If you are someone that is dealing with the issue of infertility and difficulty conceiving, take heart.  You are not alone.  As a matter of fact, it?s estimate that one in every ten couples struggles with this same problem ? that?s over 5 million couples in the U.S. alone!

 

But if you?re ready to speak to your doctor about a possible infertility treatment, you may want to consider if there are some natural ways that you can attempt to fix this problem on your own before getting medical intervention.

 

A Lifestyle Change is the Easiest Infertility Treatment

 

First of all, it may seem unrelated, but when you stop smoking you are really giving yourself the best infertility treatment there is imaginable.  Smoking damages your body in so many ways, and not just in the area of your lungs.  The poisons and toxins from cigarette smoke get absorbed in your bloodstream, and from there travel to every cell of your body, including your reproductive system.  These poisons can choke out the vital processes necessary not only for a woman to ovulate, but for a man to produce healthy sperm as well.

 

Additionally, your diet and your level of physical activity can also play a great role in your abilities to conceive.  It may not seem like much of an infertility treatment, but exercise gets your blood moving properly, and this blood brings antioxidants and necessary nutrients to all areas of your body, including your reproductive systems.  Also, loading up your body with heavy, high-fat foods is going to do damage to this system as well.  You?re probably familiar with what saturated fat does to your arteries; however, did you know that it can do the same type of eroding damage to parts of your reproductive system as well?  So cutting out those high-fat, deep-fried foods and replacing them with fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is always recommended.

 

Reducing Stress

 

Infertility is not simply all in your head.?  There are medical reasons why a couple may have problems conceiving.  However, reducing stress is another great lifestyle change that is also an effective infertility treatment.  This is because stress chokes out necessary oxygen from your body?s cells, and reduces blood flow to some areas well.  Your reproductive systems need this good blood and oxygen to function properly.  Additionally, stress can interfere with a woman?s healthy ovulation, and cause a man?s sperm to be malformed, both of which are of course barriers to conception.

 

And Also Try ?

 

Another natural infertility treatment you can try is a home ovulation predictor.  Although it is physically possible for a woman to get pregnant even when she is not ovulating, it?s much easier for her to do so when she is.  A home ovulation predictor can tell when this is the case, and of course sexual activity should occur at this time. 

 

It would be shortsighted to dismiss any of these natural infertility treatments, as even your own doctor will probably recommend that you try these avenues first before undergoing any type of invasive surgeries.

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Infant’s Life And Health At Risk In Post-Term Pregnancies, UCSF Studies Show
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Pregnant women who are stressed, particularly late in pregnancy, have an increased risk of their child going on to develop asthma. So finds a British study conducted on a cohort of over 5,800 families and presented in Berlin at the Annual Congress of the European Respiratory Society (ERS). Very anxious pregnant women are 65% more likely to have a child who later develops asthma than mothers with a lower level of anxiety.

If you are a woman who is experiencing what you think are reproductive challenges, or you?ve already been given the diagnosis of infertility from your OB/GYN, then it?s important for you to separate the facts from the fiction when it comes to the causes of infertility in women.  After all, if you find yourself believing something that is not true or not applicable in your case, you may wind up wasting precious time ignoring the real problems.

 

So what are those common myths when it comes to the causes of infertility in women?  And better yet, what is the truth about those beliefs?  Let?s examine a few here.

 

Myth:  It?s all in your head.

 

This myth may have developed over the years as some couples have dealt with infertility for some time, and then eventually were able to conceive on their own.  Others may view this as a reason to believe that reproductive problems are simply stress related or that a couple is being overly sensitive to their situation.  Yes, stress and such things can be pinpointed as one of the causes of infertility in women, but it certainly is not the only cause, and not even the most common!

 

Advances in modern science that can plainly pinpoint different problems with a man?s or a woman?s reproductive system should have squelched this myth years ago, but unfortunately it seems to continue to thrive.  Despite the abilities we have to look deep into the body?s reproductive system and find even the smallest of defects which can be one of the causes of infertility in women, some still think it?s simply a mental challenge.

 

Myth:  Miscarriage is a common cause of infertility in women.

 

First of all, it?s important to remember that in most cases of miscarriage, there was nothing the woman could have done to prevent it.  Rarely is it ever caused by stress, overworking, and the like.

