Iron Improves Fertility

A new study suggests that iron supplements can have a beneficial effect on both ovulation and conception.  It is suggested that taking iron supplements regularly can increase the likelihood of getting pregnant to 40%.  More...

It's important that the results are reproduced, but the results suggest that women who are trying to get pregnant should consider having greater amounts of iron in their diet from non-animal sources including multivitamin supplements," said Dr. Jorge E. Chavarro.

Spotlighting News - Iron Supplements Prevent Infertility

technorati tags:pregnant, fertility, infertility, supplements

Endometriosis Can Affect Younger Women

Endometriosis can be very difficult to diagnose, and even more so in younger women. The symptoms can be quite varied and suggestive of other diseases.  For teenagers, whose symptoms have started at an early age, doctors often don't diagnose endometriosis because it is not a disease they typically see in this age group.  It can be very painful and can also cause fertility problems.  More....

It's hard enough for any woman, adult or teenager, to get a correct diagnosis of endometriosis because there are so many other causes of abdominal pain, including appendicitis, bowel disease, and pelvic inflammatory disease. In fact, it takes an average of nine years for most adult women to get a correct diagnosis, according to a review published last year by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Endometriosis can afflict young women, too - The Boston Globe

technorati tags:fertility, endometriosis

Fertility Foods

According to Dr. Jeremy Groll, author of "Fertility Foods," there is a definite connection between the foods we eat and our fertility. Particularly foods which raise our insulin level, he suspects can cause fertility problems.

According to Groll, there is an undeniable link between a body's insulin resistance and fertility problems. Resistance to insulin increases the body's insulin levels, hindering normal ovulation either by limiting the maturation process of the released egg or by preventing ovulation altogether.

RedOrbit - Health - Can Your Diet Make You Pregnant?: Researcher Finds Link Between Certain Foods, Increased Fertility

technorati tags:fertility, pregnant, infertility

Understanding Miscarriage

This article is a very informative overview of miscarriage--what causes it, how to prevent it, cope with it, etc.  A very good read...

Miscarriage is a relatively common experience — but that doesn't make it any easier. Ending a pregnancy without a baby to hold in your arms is heartbreaking. Take a step toward emotional healing by understanding what can cause a miscarriage, what increases the risk and what medical care might be needed.

Understanding miscarriage - MayoClinic.com

technorati tags:infertility, fertility, miscarriage, pregnant

Infertility Linked To Autism?

Although some new research suggests that couples who have difficulty conceiving have a greater chance of having a baby with health problems, the experts agree the overall risk is still very small. They surmise that the health problems causing the infertility are the same ones that can also cause the future problems with the baby.

Couples with fertility problems are three times more likely to have a child with serious conditions like autism and cerebral palsy, research suggests. The extra risk is likely to be caused by health problems that make it difficult for these couples to conceive in the first place, scientists believe.

BBC NEWS | Health | Infertility link to autism risk

technorati tags:pregnant, fertility, infertility, autism

When's The Best Time To Have A Baby?

I found this article which is bound to stir up some emotion among women who are planning to get pregnant at what is considered an "older" age.  The trend of women having babies much later in life than they did 20 years ago, is still continuing.  And as techniques improves in the field of reproductive technology, it is likely that this trend will continue.  There are definitely pros and cons to having a baby in your forties.  There also seems to be a bias towards men who frequently father children later in life, even though recent research suggests there could be health risks to the child.  Read more...

Obstetricians have warned that the "bio-panic" women used to suffer on their 30th birthday has moved up to the 40th and have suggested that instead of waiting for Mr Right they maybe ought to wait for Mr Good Enough if they want a family.

Independent Online Edition > Science & Technology

technorati tags:pregnant, infertility, fertility, ivf

Vitamin To Help Get Pregnant

Folic acid has been well known to help women reduce their chances of conceiving a baby with spinal chord defects, such as spina bifida.  But new research suggests that it can have an additional benefit.  Taking folic acid may actually help women to get pregnant...

Long known to safeguard the health of the unborn baby, this is the first time folic acid, a form of vitamin B, has been shown to aid conception too.

'Folic acid helps fertility in women' | the Daily Mail

technorati tags:folic, acid, pregnant, conceive, fertility

Older Moms May Pass On Fertility Problems

A new study suggests that women who delay having children until they are older, may pass on
some infertility risks to their daughters.  It seems that because older women also have older eggs, this may cause some future problems when their own daughters are trying to get pregnant.  The research, however, is not conclusive.  Read more...

