Healing the Infertile Family: Strengthening Your Relationship in the Search for Parenthood [Paperback]

Gay Becker (Author), Robert D. Nachtigall (Foreword)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0520211804 | ISBN-13: 978-0520211803 | Publication Date: December 31, 1997 | Edition: 1

Unlike most infertility books that focus on medical treatment, Healing the Infertile Family examines the social and emotional problems experienced by couples confronting infertility and suggests how they can be alleviated. In this updated edition, Gay Becker discusses her most recent study of couples experiencing infertility and offers guidelines for resolution of this common problem that will enable couples to face the future with hope.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A straightforward, immensely readable guide to surviving marital stresses imposed by infertility. . . . The author beautifully weaves her own analytic voice through the narratives of the couples she interviewed." -- Linda M. Whiteford, Medical Anthropology Quarterly

"By addressing such fundamental issues as the meaning of family and the unfolding of gender differences, Becker allows the reader to examine the deep issues underlying the desire for children." -- Patricia Honea-Fleming, National Resolve Newsletter

"Healing the Infertile Family explores what happens between men and women when they make the decision to have children and then must cope with the trauma of infertility. . . . Throughout the book comments from interviews are effectively used to illustrate the book with real life experiences." -- Julie Jones-Wright, Family Relations

About the Author

Gay Becker is Professor of Medical Anthropology, and Social and Behavioral Sciences, at the Institute for Health and Aging at the University of California, San Francisco. She is the author of Growing Old in Silence (1980) and Disrupted Lives: How People Create Meaning in a Chaotic World, (California, forthcoming).

Product Details

• Paperback: 327 pages
• Publisher: University of California Press; 1 edition (December 31, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0520211804
• ISBN-13: 978-0520211803
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,412,068 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Healing the Infertile Family, February 15, 2001

By 

"sashadavenport" (LasVegas, Nevada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Healing the Infertile Family: Strengthening Your Relationship in the Search for Parenthood (Paperback)

I read this book cover to cover. from the beginning it wasn't grabbing my attention.I was very bored while reading it.It's main focus to me was on older couples, 35 and up, with infertility problems. Completely ignoring the younger reader such as myself. (I'm 24 and have had infertility issues for 4 yrs.)I did like the interviews the author used to express the couples actual feelings, although, my husband and myself didn't seem to relate to a lot of the male perspective and some of the female perspective the author was giving. The title is -Healing the Infertile family:Strengthening your relationship in the search for Parenthood- I don't feel like I learned any new coping techniques,I don't feel any good information on what my husband and myself could do to strengthen our relationship was presented like the title would insinuate. So I rate this book only 2 stars.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic!!!!!!, March 21, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Healing the Infertile Family: Strengthening Your Relationship in the Search for Parenthood (Paperback)

This is the best book on infertility and its effects on relationships that I've read (and I've read quite a few). It is written by an anthropologist who has struggled with infertility herself and is based on her research. I never expected to find such words of wisdom in a book like this. Empowering, life-affirming, hopeful, and full of love. Every couple who is experiencing infertility should read it. I would also recommend it to infertility doctors and counselors, and social workers working with adoption.

I am so thankful for Gay Becker and her research. This book is a treasure.