Big Fat Negative by Emma Haslett and Gabriella Griffith
femme's book-club pick is Big Fat Negative: The Essential Guide to Infertility, IVF and the Trials of Trying for a Baby, an honest account of infertility, IVF and assisted reproductive treatment.
Written by femme health.
Why this book matters
Around 1 in 7 couples may have difficulty conceiving, according to the NHS. For people who expected pregnancy to happen quickly, months or years of trying can turn familiar milestones into an emotional rollercoaster.
Emma Haslett and Gabby Griffiths draw on their own experiences of infertility and treatment, challenging some of the unhelpful advice and silence that surround the subject.
What does “Big Fat Negative” mean?
Within fertility communities, BFN is shorthand for a negative pregnancy test. For somebody who has been tracking ovulation, going through treatment or waiting through another two-week wait after ovulation, one line can carry far more than a simple test result.
The book captures the grief, anger, dark humour, friendship strain and relentless logistics that can sit behind repeated negative tests, while refusing the idea that infertility is something people should feel ashamed of.
More than the medical process
Big Fat Negative covers the science and practicalities of infertility and IVF, but its strength is also the parts that do not fit neatly into a clinic appointment: maintaining friendships, dealing with pregnancy announcements, work, relationships and the comments people make when they do not know what to say.
It is written to make people going through the process feel less alone, whatever the outcome.
Our book-club takeaway
This is a candid, funny and compassionate guide for anyone living with fertility challenges, and a useful read for friends or relatives who want to understand what trying to conceive and fertility treatment can actually feel like from the inside.
Is Big Fat Negative a fertility guide?
Yes, but it is deliberately broader than a clinical fertility handbook. It combines explanations of infertility and IVF with the emotional and practical reality of repeated negative pregnancy tests, treatment decisions and trying for a baby. That mix is what distinguishes the book from a purely medical guide.
Further support
For current TTC tools and support, browse femme's fertility and pre-conception support range.
NHS: Infertility
HFEA: UK fertility treatment information
