Infertility-Fertility Over 40

Organochlorines Cause Sperm Abnormalities

2012-01-27T05:00:00.000-08:00

I don't think most of us really think about how much our day to day exposure to chemicals can affect our fertility. Organochlorines are things we come into contact with every day. This article talks about how they can affect men's fertility and there is a link below on how you can minimize your exposure:

www.sciencedaily.com

From the article:

The research was published online on Dec. 21, 2011 in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

The researchers studied 192 men who were part of couples that were sub-fertile, to see if the men with higher levels of organochlorines in their blood showed evidence of increased rates of sperm abnormalities. They looked for sperm disomy, which occurs when sperm cells have an abnormal number of chromosomes. While all men have a certain number of sperm with such abnormalities, researchers found that men with higher levels of DDE and PCBs had significantly higher rates of sperm abnormalities.

"This research adds to the already existing body of evidence suggesting that environmental exposure to certain chemicals can affect male fertility and reproduction.

For more information on organochlorines and how to reduce your exposure, click here:

www.leaflady.org

Poor Oral Health May Lead To Fertility Problems

2012-01-26T05:00:00.000-08:00

Most of us don't associate our teeth with our fertility, but harmful components of poor oral health can get into your bloodstream affecting much more than your teeth. Read more:

medicalnewstoday.com

From the article:

If you leave it too long before removing plaque and tartar, the bacteria causes an inflammation called "gingivitis", where the gums appear red and swollen, and bleed. At this stage, daily brushing and flossing and visits to the dentist can restore oral health. But eventually, if not attended to, the disease moves to a stage where tissue and bone are affected: this is periodontitis, which literally means "inflammation around the tooth".

In periodontitis the gums pull away from the teeth and little pockets develop that become infected. The bacteria and plaque starts to grow below the gum line, causing the immune system to respond. Toxins from the bacteria and immune system activity start to attack the tissue and bone that hold teeth in place, and they become loose.

But these destructive agents also get into the bloodstream, which may explain why gum disease is linked to increased risk of a number of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, respiratory and kidney disease, and also, miscarriage and premature birth.

About one in ten people is thought to have severe periodontal disease. The best way to prevent it is to brush and floss your teeth regularly.

Hart suggests the reason the non-Caucasian women were the most affected was because they appeared to have the highest level of inflammatory response when suffering from gum disease.

Reflexology for Fertility

2012-01-25T05:00:00.000-08:00

If you're not familiar with reflexology, it involves certain points on the hands and feet which correspond with body systems. My DVD has a segment on reflexology (for more information click here: Fertility Bodywork.) These points can be massaged to stimulate the body system that isn't functioning properly. Read more about how reflexology can help those who are trying to conceive:

Reflexology: can it aid fertility?by CHRIS BROOKE, Daily Mail(www.dailymail.co.uk)

Doctors had told them Mrs Chapman had a hormone problem which meant fertility treatment would be a waste of time.
But the 40- year-old mother remembered she had read somewhere that reflexology could help with infertility.
With nothing to lose, she had three months of foot massage and, at the end of her course, was delighted to hear that her hormone levels had returned to normal.
She soon became pregnant and gave birth to second son Fraser five months ago. While doctors insist there is nothing to prove the alternative therapy was responsible, she is sure it worked.
Mrs Chapman, who also has a four-year-old son called Jake, said: 'I am convinced I wouldn't have become pregnant without the reflexologist's help. I was absolutely shocked, but obviously delighted, to find I was pregnant after being told we couldn't have a second child. It's a dream come true.'
Mrs Chapman, from Deepcar, Sheffield, said she was 'devastated' to be told she would never conceive again.
'I was told that there was no point in attempting IVF treatment because it would be a waste so I would have to resign myself to the fact that we couldn't have another baby,' she added. A hormone test - which indicates if a woman is entering the menopause - showed levels were too high, suggesting her ovaries had stopped producing enough oestrogen, which controls the reproductive cycle.
To become pregnant, a woman needs a hormone rating of ten or below but Mrs Chapman's was above 25. Following reflexology, however, it dropped to below eight

Discontinue Fertility Treatments, Get Pregnant?

2012-01-24T05:00:00.000-08:00

Wow, I've witnessed this phenomenon numerous times especially when I ran an infertility support group. It seems like when people take a break from fertility treatments or discontinue them altogether, they get pregnant. At first, I thought it was just coincidence, but according to this article, it's a documented phenomenon. I realize some couples with certain physiological problems must go through fertility treatments to conceive, but for those in the unexplained category, this article may be of interest. Read more:

www.psychologytoday.com

From the article:

In fact, emotional stress is the second-most frequently cited reason for dropping out of infertility treatment, trailing only financial constraints. It's not that the treatments are difficult, but that the people undergoing them simply can't take the conception-related pressure for long. In one Swedish study, a group of couples having trouble conceiving was offered three free cycles of IVF. Fifty-four percent dropped out of the program before completing all three cycles. The reason most commonly given was psychological stress. In an Australian study, couples offered six free IVF cycles completed only 3.1, on average; again, stress and mood effects were the top reasons cited for dropping out.

When treatment and its attendant stresses stop, pregnancy occurs often enough to be a documented phenomenon. A 2004 study from the Netherlands found that 26 percent of women who chose to drop out of fertility treatment after their first cycle went on to become pregnant without further treatment. Thirteen percent of women who dropped out after the second treatment cycle also became pregnant afterward.

Exactly how perceived stress results in reduced fertility is still sketchy, but the links in the chain of causation are becoming clearer. Negative emotions can kick stress hormones like cortisol into overdrive. Those stress hormones, in turn, alter physiology in ways that can be at odds with conception—by lengthening the menstrual cycle, for instance.

The Two Day Method of Pinpointing Fertility

2012-01-23T05:00:00.000-08:00

If you're trying to conceive, it's probably no secret that your cervical mucus is an important factor in monitoring your most fertile time. The following article discusses something called the "two day" method which is thought to outperform urinary testing kits. Read more:

Simple Way Of Identifying The Likeliest Days To Conceive(www.aphroditewomenshealth.com)

From the article:

Analysing cervical secretion and time to pregnancy data obtained from a large multinational European database - the European Study of Daily Fecundability - they were able to demonstrate that intercourse is unlikely to result in a conception if vaginal dampness is not noticeable on that day or the day before.

All a woman has to do is to notice when she has any vaginal dampness, not associated with menstruation, intercourse or disease. Women wishing to avoid pregnancy should avoid unprotected intercourse unless they have not had vaginal dampness for 2 days.

This algorithm, which was developed by the Institute for Reproductive Health at Georgetown University, is called the TwoDay method. The research teams used their data to analyse the relationship between the presence of noticeable secretions and the daily probabilities of pregnancy in cycles when intercourse was on a given day relative to the identified ovulation day. The TwoDay method differs from other symptom-based natural family planning methods in that it is not necessary to keep detailed records of cervical mucus characteristics and basal body temperature. This simple algorithm may outperform expensive urinary kits, which can miss the majority of the fertile interval that occurs one or more days prior to ovulation.

The Ins and Outs of Detoxification

2012-01-20T05:00:00.000-08:00

I frequently hear about "detoxification". To a certain degree, I believe in the concept, however, as this article explains, there may be quite a bit of misinformation out there. Read more:

www.cleveland.com

From the article:

Tamara MacDonald, a naturopathic physician who practices in Brunswick, thinks that some people aren't able to detoxify chemicals and toxins naturally because their systems aren't working well for one reason or another. Couple this with the daily "assault" of chemicals in the modern world, and it's easy to see why people benefit from detoxification, she says.

MacDonald, who does a supplement-based detoxification once a year with her husband, is wary of poorly researched techniques like foot baths and colonics. She also thinks that people should steer clear of fasting techniques like the popular "Master Cleanse," a 10-day detox plan that consists of nothing but lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper.

"One of the worst things that you can do for your body in terms of detoxification is doing a fast," she said. "That was the idea about 20 or 30 years ago, but we know now that your body actually needs specific nutrients to be able to perform its job of detoxification."

Dr. Tanya Edwards, director of the Cleveland Clinic's Center for Integrative Medicine, believes fasting has helped some of her rheumatoid arthritis patients, however, and says she wouldn't rule it out for others, particularly those who overeat.

"Sometimes I'll have patients who come in and they've just abused their bodies and they're gluttonous and they feel like crap," she said. Edwards said many of these patients feel a lot better after two or three days of fasting and a mild herbal laxative like senna, "just to get their systems completely clear."

"Brain fogs clear out, their aches and pains go away, and they feel amazing."

For most patients, Edwards starts with a change in diet - a whole-food diet heavy on the fruits and vegetables, with lots of water and as much fiber as possible.

Probiotics Can Help Fertility

2012-01-19T05:00:00.000-08:00

Who would have thought that having the right balance of intestinal bacteria could help balance hormones? More evidence that our lifestyle and diet can greatly improve our fertility. Read more:

Probiotic Food (www.targetwoman.com)

From the article:

Probiotic advantage

Probiotics help keep up the balance between harmful and beneficial bacteria in the gut thus maintaining a healthy digestive system.

Helps to remove gas and decomposes waste.

Consumption of probiotics is very useful and beneficial for people who have taken antibiotics for a long time.

Traveling abroad means facing travel induced diarrhea, probiotics help the body tackle this condition with ease.

Probiotics help in stimulating the immune system thereby reducing infections.

Useful in the treatment of diarrhoea and infections in the GI tract.

Improves digestion of lactose and deals with lactose intolerance. Also improves overall digestion and in particular is good for improving digestion of fats, carbohydrates and proteins.

Helps prevention of colon cancer and prevents growth of substances that cause cancer.

Lowers cholesterol and blood pressure in the human body.

Helps improve mineral and nutrient absorption and reduces inflammation.

Controls growth of harmful bacteria under stressful conditions.

Plays a role in balancing sex hormones thus improving fertility.

Infections such as athlete's foot, candidiasis etc that is caused by yeast is kept at bay.

Controls growth of pathogenic bacteria and virus.

Crushes toxins and produces antibodies and anticarcinogens.

Spontaneous Conception During IVF

2012-01-18T05:00:00.000-08:00

Just when you're in the throes of fertility treatments, guess what? You find out you're pregnant (and you conceived on your own). I've known many couples who got pregnant while on a break between IVF or IUI cycles. As a matter of fact, when I ran an infertility support group, I would estimate as many women conceived naturally as did with assisted reproduction. But that brings up another problem. What happens if you're on those powerful fertility drugs and you spontaneously conceive? Here's an article about a couple that wound up having quads when that very thing happened:

Doctors Issue Alert Over Spontaneous Natural Conception While Undergoing IVF (www.aphroditewomenshealth.com)

From the article:

It has led them to warn that couples undergoing IVF, in which the woman has healthy fallopian tubes and the man has normal semen parameters, should be cautioned against having unprotected intercourse once the initial few days of ovarian stimulation by drugs has passed...

... He said that multiple pregnancies were medically undesirable for any patient and especially for those unwilling to undergo foetal reduction. "It may be prudent to caution IVF patients with no tubal or semen abnormalities against unprotected intercourse once the early days of ovarian hyperstimulation are over, especially if they will not consider foetal reduction in the event of a multiple pregnancy."

Fuits and Veggies Essential For Mens Fertility

2012-01-17T05:00:00.000-08:00

A healthy diet can help sperm. No surprise to me, but so much focus is put on the health of a woman trying to conceive that I think people forget that sperm needs to be healthy too. Here's an article about a study which found that infertile men had a low intake of fruits and vegetables. Read more:

Guys, eat fruits and veggies to improve fertility
Men who don't get enough produce have lower sperm motility, study says (www.msnbc.com)

From the article:

Forty-eight infertile men and 10 fertile men who had fathered children in the last year completed questionnaires about their diets. Results showed that 83 percent of the infertile men had a low intake of fruits and veggies, defined as fewer than five servings a day, compared with 40 percent of the fertile men.

And overall, men who ate the fewest fruits and veggies had the lowest sperm motility.

“We think that sperm quality is affected by dietary antioxidant intake,” said study author Dr. Vivian Lewis, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Rochester in Rochester, N.Y.

Antioxidants, like those found in fruits and vegetables, may help prevent damage to sperm that causes them to become sluggish and lose the ability to fertilize an egg, she said.

In particular, the antioxidants glutathione and cryptoxanthin, which are prevalent in brightly colored produce such as leafy greens, tomatoes, peppers and oranges, were associated with strong, healthy sperm, Lewis said.

She recommended that men hoping to father children eat “a variety of fruits and vegetables, at least five servings a day.”

Dr. Rebecca Sokol, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, who was not affiliated with the study, said it’s prudent for men trying to impregnate their partners to improve their diets. It could potentially help their sperm, and it certainly helps their overall health, she said.

Fertility and Green Tea - Conflicting Information

2012-01-16T05:00:00.000-08:00

I've written before about whether or not green tea can enhance fertility. Here is an interesting article that gives reasons why green tea may both help or hurt fertility. I'll admit, it's confusing. In my case, I did drink some green tea while trying to conceive, however I probably didn't drink it in the amount that would make a difference either way. Read more:

Green Tea and Making Babies (www.greenteaphd.com)

From the article:

How can drinking green tea increase fertility?

A study done by the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program in
Oakland, California revealed that the chances of conceiving
doubled for woman who daily drank more than one- half cup of
green tea containing caffeine (American Journal of Public
Health, 1998). Because this wasn't the case for the other tested
caffeinated beverages, caffeine wasn't deemed the causing agent.
Some credit was given to the possibility that the polyphenols
and hypoxanthine, compounds found in tea, resulted in a greater
number of viable embryos, and increased maturation and
fertilizability of oocytes.

Another conclusion of this study was that the healthy lifestyle
of many green tea drinkers, such as regular exercise and
decreased smoking and fat intake, might also play a role in the
enhanced fertility levels of the test subjects.

How can drinking green tea decrease fertility?

Tannic acids, an element found in green tea, have been shown to
cause fertility problems and greater chances at miscarrying.

While not an "initial" fertility situation, rumor has it that
EGCG, the main disease-fighting antioxidant known as catechins
in green tea that have been found to impede the growth of
tumors, might also effect the blood vessel growth of a
developing embryo.

Another post-fertility issue related to an excessive intake of
green tea involves the increased rate of birth defects.

Past studies have concluded that coffee consumption increases
the risk of miscarriages and that caffeine intake enhances the
negative effects of alcohol intake on fertility. While not
directly related to green tea, caffeine is the potential cause
of such problems.

Perfectionism, Poor Diet = Functional Hypothalamic Amenorrhea

2012-01-13T05:00:00.000-08:00

So what is functional hypothalamic amenorrhea? That's a fancy way of saying that stress may stop your periods. The thing I love about this article is that it points out that many women aren't even aware that they are under stress. That was me. I was under such pressure for so long, I just thought that was how life was supposed to be. Read more about how you can reverse irregular or nonexistent periods by changes in your lifestyle:

Soaring stress hormones hit fertility (news.bbc.co.uk)

From the article:

The balance of hormones is vital for women wanting to conceive, and stress can throw this out of place.

Many of these women are not even aware they are suffering from stress, say doctors.

But many share similar characteristics, such as a tendency towards perfectionism, and choosing a poor diet.

A team of researchers from the Magee-Women's Research Institute in Pittsburgh looked at women suffering from functional hypothalamic amenorrhea (FHA).

These patients have wildly irregular or absent periods - often going as long as two years or more without one.

It is not caused by physical defects with the reproductive system, and doctors have suspected that stress might be the root in some cases.

A group of 14 women suffering from the condition were tested, and elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol were found in many.

Nearly all recovered

Seven were then treated with behaviour therapy and diet counselling, and seven were not.

Of the seven women treated, six fully recovered normal menstrual cycles, and one partially recovered.