 

It?s also important to remember that miscarriage itself is really not a cause of infertility of women; most doctors regard it as simply a possible symptom of a larger problem.  Many miscarriages that are caused by such things as exposure to environmental and workplace hazards, such as high levels of radiation, hormonal problems, uterine abnormalities, incompetent cervix, and severe medical conditions can be considered a symptom, as these are some of the common causes of infertility in women as well.

 

Myth:  If you?ve already had a baby, you?re not infertile.

 

Secondary infertility is the term used by doctors to describe the condition of a couple having problems conceiving even after they?ve already had a child, so this is something that is rather common.  Some causes of infertility in women don?t manifest itself until after a pregnancy or even more than one, so again, this is simply an untrue statement.

 

Any woman who is truly concerned about her own reproductive issues should address this with her doctor, and her doctor alone.  Being led along by these myths regarding the causes of infertility in women is dangerous and certainly wastes valuable time, money, and emotional energy.

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Music therapy can reduce psychological stress among pregnant women, according to research just published in a special complementary and alternative therapy medicine issue of the Journal of Clinical Nursing. Researchers from the College of Nursing at Kaohsiung Medical University, Taiwan, randomly assigned 116 pregnant women to a music group and 120 to a control group.

Don?t believe the myth that infertility is all in your head.  Most causes for infertility have medical roots in the reproductive systems of the man or the woman, or can be a combination of problems form both.  To get a better understanding of how this can happen, let?s look at some of those common causes for infertility.

 

For Men

 

In men, the most common causes for infertility are sperm disorders.  These problems include:

 

Low sperm count.

 

This is probably the most common of the causes for infertility in men.  Sperm are very fragile and most don?t make their trip through the woman?s system.  This is why most men produce millions of them at a time, however, the less a man produces, the less chances he?ll have to be able to impregnate a woman.

 

The only way to get an accurate sperm count for a man is to be tested at a doctor?s office.  The amount of ejaculate or size of a man?s genital organs have nothing to do with actual sperm count.

 

Certain lifestyles, like increased alcohol intake and smoking, can also have a negative effect on sperm count and are some of the most common causes for infertility.  Men who are 40 or older often have decreased fertility.

 

Low sperm motility

 

This is a problem commonly referred to as slow? or sluggish? sperm.  The sperm do not move as well as they should and so do not make the entire journey through a woman?s system in order to fertilize the egg.  This is also one of the most common causes for infertility in men.

 

For Women

 

There are many causes for infertility and reproductive issues for women, from simple reasons to those that are more complicated.  Here are the most common:

 

Anovulation.

 

This refers to a lack of ovulation, or release of eggs from the ovary.  The major cause of anovulation is a condition called polycystic ovary disease, or PCOS.  This is the most common of the causes for infertility in women.

 

The fallopian tubes and endometriosis.

 

Another of the causes for infertility is the inability of the fallopian tubes to carry eggs from the ovary to the uterus, usually due to scar tissue or a condition called endometriosis.  Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus (the endometrial stroma and glands, which should only be located inside the uterus) is found elsewhere in the body.  Endometriosis lesions can be found anywhere in the pelvic cavity: on the ovaries, the fallopian tubes, and on the pelvic sidewall.

 

For Both Men and Women

 

Age is one of the major causes for infertility in both men and women.  In women, fertility declines with age, and even more so after the age of 35.  Conception after age 45 is possible but rare. 

 

Obesity is also one of the causes for infertility for both men and woman.  Many studies have also begun to link a man?s excessive body weight with his inability to produce healthy sperm.  Cholesterol is damaging to his sperm count and breaks down the health of the sperm that is present.

Pregnancy Does Not Affect Mother’s Cognitive Function, New Study
Pregnancy and motherhood may make us all go a little gooey, but it’s not turning mums’ brains into mush according to mental health researchers at The Australian National University. The study - conducted by the Centre for Mental Health Research (CMHR) at ANU - suggests that despite fears mothers may have that pregnancy affects their cognitive functions, there is no evidence to suggest that is true.

New Prenatal Blood Tests To Diagnose Down Syndrome Could Replace Existing Invasive Procedures
Two separate research teams each have developed techniques for noninvasive prenatal blood tests for Down syndrome that have yet to produce a false negative or a false positive result, the New York Times reports.

New Zealand Medical Association Welcomes Maternity Action Plan, With Reservations
The New Zealand Medical Association today welcomed the release of the Maternity Action Plan consultation document and Wellington maternity review. Major changes have occurred to New Zealand’s maternity system over the past 20 years, at a time when maternity care was not a high priority with the Ministry of Health. There has been no monitoring of the effects of these changes, and inadequate data collection systems, said Dr Mark Peterson, the NZMA’s maternity spokesman.

