cover image Don’t Tell Her to Relax: 22 Ways to Support Your Infertile Loved One Through Diagnosis, Treatment, and Beyond

Don’t Tell Her to Relax: 22 Ways to Support Your Infertile Loved One Through Diagnosis, Treatment, and Beyond

Zahie El Kouri. BookBaby (bookbaby.com), $9.99 trade paper (62p) ISBN 978-1-63192-805-5

Having had her own experiences with infertility—defined by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine as “the failure to achieve a successful pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected intercourse”—El Kouri is a knowledgeable and sympathetic host in this how-to guide, which outlines ways to support an infertile loved one (ILO). El Kouri shares advice and things to say (and not to say) when an ILO is making the hard choice of medical treatment (which El Kouri underwent, successfully), adoption, or living child-free. Above all, El Kouri stresses that infertility is a medical condition. She urges readers to be sensitive to hormone-driven mood swings during treatment and to be available for emotional support, especially during tricky social situations and at-home medical procedures. She suggests simpler means of support as well, such as making care packages or offering to drive to and from appointments. El Kouri admirably gets straight to the point, except every so often when she makes unsuccessful attempts at levity. Short and sweet, this is a handy guide to helping ILOs navigate emotionally and financially draining waters. (BookLife)