How A Mediterranean Diet May Help Your Fertility

2012-01-12T05:00:00.000-08:00

I've heard about how the Mediterranean diet can help with weight loss, but it can also help with fertility. This article talks about how it can clear sugar out of the bloodstream and help balance hormones. Read more:

www.babyzone.com

From the article:

Rich in so many of the vitamins and minerals you (and your baby-to-be) will need to stay nourished during pregnancy, foods commonly consumed as part of a Mediterranean diet include tomatoes, spinach, olive oil, chickpeas, whole grain pasta, rice, fish, and chicken. These foods are less sugary than processed foods, notes Dr. Chavarro, but certain ingredients in these foods also play a special role in keeping hormone levels balanced and healthy.

"The Mediterranean diet contains nutrients that help your body clear sugar from the bloodstream while using less insulin to do this job. This makes it easier for the body to keep the balance of reproductive hormones," says Dr. Chavarro.
The Research

To track the effects of a Mediterranean-style diet on fertility, Spanish researchers looked at over 2,000 women, some with fertility problems and others who had already become pregnant and given birth. When women's fertility and eating habits were matched up, only 17 percent women who meticulously followed a Mediterranean-style diet said they'd experienced trouble getting pregnant, while 26 percent of women who followed the diet least closely—and instead ate more processed foods and fatty meats—ended up with fertility problems.

Lisa Loeb Pregnant at 43

2012-01-11T05:00:00.001-08:00

Credit: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic/spinner.com

Congratulations to Lisa Loeb! Although I'm not a music connoisseur (listen mostly to talk radio),and not too familiar with her work, I'm happy to welcome her to the over-40 and pregnant club! The article doesn't mention whether or not she underwent fertility treatment, but it's an accomplishment nonetheless! Read more:

www.spinner.com

From the article:

I grew up with a big family, so I'm excited for Lyla to have a sibling!" the 43-year-old tells People. The past few years have seen the actress/vocalist get married in 2009, debut her signature line of eyewear and release her first children's book. Despite her hectic schedule, Loeb says that she always puts her family first. "It's a little bit of a challenge to try to balance my work with my family, but my family comes first."

WI-FI Radiation May Damage Sperm

2012-01-10T05:00:00.000-08:00

Those poor little sperm! They are so sensitive to so much of our newer technology. I've written before about how laptops can be bad for fertility, but it was mainly thought that this was because of the heat. However, this article talks about a new threat from WI-FI Radiation. Yikes! Read more:

www.naturalnews.com

From the article:

Published in the medical journal Fertility and Sterility, the study looked at how radiation emitted from wi-fi laptops impacts sperm health. Researchers in Argentina took semen samples from 29 healthy men, and they measured sperm motility after four hours of exposure to wi-fi radiation from a laptop wirelessly connected to the internet. Sperm in the control group was kept at the same temperature for the same amount of time, but was not exposed to wi-fi radiation.

Of the sperm exposed to the wi-fi radiation, 25 percent stopped swimming. Only 14 percent of unexposed sperm ceased to swim after four hours. Wi-fi sperm also showed 9 percent DNA fragmentation, or irreversible damage in the genetic code, while sperm in the control group only showed 3 percent.

Electromagnetic radiation is a product of wireless communication, and researchers suggest this radiation may be causing sperm damage. "We speculate that keeping a laptop connected wirelessly to the internet on the lap near the testes may result in decreased male fertility," say the researchers in their report. They also recommend more studies be done to examine the long-term impact of wi-fi radiation on sperm in a real world setting.

Defective Gene In Men Makes Conception Difficult

2012-01-09T05:00:00.000-08:00

The discovery of a gene defect may explain why some couples have difficulty getting pregnant even when everything looks okay. A defective gene in sperm may make it more difficult to fertilize an egg (although not impossible). Read more:

www.bbc.co.uk

From the article:

The genetic change is in a gene called DEFB126, which codes for a protein that clings to sperm, helping them swim through the woman's body to fertilise the egg.
Abnormal sperm These sperm look normal but have more difficulty getting to the egg

Researchers believe men with the defective gene have sperm that find it harder to make their way through mucus, causing low fertility.

A study of more than 500 married couples in China found that women who had partners with two copies of the defective gene (one from the mother and one from the father) were less likely to get pregnant.

The women also took longer to get pregnant by a couple of months.

Further studies, carried out in people from the US, UK, China, Japan and Africa, found the gene mutation is common around the world.

About half of all men carry one copy of the defective gene; while a quarter have two defective copies.

Frozen Embryos Increase Risk Of Ectopic 17 Times

2012-01-06T05:00:00.000-08:00

Wow, I was astounded to read this article about how frozen embryos increase the chance of ectopic pregnancy. I had two ectopics, which both were the result of IVF. Statistically, there is a higher risk of ectopic with IVF, but frozen embryos have a 17 times greater risk! If ectopic pregnancies rupture, it can be life threatening. Read more:

www.independent.co.uk

From the article:

Using frozen embryos in fertility treatment raises the risk of a potentially fatal ectopic pregnancy by 17 times, researchers have found.

Using frozen embryos in fertility treatment raises the risk of a potentially fatal ectopic pregnancy by 17 times, researchers have found.

Scientists had thought that the risk of ectopic pregnancy was only slightly increased for frozen embryos compared with the use of "fresh" embryos. The American researchers said they had been surprised by the results and were not sure of the reason.

Alison Cook, a spokeswoman for the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, which regulates fertility treatment in Britain, said the study was a "serious concern". "We have never come across these figures before. We will be studying the research," she said.

When a woman first has IVF treatment, doctors usually transfer between one and three "fresh" test-tube embryos into the uterus.

In the past 10 years technology has meant that increasing numbers of couples are choosing to freeze some of the created embryos, giving them a chance of trying further IVF cycles if the first one fails. After the first attempt, women can use the frozen embryos without having to go through the painful process of hormone treatment, egg retrieval and fertilisation for a second, third or even fourth time.

Frozen embryo storage also allows patients having chemotherapy treatment and other women to create fertilised embryos and delay motherhood until they want to try for a family.

Doctors are becoming increasingly concerned at the effect of the freezing process on embryos. Last month, the fertility expert Lord Winston called for more research, and warned that some women were, in effect, being experimented on before the dangers were known.

A study carried out by Lord Winston's team at the Hammersmith Hospital in west London has shown that some types of embryo freezing may alter behaviour of a gene that supresses tumours. Delaying the transfer of embryos to a mother - another technique used in some clinics - also seemed to interfere with genes in animal experiments, he said.

The new study by scientists at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, to be presented to the annual confe- rence of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine in Texas today,has revealed more concerns. The researchers compared 2,452 cycles of IVF using fresh embryos, with 392 using frozen transfers. They found that 1.8 per cent of the fresh cycles led to an ectopic pregnancy, compared with 31.8 per cent of the frozen attempts.

Hormone Disrupting Food Additives

2012-01-05T05:00:00.000-08:00

Yikes! Now there's more to watch out for in our food supply. This very recent article talks about some food additives which can affect fertility. Read more:

Two Food Additives Have Previously Unrecognized Estrogen-like Effects
ScienceDaily (Mar. 5, 2009) — Scientists in Italy are reporting development and successful use of a fast new method to identify food additives that act as so-called "xenoestrogens" — substances with estrogen-like effects that are stirring international health concerns.

From the article:

They used the method in a large-scale screening of additives that discovered two additives with previously unrecognized xenoestrogen effects.

In the study, Pietro Cozzini and colleagues cite increasing concern about identifying these substances and about the possible health effects. Synthetic chemicals that mimic natural estrogens (called "xenoestrogens," literally, "foreign estrogens") have been linked to a range of human health effects. They range from reduced sperm counts in men to an increased risk of breast cancer in women.

The scientists used the new method to search a food additive database of 1,500 substances, and verified that the method could identify xenoestrogens. In the course of that work, they identified two previous unrecognized xenoestrogens. One was propyl gallate, a preservative used to prevent fats and oils from spoiling. The other was 4-hexylresorcinol, used to prevent discoloration in shrimp and other shellfish. "Some caution should be issued for the use of propyl gallate and 4-hexylresocrinol as food additives," they recommend in the study.

Abraham - Trying To Conceive For Two Years

2012-01-04T05:00:00.001-08:00

If any of you have watched the video, "The Secret", you may have seen Esther Hicks. She "channels" the teachings of "Abraham". I realize that many of you may not believe in this sort of thing, but whether you believe or not, there are many words of wisdom to be heard on their audio and video recordings. I starting listening to Abraham tapes back in the early 90's when they first started out (this was before the internet really took off) and I still refer back to them today (when I can find an old cassette player!) I believe that these teachings helped me conceive by pointing out that your personal "vibration" needs to match what you are trying to attract. Here is a clip of one of their recordings:

Happy New Year!! Be Back 1-4-12

2012-01-02T05:00:00.000-08:00

Click Here For Another Adorable Animation From Jacquie Lawson:

www.jacquielawson.com

Have a safe holiday weekend...be back on 1-4-12.

2011 A Year In Review - What I'm Thankful For

2011-12-30T05:00:00.000-08:00

I've written before about how you need to acknowledge what you do have to attract what you want in your life. I spent many years wanting a baby and part of realizing what might have been "the impossible dream" (i.e. 44 with only one fallopian tube)was to take a hard look at the positive aspects of my life. Many of us fall into the trap of only looking at what we don't have. I assure you, our lives could be much worse. So, here is a list of what I've been thankful for in 2011 (there's 20 things here, but I could think of many more). You'll notice some things are little and some are big. That's okay. Just get into the mindset of gratitude. You'll be surprised how it helps you achieve the impossible.

1. I'm thankful every minute of every day that my daughter selected me as her mother
2. I'm thankful that I never gave up hope of having a baby - even though I was slammed by the medical community
3. I'm thankful that every miscarriage I had didn't incapacitate me and I kept listening to my internal "knowing" that I would have a baby.
4. I'm thankful I have a husband who has stuck by me through all the hard times
5. I'm thankful I have a home
6. I'm thankful I have a car
7. I'm thankful I have extended family close by
8. I'm thankful I have this blog with thousands of readers from all over the world
9. I'm thankful for my south facing windows which keep the house warm with solar heat
10. I'm thankful for my close friends
11. I'm thankful for my computer which I actually know how to use now
12. I'm thankful I like healthy food
13. I'm thankful that I'm in good health
14. I'm thankful for all the new technology which has come about in my lifetime which has made life easier
15. I'm thankful for my kickboxing class
16. I'm thankful for my part-time college teaching job which allows me to be a stay-at-home mom
17. I'm thankful for for my good neighbors
18. I'm thankful for the mountain in back of my house
19. I'm thankful for my fuzzy robe I wear in the morning when I'm freezing
20. I'm thankful that I'm thankful

Well...that's a start for me, how about you?

Reflexology For Fertility

2011-12-29T05:00:00.000-08:00

My DVD called "Fertility Bodywork" has everything from fertility yoga, pelvic massage, to acupressure and reflexology which you may perform on yourself. I thought this article might be of interest from the UK's Daily Mail. One reflexologist claims an amazing success rate. Read more:

Is reflexology the new cure for infertility?by ANDREA PERRY
(www.dailymail.co.uk)

From the article:

Reflexology, a traditional healing art dating from the ancient Egyptians and Chinese, involves manipulation of pressure points in the hands and feet and is often used to ease period pain, headaches, sinus and back problems as well as the effects of chemotherapy.
Practitioners claim the soles of the feet are like a mini map of the inside of the body and are linked to our inner organs and systems, including the fallopian tubes and ovaries. By massaging different points on the feet therapists claim they can unblock energy pathways in the body and so help the body to regain its natural balance and heal itself.
Some points on the foot are associated with a woman's egg production and by manipulating these areas reflexologists claim they can correct the imbalances which can hamper pregnancy.
The latest research, a two year clinical trial at the IVF unit at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, is the brainchild of reflexologist Jane Holt. She approached the unit after 13 of the 23 women she treated with a range of fertility problems fell pregnant last year

For more information on my DVD, click here: Fertility Bodywork

Seaweed For Fertility and More

2011-12-28T05:00:00.000-08:00

Here is an article written by Susan Weed about the benefits of seaweed. If you scroll down to the bottom of the article, it also gives some recipes. Seaweed helps many bodily systems and functions including hormonal balance. Read more:

www.herbshealing.com

From the article:

SEAWEED IS A WAY TO GET YOUR JUICES FLOWING

Daily use of seaweed provides optimum nourishment for the hormonal, lymphatic, urinary, and nervous systems. The hormonal system uses minerals and trace elements so richly available from seaweed to repair tissue, build new cells, and create hormones responsible for regulating blood pressure, metabolism, fertility, sexuality, and reaction to allergens, to name but a few.

The lymphatic and immune systems are avid partakers of seaweed’s splendid feast of nutrients. Combined with this optimum nourishment, the communication enhancing effects of seaweed further enhance response time and strength in the immune system. This reduces opportunist bacterial and viral infections and helps prolong youth and vitality, not to mention joy and ease in life.

The urinary system gets a special boost from seaweed’s seeming excess of potassium and sodium. Those with cystitis, kidney weakness, gout diabetic kidney ills, and bladder weakness find health / wholeness / holiness with seaweed and Wise Woman Ways.

The nervous system relaxes in the presence of seaweed’s mineral abundance. Seaweed creates an inner environment where nerve signals flow more smoothly and where brain chemicals are produced as needed: to maintain alertness, increase memory, reduce pain, and provide a sense of buoyant bliss. (Envision the head sized floats of kelp bobbing on a gently undulating sea.)

Some Sodas Contain Bromine Leading To Reduced Fertility and Toxicity

2011-12-27T05:00:00.000-08:00

With all the holiday parties and with new year's eve coming up, I'm sure many of you will drink some soda along the way. Think twice about over indulging - according to this article, some sodas can cause some pretty adverse side effects including reduced fertility. Read more:

scientificamerican.com

From the article:

After a few extreme soda binges—not too far from what many gamers regularly consume—a few patients have needed medical attention for skin lesions, memory loss and nerve disorders, all symptoms of overexposure to bromine. Other studies suggest that BVO could be building up in human tissues, just like other brominated compounds such as flame retardants. In mouse studies, big doses caused reproductive and behavioral problems...

...Brominated flame retardants lately are under intense scrutiny because research has shown that they are building up in people's bodies, including breast milk, around the world. Designed to slow the spread of flames, they are added to polystyrene foam cushions used in upholstered furniture and children's products, as well as plastics used in electronics. Research in animals as well as some human studies have found links to impaired neurological development, reduced fertility, early onset of puberty and altered thyroid hormones...

...a study confirmed that bromine was building up in humans. Researchers measured the serum levels of people in the United Kingdom—where BVO was in use—and in their counterparts in the Netherlands and Germany, where BVO was not used.

"During this time UK citizens had higher bromine serum levels compared to the inhabitants of Germany and the Netherlands," Vetter said. The largest amounts of lipid-bound bromine were found in tissues from children in the UK, according to the study.

Happy Holidays! Be Back 12/27/11

2011-12-23T05:00:00.000-08:00

Have A Wonderful Safe Holiday!

CLICK HERE FOR SOME HOLIDAY FUN:

www.JACQUIELAWSON.COM

Infertility: Tis the Season??

2011-12-22T05:00:00.000-08:00

Tis the Season for having salt rubbed into your wounds. If you're trying to conceive, all those happy families joyously pictured in the cute and clever Christmas/Holiday greeting cards is tough. Then there's the never ending dissertations about how everyone's kids are the star player on their soccer team, the brightest kid in class, the most popular kid in school, etc. etc. etc. It's enough to make you want to tell 'em all:

"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR BIG HAPPY FAMILY, GOT IT???"

I recall getting some of those two page "bragging" letters inside Christmas cards...there they sat, still folded and never read until it was time to put the holidays to rest.

Well...many fertility bloggers write about how to survive the holidays this time of year (myself included). But the whole Christmas card thing got me thinking about something that might be encouraging for those who are in the throes of infertility. I thought about some of the Christmas cards I got this year... not from people with big happy families but from people with small happy families. These are people who cried together, felt hopeless together, and thought becoming a parent would never happen. I'm talking about some of the women who were in the infertility support group I ran before I conceived my daughter. Granted, all of their kids are still very young, but there's none of those awful bragging letters. They usually just send a picture and you can sense the true appreciation they have for their child/children.