When a couple are experiencing problems with conception, there is usually a good chance that their doctor can pinpoint their exact reasons for infertility ? and we say reasons, plural, because sometimes there are actually more than one simple reason.  For example, many people assume that conception problems are simply a woman?s issue, perhaps because she is the one who is completely responsible for pregnancy.  However, common reasons for infertility are typically about 50/50 between the man and woman, meaning that it may very well be the man?s problem just as commonly as it is the woman?s.

 

However, there are some other rather common reasons for infertility that no one seems to want to talk about.  This is probably due in part to the fact that these reasons are somewhat embarrassing to many people, or they deal with issues that people don?t want to change; it can be easier for them to simply say that it?s a medical issue rather than a lifestyle issue.

 

For example, one of the more common reasons for infertility that people don?t care to discuss has to do with smoking.  Many people don?t want to talk about their smoking and their problems with conception, usually because they simply don?t want to give up those cigarettes!  It?s easier for them to convince themselves that it must be something else, and that way they don?t need to address this habit.  Also, if they were to be told that their smoking is interfering with their plans for conception, then they may feel guilty or feel as if they are letting their partner down.

 

One of the other embarrassing reasons for infertility has to do with body weight.  Doctors are now finding out that there is a very strong link between obesity and issues with conception.  While there is much yet to be discovered, it?s thought that when men and women are obese, the practices that keep them such ? poor diet, lack of regular physical exercise ? also harms their bodies in ways that medical science had not previously known was possible.  Some of the reasons for infertility being interfered with by body weight include the fact that harmful cholesterol adheres not only to the heart?s arteries, but to the many small vessels that are involved in the reproductive system.  Excessive body weight puts undue pressure on the uterus and fallopian tubes, interfering with ovulation (the dropping of an egg from the fallopian tubes to be fertilized) and with a fertilized egg then implanting itself to the lining of the uterus as well.  If this does not happen, a fertilized egg can be miscarried before a woman even knows she is technically pregnant.

 

What is truly sad about these common reasons for infertility is that they are preventable with some simple lifestyle changes.  Yes, it?s difficult to stop smoking and to lose weight, but if it means finally being able to conceive and achieve your dream of bringing a child into the world, you would think that potential parents would do whatever they could to correct and address these potential reasons for infertility as soon as they possibly could.

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The US government’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced its first ever guidelines for physical activity for Americans that say adults should have 2.5 hours of moderate physical aerobic exercise a week, and children should have an hour or more of physical activity a day. The new HHS publication is titled “2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans”; it covers all ages, and it can be downloaded from the HHS website.

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Pregnant women who are stressed, particularly late in pregnancy, have an increased risk of their child going on to develop asthma. So finds a British study conducted on a cohort of over 5,800 families and presented in Berlin at the Annual Congress of the European Respiratory Society (ERS). Very anxious pregnant women are 65% more likely to have a child who later develops asthma than mothers with a lower level of anxiety.

UT Southwestern Selected As Study Center For National Children’s Study
UT Southwestern Medical Center has been chosen as a study center participant in the National Children’s Study, which will examine the effects of environmental and genetic factors on child and adult health. The National Institutes of Health-led study is the largest of its kind to be conducted in the U.S.

When a couple are facing problems with reproduction and conception, it?s very shortsighted and medically inaccurate to assume that it must always be the woman?s problem.  Infertility in men is the cause of reproductive issues in about half of the cases reported, so if you and your partner are having problems conceiving, you do well to investigate the common causes for infertility in men so as to handle these issues promptly and completely.  Here are the most common causes:

 

Low sperm count ? the most common reason for infertility in men.

 

Yes, men typically have millions of sperm that they produce during each sexual encounter, however, these sperm are very fragile and very few actually survive the journey through a woman?s system to reach an egg to fertilize.  This is why it?s necessary to produce those millions!  But in reality, any one sperm reaching an egg to fertilize it is like winning the lottery ? there are millions of tickets sold, but it?s unlikely that any one is the winner.  So, having a lower than normal sperm count makes it that much more difficult for conception to take place.  Since this is the most common reason for infertility in men, chances are that a doctor would want to take a sample of a man?s semen to test the sperm count before doing any other tests.

