Taking Charge of Your Fertility, 20th Anniversary Edition: The Definitive Guide to Natural Birth Control, Pregnancy Achievement, and Reproductive Health

by Toni Weschler

Overview

In celebration of its 20th anniversary, a thoroughly revised and expanded edition of the leading book on fertility and women’s reproductive health.

Since the publication of Taking Charge of your Fertility two decades ago, Toni Weschler has taught a whole new generation of women how to become pregnant, avoid pregnancy naturally and gain better control of their gynecological and sexual health by taking just a couple minutes a day using the proven Fertility Awareness Method.

Now, this 20th Anniversary Edition has been thoroughly revised and fully updated with: 

• the latest medical advances in assisted reproductive technologies (ART)
• more in-depth coverage of women’s gynecological and sexual health 
• new illustrations, photographs, and an expanded color insert
• new sample charts
• an expanded appendix
• Six new chapters including:

                      Three Prevalent Conditions—Endometriosis, Ovarian Cysts and

                      PCOS
                      Natural Ways to Balance Your Hormones
                      Preserving Your Future Fertility
                      Miscarriages
                      Idiopathic Infertility
                      Causes of Unusual Bleeding
 
Clear and comprehensive, yet warm and approachable, Taking Charge of Your Fertility is one of the most universally lauded health books on the market today. It is an essential reference for every woman of reproductive age.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062326034
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	07/07/2015
Pages:	560
Sales rank:	12,373
Product dimensions:	7.30(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.60(d)

About the Author

Toni Weschler, MPH, has a master's degree in public health and is a nationally respected women's health educator and speaker. She is also the author of Cycle Savvy, a book for teenage girls about their bodies. A frequent guest on television and radio shows, she lives in Seattle, Washington.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments xiii

Preface to the 20th Anniversary Edition xvii

Introduction xix

Part 1 Breaking Fertile Ground: Toward a New Way of Thinking 1

1 Fertility Awareness: What You Should Know and Why You Probably Don't 3

2 Taking Control of Your Reproductive Health 11

Part 2 Rediscovering Your Cycle and Your Body 31

3 There's More to Your Reproductive Anatomy Than Your Vagina 33

4 Finally Making Sense of Your Menstrual Cycle 44

5 The Three Primary Fertility Signs 52

6 How to Observe and Chart Your Fertility Signs 72

Part 3 Being Proactive with Your Health 111

7 Anovulation and Irregular Cycles 113

8 Three Prevalent Conditions All Women Should Be Aware Of: Ovarian Cysts, Endometriosis, and PCOS 125

9 Natural Ways to Balance Your Hormones 144

10 Now That You Know: Preserving Your Future Fertility 153

Part 4 Natural Birth Control 161

11 Natural Birth Control Without Chemicals or Devices 163

12 Shortcuts: Minimum Charting with Maximum Reliability 180

Part 5 Pregnancy Achievement 185

13 Maximizing Your Chances of Getting Pregnant 187

14 Practical Tips Beyond Fertility Awareness 213

15 What Next? Tests and Treatments That May Be Necessary to Get Pregnant 229

16 Dealing with Miscarriages 260

17 Idiopathic Infertility: Some Possible Causes When They're Not Sure Why 268

Part 6 Beyond Fertility: Practical Benefits of Charting Your Cycle 277

18 Maintaining Your Gynecological Health 279

19 Causes of Unusual Bleeding 293

20 Appreciating Your Sexuality and Nurturing Your Relationship 301

21 Premenstrual Syndrome: You Mean Its Not All in My Head? 315

22 Demystifying Menopause 325

23 Enriching Your Self-Esteem Through Knowledge About Your Body 342

Epilogue-A History of Progress: Women's Health and the Missing Piece of the Puzzle 345

Color Insert (follows page 354)

Appendixes 355

Basic Information for All Readers

A Troubleshooting Your Cycle: Expecting the Unexpected 357

B Frequently Asked Questions 393

C The Menstrual Cycle: A Summary of Events Through the Use of the Proverbial 28-Day Model 405

Natural Birth Control

D The Contraceptive Effectiveness of Natural Birth Control 413

E The Difference Between Natural Methods of Birth Control 422

F Birth Control Rules When You Can Only Chart One Fertility Sign 424

G Checking Cervical Fluid Internally Before Ovulation 426

H Tricky Coverlines 430

I Using FAM While Breastfeeding 442

J Using FAM During Long Cycles and Phases of Anovulation 450

Pregnancy Achievement

K A Brief Look at Gender Selection 464

L How to Research Fertility Clinics 469

Miscellaneous Resources

Fertility-Related Resources 472

Glossary 477

Bibliography 498

Index 517

Annual Exam Form 533

Master Chart Options 536

Editorial Reviews

This beautifully written guide to a woman’s fertility signs is packed with knowledge, wisdom and humor—a must for the bookshelf.” — Co-authors of The New Our Bodies, Ourselves

“Taking Charge of Your Fertility has become the Our Bodies, Ourselves for our time. Alternately silly, whimsical, and exhaustingly specific, the book was published fifteen years ago and is ranked higher by customers on Amazon than all other books except the third and fourth Harry Potters.” — New York magazine

“Taking Charge of Your Fertility is a fantastic book, loaded with practical and beautifully presented information that will transform and empower every woman’s relationship with her fertility. I recommend it to women of all ages.” — Christiane Northrup, M.D., Author of Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom and The Wisdom of Menopause

From the Publisher

Taking Charge of Your Fertility has become the Our Bodies, Ourselves for our time. Alternately silly, whimsical, and exhaustingly specific, the book was published fifteen years ago and is ranked higher by customers on Amazon than all other books except the third and fourth Harry Potters.

New York magazine

Taking Charge of Your Fertility is a fantastic book, loaded with practical and beautifully presented information that will transform and empower every woman’s relationship with her fertility. I recommend it to women of all ages.

Christiane Northrup

This beautifully written guide to a woman’s fertility signs is packed with knowledge, wisdom and humor—a must for the bookshelf.

Co-authors of The New Our Bodies