavy smoker, HIV or other STDs, drug user, obese, anorexic/bulimic, serious chronic illness) this book will make you think it is really difficult to get pregnant and bring it to term and will stress you rather than help you. It IS normal not to get pregnant immediately, and unless you have been trying for several months unsuccessfully you should not stress (says my OB/GYN!)that you cannot have children. So this book gives way more info than what you need to know right now...

This book goes into excruciating detail about fertility and all factors that may enhance or detract from fertility. You'll learn more about the female and male reproductive systems from this book than you'll learn from any biology course. The authors discuss in detail all types of things that can threaten fertility (endometriosis, PID, fibroid tumors, ovarian cysts, abortions, IUDs, ectopic pregnancies) and discusses how to avoid them. They also cover workplace threats to fertility, STDs, how your OB can help protect your fertility -- After discussing fertility issues, the authors move to how to conceive, discussing sex, body fat & dieting, fitness, stress, diet, and other preparations. The book even boasts of a "revolutionary fertility diet." Finally, the authors discuss the many ways that science can help you conceive -- fertility surgeries, treatments for male infertility, drugs, artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization, and donor egg and embryo transplant. I found this book to be like a textbook of sorts -- comprehensive & full of "evidence" and "facts." Frankly, I think there is way too much information in the book to be useful as a general guide; rather it would be more useful as a reference book for how to deal with specific issues. Nonetheless, given the pain associated with fertility issues, it's all worth a try.

There is some good info here, no doubt. Especially the information about IVF/GIFT. However, I wound up feeling more scared than anything else. The author presents a myriad of possible things that could currently be wrong or could go wrong. He suggests that the radiation from a TV set could render one infertile. That seems a bit over the top to me. He also suggests writing the company that makes your computer monitor to see how much radiation it emits. There are also a bunch of other bizarre suggestions that seem more hurtful than helpful. I would avoid this unless you feel you are up for hearing a lot of cautionary messages about why you may not be able to conceive. I read this and thought, "It's a wonder ANYONE gets pregnant!" If you are looking for a more empowering pregnancy book I would suggest "Taking Charge of Your Fertility."

I received this book as part of a fertilty welcome package from our reproductive endocrinologist. He told us it would help answer most of the questions we might have as we embarked on our journey to become parents. The book lived up to my doctor's word - it answered all our questions and then some. In fact, we ended up needing far less treatment than we thought we would, which we attribute to following some of the advice in this book, particularly the vitamin and food plans. We also took the book's advice about reducing stress and it seemed to help as well as I had better hormone readings after taking the advice. We are pregnant now - and thrilled! This is an excellent book for anyone who is having problems conceiving - particularly if you can't afford fertility treatments. I sense that alot of what is in this book will increase your odds- and my doctor concurs. This is also an especially valuble resource if you are undergoing fertility treatments since it explains many of the steps involved and teaches you how to maximize your chances for each one being successful. A great book!

I was disappointed in the nutrition information in this book. Some of the studies dated as far back as 1990, and some of the information was inaccurate and potentially dangerous to potential mothers.

I was especially irked at the recommendation for taking vitamin B 6 to combat PMS. Research on this area is unproven, and the author's suggestion for supplemenation may be toxic.

In addition, the recommendation for herbals is also scary since the effect on babies is unknown. In the future, I'd suggest the author contract with a registered dietitian to review his/her nutrition information prior to publishing the book.

After reading the review by "Reader in New York" I just had to add my comments. Yes, Dr. Lauersen, the author of Getting Pregnant, is a convicted felon - but he was convicted because he tried to help women get their fertility treatments covered by their insurance company, by doing dual procedures - a combination surgery and fertility treatment. Because of Dr. Lauersen's case, women of New Jersey, and soon, New York will have laws in place that force insurance companies to pay for their fertility treatments - laws Dr. Lauersen gave up his freedom for.

If anything, this man is a hero who has made a significant contribution to women's rights - by fighting an insurance system that pays for a man's Viagra but won't pay for medication to help a woman's ovaries.

His book is wonderful - filled with great medical advice and information and if you let this one misinformed person influence you, you will be passing up one of the truly great books on fertility ever written. It has helped many, many women get pregnant and I am certain it can help almost anyone who buys it.

Anyone who believes every woman has the right to be a mother, and anyone who truly values the American family, should support Dr. Lauersen, and his books, and not condemn him, or his hard work.

I'm 39- my husbands 43 - and we had all but given up hope on getting pregnant. We were about to start seeing a fertilty expert, when a woman in my office told me about this book. She was my age, followed the plans and conceived within 7 months. I decided to give it a try! I used the nutrition advice, diet advice, and made some of the lifestyle changes, as well as changing some habits that I was surprised to learn could affect my fertility. Just as I was about to give up hope - I FOUND OUT I"M PREGNANT! Yay! It took about 8 months - but we did it on our own, without any fertilty experts. This book is well worth the price - and it's worth giving it a try before you sign off for the expensive IVF or other treatments. I read some of the other reviews before buying and they almost convinced me not to - but my friend was so sure it would help me, ( she had given her copy to her sister-in-law!) I decided to buy it anyway. I'm so glad I did! It wasn't scary - but it was realistic and made me see how important small changes can be! Buy it! It might work for you too! Good LUCK!

I was very disappointed upon reading this book. My husband and I are trying to get pregnant for the first time and this book made it sound like it is easier to launch a space shuttle than it is to get pregnant. No one can possibly live up to all the expectations this book places on you. The language used is very condescending and speaks to you as though you were an idiot. It speaks as if you have no right to try and get pregnant because there is too much out there that you don't know. In fact, it made me very frieghtened about trying to get pregnant. My doctor even recommended that we simply toss the book away. If you have been trying without success for some time to get pregnant and are having difficulties, then the book would not be an entire waste because it points out about every single thing that could possibly be stopping you. But if you are trying for the first time, don't waste your effort or time reading a book that will only bring your spirits down. Many babies are born every day to people who were not even trying. It can't possibly be as difficult as this book makes it seem.