The National Infertility Association
About this site: This site has a lot of information that is well-organized and easy to read. Men don't get the short end of the stick here, either -- there's plenty of information on male infertility. (http://www.resolve.org/)
Pluses: Bulletin boards let you compare notes and ask questions of others with similar problems and issues.
Minuses: Some informational materials are only available for a fee.
Best feature: Thorough, up-to-date information is presented in a reassuring, positive way.
The International Council on Infertility Information Dissemination
About this site: Founded in 1995 by three women who were looking for answers to their own infertility problems, this site has grown to include information on infertility, pregnancy following infertility, adoption, and even living without children. (http://www.inciid.org/)
Pluses: Some unusual information can be found here, such as a Semen Analysis Chart and summaries of legal cases on issues like embryo donation.
Minuses: Some of the news is not current. The Q&A and message boards are plagued by commercial pitches and requests for donations.
Best feature: The organization was founded by people who have lived with -- and overcome -- infertility.
American Society for Reproductive Medicine
About this site: The Web site of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine was created by physicians who offer reproductive medicine and infertility services. The society devotes much of its site to answering patients’ clinical questions aboutpregnancy, male and female infertility, and the latest in assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs). (http://www.asrm.org)
Pluses: The Patient Fact Sheets have well-sourced medical information geared to patients researching fertility and infertility procedures.
Minuses: Many of the stories are dry and clinical. Searching for a physician on the site's directory of members results in an error message.
Best feature: A resource page for patients brings together stories, lists of questions, and articles on evaluating a clinic's infertility services.
American Infertility Association
About this site: Based in New York City, the American Infertility Association was founded in 1999 by Executive Director Pamela Madsen. Today the group represents doctors, nurses, therapists, and patients working to increase public awareness about infertility. The group's Web site was primarily intended for patients grappling with the medical and emotional aspects of infertility. The group also advocates insurance coverage for infertility treatment. (http://www.americaninfertility.org)
Pluses: Patients going through infertility treatments will appreciate the down-to-earth descriptions of reproductive medicine. In the stories about the emotional aspects of infertility, the language is sensitive and caring.
Minuses: There are only a few pages of stories on fertility and reproductive medicine. Some links, such as the page of therapists, are broken.
Best feature: Besides stories on the basics of infertility care, this site offers articles about when to consider adoption. Message boards cover topics including women over 40, donor embryos, and male infertility.
IVF Connections
About this site: Facing infertility is always stressful, but IVF Connections offers the encouragement and support that comes from knowing you aren't alone. Connect with others through the site's frequent chats, private email lists, or nine heavily trafficked bulletin boards. There's also a Q&A section on the various stages of IVF treatment and links to articles on current medical research. (http://www.ivfconnections.com/)
Pluses: You can share your own IVF experience, success story, or poem.
Minuses: There are no bulletin boards or resources for partners.
Best feature: Check out the bulletin boards for IVF support.
Fertile Thoughts -- Infertility
About this site: Fertile Thoughts is a great site for anyone trying to have a baby. It contains information on infertility treatments, insurance issues, and support systems. Other parts of the site cover surrogacy and adoption. (http://fertilethoughts.net/ft/infertility/)
Pluses: FAQs cover such helpful topics as low-tech ways to conceive, pregnancy tests, and in-vitro fertilization.
Minuses: It's hard to read the tiny letters on the left-hand navigation column.
Best feature: The infertility chats and bulletin boards are a good place to find a sympathetic ear.
Miracle Babies Online
About this site: Do you have questions about infertility? Mark Perloe, a physician and author of "Miracle Babies," has put most of his fertility treatment book online where you can read it for free. (http://www.ivf.com/tocmb.html)
Pluses: Chapters cover everything from finding the right doctor to coping with the stress of treatments.
Minuses: Each chapter loads as one l-o-n-g page.
Best feature: The handy infertility glossary defines hundreds of terms you might encounter at a fertility clinic
New York Online Access to Health (NOAH)
About this site: NOAH is a project developed by New York libraries and educational institutions to make reliable health information available to underserved health consumers. The site culls articles from a wide variety of other Web sites. The section on pregnancy and infertility covers everything from causes of infertility to egg donation.
Pluses: There’s an extensive section on prenatal care, plus a pregnancy calculator to help figure out your baby’s birth date.
Minuses: Some pages are difficult to download.
Best feature: A section on topics of special interest for parents that covers everything from the baby's first year to the basics of good discipline.