 

Low sperm motility.

 

To a human, the journey through a woman?s system to reach the egg dropped by the fallopian tubes is miniscule.  But to the tiny microscopic sperm, it may as well be miles long!  Any sperm that are not able to push themselves to get through that journey are going to die off before they make it, and again, sperm are very fragile to begin with.  Low sperm motility may not be the most common reason for infertility in men, but it is common enough that again, doctors will want to check the abilities of your little swimmers? to make sure they can make it through their long journey.  If not, alternative means of conception may need to be explored.

 

Malformed sperm.

 

If the sperm are not formed properly, they will not be able to propel themselves along to make that arduous journey.  Malformed sperm is a common reason for infertility in men, and may also be one of the more common reasons for low sperm motility.  However, it?s important to remember that malformed sperm doesn?t mean that a child conceived with it is going to somehow be malformed or that this is a cause for birth defects; it simply means that again, there may need to be an alternative form of conception that is explored rather than relying on the natural course of action.

 

Blocked sperm ducts.

 

Many people mistakenly assume that every time a man ejaculates during sexual activity, that this contains sperm.  This is not necessarily true; only about 1-2% of a man?s semen is actually sperm.  Blocked sperm ducts are another common reason for infertility in men; he has no sperm at all in the ejaculate in these cases.

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Women who receive one to one instruction on how to contract the pelvic floor muscles and practice pelvic floor muscle exercises with health professional supervision are less likely to suffer urine leakage during or after pregnancy. A systematic review from The Cochrane Library suggests that these exercises are effective for preventing and treating incontinence.

UNC And N.C. Roles Expanded In Landmark Children’s Health And Development Study
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has added three more areas of North Carolina and is expanding the role played by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in a long-term, wide-ranging study of the nation’s children.

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Nicotine gum might help pregnant women who smoke reduce the number of cigarettes they smoke, which could reduce their risk of having premature or low-birthweight infants, according to a small study recently published in Obstetrics and Gynecology, USA Today reports.

Facing the challenges of reproductive issues is a difficult situation for any couple.  Tests and treatments can be expensive and downright unpleasant.  Sometimes, for some couples, there is no one cause of infertility that the doctors can pinpoint and then subsequently correct.  This can be frustrating and downright disheartening.  But for most, there is something that shows up on a test result that can then be treated properly.  It may be a low sperm count or poor sperm motility for the man, or a lack of ovulation or damaged uterus for the woman.  There may actually not even be a cause of infertility at all, if the couple are not engaging in regular (twice per week on average) unprotected sexual activity over the course of many months or even a year; some couples are under the mistaken belief that you get pregnant every time you have unprotected sex, and are just assuming that after a few times of trying, then there is obviously a medical problem.

 

But for many, there is something that is going on, either with their reproductive systems or with some other cause of infertility that perhaps they are bringing upon themselves.  Of course, no one likes to hear that they will need to make some changes or that some choices they?ve made in their own lives has been a long-standing cause of infertility for themselves, but really, this is something that should be empowering.  If you yourself are bringing your reproductive issues into your life with a few bad habits, then you can change those habits and eventually realize your dream of having a baby ? and possibly without drugs, medicines, medical intervention, surgery, and the like.

 

So then, what is the biggest and most common cause of infertility that most people just don?t want to hear about?  In a word, it?s smoking.

 

Smoking is one of the most damaging habits you can have overall, when talking about any healthy problem whatsoever.  There are over 4,000 chemicals that are produced when a cigarette is burned; over 250 of these are toxic and more than 50 are known carcinogens.

 

One of the reasons that smoking is a cause of infertility is because these toxins and carcinogens enter the bloodstream and are then transported to every area of the human body, every single cell, and this means the reproductive system as well.  These toxins can interfere with a man?s sperm count, cause his remaining sperm to be malformed, give him low sperm motility, and even decrease his circulation enough to cause impotence.  For a woman, smoking interferes with the fallopian tube?s natural abilities to drop an egg or ovulate, can damage the eggs she has, and can also damage the uterus, making it impossible for that fertilized egg to attach itself.

 

This is just a partial list of why we can rightly say that smoking is a leading cause of infertility.  Again, no one wants to hear that perhaps they need to make a change in their habits, but if it means finally being able to conceive that child that you dream of, doesn?t it make it all worthwhile?

