It was just as I finished reading this book that we discovered we were pregnant. However, before that point, I was thinking that background in dealing with infertility might be something very valuable for us.

Generally, doctors say that a couple is infertile if they have been trying to get pregnant for a year and have not yet succeeded. We'd been trying for nearly a year and a half, and during that time, we had observed that I had extremely irregular menstrual cycles — the shortest were about 40 days and the longest over 100. Even though we weren't planning jumping straight from there to high tech fertility treatments, we did want to understand what the different options were before we started talking to our doctor about fertility issues.

A Baby At Last seems quite thorough. It is generally optimistic about a couple's chances of conceiving through fertility treatments, but it is also realistic about the risk factors involved, especially age. The book is rather technical at times, but that's overall a good thing, since it helps the reader understand when different options are applicable. The book also has a number of chapters on specialized subjects — e.g., fertility issues for cancer patients — which I just skimmed but which seem like they would be valuable for those in the specific situation.

The book contained a chapter on alternative medicine techniques. The authors managed to say, in a way that wasn't too condescending toward those considering such techniques, that there is little evidence that they work and that when they do show some positive effect, it seems like it's more or less due to general stress reduction. This seems much more useful than the insulting and condescending attitudes adopted by many folks speaking up against alternate techniques. Yes, they are pseudoscience, but rudeness isn't going to convince the people who don't realize that.

Although I don't have other books to compare this too, overall, this seems like a good resource for a couple who wants to understand their options for fertility treatments. ( )

As a woman over the age of 30, I was very interested to hear what the authors of this novel had to say. I have no kids and I get sick and tired of people asking me, " Girl what are you waiting on?" My answer is always the same, "A husband." I really don't see myself negotiating on that. So as I get older, my gynecologist and I have "the talk." You know the one where he tells me that time may be running out and I can run into some serious problems during pregnancy if I wait too long. "Okay, Dr. B, is that all?" He usually says yes and I end by saying, "Doc, I'm sticking to my reproductive plan and that settles it for me."

Many are sitting back wondering why I'm not afraid that my child could be born with down syndrome or any other health problem. Well the authors of this book helped to ease your fears about my childbearing experience. Haha! In A Baby at Last!, the authors not only talks about pregnancy but they touch on every possible aspect of it. Often times when people think about problems in the pregnancy they look at the woman. However, the doctors really go in deep about issues such as sperm quantity, sperm quality and sperm maturity. So men you need to check this out too. They also refer to real-life stories of families that have needed help with getting pregnant.

This book is filled with knowledge for couples who truly want to understand what is going on with their bodies and introduce them to cutting-edge technology. The doctors explain, IVF, ICSI, and even third-party reproduction. This book is definitely a resource for anyone that is thinking about starting a family. It is better to go in prepared and knowledgeable about the good, bad and the ugly. So check this book out and you will be glad you did. ( )