A study of women at a fertility clinic found that those who failed to become pregnant after treatment had older mothers than those who were successful. The researchers from Atlanta, warned that postponing childbirth had implications for future generations.

BBC NEWS | Health | Older eggs pass on fertility risk

technorati tags:infertility, fertility, ivf, pregnant

Infertility Could Be Just A Phone Call Away

Research continues to uncover new ways that infertility can become compromised, simply by  going about our daily lives.  A new study points to cell phones as a potential threat to male fertility.

Samples taken from men attending a fertility clinic revealed their sperm declined steadily in number, quality and ability to swim as mobile phone use increased. Where men used their phones for more than four hours a day, researchers found a 30 per cent drop in sperm movement and viability when compared with men who did not use a mobile.

Mobile phone use linked to drop in male fertility - World - smh.com.au

technorati tags:infertility, fertility, pregnant

Improve Male Factor Issues

It's currently well documented that couples facing difficulty in achieving pregnancy have a fairly equal distribution of male and female issues which contribute to the infertility. So it stands to reason there would be more research to try to determine ways to improve male fertility, as it had been a long held belief that most of the problems were with the women.  Many times, vitamins and supplements have been linked to improvements in sperm quality.  In Australia, a supplement that seems to improve pregnancy rates looks promising....

A tablet containing vitamins C and E, folate, zinc, lycopene and garlic oil has been found to help protect a man's sperm from damage caused by smoking and other infections.

Australians discover male fertility pill. 23/10/2006. ABC News Online

technorati tags:infertility, fertility, pregnant

Acupuncture and pain

With all the attention that acupuncture is getting as a means to increase fertility, I thought this short video addressing one of the fears of acupuncture--pain, would be of interest.

Even Celebrities Can Struggle With Fertility Issues

No one is immune to infertility.  It doesn't matter how rich or famous you are, no one can protect themselves from it.  There has been a lot of media coverage lately of celebrities who are trying to get pregnant and having a hard time.  Recently,  J.Lo was focused on, and now it's Nicole Kidman.  If you are someone who is struggling to conceive, at least take comfort in the fact that you are definitely not alone.

Ninemsn

Keith and Nicole trying hard Ninemsn, Australia - 1 hour ago Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban are desperately battling to get pregnant, it has been claimed. ... "He knows how much Nicole wants to get pregnant. ..

technorati tags:fertility, pregnant, conceive, infertility, ectopic

Baby Born From Frozen Egg

A recent birth which was created by using a woman's frozen egg in the invitro fertilization process, gives hope for the future to women who may need to choose this option.  Currently, the only option to preserve your fertility is to freeze embryos, but sometimes this isn't practical if you don't currently have a male partner to provide the sperm.  Egg freezing has not been very successful yet, and still the procedure has not been perfected.  Yet every time a birth occurs which started from a frozen egg, it gives hope that this process may become a viable option sometime in the near future.

Birth that started with frozen egg may mean hope for fertility ... Toledo Blade, OH - 22 hours ago ... cancer treatment. She may help young women preserve fertility when circumstances work against their biological clocks. Claire managed ...

technorati tags:ivf, pregnant, fertility

PCOS Treatment Not Harmful To Baby

Good news for women struggling with PCOS and infertility.  One of the treatments is a drug called Metformin, whose potential to harm the fetus if taken in early pregnancy was unknown..  A recent study shows that the drug doesn't appear to cause any major malformations, however further research is needed.

Metformin is used, with or without insulin, to treat patients with type 2 diabetes - and it is also used to treat infertility in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. However, the safety of this drug for the fetus has not been established,

Metformin in early pregnancy may be safe for fetus | Health | Reuters.com

technorati tags:pcos, infertility, fertility, pregnant

Global Fertility Is Falling

This is a very surprising article revealing that the U.S. will see a significant increase in population--adding 100 million people over the next 4 decades.  Compare this to the European Union, where by 2010, deaths are expected to start outnumbering births.  Generally speaking, richer countries which have more educated women have fewer children and invest more in each of them.  More...

