The Have's and the Have Nots

Interesting article about rising infertility and the social ramifications.  You really can't talk freely about your children in a room full of women of childbearing age, as the number of women who are childless or child-free by choice is rising.  More...

Today, you avoid mentioning children unless you are certain the woman before you has at least one. Otherwise, you risk a pregnant (so to speak) pause, a fearsome glare, even a tearful exit. Forget the mummy wars; far more vicious is the battle between the haves and have-nots.

The Observer | Comment | It's best to keep mum about babies

technorati tags:fertility, infertility, pregnant

Another Benefit of Prenatal Vitamins

It is fairly common advice to take folic acid before trying to get pregnant in order to reduce the risk of neural tube defects. New research suggests that taking prenatal vitamins in early pregnancy may also prevent the development of some brain tumors.

http://toronto.fashion-monitor.com/news.php/
health/2006092903prenatal-vitamins

technorati tags:pregnant, fertility

Too Much Exercise Can Hurt Fertility

This article looks at the consequences of extreme exercise on your ability to get pregnant through IVF.  While moderate exercise definitely has it's benefits, excessive cardiovascular exercise can cause subtle changes in the woman's body that can interfere with getting pregnant. 

Excessive exercise can stress a woman's reproductive system, causing her body to "protect" it from a pregnancy it's not prepared to maintain–perhaps by causing subtle hormonal changes, theorizes Mark Hornstein, senior researcher and clinical director of reproductive endocrinology at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. Why does the effect seem to wear off after 10 years? "We don't have a good answer for that," says Hornstein. "It may be that the body accommodates."

USNews.com: Health: Fitness and fertility

technorati tags:ivf, fertility, pregnant

Falling Fertility

This article is a "must read" if you are trying to get pregnant.  While it's a bit depressing to hear how fertility in general is plummeting, there is a lot of useful information hightlighting many of the things that can decrease your chances of getting pregnant.

Human fertility is in crisis....Sperm counts are in freefall, while sexually transmitted diseases and obesity - both of which seriously harm our ability to reproduce - are increasing. Our environment, stress and the vices we embrace all chip away at our natural fertility.

Fertility rights and wrongs - Pregnancy & IVF - Health In Focus - smh.com.au

technorati tags:pregnant, fertility

Avoid Pregnancy Related Diabetes

We're constantly hearing how good nutrition can improve your chances of getting pregnant, and also makes for a healthier pregnancy.  In keeping with this premise, increasing fiber intake can help prevent the development of gestational diabetes.  Read more..

If you're a woman planning to get pregnant, you might want to pump up your fiber intake. Doing so could make you less likely to develop gestational diabetesgestational diabetes, researchers report in the October edition of Diabetes Care.

Planning a Pregnancy? Eat Your Fiber

technorati tags:pregnant, fiber, gestational+diabetes

Rich Couples Choose Infertility Treatment

It's sad but not surprising to learn that couples who are trying to get pregnant base their treatment decisions on matters such as insurance coverage and income.  The data confirms that those with higher incomes, are much more likely to pursue more expensive treatment options, such as IVF.

By comparing these treatment options with information about the women’s income and insurance, Staniec and Webb found that low-income women were only 65 percent as likely as their richer counterparts to seek help for infertility.

Toronto Daily News - Infertility Treatment Often Chosen by Rich Couples - An infertile couple's income makes a difference in whether they pursue an expensive technology such as in vitro fertilization.   

technorati tags:ivf, infertility, pregnant

Are You Taking A Conceptionmoon?

First there's the honeymoon...and eventually the  babymoon, but if you want to get pregnant, you need to take some time for the conceptionmoon.

Between family and work responsibilities, a getaway -- whether near or far -- helps couples to unwind and focus on conception.

New Survey From BabyCenter and Clearblue Easy Shows 'Conceptionmoons' Help Couples to Conceive

technorati tags:pregnant, conception

Birth Control Pills Don't Hurt Fertility

More research supporting the notion that birth control pills do not affect your ability to get pregnant after going off them.  In fact, most women will get pregnant within a few months of trying after discontinuing the pill.

