Missed Conceptions: How We Make Sense of Infertility

When researcher (and award-winning host of the podcast Monster Talk) Stollznow (On the Offensive: Prejudice in Language Past and Present) found herself unable to get pregnant (though she eventually had a healthy son born through in vitro fertilization), she struggled with constant questions and the religious and cultural expectations surrounding parenting. The author found that one in every six couples have problems conceiving a child. That number rises to one in three when age 35 is reached. Stollznow defines infertility as either being unable to get pregnant after one year of unprotected sex or unable to carry a baby to full term. The book peeks at the history of infertility and explores myths and rituals. The author also shares her thoughts on herbal remedies that she deems more harmful than beneficial. Interspersed are nuggets from her own personal journey, but the book sometimes jumps from subject to subject.