Taking Charge of Your Fertility is a comprehensive book that explains in lucid, assured terms how to practice the fertility awareness method (FAM), a natural, scientifically proven but little-known form of birth control. Author Toni Weschler has been teaching fertility awareness for almost 20 years, and it's only just now gaining in popularity. As the book explains, by using simple fertility signs including peaks in morning body temperature and changes in cervical position and cervical mucus, it's possible to determine when ovulation is taking place. Fertility awareness is therefore useful for not only couples who are trying to conceive, but for those who are aiming to avoid pregnancy without the use of chemical contraceptives. It will be of special interest to those women who have suffered from infertility; many FAM practitioners have told the author that by filling in the detailed charts in the book, they've realised that they were chronically miscarrying, even when their doctors told them they weren't conceiving at all. As the book explains, by charting body temperature, it's simple to tell when pregnancy has occurred--and when there's danger of miscarriage. Taking Charge of Your Fertility also explains how to choose the sex of your baby by timing intercourse according to certain fertility signs. It also features thorough, easy-to-understand explanations of hormones, the menstrual cycle and menopause, along with fertility tests and treatments and their long- and short-term side effects, plus a top-notch resource section. This is recommended for any woman who wants to better understand her body. --Erica Jorgensen

2008-09-04 This should be compulsory reading for all women!

Having read this book I am amazed at how little we know and are taught about our own bodies.

This book is very informative and reassuring and helps you appreciate just how complicated and clever nature is. When you go to the Dr's saying you want to try and conceive they should give you a copy and tell you to have a read - I am sure if we were all a bit more informed about how things work it would help save the NHS lots of money on fertility tests and treatments.

It goes through the basics of fertility in a very easy to understand manner, but then goes into much more detail about identifying and dealing with potential issues or problems. Well worth it.