As birth rates in the other rich nations continue to fall, the planet's third most populous country just keeps growing

TheStar.com - 300 million Americans...more on the way

technorati tags:fertility

Obesity Impact on Fertility

There are many problems associated with being overweight, and reduced fertility is among them.  The good news is, diet and exercise can help restore fertility...so if you are having trouble conceiving and are overweight, try losing some weight and adding some exercise, and maybe your odds of conception will improve.  Read more

Obesity Epidemic Is Causing Infertility And Reducing The Success ... PR Web (press release), WA - 11 hours ago Obesity causes problems with ovulation, reduces the success of fertility treatments including IVF, increases the chances for miscarriage and other pregnancy ...

technorati tags:fertility, infertility, pregnant

IVF At 50 Or More?

In the U.K., according to the Chairman of the Governments fertility authority, advanced age is not a sufficient reason to rule patients out for fertility treatment.  This decision raises all sorts of controversial opinion, as women attempt to get pregnant through IVF at an increasingly advanced age.  More...

Infertile patients of any age should be seen as individuals whose reproductive choices deserve respect, and doctors should not refuse treatment purely because they have passed the menopause, according to Lord Harries of Pentregarth, the former Bishop of Oxford and now the interim chairman of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA).

Fertility Panel bishop blesses IVF for over-50s - Britain - Times Online

technorati tags:pregnant, ivf, infertility

Fertility Treatment Available for Single Women

A longstanding debate has been resolved by a vote on Friday in the UK, but that didn't stop the demonstrators from voicing their opposing opinions on the issue--whether it was necessary to be a male/female couple in order to receive fertility treatment.

Parliament voted on Friday in favour of a government bill to allow single women and lesbian couples to continue to have fertility treatment.

Helsingin Sanomat - International Edition - Home

technorati tags:fertility, pregnant

National Fertility Education Program

A landmark new report out of Australia has resulted in calls for a national education program to prevent infertility.  It seems that a substantial number of people surveyed did not know about the effects of age on a woman's fertility, with an even bigger misunderstanding about its effects on a man's.

The National Fertility Study shows that 88 per cent of men and 57 per cent of women between the ages of 30 and 39 reckon they will have children without any problem. They're wrong.

Ignorance a factor in infertility - National - theage.com.au

technorati tags:pregnant, infertility, fertility

Before You Make That Baby...

I just came across this article that has some valuable advice on what areas you might need to focus on before getting pregnant.  There's some really good tips here as we often forget the practical side when our minds get (emotionally) wrapped around the idea of having a baby!

Most couples don't just wake up one day and think, "Let's start a family now!" As much as some might wish their partners were that impulsive and enthusiastic, it's better to put some thought into this baby thing than to blindly jump into it. Preconception planning is just as important as prenatal care.

SunJournal.com - Babies on your brain?

technorati tags:pregnant, fertility, conception, infertility

Do You Dress Better When You're Fertile?

Okay, this article makes a point that seems a bit farfetched to me.  It seems women dress differently when they are ovulating, and by differently, they mean more attractively.  The only thing that makes sense to me is that your hormones rise when you're about to ovulate, which can increase your libido (nature's way of making sure you procreate!). So maybe that causes women to act/dress more sexy at this time of the month.  Read the article and see what you think..

A study of young college women showed they frequently wore more fashionable or flashier clothing and jewelery when they were ovulating, as assessed by a panel of men and women looking at their photographs.

Fertile women dress to impress, U.S. study finds - Yahoo! News

technorati tags:pregnant, fertility, ovulation

Alternative Therapies On The Rise

It seems that alternative therapies are being more widely accepted by mainstream fertility doctors, as they discover that pregnancy rates increase when women apply these techniques. I think many women have found this out already, but mainstream medicine is reluctant to adopt anything just based on anecdotal evidence. Without scientific proof, they will not encourage patients to try these alternative approaches. Luckily, this seems to be changing...

"It makes sense to add non-invasive techniques to traditional protocols as long as they are backed by scientific evidence," says King.

Three Complementary Infertility Treatments Boost Pregnancy Rates, Research Shows: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance

technorati tags:pregnant, fertility, acupuncture

"Bio-Panic" Causes Increase In Fertility Treatment

A rather new phenomenon, called bio-panic (which stands for biological clock-panic) is causing increasing numbers of single women to seek fertility treatment to have a baby if they don't have an appropriate partner to have a baby with.