BJOG Release: The Effects Of A First Miscarriage On Future Pregnancies
New research to be published in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology examines the effects of a miscarriage on subsequent pregnancies. Miscarriage (or spontaneous pregnancy loss) is defined as pregnancy loss before 24 completed weeks of gestation. There is a 20% (one in five) risk of pregnancies ending in a miscarriage in the first three months and one in 100 women have recurrent miscarriages (three or more successive miscarriages).

Urine Leakage Prevented Before And After Pregnancy By Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercises
Women who receive one to one instruction on how to contract the pelvic floor muscles and practice pelvic floor muscle exercises with health professional supervision are less likely to suffer urine leakage during or after pregnancy. A systematic review from The Cochrane Library suggests that these exercises are effective for preventing and treating incontinence.

UNC And N.C. Roles Expanded In Landmark Children’s Health And Development Study
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has added three more areas of North Carolina and is expanding the role played by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in a long-term, wide-ranging study of the nation’s children.

The Basics of Eating Well When Pregnant

It is hard to believe that women do have a hard time eating healthy when they are expecting a visit from the stork. The sad truth is some women find it very hard. There is a trick though to remember how to eat throughout your pregnancy and it is as easy as ABC.

Assortment is the first key. It’s been said that variety is the spice of life. Keeping your diet filled with assortment of fruits, vegetables and protein will help make sure that you and your baby don’t get too much of one nutrient and not enough of another. Eating a daily variety of healthy foods will give your growing baby and daily assortment of necessary nutrients.

Balance is the next thing to keep in mind. We all know that balance and moderation is the key to any diet. There is no reason to deny yourself a bowl of ice cream but the whole container is over doing it. You want to keep all your meals as balanced as possible and make sure you are getting enough vitamins, whole grains and lean protein. Eating one and not the other is not going to help you or your baby in any way shape or form. Indulging in cravings is fine every now and then as long as you keep it in moderation, if you want a cookie, have one. If potato chips are your craving, have a few. It is when you eat the whole box of cookies and the whole bag of chips in one sitting that you might have a problem.

The third key is color. You want to make your plate look as colorful as possible. Look at fresh fruit and veggies to paint your plate. The more colorful your plate is, the more appeasing it is going to look to your eyes. Have you ever noticed in magazines and cooking shows the dishes always look so tasty? This is because of the variety of color that are used in these dishes. You can get red strawberries and tomatoes to yellow peppers and squash. Pick your favorite colors and create your dishes based on that.

Forget about dieting while you are pregnant. You and your baby need a steady supply of calories and nutrients through out the nine months of pregnancy and beyond. Pregnancy is one of the only times where a woman is expected to gain weight. Trying to prevent that weight gain can not only put you at risk, but also your baby at risk. You will have all the time in the world after your baby comes to lose the weight, but for nine months don’t even think about the word diet.

If you find you that you are getting sick of the food you have been eating, then it’s time to start experimenting with different foods. Pregnancy is a time to expand your eating horizons as well as your waistbands. Plus with food aversions, you might find yourself turning green at some of your favorite foods and craving foods you never dreamed you would eat. You may find that the thought of pizza can send you running for the toilet, but place a dish of brussel sprouts in front of you and you are in heaven.

Lastly, have fun with your food. Eating should be fun. Nothing will ruin your good habits faster than boredom. Add little touches like a dip for your veggies. Enjoy your food and try not to gulp it down. This will help avoid heartburn too! When you decide to treat yourself, leave the guilt at the door. After all, you are growing a person inside of you and decide a treat now and then for all your hard work.

New Prenatal Blood Test For Down Syndrome
US scientists have developed a non-invasive way to detect chromosomal disorders such as Down Syndrome in a fetus that only needs a sample of the pregnant woman’s blood and therefore does not carry the risk of miscarriage of more invasive methods.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Risk Decreased With Use Of Fan
Using a fan while an infant is sleeping in a room with inadequate ventilation can decrease the risk of that infant dying of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), according to a report released on October 6, 2008 in Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Sudden infant death syndrome, sometimes called cot death or crib death, describes the unexpected, unexplained death of an apparently health infant.

Nicotine Gum Might Help Pregnant Women Who Smoke Reduce Cigarette Consumption, Study Says
Nicotine gum might help pregnant women who smoke reduce the number of cigarettes they smoke, which could reduce their risk of having premature or low-birthweight infants, according to a small study recently published in Obstetrics and Gynecology, USA Today reports.

