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Once upon a time, equipped with a solid marriage, driven careers, and a recently finished basement, my husband and I were ready to start a family. Like many 30-something couples, we thought it would be easy. Unfortunately, after nearly 18 months of doing things "the old fashioned way," my husband was diagnosed with a latent birth defect. It rendered us virtually infertile, not to mention devastated and confused.

The remarkable thing about confusion is that it can spur knowledge and strength. Infertility did just that for us. We moved forward to try to have a child with the help of science and technology. Before we could blink, we were in the midst of monumental efforts to finance our baby-making venture, ordering medications on the Internet, and undergoing multiple, sometimes risky, and invasive, procedures. We endured it all for a single chance to have a child of our own.
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An estimated 10 percent of married couples worldwide are unable
to conceive or have experienced infertility at some point in
their lives. The stresses infertility places on a marriage are numerous.
But in A Spiritual Companion to Infertility, Julie Irwin Zimmerman
views the hardship of infertility not only as a physical condition but
as an opportunity for spiritual growth.

In language that is personable and frank, Zimmerman uses her own
experiences to help others understand the myriad challenges that arise
while struggling with infertility. This book explores issues such as:
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Personal, easy to read, and possessed of a warm, welcome sense of humor… An excellent introduction for anyone facing infertility(Publishers Weekly)

Cindy Margolis may be known as the “most downloaded woman on the Internet,” but she was brought down to earth when she tried to conceive. Suddenly, she became another statistic: just one of the more than nine million women each year who are desperately trying to have a child.
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Women who are trying to conceive will find a holistic approach in this hands-on manual. Step-by-step guidelines help implement a three-part program—of yoga, hypoallergenic and anti-inflammatory nutrition, and stress-reduction techniques—to cleanse the body, mind, and spirit in preparation for pregnancy. In addition, this program draws on cleansing methods from traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda and has been specifically designed for women who are trying naturally or with assisted-reproduction plans. Also based on new clinical research that suggests that gut health, chronic inflammation, and environmental toxins may be root causes of infertility, this important book offers all women a natural, holistic approach to readying the womb for a child and includes a DVD of yoga exercises.

For people experiencing infertility, wanting a baby is a craving unlike any other. The intensity of their longing is matched only by the complexity of the emotional maze they must navigate.

With insight and compassion, Drs. Janet Jaffe, Martha Diamond, and David Diamond-specialists in the field of Reproductive Psychology who have each experienced their own struggle with infertility-give couples the tools to:
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"Hope and Help For Those Struggling With Infertility

When the professional advice isn't enough, and you've had your fill of well-meaning comments from those who haven't experienced infertility, Marlo Schalesky wants you to know you are not alone. The true stories she tells of couples who share your hopes, fears, frustrations, and the comfort only God can bring will encourage your heart.
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Dear God, Why Can't I Have a Baby? provides women and ''couples-in-waiting'' with tools, direction, guidance, hope, and encouragement not to lose faith in God, or in each other, as they strive to share their love with a child.

Rachel's cry of barrenness in Genesis 31:1, ''Give me children, or I'll die!'' is a wail that still echoes around the world, as one in six couples experience infertility. Infertility statistics are staggering: nearly 6.1 million women and 2.1 million married couples in the United States will experience difficulty having a child.
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A pioneer in the field of assisted reproduction, Dr. Richard Marrs has spent his life counseling couples who struggle with the pain of infertility, developing new treatments, and helping thousands to experience the wonder of birth. Now Dr. Marrs shares his knowledge and expertise in a groundbreaking book that answers all your questions, understands your concerns, and covers every aspect of fertility problems, including infertility's emotional price as well as its financial one. Based on the latest research and technologies–and the real-life experiences of thousands of couples–Dr. Marrs tells you everything you need to know about getting pregnant, including:

Which cutting-edge advances in reproductive technology–including in vitro, gift, zift, sperm manipulation, and immunological therapy–are right for you
Is it your nerves? How emotions can delay or stop ovulation
The biggest mistake doctors make when a man's sperm count is borderline or subnormal
Which fertility drugs work best…and the side effects you should expect
Your chances of multiple births…twins, triplets, or more
When to change doctors or see a specialist
The good news about using a partner's sperm and not a donor's…even if your partner's count is very low
Your insurance coverage–what you can and cannot do
And much more

Unfulfilled longing for a child can feel like an impossible weight to bear. Infertile women and couples can feel hopeless and angry. They ask, "Why God? Why won't you send us a baby?" But there is hope and true encouragement, and it starts with the Word of God.

Surviving Infertility: What the Bible Says about Your Baby Hunger is a compassionate guide through the tangle of emotions and struggles faced by the infertile couple. Using Scripture as a standard, infertile couples can overcome jealousy of other women's pregnancies, build faith during times of waiting, and find peace in the face of overpowering anxiety. You will gain new strength from a true study of God's Word, which will shepherd you through the monthly, weekly, daily and hourly struggle with infertility. If you are consumed with baby hunger, it's time to hunger for God and what the Bible says about your struggle. Complete with Leader's Guides and "A Little Lagniappe" (extras for those who want to dive deeper into God's Word), Surviving Infertility is perfect for individual study, couples study or Infertility Support Groups.
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Grief and loss, anxiety and depression are constant companions to the roughly 18 percent of couples of childbearing age who are facing the devastation of infertility. To add insult to injury, relationships can be put at risk when couples feel as if their life is on permanent hold. With On Fertile Ground: Healing Infertility in hand, readers will learn how to turn the tables on change and ride the infertility wave rather than be swamped by it. This essential new book will leave readers feeling understood, and help them comprehend the extent of infertility's impact. Author Helen Adrienne, an award-winning psychotherapist, wrote the book from a mind/body perspective and more than thirty years of experience with infertility patients. She equips readers with the weapons to win battles against the consequences of infertility by: gaining perspective on the situation; learning the three A's of coping; and managing ego states that accompany adversity. Adrienne brilliantly breaks down coping skills by teaching problem-solving techniques which can be matched to issues, and letting-go techniques such as relaxation and self-hypnosis which have a statistically significant association with pregnancy. In her book, stories of former patients, told in their own words, support the effectiveness of mind/body interventions, and show readers that it is possible to "gain from the pain." This is a growth-from-adversity book, a managing-stress book and a get-back-in-control book that is comprehensive and provides relief. Professionals and infertility patients alike have raved about what a valuable resource this book is. Those who are struggling with infertility, those who want to understand them, or physicians and therapists who serve this population will benefit from the guidance provided in these pages. Since 1979, Adrienne has helped thousands of individuals navigate the emotional rollercoaster of infertility with her treatment model. Visit her web site mind-body-unity.com.