I'm not saying that other people don't appreciate or love their kids, but you definitely see a difference between families where the kids were conceived easily or unexpectedly and the families where the couple's had a harder time. In some ways, I think these couples know that they've been given an incredibly special gift and bragging or taking it for granted will create some type of universal backlash. True appreciation is a rare thing, and one benefit, at least for me, of waiting six years for my daughter is that I truly have a profound appreciation of new life.

So the moral of the story is, even though it's frustrating and heartbreaking to go through the agony of waiting to get pregnant...sometimes months...sometimes years, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. You come through it with more insight and knowledge than you can imagine.

More Evidence That Fertility Treatments May Not Be Any Better Than Trying Naturally

2011-12-21T05:00:00.000-08:00

I'm always glad to see articles such as the one below which confirm my choice to conceive naturally. I realize that some couples may need fertility treatments depending on their diagnosis, however, for couples who are diagnosed with "unexplained" infertility, the natural route may be best. I have this article posted on my website, but if you haven't seen it, here it is. Read more:

Infertile advised 'keep trying'
Couples experiencing difficulties may still conceive naturally
Some couples having difficulty conceiving are better off continuing to try for a baby the natural way, say fertility experts.(BBC News)

From the article:

"Unexplained fertility problems - where no obvious abnormalities can be found - account for about 40% of female infertility and 8-28% of infertility in couples.

Data suggests that there is a 33-60% chance that such couples will conceive naturally over three years.

The latest study, by Pieternel Steures and colleagues at the Academic Medical Centre in Amsterdam, focused on couples with unexplained fertility problems who were estimated to have a 30-40% chance of conceiving spontaneously within 12 months.

The estimations were based on the woman's age, how long the couple had been experiencing subfertility and the results of lab tests, including sperm analysis.

Half were randomly assigned to the fertility treatment for six months and the other half were asked to carry on trying to conceive naturally for six months.

The fertility treatment, intrauterine insemination (IUI) with controlled ovarian hyperstimulation, involved using drugs to make the woman's ovaries produce eggs and inserting her partner's sperm directly into her womb.

With the fertility treatment, 42 (33%) women conceived and 29 (23%) had ongoing pregnancies. Similarly, in the group that carried on trying to conceive naturally, 40 (32%) women conceived and 34 (27%) had ongoing pregnancies.

Therefore, in terms of successful pregnancies, the fertility treatment added no benefit. Given the serious health risks associated with this form of assisted reproduction, expectant management would be a better option for these couples, say the authors.

Infertility, Sometimes You Need To Cry

2011-12-20T05:00:00.000-08:00

I wrote before about how crying is actually a good thing for your physical and emotional health (see my previous post TTC? Have a Good Cry".)

Here is another article about how you may need to cry and how to create a safe time and place:

How to Cope When You Need To Cry
Creating a Safe Time and Place For Crying
By Rachel Gurevich, About.com

From the article:

Don't Hold Back The Tears
Putting on a false smile isn't going to create a miracle. And feeling sadness over the loss and frustration that infertility brings does not negate the goodness in our lives. You can be thankful for what you have, and still feel sadness over what you don't. These aren't contradictions.

When you need to cry, it's important to let yourself do so. Holding in sadness doesn't make it go away. Instead, it eats up the emotional energy you have to cope with and face your daily life. Tears find their way to sneak out, sometimes at the worst moments. Sometimes, sadness that is held in may present itself as anxiety or panic.

On the other hand, you don't want the sadness eating away at your life. When things are really difficult, it can help to choose a contained period of time to let the tears out. It may seem strange -– scheduling in some time to cry. But it's surprisingly effective and freeing.

Infertility: Fa la la la la blah blah blah blah

2011-12-19T05:00:00.000-08:00

No, that's not my orginal title, it comes from an article written by Katie Boland who wrote: "I got pregnant, you can too". I posted this article last year, and I wanted to post it again during this holiday season. Even though trying to conceive unsuccessfully for many years isn't the least bit funny, the title of the article made me laugh. Oh how I felt like a big Scrooge every Christmas (it seemed like every holiday season was right after a miscarriage or failed fertility treatment). Katie gives some good advice for dealing with the holidays:

Fa la la la la blah blah blah (www.mindbodyfertility.com)

Handling The Holidays While You're Trying To Conceive

2011-12-16T05:00:00.000-08:00

Many many articles have been written about handling the holidays while you're going through infertility. Here is a good one with some suggestions on how to deal with relatives and the onslaught of holiday greeting cards and festivities:

parentdish.com

From the article:

"One of the most painful experiences of one's life is the inability to conceive or stay pregnant," Burris tells ParentDish. "During the holidays people love to tell stories about their children -- what their children are doing in school, athletic achievements and funny anecdotal stories."

To help ease the heartbreak and tensions throughout the holiday season, Burris and other experts offer key survival strategies:

Smooth talk: Find a subtle way to let family members know that, yes, you are trying, but you'd rather focus on enjoying the holiday instead of talking about it right now, Elan Simckes, M.D., for Fertility Partnership of St. Peters, Mo., tells ParentDish.

"If your relatives don't get the message -- we all have that sweet-but-a-little-obtuse aunt, right? -- think of a short answer to the question before heading to the party, so you won't be put on the spot with nothing to say," Simckes says. "Be armed with other interesting news or information to share with your relatives, so you can give your answer to the baby question and then quickly turn the conversation in another direction."

Fertility and Health May Be Affected By Popular Laundry Detergents

2011-12-15T05:00:00.000-08:00

I always loved that clean smell in my clothes after washing them in the "fresh scent" laundry detergents. Then there are, of course, all of the claims that your clothes will be cleaner and brighter with many of the advertised brands. However, you may be interested to know that what makes your clothes look and smell so great could be a problem not only for your health and fertility, but also for the environment. Here is an article that discusses some of the dangers lurking in your laundry soap:

The Toxic Dangers of Typical Laundry Detergent (www.sixwise.com)

Here are just a few of the chemicals discussed in the article:

Phenols: According to the National Institutes of Health, phenol is toxic and people who are hypersensitive to it could experience death or serious side effects at very low exposures. Plus, it is rapidly absorbed and can cause toxicity throughout the entire body. Typically, death and severe toxicity result from phenol's effects on the central nervous system, heart, blood vessels, lungs and kidneys.

One common surfactant in U.S. laundry detergents is nonyl phenol ethoxylate (this chemical has been banned in Europe, and was found to slowly biodegrade into even more toxic compounds). Studies have found that this surfactant stimulates the growth of breast cancer cells and feminizes male fish.

Are chemicals in commercial laundry detergents leaving your clothes dangerously clean?

Optical brighteners: These synthetic chemicals convert UV light wavelengths into visible light, which makes laundered clothes appear whiter (although does not actually affect the cleanliness of the clothing). They've been found to be toxic to fish and to cause bacterial mutations. Further, they can cause allergic reactions when exposed to skin that is later exposed to sunlight.

Phosphates: These chemicals are used to remove hard-water minerals to make detergents more effective, and to prevent dirt from settling back onto clothes during a wash. A major problem with them is that, when released into the environment, they stimulate the growth of certain marine plants, which contributes to unbalanced ecosystems. Many states have banned or restricted the use of phosphates for this reason, and you may see laundry detergents advertised as "low-phosphate" or "phosphate-free."

Sodium hypochlorite (household bleach): This is a chemical precursor to chlorine, which is highly toxic and involved in more household poisonings than any other chemical. When it reacts with organic materials in the environment, carcinogenic and toxic compounds are created than can cause reproductive, endocrine and immune system disorders.

Psychotherapy and Infertility

2011-12-14T05:00:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I think we all focus on the physical aspects of getting pregnant when there are other factors at work preventing conception. I've always believed in the mind-body connection and I believe it was a critical piece of my success. Here is a video about a psychotherapist who deals with fertility issues. Watch the video:

Psychotherapy and Fertility

Fertility, The Sun and The Moon

2011-12-13T05:00:00.000-08:00

I've always believed that everything is connected in some way. We are connected to the earth, the sun, the moon and many other forces in the universe. Here is an article about how our cycles are affected by light (and dark) in synchronicity with the sun and the moon:

fertility.amuchbetterway.com

From the article:

Importance of Darkness and Full-moon Light
Many researchers believe that prior to the introduction of electricity into our homes, all women menstruated during the new moon and ovulated during the full moon. This has been proven by studying cultures today that do not use electricity. Women in these cultures sleep in close to total darkness except for the days surrounding the full moon.

The small amount of light from the full moon is enough to halt melatonin production long enough for ovulation to occur. Most women can synchronize with the cycles of the moon in about three to four months by altering the light level while they sleep. Coordinating menstruation not only strengthens your cycle in many ways but it also makes it much easier to pinpoint the optimal timing for intercourse.

Darkness also plays an important role in optimal fertility by triggering melatonin, on most dark nights, which leads to a good nights sleep. Just make sure to prevent overproduction with bright light in the morning.

Deep sleep helps restore and rejuvenate the reproductive system. Lack of sleep can increase cortisol levels, lead to an increased use of caffeine and other fertility reducing substances, disrupt your hormone balance, cause depression which in itself can affect fertility, or it can lead to relationship problems with your partner. In extreme cases sleep deprivation can stop ovulation altogether.

How to synchronize with nature

Get at least one hour of bright sunlight a day
Try to get bright light soon after waking
Use full spectrum indoor bulbs during the winter months
Use a light simulation device 15-30 min morning and night (particularly in winter)
Aim for total darkness at night. Use room darkening shades. Avoid all lights
On the three days of the full moon, try to bathe yourself in soft light while you sleep. A light from a closet, a 75-100 watt nightlight or even opening your blinds to the street light should do the trick.
Try to go to sleep with sun and get up with the sun. You might be surprised if you do not use lights or TV, how sleepy you get.
Make love during the full moon
Keep sleep and wake times consistent and avoid shift work. If you are tracking ovulation signs, then you should taking your basal body temperature at the same time every morning anyway

Egg Quality Determined 24-48 Hours Before Ovulation and Maybe Up To 3 Months

2011-12-12T05:00:00.000-08:00

I have heard that you should start preparing your body for conception up to three months in advance. Although this article states that it's difficult to prove that egg quality is affected this far in ahead, it seems to me that a woman should do everything in her control to produce a healthy pregnancy. Read more:

www.sciencecentral.com

From the article:

The demise of embryos, anywhere from the one-cell to the hundred-cell stage, is largely associated with defects that have occurred in the egg, prior to its fertilization," says Van Blerkom. "So that in fact, you could argue that the stage is set for failure before fertilization."

The difficult part about determining what makes an egg good or bad is that it takes a long time for an egg to mature— about 110 days— and the place it develops, an egg follicle in a woman's ovary, is not an easy place to conduct scientific studies. Researchers are sure, however, that the last 24-48 hours of development, just before ovulation, is the most critical period of development, when chromosomal abnormalities are most likely to occur.

"I think the more pressing concern now is: Could there be insults imposed on the ovary and the development of [the egg] at even earlier times in its development?" says Albertini. "If it takes approximately 100 days to design, build and ensure that [the egg] is going to inherit all the necessary materials that will support embryonic and fetal development, then what impact might there be in not one or two, but even three menstrual cycles before that ovum would actually be released from that ovary?"

FSH May Not Be The Best Measure Of Ovarian Function

2011-12-09T05:00:00.000-08:00

Women who want to conceive later in life seem to live and die by their FSH numbers. However, according to this article, FSH may not be the best measure of ovarian fundtion. There is also something called "inhibin" levels which may provide a more accurate picture. Read more:

Research Suggests New Way To Gauge A Woman's Fertility (new.biomedicine.org)

From the article:

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- New research suggests that measuring the levels of two specific ovarian hormones may help doctors better determine the reproductive potential of older women.

Researchers found that measuring the levels of the hormones inhibin-a and inhibin-b were a more sensitive test of a woman’s ovarian reserve -- or reproductive potential -- than the most commonly used test today. The current test measures the levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH).

“Measuring inhibin levels may be a more accurate way to assess a woman’s fertility,” said Douglas Danforth, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Ohio State University.

Production of inhibin-a and inhibin-b drops as a woman goes through perimenopause, the phase just before menopause. Because the inhibins are produced in the ovaries, they can serve as a direct measure of ovarian function.

The research appears in a recent issue of the journal Fertility and Sterility.

Danforth and his colleagues measured hormone levels in 25 women aged 39 to 52. Women in this age range are usually considered perimenopausal. All subjects still had normal menstrual cycles. Blood serum samples were analyzed for the hormone levels during specific times of the menstrual cycle.

The results showed that levels of inhibin-a and inhibin-b were lower in the women aged 46-52 than in the women aged 39-45. This is consistent with the fact that older women, who are nearer menopause, should have reduced ovarian function compared to younger women, Danforth said. However, the results showed no difference between the older and younger women in terms of FSH levels.

“This suggests that inhibin levels may be a more sensitive gauge of ovarian function than FSH levels

Fertility Alternatives To Western Medicine On The Today Show

2011-12-08T05:00:00.000-08:00

This article was part of a series with MSNBC called "Babyquest". The Today show (part of NBC) did a story about some alternative treatments which helped a couple of women conceive naturally even after failed fertility treatments. Here is a link to the video:

Rethinking Infertility (MSNBC Today Show)

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Can Endometriosis Be Identified With A Pelvic Exam?

2011-12-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

Endometriosis can be a major cause of infertility. However, many women have endometriosis and don't even know it. That was exactly my situation until I had a laparoscopy prior to starting fertility treatments. I've always wondered if there was a less invasive way to diagnose this condition, and according to the article below, there may be signs to look for in a pelvic exam.

Read more:

Pelvic exam for endometriosis (www.webmd.com)

From the article:

Uterus

Results that may indicate endometriosis include the following:

Your health professional may not be able to move the uterus even slightly during the exam, indicating that scar tissue (adhesions) may be binding the uterus.
You have pain or tenderness when the uterus is moved slightly.

Outside of the uterus

Results that may indicate endometriosis include the following:

You have pain when the area between the uterus and rectum is touched.
Abnormal tissue is felt near the uterus or between the uterus and rectum.
The ovaries are painful when touched, are enlarged, or are not movable. This indicates that adhesions may be holding the ovaries in place.
Hardening of tissue is felt.
The folds of skin around the opening of the vagina (external genitalia, labia) have small bluish bumps (lesions).
Lesions are present on the surface of the vagina or cervix.

Some Egg Donors Have Regrets

2011-12-06T05:00:00.000-08:00

Let me say up front that I personally know a number of women (and their children) who have used donor eggs to get pregnant. I realize this is a viable option (and perhaps the only option) depending on your diagnosis. However, sometimes I wonder if the women who decide to undergo the rigors of donating their eggs really understand what the consequences are (some even claim that their future fertility was compromised). This article talks about a survey that was done with women who donated their eggs and their physical and emotional state afterwards. Read more:

Some egg donors have regrets (www.latimes.com)

From the article:

The study, from the University of Washington, examined 80 women from 20 states who had donated eggs from two to 15 years earlier. Participants, whose average age was 30, completed a detailed questionnaire. The researchers found that 16% of women complained of subsequent physical symptoms and 20% reported lasting psychological effects after donation. The physical complaints included bloating, pain, cramping, ovarian hyperstimulation, mood changes, weight gain or weight loss. Several women claimed the process damaged their ovaries, leading to a decrease or loss of fertility.

Psychological repercussions were feelings of attachment to the eggs or to the potential or resulting offspring, concern that a resulting child may want to have a relationship with them and stress resulting from the process. Some complained of being treated callously by clinic staff.

Egg donors are often college students, and they are paid an average of almost $4,000 for their services. The study showed that women who said they were motivated to donate for the money had less satisfying experiences compared with women who said they donated for altruistic reasons. About 19% said their motivations were purely financial and 32% said they just wanted to help others. The remainder of the women said both factors motivated them to donate.

