Every year, The Bookseller holds a contest awarding the Diagram Prize for the Oddest Book Title of the Year. This year's list of 49 books include titles like 100 Girls on Cheap Paper, Briefs for the Reading Room, How YOU Are Like Shampoo: For Job Seekers, and I'm Not Hanging Noodles on Your Ears.
You have to admit -- those titles are odd.
But wait a minute, what's this? Also included on this year's list is a book titled Budgeting for Infertility.
What's odd about that title? How did a book title that, to me, seems clear and necessary end up on a list that includes Mickey Mouse, Hitler and Nazi Germany?
I suspect that the title appears there because most people do not realize that infertility is something that involves serious financial strain. Perhaps the list writers thought the title was funny because if you're infertile, then you don't have any children, so why do you need to budget for that?
However, unless you plan to do nothing about your infertility, you do need to budget for it. Before you even consider treatment, you need to consider the cost for fertility testing and visits to a reproductive endocrinologist - exams that are not commonly covered by insurance.
If you intend to seek treatment, you may need to pay for medications, fertility procedures, ultrasound testing (often several per treatment cycles), and blood work.
Some think that only IVF treatment is expensive, but in fact, any fertility treatment can be expensive. Even if you "only" take Clomid, you may need to pay out of pocket for the initial fertility testing, the Clomid itself, and any ultrasound or blood work required to follow your treatment.
The financial burden of infertility is so big that some banks offer special loans, some states and organizations offer (a limited number of) grants, and it's sadly not uncommon for a couple to spend every penny of their retirement fund on fertility treatment. Tens of thousands of dollars in debt can add up quickly if you're trying IVF, especially if you require the help of an egg donor or surrogate. Adoption is also very expensive.
To be clear, I'm not saying I can't take a joke on infertility related subjects. In fact, I've blogged in the past about a blog that does an excellent job of making many people laugh about infertility.
But I fail to see how a book titled Budgeting for Infertility is odd or funny. I just don't get it.
What are your thoughts? Please share in the comments below. I'd love to hear from you!
What's So Funny About Budgeting for Infertility? originally appeared on About.com Fertility on Monday, February 8th, 2010 at 09:53:19.
What's ovulation got to do with getting pregnant?
Most of us know that there is an egg involved with getting pregnant. I can remember being a young girl and picturing chicken eggs inside my body and being amazed. The process is still amazing, that every month my body knows how to release a well-timed egg in the hopes of me conceiving.
Ovulation is the key to getting pregnant. Though many women really don't have a clue how to figure out when they are ovulating using their body's signals, which are very accurate. The ovulation calculators are nice predictions to help you get pregnant too. And for the technology lovers - there is the ovulation prediction kit that is electronic! (There are also home ovulation prediction kits that are not electronic, for those of use who prefer the old fashioned way.)
There is also a newer kit on the market called the Conception Kit. This kit contains three cycles worth of products to help you overcome minor infertility issues or to help you time your pregnancy just so. The key is the cervical cap known as the Conception Cap. According to the manufacturer, 24% of couples with infertility got pregnant within three months of using this kit...
Related:
What's ovulation got to do with getting pregnant? originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Saturday, January 16th, 2010 at 08:30:08.