Does Male Fertility Decline With Age?

There seems to be alot of focus in the media recently on various factors that may affect male fertility (such as smoking).  Yet it has always been presumed that age was not a factor.  Lots of older men seem to have no trouble fathering children.  Alternatively, women are extremely concious of how increasing age affects their fertilty.  This report suggests that increasing age among males may in fact contribute to some health issues in the children they father.  More..

Male Biological Clock In Focus CBS News, NY - 1 hour ago ... for men. While fertility doesn't decrease as dramatically as for a woman, a man does have a biological clock, experts say. But these ... Men's Biological Clocks Are Ticking, Too CBS News

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Can This Allergy Prevent Pregnancy?

Believe it or not, it is actually possible for a woman to be allergic to her partner's semen.  The symptoms she would experience can vary, ranging from burning and itching immediately following intercourse, to difficulty in breathing.  While this is not considered a fertility issue, it certainly can make things difficult if you're trying to get pregnant.  Surprisingly, the treatment involves having more frequent intercourse.  Read more..

Though case reports of semen allergy are rare, many may go unrecognized. The typical patient, Resnick says, is a woman in her 20s.

FOXNews.com - Frequent Sex Cures Women's Semen Allergy - Health News | Current Health News | Medical News

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Uterine Transplant May Be Possible

There are many medical reasons why a women may not be able to get pregnant.  One of these could be a problem with her uterus.  At present, without a functioning uterus, a woman would have to have a surrogate carry her baby if she wanted her own biological child.  Now it looks like technology may be changing that.  A New York doctor will be attempting to do a transplant of a uterus in order to help some women to have a baby.  More...

Whether it's the result of a benign tumor or even cervical cancer, some women don't have a functioning uterus and just can't carry a baby. A uterine transplant might let them do it, but it carries a lot of risks.

Uterine Transplant Could Help Infertile Women - HealthWatch - NBC5.com | WMAQ

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The Male Biological Clock

More research is pointing to the fact that men are just as responsible for the difficulties in conceiving that women are.  It has even been reported that it is not just women who have a biological clock--men's sperm do deteriorate as they get older.  For couples who are finding it difficult to conceive a baby, both male and female issues need to be addressed...

Recent studies are finding that, like women, men can have trouble as they age: Sperm can lose its quality as guys get older. According to a study reported in the Aug. 1 issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology, sperm quality starts to go downhill after age 35 and paternal age is a significant risk factor for miscarriage.

Man can be cause of a couple's infertility | ajc.com

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Eggs Don't "Stick" In Smoker's Wombs

It's long been known that smoking can affect fertility, and it can certainly be damaging to a growing embryo, however new research is a bit of a surprise.  It had been thought the damaging effects of smoking were to the eggs themselves.  This research suggests that smoking actually makes it more difficult for the embryo to implant, therefore heavy smokers have reduced pregnancy rates.  Learn more...

Smoking 'may block embryo's path' (BBC News)

Heavy smoking may reduce female fertility by cutting an embryo's chance of imbedding in the womb, research suggests.

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Oriental Medicine To Treat Fertility Problems

Oriental treatments for infertility are very different than the treatments of Western medicine.  With Oriental medicine, the aim is to enhance the body’s ability to treat diseases by itself.  There are various treatment options, which include herbal medicine and acupuncture.  These treatments are often very successful at helping women get pregnant.  Read more...

The basis of Oriental infertility treatment is to diagnose the flow and circulation of chi (life force or vitality) and blood, and the condition of the five viscera and six entrails -- gall bladder, stomach, small and large intestine, the paunch, the bladder and the bowels. The infertility treatment begins with a medical exercise to correct any imbalance in the body.

Digital Chosunilbo (English Edition) : Daily News in English About Korea

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Should You Book A "Procreation Vacation"?

OK, so I'm not sure if these procreation vacations, or otherwise known as "conception-moons" are really about helping couples conceive, or are just a marketing ploy by various resorts to get more business.  I think anything that encourages couples to relax can only help when trying to get pregnant, but it's not like these couples are going away on vacation to "make a baby".  There is only a limited few days a month when this is possible, and it's not likely to be during the few days you happened to book your vacation (unless you're really tuned in to your ovulation schedule).  If it helps couples to relax and have a new relaxed attitude when trying to conceive, then I'm all for it, but hopefully there are no false promises that this mini vacation is going to result in a pregnancy....

nwitimes.com

Need help getting pregnant? Book a procreation vacation Seattle Times, United States - 4 hours ago ... trend that has hotels around the world luring conception-minded couples by providing everything from onsite sex doctors to age-old fertility boosters promised ...

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Early Screening For Chlamydia Helps Fight Infertility

Chlamydia is a treatable disease, which when left untreated, can lead to infertility.  In England,
there is a tremendous effort to increase the screening of young people for this disease, so that it will become a routine part of health care for 2007.  They are using an innovative approach to tackle this disease, by making screening available in a wide range of non-medical settings.  Read more...

With one in ten of the young men and women screened testing positive for the disease, during 2007 screening is set to become a routine part of health care for young people as it will be offered across England.

More People Screened For Chlamydia In The Community - Screening Set To Become A Routine Part Of Healthcare, UK

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Help For Blocked Tubes

A new study revealed that women who can't get pregnant due to blocked fallopian tubes may be able to benefit from a new therapy that is similar to deep massage.  Typically, the only treatment for blocked tubes is surgery, so this new technique would be a much less invasive approach.  More...

Scientists at the Annual Meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) reported that therapists were able to open totally blocked fallopian tubes using a new pelvic physical therapy that feels similar to a deep massage. Previously, surgery was the only treatment option for women with blocked fallopian tubes.

Physical Therapists Open Blocked Fallopian Tubes without Surgery

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Just Say No To Coffee

There has been an ongoing debate about how much coffee is safe for women to drink when trying to get pregnant.  Some experts argue a cup or two has no effect, others claim even one cup daily can make it more difficult to conceive.  Now some new research which suggests that coffee consumption by men can have an adverse affect on a developing embryo, possibly causing miscarriage or birth defects.  More...

Coffee 'May Hit Men's Fertility' (RedNova)

DRINKING just three cups of coffee a day can damage sperm, scientists have found. High caffeine consumption by men may lead to increased rates of miscarriage and birth defects, they say. The findings offer a plausible explanation for falling fertility levels among British men.

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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