The road that leads a couple with infertility toward the family they long for is full of obstacles — loneliness, tears, hoping, worrying, rejoicing, all of it switching back and forth so fast that it feels like riding an emotional roller coaster. Caring for the mind matters every bit as much as the physical care your doctor gives you. It takes preparation, and it takes someone to walk ahead with a lamp and hold the two of you by the hand toward the goal in front of you.

And most important of all — don't forget to love and look after the person beside you. Remember that love is where this journey began. Don't let it get lost along the way.

With love, Dr. Patsama

How the rising cost of living affects your health — the three routes by which money worries reach your health — and why the things that keep you well all rose 11-37%
Stress and the female reproductive system — what stress does to the hormones behind ovulation, from a late egg to periods stopping altogether
Seven ways to beat the stress of the two-week wait — the stretch between the transfer and the blood test, when the mind needs looking after most
Six ways to soften the landing when a cycle fails — lay the cushion down in advance, because the odds of disappointment are always larger than the odds of success
How men and women show their feelings about infertility differently — the three things that happen at once in the consulting room, and why each of you needs to understand the other
Hands up if you are feeling disheartened — when walking on means being hurt again and stopping is not an option — and a wound in the heart needs treating too
Two ways to unwind that cost nothing — music, and catching hold of your own breath for under a minute
A heart-warming story, 1 — a short letter from a patient who never got pregnant, but stopped being afraid of internal examinations
For inspiration 1 — Natalie Imbruglia, pregnant at 44 — and the point of Thai law you need to know
For inspiration 2 — Cameron Diaz had a daughter at 47 and gave no details at all
For inspiration 3 — Naomi Campbell became a mother at 50, to a fair amount of criticism

The Mind — caring for your mental health during treatment

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