Dr. Nam Lee urges couples to rethink fertility care with new book

Fertility specialist Dr. Nam Lee is using her new book, Stop Calling Me Infertile, to push for earlier attention to male fertility and a whole-couple approach to conception. The message matters because fertility struggles often place the testing, treatment and emotional burden on women first.

Why it matters: - Fertility conversations have long centered on women, even though conception depends on both partners. - Lee argues that earlier attention to male reproductive health could change how couples approach infertility, testing and treatment. - The book also reframes infertility as a diagnosis, not an identity, which may ease some of the emotional burden on women.

What happened: - Dr. Nam Lee published Stop Calling Me Infertile and is using the book to spotlight the often-overlooked role of male fertility. - Lee is a fertility specialist and author based in Newport Beach, California. - The book calls for couples to view fertility as a shared health issue from the start.

The details: - Male fertility challenges can involve sperm concentration, movement, morphology and other reproductive factors. - Lee says couples benefit when male reproductive health is discussed earlier instead of waiting until women complete extensive testing and treatment. - The approach also emphasizes the months before conception as a time for both partners to focus on nutrition, sleep, exercise, stress, smoking, alcohol use and other modifiable factors. - Lee said, “When a couple struggles to conceive, the woman often carries the physical testing, treatment, and emotional burden.” - Lee said, “But fertility is not just a women’s health issue. We need to look at both partners from the beginning.” - Lee said, “We spend so much time asking, ‘What is wrong with her?’ I want couples to start asking, ‘How can we support both of us?’” - Lee said, “A diagnosis is information. It should not become a woman’s identity.” - Lee said, “And fertility should never automatically become her burden alone.” - The book is available here.

Between the lines: - Lee is not rejecting reproductive technology or conventional fertility care. - The larger argument is for a broader, earlier, and more balanced fertility conversation that includes both partners. - After more than two decades working with fertility patients, Lee says the process can become dominated by test results, age, ovarian reserve and treatment timelines.

What's next: - Lee is continuing to promote integrative fertility and preconception care through Lee Acupuncture. - The book is positioned to keep male fertility and couple-based care in the discussion around infertility. - Lee works with women and couples seeking support for fertility and preconception care.

The bottom line: - Lee wants infertility to be treated as a shared medical issue, not a woman’s burden alone.