Beginning assisted reproduction treatment can be a daunting prospect and while there are hundreds of books written on the subject, it’s hard to know where to start. We’ve enlisted the help of experts The Fertility Help Hub who have selected some of their top-rated literature on the subject to help you make informed decisions when it comes to your body and to help you in your fertility journey. Here are some of the best pregnancy books to read now…
The best pregnancy books worth reading
IVF: All You Need to Know by Clare Goulty and Sue Bedford
If you’re not quite sure where to start, IVF: All You Need to Know by Clare Goulty and Sue Bedford might be the one for you. Goulty and Bedford have edited this collection of invaluable information by leading fertility experts. A “step-by-step guide”, this book leads you in choosing the right fertility clinic for you, by preparing your mind and body for IVF, and understanding different treatments and potential complications. The recipe guide seems like a handy addition but it’s clearly not written by foodies.
The IVF Diet by Zita West
To make sure you don’t abandon your treatment on account of a boring diet, you might want to read Zita West’s The IVF Diet. Covering so much more than “just” nutrition, this week-by-week diet and lifestyle plan will help you become pregnant with IVF. Last summer we caught up with Zita who shared her top tips on how to eat yourself pregnant.
It Starts with the Egg by Rebecca Fett
For optimal IVF results, you want to be healthy and that includes the cells inside you. It Starts with the Egg by Rebecca Fett is evidence-backed and practical in its approach to improving egg quality for fertility (and ultimately, IVF).
Warrior by Tori Day
If your fertility journey is driving you bananas, check out Tori Day’s book, Warrior, which focuses on staying sane while trying to get pregnant. Trying to conceive is a rollercoaster of a journey – there are emotional highs, emotional lows and more medical appointments than you care to think about. Day’s book is a candid and humorous look at the path to becoming pregnant.
The Magic of You by Sensitive Matters
Further down the line, The Magic of You books by Sensitive Matters are a beautiful and unique way of clearly explaining donor conception to your donor-conceived child/children, fully personalised to your family situation. Similarly, the Happy Together series provides eight heartwarming scenarios to introduce young children to the family-building concepts of IVF, egg, sperm and embryo donations and surrogacy. An illustrated bear couple (two mums, two dads, a mum and a dad) or a single bear mum are used to explain their journey of becoming parents.
The Baby-Making Bible by Emma Cannon
Emma is a founder member of the faculty for Women’s Health at the new College of Medicine in London and is the official acupuncturist affiliated with the prestigious Lister Fertility Clinic in London. She approaches fertility in its widest context by taking you through her essential couples’ health and lifestyle checks, and makes suggestions to help you achieve optimum dietary, environmental and emotional health. She also offers specific advice for anyone who has been diagnosed with unexplained infertility or who is embarking on fertility treatment.
Taking Charge Of Your Fertility: The Definitive Guide to Natural Birth Control, Pregnancy Achievement and Reproductive Health by Toni Weschler
More and more women are choosing to have a natural birth- but this can be a complicated road for many. Toni Weschler’s book tackles questions such as birth control issues, menstrual cycle struggles and how to face confusing signs and symptoms when trying to conceive. Real-life case studies allow the reader some comfort, and encourage the maximum potential for conception, before seeing a doctor.
Getting Pregnant With PCOS by Claire Goodwin
The NHS website states that around 1 in 10 women in the UK suffer from PCOS*. Claire Goodwin’s book explores how to help repair your period for those with PCOS, while also breaking down what exactly PCOS is and how it affects women. Practical advice is married to nutritional advice and research, all while being easy to read.
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