When on a fertility journey it is so easy to get lost in a Google search that may or may not have properly sourced information. When seeking information, I encourage people to look at those who have been vetted and noted as experts in the field. The following is a list of some of the most recognized and regarded fertility organizations and physicians. The following lists might be of interest when looking for information or if you have questions.
Recommended Organizations
National Infertility Organization, RESOLVE | resolve.org
American Society for Reproductive Medicine, ASRM | reproductivefacts.org | Updated Definition of “Infertility”
The Society for Assistive Reproductive Technology | startwithsart.libsyn.com
National Institute of Health – infertility | nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/infertility
World Health Organization | who.int/news-room/
Center for Disease Control | cdc.gov/art/patien
Recommended Reading List
Books are a wonderful way to help those on fertility journeys understand components of what they are experiencing, feel less alone as they read others’ stories, can help with the emotions that arise, and finding ways to tell their fertility story to their child and those close to them. Some of my favorites books are listed below and have been vetted by the National Association of Infertility also known as RESOLVE, (RESOLVE’s reading list) and the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) .
General Infertility Books
A Baby at Last! by Dr. Zev Rosenwaks, Dr. Marc Goldstein, and Mark L. Fuerst, Barren Grace by Nikolina Kulidžan
Conception: A Fertility Doctor’s Memoir by Merle J Berger, MD
Detours: Unexpected Journeys of Hope Conceived from Infertility by Sue A. Johnston
Fertility Walk: A Fertility Nurse’s Guide Along Your Journey by Tamara Tobias
No Baby, No Shame: Life After Infertility by Regine Celestin
Not Broken: An Approachable Guide to Miscarriage and Recurrent Pregnancy Loss by Lora Shahine, MD, FACOG
On Fertile Ground: Healing Infertility by Helen Adrienne
Overcoming the Emotional Stigmas of Infertility by Frances Jones, MA
Unstoppable: Forging the Path to Motherhood in the Early Days of IVF by Ellen W. Casey
Unsung Lullabies: Understanding and Coping With Infertility by Janet Jaffe, David Diamond, and Martha Diamond
Why is Mommy Crying? – explaining early pregnancy loss to young children by I Cori Baill and Heather Bell
General Third-Party Reproduction
Cordell, M. (2018). Wish. Little Brown Books for Young Readers.
*Gordon, E. (2011). Mommy, Did I Grow in Your Tummy? Where Some Babies Come From. E.M. Greenburg Press, Inc.
Grimes, J. (2004). Before You Were Born: Our Wish for a Baby. Available through www.xyandme.com.
*Kluger-Bell, K. (2012). My Family and Me: A Baby Memory Book for Donor Kids. Createspace Independent Publishing.
*Kluger-Bell, K. (2012). The Pea That Was Me: An IVF Story. Createspace Independent Publishing.
*Kluger-Bell, K. (2018). The Pea That Was Me & Me & Me: How All Kinds of Babies are Made. Createspace Independent Publishing.
Marie, J. (2018). Happy Together: an IVF story. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
Sliverberg, C. (2013). What Makes a Baby). Triangle Square Publishers.
Egg Donation Books
Celcer, I. (2007). Hope and Will Have a Baby: The Gift of Egg Donation. Graphite Press. Available from
Cirisan, W. (2004). The Very Special Ducklings: A Very Simple Story About Egg Donation. Trafford Publishing.
*Eichberg, C. (2017). Building My Family: A Story of Egg Donation and Surrogacy. BookBaby. This book is aimed at heterosexual couples wanting to explain to their children their birth story. It is for children born through both surrogacy and egg donation.
Jover, C. M. (2009). A Tiny Itsy Bitsy Gift of Life: An Egg Donor Story (for boys). Also available in Spanish at www.carmenmartinezjover.com.
Keen, S. (2012). You Were Meant to Be. Castlebridge Books.
*Kluger-Bell, K. (2012). The Pea That Was Me: An Egg Donation Story. Createspace Independent Publishing.
*Kluger-Bell, K. (2019). The Pea That Was Me: Our New Baby. Createspace Independent Publishing. This book is for children whose younger sibling was created via egg donation.
Marie, J. (2018). Happy Together: an egg donation story. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
Metz, L. (2020). I Dreamed of You, the story of an egg donor baby. Outskirt Press.
Nadel, C. (2007). Mommy Was Your Tummy Big? Moonkind Press.
Stamm, L. (2010 – 2nd edition). Phoebe’s Family: A Story About Egg Donation. Graphite Press.
Sperm Donation Books
Celcer, Irene. (2007). Hope and Will Have a Baby: The Gift of Sperm Donation. Graphite Press.
Donor Conception Network. (2002). Our Story. Published by Donor Conception Network. (Available at www.dcnetwork.org or http://www.infertilitynetwork.org/). Three versions of the book include children who were conceived by sperm donation to (1) heterosexual parents, (2) single parents, or (3) lesbian families.
Keen, S. (2012). You Were Meant to Be. Castlebridge Books.
*Kluger-Bell, K. (2013). The Pea That Was Me: A Sperm Donation Story. Createspace Independent Publishing.
Levin, Barbara Sue. (2008). Just the Baby for Me. Self-published. Written for younger and older children about one woman’s decision to become a mother with help from sperm donation.