Unplanned Teen Pregnancy

Having a child is a blessing, and the moment you have them you start thinking of their future, thinking of their growth into adolescence, becoming grade A students, getting a successful career and good family or something like that. You would hardly ever think of your teenage daughter getting an unplanned pregnancy because they decided to have unprotected sex as teens. It is not likely that you would ever suspect your child to be having sex unless you discover condoms or home pregnancy kits laying in the trash can or in their rooms. However, you can get a good idea of what your child knows about sex, and about how to prevent unplanned teen pregnancies by talking to them and educating them. Let them know that all their future plans will be put on hold if they do happen to have an unplanned teen pregnancy. That means their dreams will be put on hold, their career, and probably their high school diploma. Having an unplanned teen pregnancy is certain to change a young girl’s life in dramatic fashion and this could be permanent. Even the life of young men are known to change in much the same vein as they will need to be financially responsible at a very young age as they support their young wife and child. You should educate your child and impart to them the knowledge of pregnancy and that unplanned pregnancy is preventable and should be avoided at all costs.

Using Birth Control

There are many options out there when it comes to birth control, which can prevent unplanned teen pregnancy. There are birth control pills, there’s the shot, there’s the IUD, there are condoms and there’s even the morning after pill. There are so many options that you wouldn’t even think that unplanned teen pregnancy will occur. Yet the unplanned teen pregnancy epidemic is growing exponentially. More and more young women are getting pregnant and it’s mostly from lack of education. Educate your child about these methods of birth control, teach them to make use of them and that they are always available, in case times arise that sex is unavoidable.

Smart Decisions

Teach your child that if they are ever faced with a situation in which they are about to have sex, they should stop and assess the situation. This is not going to be easy as sexual desire can easily cloud the mind as far as rational thinking goes. But it can be done. Let your child know that when they engage in sexual activities that there are chances for an unplanned teen pregnancy. Let them know that it is not wrong to have sex, instead educate them on how be smart about it if they intend on pursuing sex. Teens will always want to have sex and they are likely to do it, it is a fact that we cannot hide from. The more you educate your teen, however, and the more you discuss with them how much their lives will change with an unplanned teen pregnancy, the less likely you’ll be faced with raising a baby having a baby.

For some couples, they have tried to make all the lifestyle changes they possibly can, and realize that medical intervention is the only viable option for them.  In this case, what are some common fertility treatments for these couples?  What are the side effects, and are they typically successful?

 

Assisted Reproduction Fertility Treatments

 

Assisted Reproduction is the phrase used in the medical community to describe medical intervention for couples facing infertility.  Here are some common fertility treatments and how they work:

 

Intrauterine Insemination (IUI).  This procedure which is also known as artificial insemination is often combined with hormone treatments to boost egg production, and can help couples with low sperm count, unexplained infertility, or cervical mucus problems.  Semen is collected, and then delivered via a catheter inserted through the women’s vagina and cervix to her uterus.

 

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF).  IVF may help those with pelvic or tubal damage, or male infertility.  It is the most commonly used of all the fertility treatments available.  The woman takes drugs to stimulate egg production, which are surgically removed.  Then eggs and sperm (from her partner or a donor) are collected and combined outside the body, and inserted into her body to develop after fertilization takes place.  “In vitro” means “in glass” (that is, in a test tube or laboratory dish).

 

Sperm Donation.  Fertility treatments do also include those necessary when a male partner is not present or does not have viable sperm.  This procedure is performed using sperm from a typically anonymous donor; of course, a sperm donor can be a male friend or associate.

 

Donated Egg.  This can help those whose infertility problems are due to premature menopause or some other disruption of ovulation.

 

Surrogacy, Traditional and Gestational.  In traditional surrogacy, another woman carries and gives birth to a baby conceived with her egg and your partner’s sperm (through artificial insemination).  In gestational surrogacy, the surrogate carries and gives birth to a baby conceived with your egg and your partner’s sperm, then transferred as an embryo to her womb.

 

Fertility Treatments Available for You

 

The proper procedure that is best for you and your partner is one that only you or the two of you together can decide on, of course with your doctor?s help.  Many of these fertility treatments listed are very expensive, so of course your own personal budget will need to be considered.  Additionally, there are some who have religious beliefs or moral opinions about many of these fertility treatments, and of course this is a personal decision as well.  The bottom line is that while so many of these options are becoming more and more common, and safer as well, the final decision will need to be yours.  After all, you are the one who will need to live with the consequences and responsibility of this decision for the rest of your life.  So, speak openly and honestly with your doctor and be sure that you completely understand all of these many choices so as to make the most informed decision possible.

