Own Your Fertility

A ticking biological clock shouldn't feel like a time bomb! Learn what you need to know about modern fertility to help take control of your reproductive future—from egg and embryo freezing to IVF, surrogacy, and beyond. Women are born with all the eggs they will ever have, and 90 percent of them are gone by age 30. The eggs that remain will decline in both quantity and quality, making it increasingly difficult to become pregnant around the same time that many women are focused on finding a life partner, building their career, or both. But Jaime Knopman, MD, wants you to know that science has advanced, the world has transformed, and the choices available to us have changed too. For years, Dr. Knopman’s practice in a thriving New York City–based fertility clinic focused on infertility; now, she is primarily a fertility specialist who helps countless women and couples understand and utilize the latest options that can offer reproductive freedom. This shift is profound, as everything about the way we can, and increasingly do, make babies has changed, with implications that extend far beyond family planning. In Own Your Fertility, Dr. Knopman and coauthor Rebecca Raphael offer an accessible modern–day overview of how advancements in the field of fertility treatment have transformed the path to pregnancy, while also sounding the alarm that women in particular can—and should—take control of their reproduction. Whether you’re trying to get pregnant, thinking about having a baby in the future, or simply want to keep your options open, this book is your guide to all things reproductive planning, from egg and embryo freezing to IVF, sperm and egg donors, and surrogacy. Grounded in science, data, and decades of experience with patients from all walks of life, Own Your Fertility debunks common fertility misconceptions and empowers you to make informed, intentional, and proactive decisions about your body and your future.