"We were asking these women years later and a feeling of helping may last longer than money," said the study's lead author, psychologist Nancy Kenney, in a news release. "We know if clinics don't offer money, most women won't donate. Great Britain, where there is no paid egg donation program, for example, has a tremendous shortage of donors. But, as one of our donors said, 'If you do this just for money, you'll be sorry.' "

The study also found that a large number of women were not aware of the possible physical risks related to donation. Twenty percent said they did not recall being made aware of the physical risks at the time of their first donation. Young women, in particular, may not fully comprehend the risks, Kenney says. "Risks don't mean much to young women . . . If you are 25 and are told that something may cause cancer when you are 45 that may seem to be forever." More of the women reported being aware of the potential psychological risks.

The study seems particularly relevant during the current economic downturn, as more women might be considering egg donation as a way to make money. One Los Angeles infertility clinic employee I spoke with recently said the number of women enlisting as egg donors has quadrupled in recent months.

Estrogen Dominance Can Be Related To Fertility Problems

2011-12-05T05:00:00.000-08:00

Estrogen dominance is something many women experience in this day and age. We pick up estrogen-like substances from the environment, from our diet which may consist of processed foods or foods tainted with pesticides, and being overweight (like over half the population) only further compounds the problem. All of these factors can lead to hormonal imbalances which can either impair fertility or lead to conditions which ultimately result in infertility.

Here is an excellent resource on the subject of estrogen dominance. Give yourself some time to read through this site. It's one of the best I've come across:

Estrogen Dominance
The Silent Epidemic(www.drlam.com)

From the site:

Peri-menopause is a transitional stage of two to ten years before the complete cessation of the menstrual period (and thus, onset of menopause). Its average duration is six years, and can appear in women from 35 to 50 years of age. Peri-menopause is caused by the declining function of the ovaries, although women are still menstruating. A woman can find herself experiencing puzzling changes, and not know why. What is actually going on is a steep decrease of progesterone with a gradual decrease in estrogen. The manifestations of peri-menopause can vary greatly. Some of the common symptoms include:

Menstrual cycles usually become shorter, longer, or unpredictable the closer the women approaches menopause.
Headaches and breast engorge before period.
Cramping with periods and mid-cycle pain.
Bleeding problems, such as spotting or heavy period.
Weight gain around the waist.
Muscles becoming less firm.
Hot flashes (recur during menopause).
Depression, fear, and apathy.
Nasal congestion, recurrent respiratory infection.
Memory loss and foggy thinking.
Loss of balance and dizziness.
Irritability
Reduced sex drive
Headache.

Are There Any Sperm Friendly Lubricants?

2011-12-02T05:00:00.000-08:00

Lets face it, painful intercourse doesn't help matters when you're trying to conceive. Most of us have heard that vaginal lubricants are a big no-no because they hurt sperm (even if they don't contain ingredients classified as spermicides). This article discusses the research in that area along with one recommendation for a sperm friendly lubricant. Read more:

Infertility and the Use of Vaginal Lubricants: Confused Yet?
by Joanna Ellington, Ph.D., Reproductive Physiologist (www.storknet.com)

From the article:

Additionally, a common misconception is that if a lubricant does not contain a spermicide or if it is water soluble, it will not impair sperm function. Unfortunately, this is completely inaccurate. Water based lubricants often have glycerin (which has been shown to be toxic to sperm) and propylene glycol both of which are highly hyperosmotic. This results in irreversible damage to sperm and a loss in motility after exposure to commercial lubricants. Damage to sperm and subsequent inability of the sperm to penetrate into the cervix following contact with lubricants may prevent conception in some couples, resulting in consequences such as undesired childlessness, or the advancement to more invasive advanced reproduction technologies (all of which carry added economic costs and medical risks). If there is any evidence that a vaginal lubricant can interfere or limit a couple's fertility, it should carry a warning label to avoid its use while trying to conceive, and testing needs to be established by the FDA for any products that claim to not harm sperm. You can read a full report on this topic written by the author to the FDA at http://ingfertility.com/newreports.html.

In contrast, Pre~Seed "sperm-friendly" Intimate Moisturizer was developed in response to the need for a product to replenish vaginal moisture without harming sperm while couples were trying to conceive. Each lot is tested to not harm sperm before it is sold. So if you are trying to conceive, know the facts about vaginal lubricants. They damage sperm and should be avoided. If you need help with dryness, as many couples do, Pre~Seed was developed by a Sperm Physiologist and has several studies presented at National Reproductive Meetings suggesting its "sperm-friendly" nature.

One Woman's Life After InfertilityTreatments Fail

2011-12-01T05:00:00.000-08:00

Many of my readers have gone through the traditional fertility treatment options. I myself went through IVF, inseminatons, medications, surgeries, etc. It's enough to make you crazy and little did I know all I needed was to get healthy physically and mentally. Here is one woman's story of "enough is enough" Read more:

nytimes.com

A Roadmap for Life Without Children

By Shelagh Little

Every woman facing infertility has to decide when she’s had enough, when she has reached her ethical, emotional, and/or financial edge. My sense of self-efficacy dictated that if I researched all the options, sought support from the right professionals and followed their instructions, I’d get what I wanted. I did all of these things to the point of obsession, but our options were running out. Another round of IVF? Egg donor? A surrogate? We really couldn’t afford any more treatments and we were starting to feel queasy about the risks associated with all the drugs and technology. But my main reason for calling it quits was that I was tired of feeling frustrated and desperate. I needed to stop trying so I could get back to living.

Since then, I’ve been reflective about my infertility journey and its aftermath. Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive after a year or more of unprotected intercourse. It isn’t a disability, because you don’t technically need to have children to live a healthy life. For me, infertility is more like a low-level, lifelong bio-psychosocial syndrome. My physical inability to produce children has emotional and social consequences that I struggle with, at least to some extent, every day. Here are some of its manifestations.

Family-lessness. I had thought a child would transform us from a happy couple into a proud family with a house full of love. This was important to me, because I unfortunately do not come from a loving, intact family. And the fact is that family remains the single biggest organizing principle of mainstream life. Just a walk through my neighborhood tells the story. After work, young couples chat on lawns while their children ride bikes and draw on the sidewalk with colored chalk. My husband and I are sidelined, left to feel aberrant. Infertility is a unique kind of loneliness.

Gender dysphoria. Motherhood is still central to womanhood, the magical thing that women’s bodies do. Motherhood is also socially rewarded and is a sort of proxy for femininity. In candid moments, mothers tell you that they liked being pregnant because of all the attention they got. As an infertile, I feel oddly unsexed, especially when I look at pregnant women. I cannot do that (be pregnant), so am I still really a woman? (That’s a hypothetical.)

Friend funk. It is challenging being friends with people who have children. Understandably, people who are devoting their lives to raising children want to talk about their children – the search for a good preschool, where to take a family vacation, how to install a car seat. I don’t relate, and I have nothing to add. At times, being subjected to exhaustive conversations about other people’s kids leaves me so alienated I feel the urge to get up and walk out of the room.

Fertility Chants, Rituals and Spells

2011-11-30T05:00:00.001-08:00

Well, lets take a break from the scientific. Every now and then I come across something that's out of the ordinary, but fun and maybe informative for those who are interested. Here is a link to an article about fertility chants, rituals and spells. If nothing else, it provides positive affirmations and may trigger the "placebo affect":

From Associated Content:

FERTILITY - Ancient Chants, Spell & Rituals
For thousands of years both men and women have resorted to the use of fertility chants, spells and rituals.
View more »

Why Caffeine Hinders Fertility

2011-11-29T05:00:00.000-08:00

It's been well publicized that caffeine can contribute to miscarriage. This article gives an explanation about why caffeine can interfere with conception. I've never heard this explanation before, but it certainly is a good reason to start weaning yourself off if you haven't already:

www.kcautv.com

From the article:

"This provides an intriguing explanation as to why women with high caffeine consumption often take longer to conceive than women who do not consume caffeine," Ward added.

Caffeine is found in coffee, tea, colas, chocolate and certain medications.

Researchers noted that the study's findings, published May 26 in the British Journal of Pharmacology, could further the understanding and treatment of infertility as well as some complications of pregnancy.

Previously, it was thought that eggs moved through the fallopian tubes assisted by hair-like projections called cilia, but this study suggests that specialized pacemaker cells coordinate the contractions that push the eggs along.

"As well as potentially helping women who are finding it difficult to get pregnant, a better understanding of the way fallopian tubes work will help doctors treat pelvic inflammation and sexually transmitted disease more successfully," said Ward. "It could also increase our understanding of what causes ectopic pregnancy, an extremely painful and potentially life-threatening situation in which embryos get stuck and start developing inside a woman's fallopian tube."

Try A Green Cleanse After The Holiday

2011-11-28T05:00:00.000-08:00

I'm sure most people feel like I do after a big holiday meal. Your whole body feels sluggish, tired and heavy. You might want to try a green cleanse (greens are great for fertility). This site explains how it's done and it includes recipes. Read more:

yogamurrieta.com

From the article:

If you are concerned you cannot do this for 40 days, try to do it for 10, 15, 20 or even 30 days before you commit to a 40 day period. Your discipline will strengthen through practice and experience. Once you've experience how cleansing affects your physical body, you get why it's important to cleanse.

This is a rebuilding diet. It is used to alkalinize the body, lose weight, clear the skin and cleanse the liver. It is also useful in relieving a toxic mucous condition. For forty days, eat only green foods. That means salads, steamed greens, avocados, sprouts, green olives and mung beans. Unless you are using this diet to correct acne, green fruits such as honeydew, green apples and green grapes can be included. Yogi tea can be taken throughout the fast. Once a week, if you feel that you need more protein, you can eat a handful of nuts and a portion of cooked grains, but don't overdo it! By eating too many nuts and grains you'll give yourself a stomach ache and defeat the purpose of your fast. When you break the fast, add fruits, then grains, and finally dairy.

Here's a video on making a green smoothing recommended by the site:

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T05:00:00.000-08:00

Wishing you a safe and healthy holiday weekend.

Click Here:

Thanksgiving Animation By Jacquie Lawson

Eat Healthy On Thanksgiving - It May Help Your Fertility

2011-11-23T05:00:00.000-08:00

Even though most of us think about the holidays as a time to gain weight, your Thanksgiving meal may be good for your health if you eat in moderation. Many of the nutrients in traditional Thankgiving foods may be good for fertility. Here is an article that explains some of the nutritional benefits of a Thanksgiving dinner:

nutritioncheckup.com

Wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday and holiday weekend.

59 Year Old Has Surprise Baby

2011-11-22T05:00:00.000-08:00

photo: www.babble.com/American Statesman

Well, here's another one, a 59 year old has a baby conceived naturally. I tried to verify this story with additional sources and I couldn't find other articles online (if anyone knows other publications that carried this story, let me know by emailing me at my website's (contact page). In any event, it's an amazing story. Read more:

Grandmother Has Surprise Baby (www.babble.com)

From the article:

When I read about 59-year-old Linda Smith, of Texas, who gave birth to son Django last week, I assumed this was another medical miracle brought about through the use of IVF, hormone injections, etc.

But I was wrong. Smith conceived completely naturally, although she interpreted the fatigue of early pregnancy as a symptom of menopause.
It's hard not to believe in fate when it comes to the Smiths - Linda and her husband, Steve, lost their 20-year-old son - also named Steve - in a December 2005 motorcycle accident. Although they each have other children from previous marriages, Steve was their only child together.

UPDATE:
One of my readers found another link to this story from UPI to verify it's authenticity. United Press International reported this as a "surprise" pregnancy. See here:

United Press International

Men, Sunshine, and Fertility

2011-11-21T05:00:00.000-08:00

Every time I turn around, I'm hearing about more benefits of vitamin D. It's important for women's fertility, pregnancy and for children. Men also need to get enough vitamin D. According to a study cited in the article below, a daily dose of sunshine can help with sperm quality. Read more:

A small dose of sunshine could help men with fertility problems

From the article:

A study found almost a third of men experiencing fertility problems have low levels of vitamin D, the 'sunshine vitamin'.

Just spending ten minutes outside in their shirt sleeves would be enough of a boost, according to Anne Clark, the medical director of an Australian fertility centre.

Previous studies have shown vitamin D, produced from natural light and found in oily fish and eggs, is important for a healthy pregnancy.

But the latest findings show a deficiency may also affect sperm.

'The results show lifestyle changes can be beneficial,' Dr Clark told the Fertility Society of Australia, in Brisbane.
The vitamin D deficiency could have been caused by worries about skin cancer and by men trying to avoid too much exposure to sunshine, Dr Clark said.
She suggested that office workers could absorb enough vitamin D by simply having their morning tea break outside in the sunshine with their sleeves rolled up.
Other basic lifestyle changes such as giving up smoking, losing weight, and reducing caffeine and alcohol intake, would also help.

In her group, 105 men agreed to the changes, and to take multivitamins and antioxidants for two to three months.

Afterwards, tests revealed 'an improvement in the shape of the sperm, which can enhance conception,' said Dr Clark.

In fact, 31 of the men went on to achieve a pregnancy

Fertility Enhanced By Healing Touch

2011-11-18T05:00:00.000-08:00

Here is an article from a reliable source on how healing touch can help women conceive or be used in conjunction with other therapies. Read more:

The Journal Of Perinatal Education www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov

From the article:

Fertility and conception have been a concern through the ages. This case report documents the use of healing touch (HT), a noninvasive energy-field therapy, with the intent to facilitate conception and a healthy pregnancy. After 18 months of being unsuccessful in conceiving, a 40-year-old female sought HT to enhance the possibility of conceiving naturally. She had normal menstrual cycles, and both she and her husband had normal fertility tests. The client conceived after several months of HT therapy, which also included stimulating reflexology points on the ankle designed to affect the uterus and ovaries and encouraging positive affirmations. HT therapy continued throughout a trouble-free pregnancy and during birth. The client gave birth to a healthy baby boy without the use of pain-relieving medications. Perinatal educators and other health-care practitioners who work with women having difficulty conceiving or experiencing difficult pregnancies may wish to consider recommending the use of HT and/or other complementary therapies with the goal of fostering more positive reproductive outcomes.

Digital Ovulation Test Accurate Indicator

2011-11-17T05:00:00.000-08:00

picture: clearblueeasy.com
The only time I used ovulation predictor kits is when I was undergoing inseminations before we tried IVF. When I conceived naturally, I pretty much knew when I was ovulating because I usually have some pain on one side or the other and we would have intercourse on days 11, 13 and 15. However, if you're willing to spend the money, this article tested the accuracy of Clear Blue Easy Digital test kit (20 sticks) and it had a 99% accuracy rate (Note: I am not promoting this product nor do I receive any compensation to mention it on my blog.) Read more:

www.sciencedaily.com

From the article:

Cycle length in the study ranged from 14 to 50 days. The researchers found that use of the calendar method in women trying to conceive resulted in only one third of cycles where peak fertile days were correctly predicted. On an individual basis only one in four women trying to conceive would have correctly identified their peak fertile days using the calendar method. In 48% of cycles, the peak fertile period was identified by this method after it had occurred.

By contrast, the Clearblue tests would have been conducted on the day of the LH surge in 77% of the cycles if a seven-stick pack had been used and start day was based on average cycle length. In 6% of cycles the surge had occurred before the first test day, and in 17% of cycles it had occurred after the last test was conducted. However, if a 20-stick pack was used, a test would have been conducted on the day of the LH surge in 99% of cycles.

Previous research has shown that 46% of cycles in women aged from 18 -- 40 vary by seven days or more, and that this variation increases as women approach the menopause. At a time when more and more women are delaying pregnancy until their thirties, it is increasingly important that they have a better understanding of their own menstrual cycles and the days on which they are fertile. Failure to conceive after six months of using an accurate product such as the Clearblue ovulation test is evidence that there may be an underlying fertility issue that should be investigated, especially in older women, the researchers say.

Co-Q10 May Extend Fertility

2011-11-16T05:00:00.000-08:00

picture:
naturemade.com

I have heard about CoQ10 for a number of conditions, but this is the first time I've heard about how it may help fertility by actually improving egg function and quality. Read more:

www.canada.com

From the article:

Mitochondria need co-enzyme Q10 to make energy. The vitamin is also a powerful anti-oxidant that may prevent mitochondrial DNA damage, Casper said.

