Not Broken: An Approachable Guide to Miscarriage and Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
“I have one word to describe this fabulous book: FINALLY. Women with recurrent pregnancy loss have been needing this book for years.” – Dr. Alice Domar, associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology at Harvard Medical School and author of Conquering Infertility and Finding Calm for the Expectant Mom
Reviews (78)
A caring and thoughtful book to help educate and support both doctors and patients who are navigating the journey of miscarriage
As a mother who has lost 5 babies during pregnancy I found myself shedding tears, highlighting lines in agreement and giving silent cheers as I read this book! What a beautiful book that helps give doctors insight into the journey of pregnancy loss for their patients, helping them understand how it affects their patients both physically AND emotionally. I love this book for it's encouragement to grieving moms and dads who might feel hopeless after many miscarriages. Dr Shahine writes in a way that is direct and gives all the medical sides of miscarriage and yet, provides this great space of comfort for these parents to know that their is hope for them to be able to get pregnant again and carry a baby full term. "It's all about changing the mindset from feeling broken to feeling confident and cared for moving forward." Thank you Dr Shahine for advocating and caring for more than just your own patients, but for all of us around the world who experience the loss of our babies during pregnancy.
Straightforward, clear, empathetic book on RPL.
This book was a great place to start when trying to decide what to do about repeat pregnancy loss. It's clearer than many websites, more authoritative than discussion boards, and combines many considerations - what are the tests, what are the intervention options, what lifestyle changes could help - into one place. While it may be less helpful for someone who has spent a lot of time with specialists, it's still a nice collection of relevant information, and various chapters can be referred to throughout the RPL journey for guidance, clarification and support. Highly recommend.
Also great for anyone with IVF anxiety!
I probably seem pretty crazy to be reading about miscarriage and RPL, when I’ve never seen a positive pregnancy test. However, this book helped to calm me down pre FET. I see many people posting different protocols for transfer, and there’s always that thought of “should I do that too?” But this book addresses many of the different protocols and explains both the benefits and risks with each. It’s helping me to be more confident in my Dr’s protocol as I prep for transfer, and also realize that if it doesn’t work with a PGS embryo that in most cases it’s NOT my fault. I’ve learned more about male factor and miscarriage, balanced translations, and different aspects of the immune system argument in regards to infertility. If you’ve had to suffer through RPL, had failed transfers, or are stressed about your upcoming FET (like me) it gives a very balanced perspective that may bring some peace as well as how to proceed going forward if this wasn’t the round that results in a live birth.
If you have recurrent miscarriages read this book!
After our second miscarriage I was in a really hard place with what to think. What test should I be getting? This doesn’t seem like bad luck- is something really wrong? Dr. Shahine uses facts and statistics to explain the possible causes of RPL and treatments. She uses a also an empathic approach throughout the entire book, I felt like she wrote the book for ME. It’s organized well and quick to read. The most important lesson I learned was that even if something is “wrong” studies show that I don’t need to jump to IVF at this time. I don’t have my rainbow yet, but this book has made me look at this situation logically and with hope for the future.
good review but lacks intuition
The author thoroughly reviewed research in the same way a medical student would. I found it far too generic and lacking specifics on women's unique situations. For example, at what point can you conclude your RPL is not genetic? like if you get pregnant first cycle easily 10 times? if you are in your twenties? she recommends not testing for certain clotting disorders except under certain conditions, but which ones? what if you do test positive for two of the more controversial clotting disorders? is the treament unnecessary? is there no hope? most good doctors at some point have to go with their gut and the way she presents data leaves little room…or hope… for those of us with complex cases.
Thank you for writing this book, Dr. Shahine!
This is the book I've been waiting for. I have struggled with recurrent miscarriage and during this time I've had so many questions about fertility treatments, supplements, lifestyle changes etc. Like lots of women, I've turned to "Dr. Google" far too often and mostly just ended up confused by too much information that came from less than reliable sources. This book gives me a place to find clear, helpful answers written by an actual doctor! She writes with such clarity and compassion; you feel like you're reading something from a friend who just happens to be a super smart fertility specialist. Dr. Shahine clearly cares about helping people achieve their family goals and it really shows. I would recommend this book to any person dealing with fertility issues or anyone wanting to support a friend during their reproductive journey.
This is an amazing resource for women who are struggling with recurrent pregnancy ...
This is an amazing resource for women who are struggling with recurrent pregnancy loss and medical providers who are caring for these patients. As a women's health nurse practitioner, I found this book extremely helpful in understanding all aspects of miscarriage. Dr. Shahine really focuses on the holistic approach of caring for women with RPL and addresses not only scientific medical treatments but the emotional impact as well. I found the “Key Points” section of each chapter to be very helpful. These sections make it easy to go back through the book and scan for a particular area of interest. I encourage anyone who maybe struggling with miscarriage or medical providers caring for these women to read this book!
Excellent book, but has little info about ectopic pregnancy / hydrosalpinx
I am a 32yo woman that has been TTC for 1.5 years. In that time I have had three losses in the first trimester: 1 chemical, 1 ectopic, and a missed miscarriage due to trisomy 16. This book was tremendously helpful as a resource for explaining medical terminology related to infertility. In a time when it feels like I have little control, this book was a useful resource in helping me learn about infertility testing, how certain factors are diagnosed, and possible treatments. It is nice to have a book in your hands as a way to stop compulsively googling and reading infertility forums. For women and their partners that find themselves in the shitty position of MPL, I would recommend reading this book before your first visit to reproductive endocrinologist. My few critiques of the book are: - It does not include an index, which makes it impossible to look up specific terms. - There is very little information that applies women that have had ectopic pregnancies and are at increased risk for future ectopics. For example, after my HSG I learned I have something called "hydrosalpinx". I re-read the book looking for a mention of this condition, but it wasn't there.
Wonderful book for anyone who has experienced a loss
Bought this book after experiencing repeated miscarriages. It’s an excellent book for emotional healing as well as providing information on miscarriage, fertility, and loss from a medical standpoint. I recommend for anyone who is struggling after a loss.
Perfect Title - Very Approachable
I read a lot of women's health books given I host a women's health podcast, Fempower Health. It is incredibly approachable and thorough. Dr Shahine, who I also interviewed, shares the information doctors agree on, disagree on, and why. She suggests the types of things you should talk to your doctor about. She outlines causes of miscarriage, testing, etc. Reading this book would be so helpful for those who want to learn more and be proactive. I think it can save a lot of heartache because you can be proactive. You will also feel heard.
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