Infertility: A Guide — eBook
Monday, December 3rd, 2007
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Infertility: A Guide
The test-tube baby must rank alongside the moon landings and the discovery of DNA as one of the greatest scientific achievements of the 20 th century. And, iconic though it may be, this is just one of dozens of medical breakthroughs that have brought us closer than ever to overcoming what must be one of the world’s oldest misteries.
For, however far back we look into the depths of human history, we can see the misery of the infertile couple. Sanskrit hymns, Old Testament verses, the Greek epics of Homer and hieroglyph-covered papyrus found in Egypt: all speak of the loss felt by the infertile. Unable to continue their family line, to nurture a child, and to have somebody to look after them in their old age, men and women in every country and every time have turned to priests, shamans, witch-doctors and soothsayers, desperately seeking a child.
If we can feel their anguish over the gaps of centuries, we can consider ourselves fortunate to be living in an age where we can understand infertility not as a curse or an act of divine vengeance, but as a medical problem – and a solvable medical problem at that. The medical profession can’t promise children to everybody, and the route to pregnancy remains long, expensive, and emotionally fraught. But now, finally, there is a way out for many of us.
The book is divided into three main sections.
In the first section, I will look at the causes of infertility, and at how doctors can work out what causes lie behind a couple’s inability to conceive.
Then I’ll move on to look at the treatments available, their advantages and disadvantages, and what they entail.
The third section takes a step back from the purely medical, and looks at some of the ethical, social and legal issues surrounding fertility treatments. These are questions which continue to perplex some of the wisest thinkers of our times, be they doctors, politicians, or priests, and I’m not foolhardy enough to attempt to answer them here. Rather, I will try to sum up the different viewpoints, in the hope that you can make up your own mind on the subject.
This Book is intended to provide assistance and information to people who are interested in learning more about infertility.
This book provides clear and concise details of infertility.Information in this ebook has been obtained from a variety of sources, such as internet, reference books, qualified doctors, and etc.
This book should not be used as a basis for any form of diagnosis or treatment for any medical condition. Always seek professional medical advice.
Tags: fertiltity, infertility
