Your Fertile Years: What You Need to Know to Make Informed Choices

by Joyce Harper

'Essential reading' Professor Kypros Nicolaides'Fills an important gap in understanding' Professor Robert WinstonHow well do you really know your body? How easy do you think it will be for you to get pregnant - or NOT to get pregnant? You've probably never really been educated about your reproductive years - perhaps you learnt everything you know from friends, or from the media, or online. You might be ready for a baby now; or, like so many other women, you might want to delay the birth of your first child while you establish your career. Perhaps you're thinking about freezing your eggs. Professor Joyce Harper is an internationally recognized expert on female fertility and fertility education, and in 12 chapters she covers the full scope of your reproductive years, from your first period to menopausal symptoms. Her straightforward, scientifically based advice will give you all the information you need to make informed decisions about your reproductive choices. Only when you really understand your menstrual cycle works can you optimise your lifestyle to get pregnant successfully - while being properly aware of how and when your fertility will decline. Your Fertile Years answers all your questions about things like egg freezing and IVF, and debunks not only the myths surrounding fertility treatment, but also the misinformation and scare stories that surround conception and pregnancy, including the bottom line on supplements, diet and holistic therapies. A shining beacon in the murky fertility landscape, this book will accompany you through your fertile years, giving you the guidance you need to make decisions that work for you, your family, your career and your body.

375 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 29, 2021

Reviews

[Beth Burdis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had a lecture from Joyce last year at uni - an absolute legend! I decided to give her book a read, and while a lot of the content was already familiar to me (which would’ve been worrying if it wasn’t), I found it really accessible for everyone. The structure is excellent, and it’s a great way to see knowledge applied in the real world rather than just through academic papers. 😁

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Back in 1969, Dr. David Reuben published a little book titled Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (But Were Afraid to Ask). People couldn’t wait to read it because frankly they were afraid to ask. Prof. Harper, professor of Reproductive Science at University College London and a longtime fertility researcher, has written a 2021 version that includes everything a body could possibly want to know about sex and reproduction. Loaded with research and study results, it’s not easy reading, but here are the facts about menstruation, fertility, the sexual body parts, how to have good sex, contraceptives, sexually transmitted diseases, how a baby gets made, egg freezing, in vitro fertilization, menopause, and the future of reproductive science--artificial wombs that could be implanted in men! Eggs and sperm manufactured to order from stem cells! Harper is very frank. If you want to get pregnant the natural way, you should do it before age 35. Many of the treatments offered to increase fertility are a waste of money. Everything goes better with a healthy diet and exercise. This is a good book to keep on the shelf so that when you have a question, you can look it up

[Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good, well researched overview about everything sex education, menstruation, ménopause, pregnancy, conception, and the future of assisted reproductive technologies. Some sprinklings here and there from the author about her personal opinions and choices - may be a little pushy for those that are childfree or on the fence, but a very good overview nonetheless.

[Cass · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a great deal of fearmongering and kind of patronising air to the author's claims, but I do admit to having learned a little bit more about fertility, as well as advances in technology relevant to fertility, as well as menopause.

Needed more editing. The formatting was also kind of terrible.