Long-term use of pill does not affect fertility, study finds - The Brunei Times

Long-term use of pill does not affect fertility, study finds The Brunei Times, Brunei Darussalam - 11 hours ago YEARS of taking the pill does not cause a decline in a woman's fertility after she stops taking it, a study conducted in Germany has shown. ...

technorati tags:pregnant, fertility

Looking For Pregnancy Symptoms?

Anyone who is trying really hard to get pregnant, knows just what it's like to interpret every possible change in their body as being a "symptom of pregnancy."  Sore boobs, fatigue, nausea, are all viewed as a sign of pregnancy, even though they are often not a sign of anything unusual at all.  This article will make you laugh if you can relate to the obsessiveness of looking for symptoms every month.

When 'fake pregnancy symptoms' turn real - Atlanta Journal Constitution (subscription)

When 'fake pregnancy symptoms' turn real Atlanta Journal Constitution (subscription),  USA - 4 hours ago Did you get obsessive while trying to get pregnant? Did you report pregnancy symptoms to friends and family? Any woman who has tried ...

technorati tags:pregnant, conceive

Grieving A Loss

This article talks about a subject that definitely needs more attention...coping with the loss of a baby.  This is something that unfortunately happens to some women in their quest to have a baby, and it can happen at various stages of pregnancy or even in early infancy.

When a baby dies, a lifetime of hopes and dreams are lost as well — the future the parents had imagined with their child. It doesn’t matter how that loss comes: miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth or in infancy. To the parents, the bond with the baby was very real.

La Crosse Tribune - 6.0

technorati tags:pregnant, miscarriage

Coping With Infertility

This article gives a very nice overview of infertility and how it affects couples.  Also, some helpful hints on how to handle the stress of not being able to conceive -- the loss of control that you have to deal with.

Infertility More Widespread Than Most Think - CBS 11

Infertility More Widespread Than Most Think CBS 11, TX - 11 hours ago (CBS 11 News) FORT WORTH The diagnosis of infertility can be devastating to couples yearning for a baby. ... Why is infertility so devastating for young couples? ...

technorati tags:pregnant, ivf, infertility

No Smoking!

We all know the dangers of smoking, but this new research shows an increased lkelihood of miscarriage from being exposed to second hand smoke...

Women who smoked were more than twice as likely as nonsmokers to miscarry, the researchers found. They also found that those whose cotinine levels indicated they were exposed to second hand-smoke were 67 percent more likely to miscarry than those who weren't exposed to second-hand smoke.

Second-hand smoke exposure boosts miscarriage risk | Health | Reuters.co.uk

technorati tags:miscarriage, fertility, pregnant

Designer Babies?

Some interesting news about choices offered at fertility clinics when screening embryos for implantation using IVF.  The technique (PGD) was developed to screen for potentially deadly diseases, but also can be used to screen for non-serious issues, such as the baby's gender.  Many worry that clinics that offer various screening options, will lead to increasing numbers of "designer babies".

Choosing Baby's Sex Becoming Popular - Washington Post

Choosing Baby's Sex Becoming Popular Washington Post, United States - 3 hours ago ... Almost half of US fertility clinics that offer embryo screening say they allow couples to choose the sex of their child, the most extensive survey of the ... VITAL EVIDENCE Increasingly, Couples Use Embryo Screening Washington Post all 58 news articles

technorati tags:pregnant, infertility, pgd

Do You Have The Time?

I'm not sure what to make of this new gadget. It tracks everything fertility related and keeps it stored in a handy timepiece! Any comments?

ww.slashgear.com/the-fertility-watch-191709.php

Fertility Overview

This article provides a nice overview of what factors affect your fertility...