Co-enzyme Q10's production by the body also decreases as we get older, starting around age 25.

"One of the theories about why we get old and die in the first place is that our cells just run out of energy — the mitochondria stop working properly and there's just not enough energy for cellular function so organs start to fail," Casper said. "A simple explanation could be that there's not enough fuel from the co-Q10 around."

In a pilot study using 52-week old mice — mid-life for a mouse, and the equivalent of 40 to 50 for a human — Casper's team gave half the group co-enzyme Q10, and the other half a placebo. Next they compared eggs retrieved from both groups of mice with eggs from 10-week old mice.
"What we found was that just treating the mice with co-Q10 we got more eggs when we gave them fertility drugs," Casper said. The nuclear spindles that pull the chromosomes apart were more like those in young eggs. The litter size was bigger, and the eggs from the vitamin-treated mice had improved mitochondrial function.

Even more surprising, when the researchers examined the mouse ovaries, there were significantly more egg follicles in the old mice treated with the co-Q10 — suggesting, Casper said, "that we actually were able to delay the onset of the equivalent of menopause in the mice."

Read more about Co-Q10 here:

www.unm.edu

How Yoga May Help Fertility

2011-11-15T05:00:00.000-08:00

As I talk about in my DVD, Fertility Bodywork, Yoga can help you conceive. Not only does it help re-center your body, but certain poses can help increase pelvic circulation. Here is an article about how it helped one woman:

www.canada.com

From the article:

She underwent three unsuccessful cycles of interuterine insemination and was prepared to go to the next step, and attempt IVF.

But before starting, she realized, as she put it, "I am a complete mess. I need to get my body ready."

She immersed herself in yoga, which is more than a series of postures, as she explained, but a way of approaching life: from a yogic perspective, for instance, it is important to do such things as take the time to eat properly and get a proper night's rest. She began to research what she described as "specific yoga for fertility postures and approaches," began acupuncture treatments, consulted a nutritionist, and started to see an osteopath whose treatments focused on fertility.

Ultimately, she became pregnant without medical intervention. "If yoga wasn't the thing that caused me to get pregnant," she said, "it was the thing that helped me to pull myself together and helped me to carve out the space in my life to make room for a baby."

Woman Conceives Naturally and Has Baby at 50

2011-11-14T05:00:00.000-08:00

Picture: www.theaustralian.com.au
I have done a number of blog postings about women who had babies and conceived naturally in their 50's. Well...here's another one. The article below of course has to quote the "obligatory dismal statistics" about having a baby at this age, but the bottom line is that this 50 year old woman had a healthy baby! It's happened before and it will happen again. Read more:

www.theaustralian.com.au

From the article:

WHEN a 50-year-old woman on the Gold Coast gave birth recently to a healthy baby boy it hardly created national headlines.

That’s because, thanks to IVF, more than 530 Australian women over the age of 45 now give birth each year, and at least 30 women aged 50 or more. Earlier this year, a 61-year-old retiree in Chicago was reported to be carrying her own grandson as a surrogate for her daughter, who had been trying for years to have a baby.

What’s different about our Gold Coast woman, Anthea Nicholas, is that the semi-retired real estate agent fell pregnant naturally.

...birth registers tell us that women aged 50 and over have been having babies since medieval times...

...But those who oppose motherhood over 50 appear to harbour misgivings other than medical ones: the sheer stress of being a mother at this age, the child’s welfare in the years ahead. Oddly enough, the same negativity isn’t levelled at older fathers.

How Ovarian Cysts Can Affect Fertility

2011-11-11T05:00:00.000-08:00

Most of us have heard of PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), however many women can get ovarian cysts without this condition. Most of the time, these cysts don't interfere with conception, however there are cases where they can. Read more:

Ovarian Cysts (www.epigee.org)

From the article:

Symptoms of Ovarian Cysts
Most women who have ovarian cysts have no symptoms. Those who do experience symptoms often confuse their symptoms with those caused by endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, or other reproductive health issues. Ovarian cyst symptoms include:

pelvic and abdominal pain
feelings of fullness or pressure in the abdomen
irregular menstruation
painful periods
painful sexual intercourse
difficulty urinating

Complications Associated with Ovarian Cysts
The vast majority of ovarian cysts are harmless, and will go away in time. However, large or painful cysts may signal serious health complications. Ruptured ovarian cysts, as well as those that twist or bleed, can cause severe abdominal pain. Ovarian cysts can also cause irregular periods and ovulation, making conception difficult or even impossible. Furthermore, ovarian cysts are have been linked with ovarian cancer, particularly in women over the age of 50.

Bio-Algae Concentrates and How They May Help Fertility

2011-11-10T05:00:00.000-08:00

picture: www.bioage.com

I have frequently heard about how healthy algae can be. This article talks about how bioalgae concentrates can help fertility and sperm in men:

themagicisbac.com

From the article:

BAC, People and Fertility

When consuming BAC, most people report a sense of increased energy and strength. There have been many cases of fertility or other benefits reported anecdotally by people using BAC:

Couples having difficulty getting pregnant, reported successful pregnancy and resulting birth
Women that had entered menopause, reported returning menstruations
Women and men report increased libido
Men report increased erectile function
Normalization of the level of testosterones and other hormones

BAC, Energy and Spermatozoid motility

Rather than detailing the physiological mechanism of fertilely, fecundity and vitality all of which can be found in many books; or demonstrating the specific mechanism of each result or benefit, I will describe only one physiological example and hope that you can make the link between, or understand the relationship of nutrition (and BAC) and fecundity.

As seen, often in the research with BAC, spermatozoid count and its motility became more elevated in most species tested.

Spermatozoid count is a function of testosterone, cell splitting and other energy and metabolic factors.

Motility is a biological term which refers to the ability to move spontaneously and independently. In terms of fecundity it describes the capacity of the sperm to reach the egg.

One partial explanation of these results is associated with increased ATP energy resulting from a better mitochondria Krebs cycle metabolism. When you take a look at the spermatozoid you can understand the importance of energy required for its flagellum to propel it towards the egg. The key to the spermatozoid motility is in its middle section (see diagram). This middle part, immediately behind the head, contains numerous mitochondria. This section respire sugars in the semen to generate within each mitochondria the strong energy required for movement (motility) of the tail.

45 Year Old Duggar Pregnant Again

2011-11-09T05:00:00.001-08:00

Well, obviously, Michelle Duggar is a fertile myrtle, but she's also 45 and pregnant again! Wow, I guess this is a testament to what happens when a woman in her 40's doesn't use birth control...she gets pregnant!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

TTC? Soda May Damage Your DNA

2011-11-08T05:00:00.000-08:00

I've written before about the dangers of artificial sweeteners found in sodas and other products. Here is another reason you may want to think about cutting soda out of your diet. Sodium benzoate is a common ingredient in soft drinks and it may actually harm your DNA. Read more:

www.heathruthrevealed.com

from the article:

Sodium benzoate has already been the subject of concern about cancer because when mixed with the additive vitamin C in soft drinks, it causes benzene, a carcinogenic substance. The UK's Food Standards Agency survey of benzene in drinks last year found high levels in four brands which were removed from sale.

Now, an expert in ageing at Sheffield University, who has been working on sodium benzoate since publishing a research paper in 1999, has decided to speak out about another danger. Professor Peter Piper, a professor of molecular biology and biotechnology, tested the impact of sodium benzoate on living yeast cells in his laboratory. What he found alarmed him: the benzoate was damaging an important area of DNA in the "power station" of cells known as the mitochondria.

He said: "These chemicals have the ability to cause severe damage to DNA in the mitochondria to the point that they totally inactivate it: they knock it out altogether.

"The mitochondria consumes the oxygen to give you energy and if you damage it - as happens in a number if diseased states - then the cell starts to malfunction very seriously. And there is a whole array of diseases that are now being tied to damage to this DNA - Parkinson's and quite a lot of neuro-degenerative diseases, but above all the whole process of ageing."

The UK's Food Standards Agency (FSA) backs the use of sodium benzoate in Britain and it has been approved by the European Union but last night British MPs called for it to investigate urgently.

Norman Baker, the Liberal Democrat chair of British Parliament's all-party environment group said: "Many additives are relatively new and their long-term impact cannot be certain. This preservative clearly needs to be investigated further by the FSA."

A review of sodium benzoate by the World Health Organisation in 2000 concluded that it was safe, but it noted that the available science supporting its safety was "limited". .

Since I enjoy carbonated beverages, I started making my own carbonated tea. I brew the tea of my choice, add flavored seltzer (I like "Blue Sky" lemon flavor)add a squirt of lemon juice, and sweeten with "stevia" which is thought to be safer than other artificial sweeteners. So far it's quenched my desire for carbonated beverages and it doesn't have any calories. Give it a try!

Yikes! 150 Kids From One Sperm Donor

2011-11-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

I have nothing against sperm donation...if your partner suffers from male factor infertility or if you're without a partner, sperm donation may be a viable option. However, as this article explains, few controls have been in place. In this story,one donor has been used to father a whopping 150 children! This is just one example... how many others are out there? Could this lead to something called "accidental incest" which is when two half sibling unknowingly meet and produce a child together? Even though most people think this is a rare occurrence, I'm surprised at the number of stories I've read about people who knew each other, and later found out they had the same donor! What's to keep these people from getting involved romatically? Read more:

www.nytimes.com

From the article:

Critics say that fertility clinics and sperm banks are earning huge profits by allowing too many children to be conceived with sperm from popular donors, and that families should be given more information on the health of donors and the children conceived with their sperm. They are also calling for legal limits on the number of children conceived using the same donor’s sperm and a re-examination of the anonymity that cloaks many donors.

“We have more rules that go into place when you buy a used car than when you buy sperm,” said Debora L. Spar, president of Barnard College and author of “The Baby Business: How Money, Science and Politics Drive the Commerce of Conception.” “It’s very clear that the dealer can’t sell you a lemon, and there’s information about the history of the car. There are no such rules in the fertility industry right now.”

Encouraging Story: Three Children Conceived Naturally Over 40

2011-11-04T05:00:00.000-07:00

Dorothy Handelman and Family

I heard from a woman who suffered from "infertility" when she tried to conceive in her 30's, then proceeds to have three children naturally over the age of 40 (her last when she was 45!) I asked if I could share her story to give my blog readers proof that some women are more fertile in their 40's than their younger years. She also has a long-term perspective of parenting over 40 since her oldest child is now 18. Read more from Dorothy Handelman:

Prior to turning 40, my future as a mother was uncertain. I had had a failed pregnancy that was accomplished with the assistance of a noted fertility expert in New York. So, I was not optimistic that I had the time or the ability to have the children that I desired. When my marriage of 2 ½ years came to an abrupt end, I remember telling my mother that I felt like “my life was over”. Trying to console me, she thought that “a few more things were going to happen to me.”

Returning to the dating pool as a divorcee I didn’t realize that possibilities even existed. I met a great a guy and found myself pregnant at 40, 43 and 45 without any fertlity assistance. Motherhood over 40 has many blessings and many challenges. Along the way I have mostly had the patience required for my children but not always the energy to ride bikes all day or climb mountains. Our three kids (now 18, 15, and 13) are fine, happy and able bodied and their dad and I are very grateful that we have created this family.

Turning 40, I was very hopeless that I would have any children as the experts painted a very pessimistic image of an older woman’s chances of conception. But, sometimes the experts have it all wrong.

To read Dorothy's blog, click here:

curb appeal in sleepy hollow

How Stress Affects Progesterone and Fertility

2011-11-03T05:00:00.000-07:00

I've posted numerous articles which support the connection between stress and infertility. However, the following article makes the connection not only between stress and the release of the stress hormone cortisol, but it also talks about how this can affect your progesterone levels. Read more:

The Stress-Infertility Connection
By Dr. Len Lopez

From the article:

When you are constantly in that “fight or flight” mode because of stress, your adrenal glands will produce additional cortisol and adrenaline. This is a normal bio-chemical process. The problem is that in order to make cortisol, your adrenal glands need progesterone. This causes your progesterone to be used in making your stress hormones, as opposed to what it is designed to do —support your pregnancy.

The adrenal glands cannot make cortisol without progesterone. Often referred to as the ‘progesterone steal,’ your body will steal however much progesterone it needs to make cortisol.

Genes, Obesity, and Fertility

2011-11-02T05:00:00.000-07:00

I'm always amazed at how human beings evolved. Many health problems either involve evolutionary changes that are no longer necessary or mutated genes which are passed on to the next generation and so on. Here is an interesting article from BBC news about our genes, obesity, and fertility:

Gene 'links food and fertility'
The gene may have offered an evolutionary advantage
A genetic link controlling both appetite and fertility has been found by US researchers. (www.news.bbc.co.uk)

From the article:

In normal circumstances, when food intake is sufficient, fat cells produce a hormone called leptin, which in turn, say the researchers, switches on TORC1, decreasing appetite, and enabling reproduction.

In times of food shortage, a lack of leptin leaves TORC1 switched off, leaving appetite unchecked and preventing pregnancy, which would use too much of a woman's energy.

This, said the Salk researchers, would be an important evolutionary advantage in times of famine.

However, they argued that a subtle mutation in the TORC1 gene might also play a role in obesity, by failing to pass on the "stop eating" signal even when food is plentiful.

If passed from generation to generation, it could mean an inherited extra risk of obesity, they said.

The failure of the gene to work properly could also affect fertility, by not allowing reproduction to proceed.

Clomid May Reduce The Chance Of Pregnancy

2011-11-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

Oh, now they tell me. Back when we were undergoing fertility treatments, we tried Clomid which was one of the worst drugs for me. It's a drug you take the week before ovulation to stimulate your ovaries to release more than one egg. We used to call it "the week from hell" because my emotions were on a rollercoaster and my poor husband had to brace himself for yet another month of drama. And no, it didn't get me pregnant - and apparently I'm not the only one. According to this article, Clomid can actually decrease your chances of pregnancy. Read more:

Futility Drug
A FERTILITY drug popular with childless couples has been found to REDUCE the chance of pregnancy.
(www.thesun.co.uk)

From the article:

Clomid stimulates the ovaries but has previously been linked to severe sickness in a fifth of patients who take it.

A study by British reproductive medicine experts found women using the drug were less likely to conceive than by trying for a baby naturally.

'Flop' ... Clomid pills
Another technique, IUI — in which sperm is injected directly into the womb — was only found to have a slightly increased success rate.

The methods — approved by the NHS — are used by thousands worldwide.

Concerns ... Dr Allan Pacey
A course of IUI can cost up to £1,000 a time and Clomid up to £200.

In the study, published in the British Medical Journal, nearly 600 women who had been trying for a baby for more than two years were tracked by Aberdeen University researchers.

All had mystery fertility problems.

They were divided into three groups — those taking Clomid, those receiving IUI and others who had no medical help.

One hundred and one of women fell pregnant.

Researchers found those having IUI only had a slightly increased success rate, while those who tried naturally for a child had more success than women on Clomid.

Study leader Professor Filaditya Bhattacharya said: “These interventions which have been used for many years are unlikely to be more effective than no treatment. These results challenge current practice as endorsed in the UK.”

Getting Pregnant: Halloween Candy May Derail You

2011-10-31T05:00:00.000-07:00

Even if you're not a kid, Halloween is a time when everyone seems to be throwing candy at you. Either you have it around the house for the trick or treaters or there's a big bowl of it at work.

If you're trying to conceive, all that fat and sugar can negatively affect your fertility. Here's a link to a book and article that discusses how what we eat can affect almost all aspects of our health including fertility:

You Are What You Eat: The Plan that Will Change Your Life
by Gillian McKeith, Ph.D.

According to the article:

"Many fertility experts believe that an unhealthy diet, high in fat, sugar, and processed foods and low in nutrients essential to fertility, can lead to infertility and increase the chances of miscarriage."

