Small Treasures

Submitted by: Diane Clapp

I wrote the chapter on Infertility and Pregnancy Loss in the 1984, 1992 and 1998 editions of “Our Bodies, Ourselves.” Working closely with Norma Swenson and later with Jane Pincus on these chapters was exciting.

In the 1990s, infertility finally got defined as a disease by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. This classification allowed women, men and couples suffering from infertility to get some tests and treatments covered by insurance.

I spent 29 years working as the medical information director at RESOLVE, the National Infertility Association.  From my role there and in my private practice, I know how isolated and out of control women feel when they can not get pregnant or cannot have a successful pregnancy.  “Our Bodies, Ourselves” offered support and information to those all over the world struggling with this problem.

I will always remember receiving a small package from a woman in Poland who included a letter and a small, wooden, carved box.  She wrote that she had tried to have a baby for years and thanked me for writing about infertility in “Our Bodies, Ourselves.” She said it made her feel less lonely and more informed.

The box she sent is one of my treasures.

The other memory I have is when my teenage daughter, who at the time often felt that I could do nothing right, saw my picture inside the cover of “Our Bodies, Ourselves” said, “ Mom, I can’t believe you wrote for this book!”

This truly is the “go to” book for women of all ages and it is clear than the knowledge that fills the pages of “Our Bodies, Ourselves” helps us move through all the stages in our lives.

In this series, readers tell their stories about their experiences with the book and its impact on their lives. View more stories.