Many are suddenly realizing that this commitment-phobic man they are living with, who says he wants children 'at some point', cannot hear their biological clocks ticking," said the head of the British Fertility Society ethics committee, Dr. Gillian Lockwood.

United Press International - NewsTrack - 'Bio-panic' leads solo women to parenting

technorati tags:pregnant, fertility

New Fertility Gadget

Ahh...technology!  Another gadget enters the marketplace to help women trying to get pregnant.  This one tracks your cycle and alerts you to the time when you are supposed to be the most fertile. And what is this new gadget, you ask.  It's a phone....

Gizmodo.com

Mitsubishi D702iF Cellphone Tracks Fertility Cycle Gizmodo.com, Hungary - 21 hours ago This is the Mitsubishi D702iF cellphone for NTT DoCoMo. It is a pretty average clamshell phone, but it does include one unique feature. ...

technorati tags:fertility, pregnant

Oh Baby! Cost-Cutting Help for Couples Trying to Conceive

The changing age of the American family is a trend that has showed no sign of slowing. An estimated 11 million US couples are currently planning or trying to conceive, with birth rates for 35-44 year olds at their highest in more than 3 decades. While this decision is common, it's not without risk. 1 in 6 couples today will experience a delay or difficulty, and experts say it can take couples anywhere from 6 months to a year to conceive. It may take even longer for older couples, and that means more doctors' appointments, fertility tests, ovulation kits and home pregnancy tests -- all of which can really add up. There are ways to cut costs, like buying ovulation, fertility and pregnancy tests in bulk. Also, a first-of-its-kind refillable pregnancy test called "Confirm Clearly" has just been released to the market. With a refillable test, starter kits are about 15 dollars with refills less than 5 dollars each. So 8 tests will cost only about 45 dollars as opposed to the 150 dollars it would cost to buy traditional tests. This is just one of the many ways couples can save money. Cutting costs will also save you down the road. Once the happy day arrives, there will be diapers, formula and other costs coming your way, so saving as soon as possible is smart. Produced for Confirm Clearly

Work Hazards Effect Fertility

It's been documented that environmental toxins can have an impact on fertility, for both men and women.  Some new research looks at specific jobs that might be harmful if you're trying to get pregnant.

We have found that there is a tendency for farmers to have high levels of DNA damage and things such as mechanics maybe who are perhaps exposed to high levels of solvents," he said.

Some workers more at risk of fertility, researchers say. 06/10/2006. ABC News Online

technorati tags:fertility, pregnant, infertility

Vitamin C

There are many supplements available that can help in the effort to become pregnant.  Some are helpful for women--others helpful for men.  Some new research shows the benefits for men in taking Vitamin C to improve their fertility.

A new small study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food examined the effect of supplementing with vitamin C on men with infertility. The study consisted of 13 men aged 25 to 35 who supplemented with 1,000 mg of vitamin C twice daily for 2 months.

HealthSentinel.com

technorati tags:pregnant, fertility, vitamin+c

Fertile Foods

Nutrition is very important when trying to get pregnant, and this article takes a look at some of the foods that might help you to conceive...

6 FOODS TO EAT IF YOU'RE TRYING TO GET PREGNANT EAT RIGHT ic WestLothian.co.uk, UK - 19 hours ago ... 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:pregnant, fertility

An IVF Alternative

Standard IVF can be very costly--mentally, physically, and financially.  For older women who are trying to get pregnant, there is an alternative called "natural IVF" which doesn't include all the drug injections that are normally used to stimulate multiple eggs and is therefore much less expensive.

Fertility treatment has given thousands the chance to have their own family. But a growing number of women, concerned about the potential risks of the drugs used, are choosing natural IVF instead.

IVF without the drugs | the Daily Mail

technorati tags:ivf, pregnant

Eggs For Sale

Advanced technology continues to offer new options to women trying to get pregnant.  Egg donation offers women who perhaps might be too old to conceive a child, the option to do so.  This article takes a look at one woman's story regarding egg donation from the egg donor's perspective.

Back in the old days, you did the deed and hoped for the best. But now there are more options and technologies available. These technologies are a blessing for folks unable to reproduce in the standard manner, but new methods have also spawned a bizarre new business -- selling human eggs.

The Daily News Online

technorati tags:infertility, pregnant, egg+donation