Anxious Pregnant Women Are More Likely To Have Asthmatic Children
Pregnant women who are stressed, particularly late in pregnancy, have an increased risk of their child going on to develop asthma. So finds a British study conducted on a cohort of over 5,800 families and presented in Berlin at the Annual Congress of the European Respiratory Society (ERS). Very anxious pregnant women are 65% more likely to have a child who later develops asthma than mothers with a lower level of anxiety.

New Survey Shows Pregnant Women Unaware, Misinformed About Flu Shot Benefits During Pregnancy
Despite national health experts’ long-standing recommendation that women receive a flu shot while pregnant, three-quarters of women responding to a new national survey are unaware or unsure of these recommendations, and only 20 percent of those who are currently pregnant plan to get a flu shot this influenza season.

Key Role In Largest US Children’s Study To Be Played By UT Health Science Center At Houston
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston will play a key role in local recruitment for the largest child health study in the United States. The National Children’s Study will follow 100,000 children across the United States from before birth through age 21 to identify genetic and environmental factors that contribute to health disorders and conditions of childhood and adulthood. Across Harris County, 2,000 women will be recruited during pregnancy.

Prenatal and Pregnancy

Prenatal vitamins are one of the most important vitamins that you take through out your pregnancy. Ideally, you should start taking prenatal vitamins when you are trying to conceive a baby. By taking prenatal while you are trying to conceive, you are preparing your body for the challenging task that lies ahead. Some experts believe that taking prenatal before you are pregnant might actually reduce your risk of a miscarriage after you become pregnant.

Taking prenatal before pregnancy is not always possible for some people, but taking them during pregnancy is essential. Prenatal vitamins contain one of the most important nutrients that a new mother needs and that are folic acid or folate. By taking in extra folic acid, you lower your chances of your baby being born with an incomplete spinal column which is known as spina bifida. In order for your baby to be protected, it is imperative that folic acid is taken in the first four weeks of fetal development.

This can be a problem for women who do not take prenatals before they are pregnant. Most of the time, most women do not know they are pregnant until after they missed their period which is about two weeks after conception. This is why if you are of child bearing age, you should make it a habit of taking folic acid even if you are not planning to become pregnant and we all know that not all pregnancies are planned.

You can still get your folic acid in food. Folic acid is added to many breads and pastas and is found in dark green and orange fruits as well as vegetables. Keep in mind though that taking a daily supplement of folic acid offers more protection from spina bifida then eating the same amount of folic acid in food.

While you are pregnant you should aim to take at least 600mcg of folic acid a day. If you have had a baby with a neural tube defect, you will have to take 4000 mcg or 4 milligrams of folic acid every day, starting at least a month before you get pregnant.

Some women report that they can not take their prenatals especially in their first trimester. Women who suffer from morning sickness and food aversions find that they can not eat much food. Taking a prenatal on an empty stomach can leave you feeling sick and queasy which is why so many women in the first trimester do not take them. Another reason some women report upset stomachs is due to the high iron level that some prenatals have. Not only could this cause an upset stomach, this can also lead to constipation which can already be a problem for some pregnant women.

If you find that you can not take your prenatal, talk to your doctor to see if he can give you a prenatal with less iron or give you a folic acid supplement also. The worst thing you could do is not take anything, especially during those first few weeks.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Risk Decreased With Use Of Fan
Using a fan while an infant is sleeping in a room with inadequate ventilation can decrease the risk of that infant dying of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), according to a report released on October 6, 2008 in Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Sudden infant death syndrome, sometimes called cot death or crib death, describes the unexpected, unexplained death of an apparently health infant.

Interracial Asian-White Couples Have Distinct Risks For Gestational Diabetes, Caesareans, Study Finds
Couples in which one of the partners is Asian and the other is white have distinct pregnancy-related outcomes when compared with white couples, according to a study published in the October issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reuters Health reports. The study, by researchers from Stanford University’s

Canadian Program Provides Care To HIV-Positive Pregnant Women, Aims To Reduce Mother-to-Child Transmission
The CP/Yahoo! News on Tuesday examined the Positive Pregnancy Programme, a Canadian initiative created to provide HIV-positive pregnant women with care, resources and support. Jay MacGillivray, a midwife with