Marie, J. (2018). Happy Together: a sperm donation story. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
Nadel, Caroline. (2007). Daddy, Was Mommy’s Tummy Big? Moonkind Press.
Embryo Donation Books
Celcer, Irene. (2007). Hope & Will Have a Baby: The Gift of Embryo Donation. Graphite Press.
Kluger-Bell, K. (2013). The Pea That Was Me: An Embryo Donation Story. Createspace Independent Publishing.
Marie, J. (2018). Happy Together: an embryo donation story. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
Stamm, L. (2017). Scarlett’s Story: A Tale About Embryo Donation. Graphite Press.
LGBTQ Family Building
Baxter, N. (2003). Our Story. Donor Conception Network.
*Bergman, K. (2019). You Began as a Wish. This book helps parents tell the story of donor conception and/or surrogacy to their children with simple, easy to understand language.
Considine, K. (2005). Emma and Meesha My Boy: A Two Mom Story. twomombooks.com
Stamm, L. (2016). Family Stew: Two moms use a sperm donor to build their family.
Gottlieb, A. (2003). Sons Talk about Their Gay Fathers: Life Curves. Haworth Gay and Lesbian Studies, Routledge Publishers.
Grimes, J. (2004). Before You Were Born …Our Wish for a Baby: A Baby Conceived for Female Partners. X, Y, and Me Books. Available at www.xyandme.com.
Howey, N., & Samuels, E. (Eds.) (2000). Out of the Ordinary: Essays on Growing Up with Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Parents. Stonewall Inn Editions.
Jover, C. M. (2009). The Baby Kangaroo Treasure Hunt: A Gay Parenting Story. Also Available in Spanish at www.carmen martinez jover.com. (Ages 4-8).
*Kluger-Bell, K. (2012). The Pea That Was Me: A Two Mom’s Sperm Donation Story. Createspace Independent Publishing.
Lewis-Long, C. (2011). Why I’m So Special: A Book About Surrogacy With Two Daddies. AuthorHouse. (Ages 2-5).
Marie, J. (2018). Happy Together: a two-mom sperm donation story. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
Nelson, F., & Barone, B.J., & Donsky, D. (2016). Milo’s Adventure: A Story About Love. CreateSpace.
Newman, L., & Thompson, C. (2009). Mommy, Mama, and Me. Tricycle Press.
Oelschlager, V., & Blanc, M. (2011). A Tale of Two Mommies. Vanita Books.
Oelschlager, V., Blackwood, K., & Blanc, M. (2013). A Tale of Two Daddies. Vanita Books.
Panzini, L., & Newman, L., & Souza, D. (2000). Heather Has Two Mommies. Alyson Publications.
Panzing, L., & Kramer, F. (2012). Some people have two Dads. CreateSpace Publishing.
Polacco, P. (2009). In our Mother’s House. Philomel Publishing.
Rella, T. (2010). Daddy and Pop. CreateSpace Publishing.
Rella, T. (2010). Mom, Mama, and Me…And How I Came To Be! CreateSpace Publishing.
Richardson, J., & Parnell, P. (2005). And Tango Makes Three. Simon and Schuster.
Snow, J. (2004). How it Feels to Have a Gay or Lesbian Parent: A Book by Kids for Kids of All Ages. Haworth Gay and Lesbian Studies, Routledge Publishers.
Stamm, L. (2016). Family Stew: Two moms use a sperm donor to build their family. (Ages 7+).
Tompkins, C., & Evans, L. (2009). Oh the Things Mommies Do: What Could Be Better than Having Two? Self Published.
Valentine, J. (2004). One Dad, Two Dads, Brown Dad, Blue Dads. Alyson Books.
Surrogacy Books
*Eichberg, C. (2017). Building My Family: A Story of Egg Donation and Surrogacy. BookBaby. This book is aimed at heterosexual couples wanting to explain to their children their birth story. It is for children born through both surrogacy and egg donation.
* Kluger-Bell, K. (2015). The Very Kind Koala: A Surrogacy Story for Children. Createspace.
LaMothe, S., & Rella, T.. (2011). Surrogacy Helps Make a Family Grow! Self- published. Written for younger and older children of gestational carriers.
Lewis-Long, C. (2010). Why I’m So Special: A Book About Surrogacy. AuthorHouse. (Ages 2-5).
Marie, J. (2018). Happy Together: a surrogacy story. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
Pellet, S.P. (2006). The Kangaroo Pouch: A Story About Surrogacy for Young Children. Trafford Publishing.
Stamm, L. (2016) Harry the Helper: A family uses a gestational carrier to have another baby. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. Harry the Helper is a book for children explaining how a carrier can help a couple who is experiencing secondary infertility tell their story to their child.
Summer, M. (2010). Mom and Dad and the Journey They Had! CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. For children conceived with the help of an oocyte donor and gestational carrier.
Recommended Doctors on Instagram
Instagram:(a few physicians who are active on Instagram providing fertility information).
Dr. Serena Chen @drs
Dr. Natalie Crawford @nat
Dr. Loren Shashine @drl
Dr. Lowell Kue @drk
Dr. Meivys Garcia @dr.
Fertility Support Groups.
Focus is on building strength and optimism to support women, focusing on the bio-psycho-social components. Group members have reported feeling the support and strength the group was created to provide.
The Podcast.
Bringing you insight and experiences into love, relationships and fertility, with a focus on enjoying life and moving forward.