Planning to become a parent is a profound experience, at times agonizing, hopeful, stressful, and joyous. Not everyone is able to become pregnant, however. When the journey to parenthood proves challenging, Planning Parenthood will guide prospective parents through the complicated mazes of assisted reproduction and adoption. Specialist authors first describe fertility assistance, surrogacy, and adoption, clearly outlining the requirements of each strategy. They compare the medical, emotional, financial, and legal investments and risks involved with each of these options. Then they introduce the issues that people will need to consider when deciding which path to parenthood is best for them. Along the way these experts offer encouragement for changing course under any number of circumstances. Supporting the detailed information in this book are personal stories of the often long, winding, and emotional road to parenthood -- from in vitro fertilization to egg donation to surrogacy to adoption.Armed with professional knowledge and inspired by the experiences of others who have gone before them, prospective parents will be informed and reassured by this unique resource.
Preface: About This BookPart I: What Are the Pathways to Parenthood?1. The Fertility Workup2. Early Fertility Assistance: Hormone Stimulation and Intrauterine Insemination3. Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Using Your Own Eggs or Sperm4. Using Donor Sperm5. Using Donor Eggs and Embryos6. Using a Surrogate7. Domestic and International Adoptions8. Which Options Are Available to You? The Requirements for Each Pathway9. Considerations for Nontraditional FamiliesPart II: Balancing the Risks and Benefits for Each Pathway10. Your Influence on Genetics and the Fetal and Infant Environments11. Pregnancy and Medical Risks for Mother and Child12. Mental Health Risks for the Child13. Emotional Costs: What You Might Experience14. Time Costs: How Long before You Become a Parent?15. Hassle Costs: Travel, Appointments, Forms, and Documents16. Financial Costs: Which Options Are Affordable?17. Legal Considerations18. Final ThoughtsAcknowledgmentsAppendixesA. Summary of Your Influence on Genetic Background and Fetal and Infant EnvironmentsB. Environmental Influence, by Child's Age and Type of AdoptionC. Summary of Pregnancy and Medical RisksD. Summary of Mental Health RisksE. Summary of Emotional RisksF. Summary of Time from Start of Process to Conception (Fertility Assistance) or Becoming a Parent (Adoption)G. Summary of HasslesH. Summary of Financial CostsI. Summary of Legal ConsiderationsGlossarySelected ReferencesIndex
""A comprehensive book... a much-needed resource in the infertility literature.""
