by Diane D. Aronson

About the author: Diane D. Aronson is executive director of Resolve: The National Fertility Association, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group.

What is the most important concern in your life.? For many people, the answer would be family. If you are a couple with a vision of building a family, the condition of infertility can interrupt this basic human desire. Infertility is a life- changing crisis that affects more than 10 percent of the reproductive-age population in the United States. Having children and raising a family, which comes easily to many couples, can be a heartbreaking challenge for those afflicted with infertility.

Infertility is a disease of the reproductive system which affects both men and women; it is not elective or selective. It strikes people in all walks of life, and it crosses racial, ethnic, religious...