Fertility Forecaster WHOI, IL - 2 hours ago ... polycystic ovary disease, excessive use of alcohol, use of certain drugs, damage to the fallopian tubes, uterine polyps, endometriosis, fibroids, adhesions or

technorati tags:pregnant, fertility

The Pain Of Miscarriage

Whether it happens to you or someone you know, learning how to deal with the pain of miscarriage can be a difficult experience.  This is a subject that doesn't get alot of attention, yet people really need to know how to offer support to those close to them who have suffered this type of loss.  Most importantly, recognizing that it is a loss, not something to just "get over."  One woman's story...

It's a very isolating, scary experience. You don't know how to be. You had your life planned, your baby's life planned."

Scotsman.com Living - People - Healing the pain of miscarriage

technorati tags:miscarriage, pregnant

Infertility Conference

It is continually reported that most women who are struggling with their attempts to get pregnant, do not get the emotional support that they need. This topic and others is to be covered in a conference geared to women facing infertility issues. One topic sure to be discussed is the role that stress plays in trying to conceive...

Studies of women struggling to have a baby show they're just as depressed as women dealing with cancer, AIDS or heart disease. Infertility is that severe a blow to their psyches. It affects virtually every aspect of their lives, from their relationships with their partners, friends and family to their financial stability.

Infertility conference offers women support - Nashville, Tennessee - Tuesday, 09/12/06 - Tennessean.com

technorati tags:infertility, pregnant

Male Factor

This article hightlights some of the problems in fertility that men are experiencing in Viet Nam. The information is useful because it raises the same issues that are found globally - many lifestyle factors (nutrition, environmental toxins, heat) are contributing to male infertility....

Some medical experts believe Vietnamese men's poor sperm counts are a result of the growing popularity of less healthy modern food, such as canned food, which inhibit the production of sperm. Doctors say it is one of the main reasons for the alarming decrease in sperm quality.

VietNamNet Bridge

technorati tags:pregnant, infertility, sperm

Won't Give Up!

What a fabulous story of hope and determination.  A woman who has a disorder which has caused multiple miscarriages, does not give up trying!

BEVERLEY FOSTER holds the most heartbreaking record in the world. She has miscarried THIRTY-SEVEN times in the past ten years.

The Sun Online - Health: Still trying after 37 miscarriages

technorati tags:pregnant, miscarriage

Fertility Gene

Some recent research has discovered a genetic reason for some fertility problems.  It seems that women who have this defective gene have problems with embryos implanting in their uterus.  More.....

Discovery could aid childless The Sun, UK - 10 hours ago ... A fault in a gene called AM makes it difficult for eggs to implant in the womb. However, it IS still possible to get pregnant. But ...

technorati tags:pregnant, infertility

Younger Women Turn To Infertility Treatments

This is a fascinating news story about women in their twenties seeking infertility treatments well before the customary 1 year of trying.  It seems these younger women are afraid of wasting time and are looking to hurry things along.  Doesn't this raise an ethical question--should infertility specialists treat women who don't really need any treatment, just because they're too impatient to try to get pregnant for very long?  What do you think?

For women of childbearing age, the message in fertility advertisements is hard to miss: your biological clock is ticking. Aimed at women in their 30s and 40s — when getting pregnant gets harder — now, it's many 20-somethings who seem to be hitting the panic button.

Younger women turn to fertility specialists - Nightly News with Brian Williams - MSNBC.com

technorati tags:infertility, pregnant

On The Lighter Side

I would agree it's not breaking news, but...Marcia Cross, who plays Bree on the hit show Desperate Housewives is pregnant with her first child, at the age of 44.  I am always delighted  to see women well into their forties getting pregnant.  I think it gives hope to others that are struggling...

Bree to get pregnant, too Edmonton Sun,? Canada?- 7 hours ago By AP. LOS ANGELES -- Since Marcia Cross is pregnant, does that mean Cross's Desperate Housewives character Bree will be too? Eva Longoria says it'll happen. ...

technorati tags:pregnant

Finally Some Good News For Overweight Women

With all the media attention about overweight women having fertility problems, it's nice to read something positive for a change.  A program devised to help overweight and obese women get fit through proper exercise and nutrition.  The result:  improved pregnancy rates!