An Acupuncturists Recommendations On Fertility Foods

2011-10-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

There's nothing earth shattering about the importance of your diet when it comes to fertility. The CBS morning show did a segment on foods for fertility which gives some good advice on which vegetables to eat, the importance of fat and protein:

Foods To Help Fertility What role does diet play in a woman's ability to conceive? Author and acupuncturist Jill Blakeway shows Maggie Rodriguez some great foods to help fertility. (www.cbsnews.com)

Moderate Exercise Best For Sperm

2011-10-27T05:00:00.000-07:00

As the old saying goes, "everything in moderation". This holds true for men and exercise. Moderate exercisers had the best sperm motility. Read more:

news.health.com

From the article:

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 19 (HealthDay News) — Men who get moderate amounts of exercise have better sperm motility than men who are less or more physically active, a new study finds.

Motility refers to the sperm’s ability to swim and move towards an egg, an important factor in fertility.

The study by researchers at Yamaguchi University in Japan included 215 men who provided semen samples and information about their physical activity levels. The men were divided into three groups: strenuous, moderate or light exercise. Age and body mass index were similar among the three groups.

The moderate-exercise group had the highest average sperm motility and the fewest men with less than 40 percent sperm motility (14.3 percent), while 31 percent of those in the light-exercise group and 27 percent of those in the strenuous-exercise group had less than 40 percent sperm motility.

DHEA for Premature Ovarian Failure and Diminished Ovarian Reserve

2011-10-26T05:00:00.000-07:00

I've written before about DHEA and how it may help with premature ovarian failure. Here is a very encouraging video which explains more about why DHEA may not only help fertility, but it can also help reduce the incidence of miscarriage. Read more:

More On The Good and Bad Prostaglandins

2011-10-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

chart: herb-hands-healing.co.uk
(taken from ‘The Natural Health Handbook
For Women’ by Dr Marilyn Glenville PhD.
Published by ‘Piatkus’ Publishers Limited,
London 2001. ISBN 0 7499 2191 9)

Yesterday, I spoke about endometriosis, prostaglandins and hormone regulation. Here is another great site that goes into what you can do to encourage the formation of "good" prostaglandins and avoid the "bad" prostaglandins. This can help with painful periods and ultimately improves fertility. Read more:

www.herbs-hands-healing.co.uk

From the site:

Another cause of painful periods can be the excess production and release of hormone-like substances called prostaglandins. Many of the prostaglandins are actually ‘healthy’, and have a beneficial effect on the body (see page 154). However, two types of ‘bad’ prostaglandins, known as PGF2 Alpha and PGE2, can be increased in some women. PGF2 Alpha is a vasoconstrictor, which means that it works to reduce the blood flow to the womb muscle, and PGE2 is a highly inflammatory substance that can trigger muscle contractions and increase the sensitivity of your nerve endings to pain.

Research has shown that women with primary dysmenorrhoea have significantly higher levels of of both prostaglandins PGF2 Alpha and PGE2.

Prostaglandins are present in every cell in your body. They tend to be low in the first half of the cycle and then rise sharply towards your period, and can cause a variety of other symptoms including headaches, nausea and fatigue.

Prostaglandins, Endometriosis and Hormone Regulation

2011-10-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

As most of you probably know, endometriosis is one of the causes of infertility in women. There are many theories about how endometriosis begins, but prostaglandins can contribute to the painful symptoms of the condition. This article explains what you can do to help encourage the "good" prostaglandins and discourage the "bad" prostaglandins. Not only can this help endometriosis, but it can help your fertility too. Read more:

www.womens-health.co.uk

From the article:

Prostaglandins, which are stimulated by estrogen, are the hormones responsible for those painful cramps you feel during menstruation as well as possibly menorrhagia, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea that you may also experience.

Prostaglandins actually break down into three different forms: prostaglandin E1 (PGE1); prostaglandin E2 (PGE2); and prostaglandin F2a (PGF2a). While PGE1 can help alleviate endometriosis symptoms, PGE2 contributes to menorrhagia and PGF2a to vomiting, nausea and diarrhoea. Together, PGE2 and PGF2a produce the immense period pain women with endometriosis must deal with. However, by changing your diet, it is possible to block PGE2 and PGF2a while encouraging the production of PGE1 to help your symptoms.

For a scientific explanation of prostaglandin production, click here:

raysahelian.com

Chlamydia Affects Men's Fertility Too

2011-10-21T05:00:00.000-07:00

Most of the information I've read on chlamydia associates the infection with fallopian tube damage and pelvic inflammatory disease in women, but it affects men too. Read more:

Chlamidia threat to fertility (About: Men's Health )

From the article:

Couples were followed up for 37 months and were compared with women who had conceived naturally. The study found that a quarter of infertile women and a fifth of infertile men had antibodies. Among infertile couples with IgG antibodies - a sign of previous or persistent chlamydia infection - 6.8 per cent of women and 7.1 per cent of men carried the chlamydia DNA in their urine, which suggested they had an active infection.

Professor Jan Olofsson, who headed the research team said their research showed that if a man had chlamydia antibodies a couple's chance of conceiving was significantly reduced and that chlamydia, known to affect female fertility had now also been shown that as a potentially serious issue for men too.

Natural Hormone Production Rather Than Supplementation

2011-10-20T05:00:00.000-07:00

As we age, it's inevitable that our hormone levels will decline. This article makes the point that if we supplement our bodies with hormones, then our system becomes lazy and will stop or reduce hormone production even more. The author of this article recommends supplementing with the substances that will encourage hormone production rather than with the hormones themselves. Read more:

naturalnews.com

From the article:

Nourish the Essences from which the Hormones are Made

The deep essences of the body provide the raw material from which hormones are produced. These essences are diminished as we age and this effects hormonal production. We can, however, directly nourish these essences with herbal medicines and plant materials whose active ingredients are identical to the essences in the human body. The practice of nourishing the deeper essences significantly promotes health, well being and balanced hormonal production.

The classic formula Rehmannia 6 nourishes bodily essences effectively. Herbs like shou wu, eclipta, cuscuta, soloman's seal, and shatavari can all be used to good effect. Traditional Botanical Medicine's Great Essence formula contains many of these wonderful essence tonics.

Some herbs are actual hormonal precursors. They directly stimulate specific hormones. Herbs like shilijit, tribulus, mucuna, and epimedium will boost testosterone levels in the body and help to preserve your heart, muscles and libido.

By implementing these right life practices in your life, the vast majority of people who do not want to resort to some form of hormone replacement will be able to magnify health and well being for many years into the future.

About the author:
Angelo Druda practices oriental medicine in Cobb, California. He is the founder of Traditional Botanical Medicine and the Author of The Tao of Rejuvenation.

"Cohesin" May Be The Key To Fertility In Older Eggs

2011-10-19T05:00:00.000-07:00

We all have heard about older eggs and difficulty conceiving, but until now, I've never had an explanation why. This article talks about a protein called "cohesin" which seems to be lower in older eggs. Read more:

www.express.co.uk

From the article:

They have come a step closer to understanding why would-be mothers in their late 30s and early 40s have problems conceiving.

The experts discovered why women above a certain age are more likely to produce abnormal eggs, increasing the risk of infertility, miscarriage and birth defects such as Down’s Syndrome...

...Now researchers at Newcastle University have shed new light on why this happens. The key is declining levels of proteins called cohesins, which are essential for chromosomes to split evenly when cells divide.

Fertility expert Dr Marco Gaudoin, welcoming the discovery, said: “This is a potential way of allowing women one day to delay child bearing, knowing that there may be some kind of drug they can take that is going to keep the cohesin levels up.

“Finding a drug to do that is going to be a long way off, but we have gone back to the basic science to show what is going wrong in the first place.”

Dr Mary Herbert, who led the research, said the team used eggs from young and old mice to show that cohesin levels decline gradually as females get older.

Boost Your Fertility While You Sleep by Sheryl Lyon

2011-10-18T05:00:00.000-07:00

I frequently write about the importance of sleep and paying attention to the balance between light and dark on your body's cycle. This article does a good job of explaining the importance of light during the day and the earth's natural rhythms. Read more:

Boost Your Fertility While You Sleep by Sheryl Lyon

From the article:

When you are in sync with the earth's natural rhythms and cycles you can boost your fertility. If you work against nature's rhythms as many of us do, then you may be harming your delicate fertility balance.

Your biological clock is intimately linked to your reproductive system by utilizing the same hormones that trigger ovulation and sperm maturation. Therefore both women and men are affected by respecting or ignoring their natural rhythms.

Importance of Bright Light

Getting adequate sunlight or other full spectrum light during the day is key to optimum fertility for many reasons. Vitamin D is created in our bodies when we are exposed to sunlight and Vitamin D deficiencies have been linked to infertility.

Adequate sunlight also helps regulate circadian rhythms which allow you to sleep better at night. Regular exposure to the sun also helps you maintain a strong immune system which is necessary to maintain a healthy pregnancy. Women who get more sunlight also have consistent and stronger menstrual cycles.

Finally, bright light prevents your body from overproducing melatonin which suppresses fertility. This might explain why it is easier for women to conceive in southern regions and during the summer months.

When You Are Most Fertile - Interactive Tool

2011-10-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

If you are trying to conceive, you probably already know how to monitor your body for it's "fertile signs", however here is a link to an online tool where you enter your cycle length and the day of your LMP and it will calculate your most fertile time. Of course you need to take other factors into account (especially if you have irregular cycles), but the following link may be of benefit if used in conjunction with other methods of monitoring fertility. Read more:

Interactive Tool: When Are You Most Fertile?(www.webmd.com)

Pregnant Naturally At 47

2011-10-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

Surprise! Just when you think you've hit menopause...you're 47 and pregnant. I'm always finding examples of women who've undergone fertility treatments...then get pregnant naturally (even well into their 40's). This is one of those stories:

www.thestar.com

From the article:

Susan and Ambrose Samulski used fertility treatments to help conceive their three children. So it was a bit of a surprise when, 12 years later, they found out they were pregnant with a fourth.

"I thought I'd gone through menopause," says Susan, who was 47 at the time. "I went to the doctor and had a list of all the things that were bothering me. He said, `Could you be pregnant?' and I said, `No way.'

"I made him test me twice – I just didn't believe it."

It was a total shock, agrees Ambrose – he had worried his wife had a terminal illness.

As for the children, "My son said something like, `You crazy kids,'" Susan recalls. "But we were all thrilled."

Their baby was born Dec. 23, 2007, in Calgary where the family lived for a short time before moving back to Brooklin in Durham Region.

It was a 21-hour labour. "I thought the fourth one would just fall out," Susan jokes. Because there were more than 12 years between babies, it was like giving birth for the first time.

Natural and Minimally Invasive Fertility Treatment As Effective As ART

2011-10-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

I found this interesting article which talks about a treatment called "Natural Procreative Technology" or NPT. This fertility treatment uses natural methods of cycle monitoring and some minimally invasive treatments or medications (I'm not a big fan of fertility drugs, but some of these medications were to supplement hormone deficiencies). I found it interesting that the outcomes were as good as more invasive assisted reproductive technologies. Read more:

Outcomes From Treatment of Infertility With
Natural Procreative Technology in an Irish General
Practice
Joseph B. Stanford, MD, MSPH, Tracey A. Parnell, MD, and Phil C. Boyle, MB

From the article:

Conclusion
This study demonstrates that NPT is an effective
integrated system of infertility treatment that can
be done by interested and appropriately trained
generalist physicians. The cumulative crude pregnancy
rates, withdrawal rates, and adjusted pregnancy
rates are similar to cohort studies of ART
based on the limited comparable data that are available.
The treatment program is minimally invasive,
with fewer multiple pregnancies. However, it is not
an option for couples with azoospermia, ovarian
failure, or bilateral fallopian tube occlusion.

Calcium: Fertility Link

2011-10-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

Ive been taking calcium supplements for many years and I took them while I was trying to conceive. Here is an article that talks about how there may be an actual link between calcium levels and fertility. Read more:

Fertility - Calcium link (www.medicalnewstoday.com)

From the article:

Calcium appears to play a role in fertility (and cancer).

Gordon Woods (University of Idaho, USA) said he found this after carrying out studies on cloned mules.

Was told the conference of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

According to Wood, the vital ingredient in the process of triggering growth in the embryos could have been extra calcium in the surrounding fluid.

Tight Pants...Health Risk for Women and Men

2011-10-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

Did you know that in certain countries where women wear loose garments, conditions such as endometriosis are much less prevalent? It's true...tight clothing can cause a multitude of heath problems not just for women, but men too. Read more:

Why Tight Pants Are A Health Risk (ergonomenon.com)

From the article:

Whether or not this study is true, it is widely believed (among doctors as well as laypeople) that tight pants do in fact damage the testicles and can cause infertility or cancer. But that’s not all. Wearing tight pants is associated with a host of negative consequences for both men and women. For starters, the same reason tight pants causes infertility problems in men (overheating of the crotch area) can cause yeast infections and urinary tract infections in women.

According to Pravda, tight pants also limit the mobility of hip joints, cause stretching of joint capsules, and negatively affect the spine. A too-tight waist constricts the abdominal area filled with vital organs, causing problems such as reduced lymph flow from the pelvis, improper immune system function and poor circulation.

Asherman's Syndrome (Uterine Scarring) An Overlooked Cause Of Infertility

2011-10-10T05:00:00.000-07:00

picture: health.allrefer.com

I did have a few D and C's after my miscarriages, and it always worried me to be undergoing this surgery. The instrument used almost resembles a coat hanger and if it's hard to believe the many women don't walk away with some scarring. This article talks about "Asherman's symdrome" which can cause infertility if not treatted. Read more:

Our Baby Proved The Doctors Wrong (www.express.co.uk)

From the article:

MICHAELA KHATIB was told by eight different doctors that she would never have a second child after developing Asherman's syndrome (AS).

Nine years later baby Jasmine proved them wrong.

Schoolteacher Michaela, 40, mother to Jasmine, now 22 months, as well as 10-year-old Emily, campaigns to raise awareness for this little-known condition which often goes undiagnosed and leaves women fearing they are infertile.

It is believed that as many as 3,500 UK women develop AS each year but only a tiny percentage are diagnosed and even fewer receive treatment.

AS is caused when scar tissue forms in the womb following a surgical procedure such as a caesarean section or a D&C (dilation and curettage), which is carried out after a miscarriage or to remove a retained placenta or to terminate a pregnancy.

Go On Vacation - Get Pregnant?

2011-10-07T05:00:00.000-07:00

It seems everyone knows somebody who had trouble conceiving, went on vacation and got pregnant. Well...according to the article below, there really might be something to it. In retrospect, I wish we had taken all the money we spent on failed fertility treatments and taken a wonderful relaxing vacation. It would have probably been more effective and a lot more fun. Read more:

Conceptionmoons: Can a vacation help you get pregnant?

From the article:

"How do conceptionmoons work?
Scientists aren't exactly clear on why stress mucks up the works, but whatever the cause, the effects are pretty clear. Research, like a 2004 study published in the journal Fertility and Sterility, shows that women who regularly worry about things like work or money problems are significantly less likely to conceive than those who don't.

Vacations are about relaxation, so it makes sense that some folks are now combining getting away from it all with something more purposeful. And as far as our survey is concerned, a conceptionmoon looks like a winner. Of the more than 1,000 BabyCenter members surveyed, 40 percent of those who took conceptionmoons conceived while on vacation.

With a success rate like that, conceptionmoons could move from being a new trend to a pre-baby must-do right up there with eating right, knowing when to say when, and tossing your birth control."

So, if you're trying to conceive, maybe you should spend a little money on a good vacation before spending a lot of money on fertility treatments!

Infertility Remedies - 3 Tips How To Use Your Mind-Body Connection to Get Pregnant

2011-10-06T05:00:00.000-07:00

I thought I would post this article because it is consistent with what I recommend in my Meditation and Visualization CD. Read more:

Guest Post By Liv Riley

If you have been trying to get pregnant for more than a year with no luck, it is likely that you are seeking infertility remedies which will help you conceive. Often couples who are having infertility issues not only deal with the physical aspect of their fertility, but also the emotional aspect as well. Feelings of despair, defeat, anger, low self-esteem, jealousy and resentment to other mothers and their babies are normal emotions to have.

