Encyclopedia of Fertility and Infertility

Viva-Facts On File's Health & Living Encyclopedias are a collection of clear, comprehensive, and up-to-date resources for understanding and coping with the complexities of modern health and social concerns. Providing an objective overview of the essential facts and wider social ramifications that have been established by experts about the afflictions covered, the encyclopedias are meant for general readers and professionals alike. Offering reliable information, they are the ideal place to begin researching any questions or concerns one has about a specific issue.

Each volume contains:

 • An extensive A-to-Z reference section that defines the causes, cures, key research, medical terms, symptoms,
treatments, and trends of each field of study

 • Detailed appendixes that provide current statistical information

 • Extensive bibliographies that serve as starting points for further research

 • Comprehensive directories that list organizations, associations, schools, support groups, and publications readers can turn to for further information

Review:

 "...Coverage is comprehensive, including up-to-date information about causes and diagnosis, treatments and procedures, reproductive technologies, birth control, fertility, ethics, and trends. Entries are written in language both easy to understand and peppered with contact/Web site information...Recommended for public, academic, and health science libraries, all levels."

 — CHOICE

Description:

Millions of couples around the world who want children are unable to conceive or carry a baby to term. Confronting the pressures of fertility treatments and procedures is a daunting task. It is estimated that fewer than 10 percent of infertile couples actually seek treatment, mostly due to a lack of awareness as to what treatments are available or to the high cost of those treatments. In one comprehensive volume, Encyclopedia of Fertility and Infertility covers all aspects of this challenging and often emotional medical subject.

In the last 20 years, the science of fertility has evolved dramatically. Using easy-to-understand language, this encyclopedia guides readers through the basics of the human reproductive system, including its structure and function, and acts as a compass for navigating the terminology, causes, treatments, and the latest medical advances in the field of fertility. Entries include

 • Anovulation

 • Caffeine and infertility

 • Clomiphene citrate (Clomid, Serophene)

 • In vitro fertilization (IVF)

 • Miscarriage

 • Ovarian cancer and fertility drugs

 • Sperm bank

Extensive appendixes include directories of organizations; hot lines associated with fertility, infertility, and fertility clinics; an exhaustive bibliography; and a glossary of terms related to fertility. Special sections cover how to select a fertility specialist, as well as questions one should ask such an expert in the field.

Target Audience:

Libraries