New Infertility Program for Overweight Patients Delivers Big-time ... - Yahoo! News (press release)

PR Web (press release)

New Infertility Program for Overweight Patients Delivers Big-time ... Yahoo! News (press release) - 34 minutes ago ... And, chances are, these patients may not have become pregnant without this weight loss," so says top fertility specialist Laurence A. Jacobs, MD. ...

technorati tags:pregnant, fertility, obesity

A Break From The Conventional Approach

I love the ideas in this article....trying creative approaches to increase the odds of conception, rather than just using the same old expensive, often invasive techniques to treat infertility.

Fertility specialists in New Jersey and worldwide are looking at other lower-cost, less-invasive ways to improve IVF success rates. Scientists are trying cognitive behavioral therapy, rather than drugs, to stimulate ovulation. They're determining if the chance of pregnancy after embryo transfer is greater if patients immediately are given acupuncture or entertained by clowns to make them laugh.

North Jersey Media Group providing local news, sports & classifieds for Northern New Jersey!

technorati tags:ivf, acupuncture, pregnant, infertility

The Secrets Of The Egg

The latest research has science unfolding the unique characteristics of the human egg and it's apparent magic...

Washington, Sept 07: Scientists at Michigan State University claim to have unravelled the mystery behind the human egg's ability to transform into a new life.

Zee News - Scientists identify genetic secrets of human egg

technorati tags:infertility, pregnant

More Embryo Screening

This article takes another look at PGD (preimplantation genetic diagnosis), and how it is being used to screen embryos for an inherited cancer risk gene.  Once again it raises the issue of how more and more things can be screened for at this early stage, and where should fertility clinics draw the line in embryo testing.  Especially when couples who are able to get pregnant on their own, may soon be turning to PGD to create the designer baby of their dreams.

Screening embryos to avoid deadly genes San Francisco Chronicle,  USA - 16 hours ago ... Kingsbury's that the expense and physical demands of in vitro fertilization were not worth it, given that the couple could probably get pregnant without it. ...

technorati tags:pregnant, fertility, conception, ivf

What To Eat?

Here are some helpful hints on some foods to eat when you are trying to get pregnant. While there are a lot of other fertility boosting foods, this is a good start...

6 FOODS TO EAT IF YOU'RE TRYING TO GET PREGNANT EAT RIGHT ic Scotland.co.uk,?UK?- Sep 4, 2006 ... All women hoping to get pregnant are advised to take a folic acid supplement as it reduces the risk of birth defects in the baby. ...

technorati tags:fertility, pregnant

More Technological Advances

Technology will continue to offer advances in the area of reproduction.  Women who can't get pregnant because of issues with their uterus, may have the chance to get a womb transplant in the not too distant future.  What could be next?

First womb transplant 'within two years' - China Daily

First womb transplant 'within two years' China Daily,?China?- Sep 5, 2006 ... Having Infertility Problems Solved, said: "There are so many people who have come to the end of the line with IVF and have been told there's no hope. ...

technorati tags:pregnant, infertility, transplant

Forget the Boxers

We've probably all heard that when trying to conceive, men need to keep their private regions cool.  Boxer shorts are typically recommended to replace the briefs. Now along comes some research pointing to heated car seats as a more significant influence.

Men in the hot seat may soon lack fertility - Independent Online

Men in the hot seat may soon lack fertility Independent Online,?South Africa?- Sep 5, 2006 Heated seats in cars may be more to blame for declining male fertility than tight trousers, a urologist warned Tuesday, two days before a German conference on ...

technorati tags:pregnant, fertility, sperm

Frozen Eggs Please

With new advances in egg-freezing technology, women will have the option of freezing their eggs as opposed to having to freeze their embryos (which requires a male participant).  Is this a good thing???

Gillian Lockwood, of the British Fertility Society, this week recommended that women put their fresh young eggs on ice at 30 to improve their chances of conceiving at 40-plus. A frozen egg is a golden egg.

