Ellen Sarasohn Glazer.
Experiencing Infertility, 1998,
Jossey-Bass: San Francisco,
pp. 267, PB $24.95 USA

    Over the past twenty years there has been an explosion in reproductive technology, the majority of it geared toward assisting people with infertility problems. As is the case with much of what we may consider to be innovation, the impact on humans is not fully considered before the technology becomes widespread. Ellen Sarasohn Glazer has been writing books that address issues of infertility and assisted reproductive technology since the late 1980s. Her newest book, Experiencing Infertility is an update of her 1988 book with Susan Cooper, Without Child: Experiencing and Resolving Infertility. As with that book, the author organizes the chapters with a narrative overview of particular issues people might face and then presents essays and poems that illustrate the personal impact. Many of the problems associated with infertility will be familiar such as receiving the diagnosis, testing and treatment regimens, impact of treatment on the relationship of the couple, loss of a pregnancy, adoption, and deciding to live without children in the family. More importantly, this book is very comprehensive in covering aspects of infertility that many professionals may not have even considered such as impact on friendships and career, religious issues, and some of the more unusual assisted reproductive alternatives like egg donation and what is termed gestational care (when a woman carries a coupleís genetic baby in her womb). One section contains two essays that touch on how cancer can influence infertility and the hard choices that may have to be made.

    Thus, one strength of this book is the wide variety of topics that are covered. Another strength is that there are contributions by men included. Since up to half of all infertility is found to be with men, their inclusion is important. In this regard I would have liked to read more about menís experience, especially since I more often read about what the husband was experiencing from the wifeís point of view. While Ms. Glazer acknowledges that not all aspects of infertility could be covered in one book, I would have also liked to read more about what happens for cohabiting, single or divorced people (there was an essay by a divorced woman who adopted a child) when faced with infertility choices. Almost all the essays portray married couples and remarkably loving and understanding ones at that. Issues for people who are gay, lesbian, transgender, or intersex and how racial/ethnic issues might impact choices were not included. Perhaps that is another book.

    Yet, readers of these poems and essays not only will have a fairly comprehensive overview of the feelings that confront those who battle infertility (the strategy and courage of war are apt metaphors for what happens), but will gain an understanding that living with infertility never goes away. We read about the overprotectiveness of a mother whose campaign to have a child is successful, the insensitive remarks and assumptions made by others regarding choices and the lack of choices, and the difference between desperately wanting a baby and being a real life parent, to name a few. Those who do not struggle with infertility are perhaps blissfully unaware of the many times a day an infertile person could be confronted by the unattainable goal to have a family with children. There are advertisements on television and in magazines that show parents and children, pregnant women on the street, friends and family members with children, the scars on oneís own body, the adoptive child before you. Poignantly, Ellen Jean Tepper describes infertility as "Ö.my friendóI guess, for life" (p.86).

    Such diversity of feeling and experience makes this an excellent book for all health and mental health care providers. It is clear from many of the essayists that except for those health care providers who specialize in reproductive medicine, others in the medical profession are often profoundly lacking in empathy. Interestingly, there were essays from a physician who specialized in assisted reproduction and his own experience with infertility, as well as a woman who worked as a nurse on an obstetrics ward who had to cope with her own infertility. Yet, it appears that some health care providers are not being particularly ethical since they neglect to even discuss the possibility of losing fertility as a result of certain types of cancer treatment, for example (not to mention the impact on sexual functioning and how a partner might be affected). Obviously, medical school and nursing students would benefit from reading books such as this. Yet, the language is not overly technical and it would also be very useful for group and individual counseling settings. Finally, when I did a quick search of an Internet provider of books I found 581 titles when I typed in the key word infertility. What this book has to offer, compared to the titles I perused, are the voices of those who have personally experienced infertility and the joys and sorrows of both losing and winning the battle.

Lin S. Myers, Ph.D.
California State University, Stanislaus
Turlock, CA 95382