A visit to your doctor is always advised to rule out any conditions such as endometriosis, blocked fallopian tubes, low sperm count and motility, irregular periods or any other physical conditions which may be influencing your reproductive organs. If a physical condition is confirmed, then a decision must be made as to how to deal with it. Many conventional modern day medicines and procedures are available such as prescribed fertility drugs and IVF but many women and men are seeking out all natural fertility solutions which have worked miracles for many couples.

One reason all natural infertility remedies work so well is they encompass the entire person and focus on the mind-body connection. When feeling negative emotions about difficulties getting pregnant, your negative thoughts are having a physical effect on your body. Thoughts affect your reproductive system in a negative way when you constantly beat up on yourself. When you experience despair, anger and self-pity regarding your infertility, a chemical boost of neuropeptide is released into your system which changes the function of your biology.

3 Tips How To Use Your Mind-Body Connection To Help You Get Pregnant Are:

1. Recognize your negative self-talk about getting pregnant

This is the initial step to making a huge difference in your bodies ability to conceive. If you are constantly asking yourself "What's wrong with me and Why can't I get pregnant (which generates negative emotions) the negative connection between your mind and body are strengthened. Recognize your negative self-talk and replace it with compassionate self-talk and understanding. Ask yourself, what would I say to my sister or my very best friend if she were going through the same thing? Then give the same advice to yourself.

2. Set A New Mental Image Of Your Pregnancy

What you think on a daily basis sets the tone for what the universe will provide for you. If you want to get pregnant and have a baby, that is exactly where your mind needs to be. Substitute the negative self-talk with a positive expectation of pregnancy. As you imagine yourself pregnant, your tendency to take care of your bodies fertility will also increase. Simple infertility remedies such as self-massage which increases blood flow, herbs for infertility which regulate hormonal balance are great places to start.

3. Know That Your Thoughts DO create Your Reality

Many couples are beginning to embrace the power of the mind-body connection pertaining to their fertility. If you continue to stay in negative self-talk thought patterns, those same thought patterns will keep producing the same result; no pregnancy. You can't expect different results if you keep doing nothing differently. Know that your thoughts do create your reality and the more you focus on what you want rather than what you don't want, your pregnancy will become reality.

Your body and mind do not work independently of each other. Treating just one aspect of your infertility, such as your body, and disregarding your mental state is undermining your chance to conceive. The mind-body connection is extremely powerful and enables you to have much more control over your fertility than you might think! Each small healthy mind-body choice you make will increase your chance of getting pregnant.

There is no time like the present to take control of nurturing your mind and body and stimulating your reproductive organs. You do have the power to make a difference and get pregnant quickly and naturally. There are plenty of natural INFERTILITY REMEDIES that can help you conceive.Discover the true story of a woman who dedicated her life to creating the ultimate pregnancy solution. A Solution which permanently reverses the root of infertility and has proven to help many women get pregnant fast. INFERTILITY REMEDIES

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Liv_Riley

http://EzineArticles.com/?Infertility-Remedies---3-Tips-How-to-Use-Your-Mind-Body-Connection-to-Get-Pregnant&id=4393477

Herbs For Fertility? Some OK, Some Not

2011-10-05T05:00:00.000-07:00

Much has been written about how herbs can help fertility for both men and women. However, not all herbs are helpful, and some can hurt. Here are two articles from WebMD about herbs for fertility. The first article talks about a product called "Fertility Blend" which apparently does seem to have a good success rate (although there is some controversy about that too). The second article is about how some herbs like St. Johns Wort, Echinacea, and Gingko Biloba may actually hurt fertility. One of the reasons I didn't go the "herbal route" (aside from some herbal teas) when trying to conceive is just because herbs are "natural", it doesn't always mean they're safe. I have a friend who wound up in the ER with an irregular heartbeat after taking herbs (this wasn't someone trying to conceive) - but it just goes to show you that you have to be careful. Read more about both side of the issue:

Supplement May Help Women Get Pregnant.
By Salynn Boyles (www.webmd.com)

Herbs and Fertility Don't Mix
By Denise Mann

Five Foods To Regulate Your Cycle

2011-10-04T05:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I posted a video about how protein can help fertility. Today, I'm posting more about food and how it can regulate your menstrual cycle which will help you know the best time to conceive. Read more:

theadvertuouswriter.com

From the article:

Omega-3 fatty acids – salmon, sardines, etc

The blood vessels in your ovaries are tiny, which makes them vulnerable to damage and poor circulation. Smoking, obesity, and high cholesterol can negatively affect your ovarian blood vessels, which blocks hormones and blood flow. Fish oils enhance blood circulation, reduce damage from free radicals, fight the effects of aging, and increase dopamine (which improves your mood!). Dr Booth recommends adding a fish oil supplement to your diet, instead of eating a high fish diet (because of the mercury in some tuna, swordfish, mackerel, etc).
Non-white foods

Most natural foods are not white, so you can assume that if a food is white, it is probably processed to the point of being unhealthy! To make your menstrual cycle regular, avoid white flour, sugar, white potatoes, white bread, white pasta, and white rice. They disrupt your menstrual cycle by creating insulin surges that result in fat storage. This excess fat storage negatively affects ovulation and your periods.
Protein – cottage cheese, lean meats, nuts

“Finding sources of balanced protein can be a challenge for busy women, but it is a must for hormonal balance, writes Dr Booth in The Venus Week. The more you balance your hormones, the more regular your menstrual cycle will be. Plant proteins are especially good for enhancing fertility and hormonal balance: almonds, walnuts, peanuts, cheese, hard boiled eggs, soy chips, hummus, canned sardines, and edamame.
Vitamin D – perhaps take a supplement

This vitamin improves communication between your cells, which stabilizes your hormones. Vitamin D is also vital in cancer protection – especially breast, colon, ovarian, and prostate cancers. “Vitamin D is a little hard to come by in food,” writes Dr Booth. Eat vitamin D-fortified milk products, tuna, egg yolks, salmon, sardines, and (yuck) cod liver oil.

To increase your vitamin D and make your menstrual cycle regular, make sure you getting enough sunlight. Where you live and the color of your skin determines how much time you should spend in the sun, but my research tells me that the average North American should spend about 10 minutes in the sun about 2-3 times per week.
Dark chocolate!

“Chocolate contains flavenoids, which have estrogen-like activity and help improve circulation by reducing platelet clumping, writes Dr Booth in The Venus Week. Flavenoids also enhance microcirculation in the ovaries and endocrine glands, and increase dopamine (a “feel good” hormone). Not just any old chocolate will do: eat dark chocolate that contains at least 70% cocoa solids.

Are You Getting Enough Protein To Conceive?

2011-10-03T05:00:00.000-07:00

How Douching Can Cause Infertility

2011-09-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

Douching has always been a big mystery to me. I've never done it and frankly I woundn't even know how. Well, it's probably a good thing I never did because according to the site below, it can cause a number of problems which could lead to infertility. Read more:

Douching (womenshealth.gov)

From the site:

Is douching safe?

Most doctors and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommend that women don't douche. Douching can change the delicate balance of vaginal flora (organisms that live in the vagina) and acidity in a healthy vagina. One way to look at it is in a healthy vagina there are both good and bad bacteria. The balance of the good and bad bacteria help maintain an acidic environment. Any changes can cause an over growth of bad bacteria which can lead to a yeast infection or bacterial vaginosis. Plus, if you have a vaginal infection, douching can push the bacteria causing the infection up into the uterus, fallopian (fuh-LOH-pee-uhn) tubes, and ovaries.

What are the dangers linked to douching?

Research shows that women who douche regularly have more health problems than women who don't. Doctors are still unsure whether douching causes these problems. Douching may simply be more common in groups of women who tend to have these issues. Health problems linked to douching include:

Vaginal irritation
Bacterial vaginosis (vaj-uh-NOH-suhs) (BV)
STIs
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)

Some STIs, BV, and PID can all lead to serious problems during pregnancy. These include infection in the baby, problems with labor, and early delivery.

Is Your Nightlight Making You Infertile?

2011-09-29T05:00:00.000-07:00

Is Your Nightlight Making You Infertile?

Guest Post By Kristen Burgess
We live in a day and age where the wonderful electric light illuminates our lives. We can move around safely in the dark of the night thanks to headlights. We can stay up late to read the next great novel. We can get up early to have a quiet moment to ourselves.

But all this light is not exactly natural - and it could have an impact on your fertility. I'm not advocating you give up electric lights. I'm one to keep the lamp burning at night long after the sun goes down just to get a few more paragraphs written (or one more chapter read).

It is useful to remember how the female cycle used to be regulated, though - I'm sure you've heard it. The moon. That powerful body that lights up our nights, regulates the tides, and smiles down from up high also used to keep track of the menstrual cycle of women.

Women would often have their periods in sync with one another, and in sync with the light of the moon. As the moon reached it's fullest, brightest time of the most light, women ovulated. Just as the moon was ripe and ready, so were the eggs.

So just what does this matter to you today? Well, you can use lighting to your benefit.

I recommend you do change your night lighting situation. But I recommend that you change it while you work on other things. If you have a nutrient deficiency, for instance, you need to correct that. Changing your night light setup isn't going to magically remove an iron or zinc deficiency!

But it can help bring yours cycles into a more regular rhythm, and works especially well in conjunction with changing your diet.

What you want to do is to mimic the natural cycle of the moon in your own bedroom. During the time of your ovulation, you should have light in your bedroom. Begin having a low light on every month when you'd like to ovulate.

Ideally healthy ovulation occurs around days 13 to 15 of your cycle - so that's a good time to leave a lamp on in your bedroom. This is mimicking the light of the moon. If the moon really is going to be full during this time, open up the curtains and let the light spill across your bed.

Sleep in darkness during the rest of the month. Use black-out curtains over the windows. Block light coming in from under the doorway with a towel. You want the room to be very dark. Some women even find it helpful to turn their glowing clocks around!

By copying the natural light of the moon throughout its cycle during your own cycle you train your body to have normal hormonal surges (your hormones are influenced by light). If your cycles have been irregular, or if you've had short luteal phases, night lighting combined with nutrition can really make a difference in balancing your cycles and boosting your fertility.

Get more information on trying to conceive and methods for getting pregnant naturally - so you can learn the best tips and tricks for boosting your fertility - without fertility medications.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kristen_Burgess

http://EzineArticles.com/?Is-Your-Nightlight-Making-You-Infertile?&id=4315950

55 Year Old Unexpectedly Pregnant

2011-09-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

Photo: WENN

I thought I would share this article with my readers. A 55 year old woman (mother of Jane Goody) got pregnant naturally (but miscarried). The reason I share this with my readers is that even at 55, a woman can get pregnant. Granted, miscarriage is more likely at this age, but pregnancy is possible. Read more:

www.entertainmentwise.com

From the article:

By Claire Rutter On September 26, 2011
Jade Goody's Mother Jackiey Budden Suffers Miscarriage

The 55-year-old, who was is a former Celebrity Big Brother contestant, having entered the house with her late daughter Jade in 2007, was less than three months pregnant with her boyfriend of one month Jack Hickinbottom. Jackiey said that she had conceived the baby while in Tenerife with Hickinbottom in July.

After suffering bleeding and cramps, Jackiey called out the emergency GP to her home in Bermondsey, when she was later taken to London's St Thomas' Hospital, where they told her that she'd suffered a miscarriage.

In an interview with The People, Jackiey said: "I thought God was giving me one last chance to bring up a child. I thought Jade was bringing me a little girl from up there. It was like she was helping me from Heaven. I've lost Jade and I've lost contact with my son Brett so I was over the moon that I had another chance."

Improving Cervical Mucus

2011-09-27T05:00:00.000-07:00

I think most of us underestimate the importance of cervical mucus when trying to conceive. We focus on many of the other factors, but many sources claim that cervical mucus is critical and probably one of the best predictors of success. Here is an article that addresses what to look for and how to improve your cervical mucus. Read more:
www.redpeonyhealth.com

From the article:

Medications that can potentially dry up the cervical mucous include clomid and antihistamines, Also taking a large dosage of vitamin C can potentially make the mucous too acidic and therefore hostile to the sperm.

Foods which increase the production of yin and fluids in the body and therefore increase the production of cervical mucous are: all dark colored beans e.g. black beans, eggs, dairy, small amounts of pork and duck meat, asparagus, seaweeds, leafy green vegetables, berries like: blueberries, strawberries, blackberries and raspberries. Over consumption of spicy foods and stimulating drinks can lead to dryness. Staying well hydrated is important since women (and men) with yin vacuity have a tendency toward thirst and dryness.

How The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success Helped Me Conceive

2011-09-26T05:00:00.000-07:00

A few months before I conceived my daughter, I listened to the tape "The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success" by Deepak Chopra. Having the audio was nice because I listened to it over and over again in my car. I tried to live by the seven spiritual laws and perhaps it's not coincidence that I conceived my daughter just a few months after that. One of the best things about this tape/book, is that it gives you some real life day to day things you can do to improve your life and succeed in getting (or attracting) what you want. It also gives some very helpful advice on meditation. Here is a summary of the seven spiritual laws from www.shareguide.com:

Fulfilling Your Dreams with the
Seven Spiritual Laws of Success
By Deepak Chopra, M.D.

Fertility Artifacts, Dolls from the NY Times

2011-09-23T05:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I spoke of the "Italian fertility chair"...to continue my theme, today I'm going to talk about fertility artifacts and dolls. Did I get this off some obscure website? No, I got it from "The NY Times"! Does that lend this credibility? I don't know, that's for you to decide. For anyone interested, read more:

ARTS/ARTIFACTS; Of Dolls, Karma and the Pursuit of Motherhood
By CHRISTA WORTHINGTON (www.nytimes.com)

From the article:

As legend has it, a woman named Akua was barren until a healer instructed her to carry and care for a doll as if it were a child. Villagers jeered, but her faith was rewarded with the birth of a daughter -- the ''ba,'' or child, in the doll's name. Now recognized all over Africa as a symbol of political empowerment and intellectual freedom as well as fertility, the doll is mass-manufactured for export and domestic use (both play and ritual). Akua'ba versions of a Madonna and child are produced for the tourist trade.

''My wife is pregnant, and we have two of them,'' says Mark Bessire, a former Fulbright Fellow in Tanzania who with his wife, Aimee, is the curator of ''Art of Identity: African Sculpture From the Teel Collection'' at the Fogg Museum of Art at Harvard University through next year. ''While you're carrying this figure, you're thinking about the positive experience of having a baby. It's a kind of training. People decorate them or put beads on them to empower them. It's very personal.''

In African practice, once a doll has done its job, it is piled with others on the shrine of the healer who prescribed it, much as Western women send baby photos to a doctor's office, where they are displayed as proof of the doctor's skill.

In the African view, fertility is a gift from ancestors, infertility an evil rooted in the discontent of ancestors. Activated by the power of play, dolls function like a wish that is about to come true.

Italian Fertility Chair

2011-09-22T05:00:00.000-07:00

I've written before about the "Ripley's Fertility Statue", but now there is an "Italian Fertility Chair". Who would have thought?? This CBS video explains more:

From the site:

Does "Miracle Chair" Help Fertility?

(CBS) Pews packed for Mass aren't unusual in Naples, but it's what happens after the service that draws so many people to one particular church.

As CBS News correspondent Allen Pizzey reports, worshippers become pilgrims patiently waiting their turn to sit in what's known as "The Miracle Chair."

Can Tampons Affect Fertility?

2011-09-21T05:00:00.000-07:00

I've often wondered if tampons are really that healthy. I'll admit, for me, it's much more comfortable than wearing a pad, however, after I delivered my daughter, I found then to be somewhat irritating. This article talks about how tampons could possibly be associated with everything from endometriosis to infertility. Read more:

www.estronaut.com

From the article:

Most tampons are made of rayon. Rayon is made from cellulose and fibers of wood. The processing from raw materials includes chlorine bleaching which is known to produce dioxin. The makers say they wash it all away. Critics say they don't.