Would madam like her eggs frozen? - Comment - Times Online

technorati tags:pregnant, fertility

Baby Doctor Turned Novelist

In this unusual twist, an obstetrician (doctor who delivers babies) finds herself unable to have a baby herself.  So after going through infertility treatments and getting a taste of what some of her patients have gone through, she wrote a fictional novel based on her experiences.  Should be a good read...

Doctor's infertility gives her insight - News & Observer

News & Observer

Doctor's infertility gives her insight News & Observer, NC - Sep 4, 2006 ... uterus. It took corrective surgery and five cycles of infertility treatments, at a cost of about $12,000, to solve her problem. ...

technorati tags:pregnant, fertility

Should Age Be A Factor?

A look at what it means to have children at what is considered an advanced age.  It's not just about whether it's possible to do it, but whether it's a good lifestyle choice. 

Older Moms: Issues Beyond Pregnancy - CBS News

Older Moms: Issues Beyond Pregnancy CBS News, New York - 21 hours ago (CBS) Today's technology enables women in their 40s and even 50s to get pregnant and give birth. ... First: How old is too old to attempt to get pregnant? ...

technorati tags:fertility, pregnant

The Wonderful World Of Reproductive Technology

What a great story with a happy ending.  A woman who had very little hope of getting pregnant due to endometriosis, becomes a happy mother to twin girsl after undergoing an unexpected treatment.

I HAD TO GO THROUGH THE MENOPAUSE AT 35 TO GET PREGNANT Now Lesley ... Glasgow Daily Record, UK - 17 hours ago ... "When I was told my best hope of getting pregnant was to go through the menopause, I thought it was a joke. ... "I was to get a keyhole surgery operation to remove ...

technorati tags:endometriosis, pregnant, fertility, infertility, ivf

Any Harm In Drinking?

Is conflicting information making it difficult for women to know what they should and shouldn't do when pregnant or trying to get pregnant?

Why Welsh mums-to-be are shunning medical advice on drinking while ... ic Wales,?United Kingdom?- 2 hours ago ... Current Department of Health advice is that women who are pregnant or who are trying to get pregnant should not drink more than one to two units, twice a week. ...

technorati tags:fertility, pregnant, pregnancy

Help For Diabetic Women Attempting Pregnancy

Good news for women suffering with diabetes--it is possible to have a successful pregnancy!

Sweet child of mine - Malaysia Star

Sweet child of mine Malaysia Star, Malaysia - 13 hours ago ... type 1 and 2) have to understand: “It is very important to plan your pregnancy so that the diabetes can be controlled optimally before you get pregnant. ...

technorati tags:pregnant, diabetes, conception

Obesity Not Just A Woman's Issue

This article points to some research which is by no means definitive.  But there is a suggestion that overweight men may be at risk for fertility problems, just as it has been suggested for overweight women...

Male Infertility May Have Obesity Link - FOX News

World Fitness

Male Infertility May Have Obesity Link FOX News - Sep 1, 2006 ... edition. It’s often hard to pin down the source of infertility. Men and women may each have risk factors for infertility. For ...

technorati tags:pregnant, fertility, infertility

Got "E"?

We already know how important it is to have good nutrition and take vitamins including folic acid when trying to get pregnant.  A new study is showing that it is also very important to get enough vitamin E, as it can help prevent asthma from developing in the child in the future.

Study: Vitamin E Important For Pregnant Women - KDKA

Study: Vitamin E Important For Pregnant Women KDKA, PA - 20 hours ago ... supplements. "It's recommended that women trying to get pregnant or in early pregnancy start prenatal vitamins," said Dr. Wu. And ...

technorati tags:pregnant, asthma, vitamins

Should You Be Banned From Fertility Treatment?

This is sure to stir up some controversy...a group in the U.K. has proposed that significantly overweight women should not be eligible to receive fertility treatment in order to get pregnant.  To find out why, read on...

SEVERELY obese women should not have IVF on the NHS.” This headline was prompted by the British Fertility Society, which said that obese women are less likely to become pregnant and, if they do, are more likely to experience health problems.

A fertile argument - Health - Times Online

technorati tags:fertility, ivf, pregnant, infertility