Dioxin is a type of chlorine called an organochlorine. Organochlorines are similar in physical structure to sex hormones. It is believed by some (mostly environmentalists) that they can mimic the effects of sex hormones. Exposure to environmental organochlorines may cause an increase in sex-related health problems because it is like taking a huge dose of hormones.

Gender related cancers, decreased fertility, even endometriosis and birth defects have been blamed on dioxin. Immune disorders are also tied to dioxin. The vaginal wall tissue is very capable of absorbing substances that it comes in contact with. Dioxins can be stored in the body and can accumulate over time. The majority of women use tampons for years on end. All this raised the question of whether or not tampons could deliver a dose of dioxin large enough to cause disease to women.

OHSS---Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome

2011-09-20T05:00:00.000-07:00

O-H-S-S...almost sounds like a swear word, doesn't it? Well...you'd certainly be justified if it happened to you. I had the pleasure of this wonderful (ahem!) condition twice while undergoing fertility treatments. At best, this condition is very uncomfortable and somewhat painful (fluid can accumulate in your abdomen) and at worst, it can be severe and life threatening. The condition is one of the possible complications that can occur when taking fertility drugs. Here is an article that explains more about OHSS:

Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome

From the site;

Symptoms of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome
The symptoms of OHSS vary depending upon how severe the condition is. Symptoms typically manifest four or five days after egg collection, and are often associated with pregnancy. Possible symptoms include:

nausea and vomiting
diarrhea
abdominal bloating and distension
abdominal pain
sudden weight gain (due to fluid accumulation in the stomach)
the appearance of cysts on the ovaries
difficulty breathing

Additionally, depending on the severity of your OHSS, you may experience reduced frequency in your urination as well as dark urine.

Complications of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome
If left untreated, OHSS can result in serious health complications. Severe cases of OHSS are rare, but they have been known to lead to permanent injury and even death. Possible complications include:

twisting of the swollen ovaries (which may require their removal and loss of fertility)
collection of fluid in the stomach and lungs (which interferes with bodily processes, including breathing)
loss of kidney and liver function
blood clots (which may lead to stroke)

Just another reason to try the natural route. It's scary to think how I voluntarily exposed my poor ovaries and reproductive system to such dangerous drugs - and got nothing in return. I'm hoping my subsequent healthy lifestyle reversed any damage I might have done. At the very least fertility treatments derailed or delayed me from getting pregnant naturally. I'm so happy my body was able to recover and have a normal pregnancy. You know the old saying, "hindsight is 20/20..." If only I had trusted my instincts from the beginning--but I guess that's how we learn. I'm so much more skeptical about drugs and medical intervention now. I realize modern medicine has made miraculous strides, but you have to weigh all your options carefully and listen hard when they quickly rattle off all the possible complications of drugs and other treatments.

Spirulina - A Superfood For Fertility

2011-09-19T05:00:00.000-07:00

picture: www.naturalways.com

If you're like many (and maybe most) people, you've probably never heard of spirulina. But it's jammed packed with nutrients and protein all of which can help fertility. This site explains what spirulina is:

naturalways.com

Spirulina is a blue-green algae. It is a simple, one-celled form of algae that thrives in warm, alkaline fresh-water bodies. The name "spirulina" is derived from the Latin word for "helix" or "spiral"; denoting the physical configuration of the organism when it forms swirling, microscopic strands.

Spirulina is being developed as the "food of the future" because of its amazing ability to synthesize high-quality concentrated food more efficiently than any other algae. Most notably, Spirulina is 65 to 71 percent complete protein, with all essential amino acids in perfect balance. In comparison, beef is only 22 percent protein.

Spirulina has a photosynthetic conversion rate of 8 to 10 percent, compared to only 3 percent in such land-growing plants as soybeans.

In addition, Spirulina is one of the few plant sources of vitamin B12, usually found only in animal tissues. A teaspoon of Spirulina supplies 21/2 times the Recommended Daily Allowance of vitamin B12 and contains over twice the amount of this vitamin found in an equivalent serving of liver.

Spirulina also provides high concentrations of many other nutrients - amino acids, chelated minerals, pigmentations, rhamnose sugars (complex natural plant sugars), trace elements, enzymes - that are in an easily assimilable form.
_________________

This site explains how it can help fertility:

www.natureone.com

From the article:

Spirulina nourishes the endocrine, nervous, and immune systems, regulates metabolism, and repairs tissue. Increased fertility from spirulina is thought to be due to the high protein content, which in turn can increase the quality of your eggs.

This is particularly beneficial in those of "advanced maternal age" (as they call it), age 35+. I took spirulina during two of the months I conceived, one being the month I conceived my son.

Genetically Modified Corn May Affect Fertility

2011-09-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

I don't know much about genetically modified crops, but I do know that their safety has been questioned. I also know that, many processed products already contain genetically modified ingredients. Even the "health food" stores are carrying these products. See more here:

Whole Foods Admits Its Organic Foods Contain Genetically Modified Ingredients

This article talks about how these crops can affect fertility. Read more:

organicconsumers.org

From the article:

The work was done at the University of Vienna, using a GM maize hybrid line called NK603 x MON810, which has two copies of the RR gene in it, each copy with its own, different promoter sequence, as well as the MON810 gene. In one of the very few long-term nutrition studies conducted so far with an approved GM product (2), it became apparent over a period of 20 weeks that the fertility of GM corn fed mice was seriously impaired, with fewer offspring than mice fed on non-GM equivalent material. In a multi-generational trial, mice fed with GM maize had fewer offspring in the third and fourth generations, and this difference was statistically significant. Mice fed with GM-free corn reproduced more rapidly. In a series of carefully-controlled trials, it was also discovered that there was a statistically significant decrease in litter weight in the third and fourth litters of mice in the GM-fed group as compared to the control group.

Although the Austrian authorities have announced the findings in a somewhat cautious fashion, stressing the urgent need for "further studies", the implications of the work are immediate and far-reaching. Speaking for GM Free Cymru, Dr Brian John said: "This work will do huge damage to the GM industry worldwide, since it shows that a crop -- Monsanto's maize line NK603 x MON810 -- which has been approved as safe by EFSA, and given consent for use in food and feed by the EC, is in fact dangerous to health. It demonstrates that the approvals process is at best inadequate and at worst corrupt.

More On the Aspartame Debate

2011-09-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

First let me say that I have tried to completely cut aspartame out of my diet. But, having said that, there are differing reports out there about whether or not aspartame is safe in moderate doses. Personally, I feel that when you are trying to conceive or pregnant, you should try to eliminate anything that has the potential to be usafe for you or your pregnancy. This article explains more about the dangers of aspartame:

www.genhealth.com

From the article:

A document from the European Parliament says that

the use of aspartame increases the exposure to its metabolites methanol/formaldehyde and phenylalanine, and is reported to provoke headaches, nausea and allergic reactions, especially in the case of vulnerable persons. Its widespread use should therefore be re-evaluated by the Commission and the relevant scientific committees, taking into account all available data and respecting the precautionary principle. A historical evaluation is required as there seems to be evidence that original studies did not prove the safety of aspartame.

There is also a call for proposals to improve the labeling of products containing aspartame and Parliament wants the new directive to be implemented in the Member States within a year. They are concerned about a lack of warning labels for pregnant women and children's health.

Rightly so, since aspartame is an abortifacient and a teratogen. It also stimulates prolactin. It is an endocrine disrupting chemical. It changes the menses triggering infertility. Then if the consumer is off aspartame and gets pregnant she may lose the baby if she gets back on it.

Infections May Be Tied To Some Birth Defects

2011-09-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

If you are trying to conceive, you should be checked for STD's and Urinary Tract Infections. According to the article below, these infections might put a woman's baby at risk for birth defects. Some of these infections go undiagnosed, so it's important to check before you get pregnant. Read more:

STDs And Urinary Infections Appear To Trigger Birth Defect (www.aphroditewomenshealth.com)

From the article:

Women with both an STD and urinary tract infection during early pregnancy are four times more likely to have babies with gastroschisis, a severe birth defect in which infants are born with their intestines and other internal organs outside the abdomen, say University of Utah researchers in the British Medical Journal...

The study established that women who reported having both an STD and UTI immediately before or early in pregnancy were four times more likely to have a child with gastroschisis. Although the association between having both an STD and UTI and the risk for gastroschisis needs more study, it's possible the link might be even stronger than the study suggests, according to Feldkamp, as STDs and UTIs often go undiagnosed. "One of the problems, especially with Chlamydia, is these infections are subclinical [unreported] because the woman doesn't know she has it," Feldkamp said. "We probably have many cases that go undiagnosed."

Antioxidants For Oxidative Stress May Improve Fertility

2011-09-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

I've always been an advocate of "fruit and vegetable therapy" for infertility. The reason is because of all the antioxidants in these colorful foods. This article talks about how these antioxidants may help everything from erectile dysfunction to egg implantation. Read more:

www.medicalnewstoday.com

From the article:

If new approaches were developed successfully, the researchers said, they might help treat erectile dysfunction in men, egg implantation and endometriosis in women, and reduce the often serious and sometimes fatal condition of pre-eclampsia in pregnancy. The quality and health of semen and eggs might be improved.

As many as 50 percent of conceptions fail and about 20 percent of clinical pregnancies end in miscarriage, the researchers noted in their report. Both male and female reproductive dysfunction is believed to contribute to this high level of reproductive failure, they said, but few real causes have been identified.

"Some people and physicians are already using antioxidants to help with fertility problems, but we don't have the real scientific evidence yet to prove its efficacy," Hagen said. "It's time to change that."

Some commonly used antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E, could help, Hagen said. But others, such as lipoic acid, are a little more cutting-edge and set up a biological chain reaction that has a more sustained impact on vasomotor function and health.

Woman, 46 has baby naturally after tubal ligation reversal

2011-09-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

I found this very encouraging story about a woman who had previously had a tubal ligation, then had it reversed at the age of 45 and had a baby at age 46! I particularly like the doctors comments at the end:

tubal-reversal.net

From the article:

I would be honored to have you share my story. I was really inspired to have my tubal reversal at 45 years old, primarily, because of the wonderful postings I read on your message boards. I read them on a daily basis before my procedure and continued to do so after my surgery.

Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center has the best website for tubal ligation reversal surgery, and more importantly, about how women feel about the reversal process, that I have seen.

I sincerely hope my success story (giving birth 3 months before my 47th birthday) will be a source of inspiration to others. I hope the women over 40 years old will read it and continue to have faith miracles can still happen, even after 45...

...Comment About Tubal Reversal for “Older” Women from Gary Berger, MD

Dawne’s testimonial is particularly appreciated for the hope she brings to other women in their forties who want to become pregnant after having a tubal ligation. When I listen to the stories these women tell me at their preoperative consultations, it seems that many – and perhaps most – doctors are discouraging to them. Most of the women age 40 and over say that they have been advised by their doctors that only IVF using the eggs of younger women (donors) can offer them hope of success. While it is true that donor egg IVF has a high pregnancy rate, this option is not acceptable to many couples who prefer to try to have their own biological children. My view on this is that as long as a woman in menstruating and ovulating, there is the possibility of having another child after a tubal reversal procedure. The decision is a highly personal one that should be made by each couple based on accurate information and informed consent about the potential benefits, risks, and costs of tubal ligation reversal vs donor egg IVF.

Gary S. Berger, M.D.
Medical Director
Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center

Fertility Desserts!

2011-09-09T05:00:00.000-07:00

Yum...trying to conceive might involve having some great desserts. This article talks about how some delicious recipes may be good for your fertility:

fertilitychicago.org

From the article:

Eνеr wonder wһу women аrе tһе ones wһο crave chocolate? Studies suggest tһаt women аrе more affected bу tһе “magic” οf phenylethylamine (PEA, аח endogenous neuroamine/antidepressant). Wһο cares tһаt wе саחחοt pronounce іt, аѕ long аѕ іt mаkеѕ υѕ very, very һарру.

Oh, yes! A tantalizing ƖіttƖе pleasure, chocolate іѕ loaded wіtһ tһе stimulant PEA аחԁ therefore chocolate ԁοеѕ іt аƖƖ, frοm something аѕ wonderful аѕ increasing energy tο tһаt pizazz οf stimulating sexual arousal аחԁ pleasure. Forget tһе appetizers аחԁ entrees аחԁ јυѕt mаkе уουr chocolate goodies tһе entire meal! Aחԁ аѕ a touch οf fertility enticement, ѕοmе believe tһаt green M&Ms аrе lusty ƖіttƖе aphrodisiacs. Hey, green ԁοеѕ mean ɡο!

Or һοw аbουt chocolate’s lusty ƖіttƖе friend, vanilla. Vanilla’s scent חοt οחƖу calms аחԁ relaxes, bυt аƖѕο acts аѕ a powerful аחԁ mysterious sex enhancer. Experiment wіtһ уουr vanilla desserts іח tһе forms οf ice cream, cakes, smoothies… οr drop a vanilla bean οr two іחtο уουr champagne fertility toast. Cheers tο vanilla!

Lеt’s talk éclairs аѕ a particularly powerful аחԁ well-endowed fertility dessert. Tһе shape, tһе luscious creamy custard… wе′re blushing аt tһе sheer mention. Bυt һοחеѕtƖу, аѕ far back аѕ tһе Middle Ages, Liebesknochen (translation – bone οf Ɩονе), οr wһаt wе call éclairs, wеrе baked, eaten, аחԁ еחјοуеԁ аѕ a fertility custom. Now tһаt уου know tһе significance, Ɩеt éclairs work fοr уου.

Wе саח’t talk romantic desserts without raising awareness οf tһе “raising” merits οf pumpkin pie. Tһе scent οf аחу home cooked pie mау tantalize уουr partner, bυt pumpkin pie ԁοеѕ іt аƖƖ. Abundant іח phosphorus, pumpkin pie іѕ known tο increase penile blood flow bу up tο 40%

Laptops "Cook" Testicles

2011-09-08T05:00:00.000-07:00

Testicles and sperm are very susceptible to a number of things - especially high temperatures. Men should use laptops on a table not their laps! Even cooling devices didn't seem to help. This article explains more:

www.naturalnews.com

From the article:

Surprisingly, even using a laptop cooling pad didn't help, researchers reported. Scrotum temperatures still rose just the same.

Reuters reported that Belkin International, Inc., makers of laptop computer cooling pads, "...did not wish to comment on the new findings." (http://www.reuters.com/article/idUS...)

No surprise there. This is dangerous territory for marketers. After all, there's really no way to spin this story in a positive direction. Even if Belkin unleashed ads such as, "Feeling the heat? We keep your scrotum cool," they would be hit with complaints about lewd marketing tactics.

It turns out the biggest determining factor of whether a laptop computer heats up your testicles is your leg position while computing. I'm not making this up: Researchers found the best position was to spread your legs wide while computing in order to dissipate heat and cool your man-crotch.

Nonstick Chemicals Linked To Infertility

2011-09-07T05:00:00.000-07:00

I recently replaced much of my cookware. Yes, it's somewhat expensive, but I've heard so much about the dangers of nonstick cookware that it may be worth the investment in something safer. Here's an article about how some non-stick chemicals may affect your fertility:

www.sciencenews.org

From the article:

A provocative new study finds that women who have trouble getting pregnant are more likely to have high concentrations of certain nonstick-chemical pollutants circulating in their blood than are those who become pregnant within the first month of trying. The suspect compounds — generally known as PFOA and PFOS — are the original primary constituents of Teflon and Scotchguard products.

Since the potential toxicity of certain perfluorinated chemicals began to emerge about a decade ago, formulations of both commercial nonstick-product lines have been reengineered to avoid reliance on PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate). Nonetheless, plenty of both compounds still can be found in air, water and the bodies of people throughout the developed world. Indeed, babies are usually born carrying traces of both compounds — and their chemical kin — supplied by their moms’ blood.

Over the past two years, Chunyuan Fei of the University of California, Los Angeles, and her colleagues have linked elevated concentrations of both PFOA and PFOS in mom with a decreased likelihood that her baby or toddler would meet early developmental milestones — such as being able to sit or walk without support or to retrieve something (such as a toy or book) when asked.