At Home Fertility Testing

Here's a new product that allows for early detection of any fertility problems in the privacy of your own home.  There is both a male and female test available.  The male test checks for sperm quality and the female test checks for egg quality.  These tests can be used if you are trying to get pregnant, and want the reassurance that everything is working fine, or if you want to do some preliminary testing before seeking medical attention if it is taking longer than expected to have a baby.  Check out the website here:

http://www.fertell.co.uk/

technorati tags:pregnant, fertiity, infertility

Giving Thanks Despite The Pain Of Miscarriage

I came across this article and wanted to post it as it really touched me.  It is the story of one woman's struggle to have a baby, and just as she thought her dream was answered, it fell apart.  I know that scenario very well, as I have been there several times myself.  Read more...

Giving thanks for turning the corner Tri-Valley Herald, CA - 14 hours ago ... cycle, I mused as to whether I was trying to get pregnant or whether I was trying to become a professional baseball player. Anger ...

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

Stop Your Biological Clock

Many women, especially those pursuing their careers, worry that when they are finally ready to have children, their fertility will be reduced.  This is a very real concern, as fertility in women does start to decline in your late twenties.  The technology for freezing embryos has been around for some time, but the problem is, you need a male to contribute to the process.  Now the technology exists for women to simply freeze their embryos when they are most fertile (preferably in their twenties or early thirties), and then they can choose a partner later when they are interested in fertilizing the eggs and conceiving a child.  More...

Freeze your eggs to have children later (The Herald)

Single women worried about their biological clock are for the first time in Scotland being offered the chance to freeze their eggs and preserve their fertility.

technorati tags:pregnant, infertility, fertility, biological, clock, egg, freezing

Does The Internet Help The Fertility Industry?

Here's a great article discussing how the internet plays a role in the fertility industry by offering a way to connect people who need egg or sperm donors with those offering to provide this service.  Unfortunately, using the internet as a means to create a family does present some inherent problems.  Read on...

Fertility industry booms online (Reuters via Yahoo! News)

More and more people have literally found life on the Internet as the estimated $3 billion fertility industry moves increasingly online.

technorati tags:pregnant, infertility, fertility

Stressed Out From Infertility

This is a very valuable article which covers how stressful it can be for couples who are struggling with infertility. Being unable to get pregnant and have a child causes significant stress and possibly depression, but unfortunately, the stress can cause further difficulties in getting pregnant.  More...

The stress of infertility (Louisville Courier-Journal)

It may be hard for those who take their fertility for granted to realize how stressful infertility can be. Dr. Alice Domar, a Boston-based, world-renowned authority on the psychological effects of infertility, has done research that suggests patients with fertility problems have stress levels comparable to patients with cancer or AIDS.

technorati tags:infertility, pregnant, fertility, stress

New Infertility Research

An interesting article about a protein that has been identified among women which may contribute to female infertility.  Read more...

BBC News

Female protein may hold treatments for infertility The West Australian, Australia - 1 hour ago ... have identified a protein in women that destroys unfertilized eggs with genetic damage, an important step in discovering how to treat infertility, according to ...

technorati tags:pregnant, infertility, fertility

Is It OK To Choose Baby's Gender?

While the technology exists to be able to predict the gender of your baby while it is still an embryo, the question of whether or not this is morally acceptable is hotly debated.  Of course, choosing the sex of your baby because of medical concerns is much more highly regarded than choosing for purely social reasons.  This article takes a look at this issue in more depth...

'Why I believe every parent has a right to choose their baby's sex' (Daily Mail)

From one of the pioneers of fertility treatment, a hugely controversial moral challenge... Lord Winston argues that every parent should have the right to choose the sex of their baby

technorati tags:gender, selection, infertility, fertility, pregnant

Single Woman Wants Baby

I came across this interesting article about a woman who wants a baby, but does not have a boyfriend or husband, and decides to get pregnant anyway.  She is over 40, and is not willing to wait for the right man to come along, or worse, enter a relationship (marriage) for the sole purpose of having a baby.  In this type of situation, reproductive technology can be very useful.  More...

Personal Column: 'I wanted children enough to do it on my own. So ... Independent, UK - 22 hours ago ... I didn't try to get pregnant with a man. I had friends who offered, but I realised it was going to be far more damaging to my child ...

technorati tags:infertility, fertility, pregnant

Are Pomegranates A Fertile Food?

In this interesting article, the pomegranate is depicted as a fertile food in several different religions.  Does it really have fertile properties?  Maybe, maybe not, but it certainly is high in antioxidants and therefore a healthy choice to eat.  So indulge....it certainly can't hurt.

Pomegranates: Nature’s super food Tahlequah Daily Press,?OK?- Nov 16, 2006 ... Over time, Persephone fell for her captor, but realized her mother was mourning for her, and withholding her blessings of fertility from the earth. ...

technorati tags:pregnant, infertility, fertility, pomegranate

Amniocentesis Not Linked To Miscarriage

Sometimes pregnant women over age 35 contemplate the idea of getting an amniocentesis to check for chromosome abnormalities in the developing baby.  While this procedure is quite safe, there has always been a reportedly small risk of miscarriage, which prompts many women to decline the test.  A recent study suggests that this risk factor doesn't exist, and that having an amniocentesis does not increase the chance of having a miscarriage at all.  More..

Amniocentesis not linked to miscarriage Reuters - 3 hours ago ... performed during the fourth through sixth month of pregnancy, known as the "midtrimester," does not increase the rate of miscarriage, according to a report in ... IN THE NEWS Parents.com

technorati tags:miscarriage, pregnant, infertility, fertility, amniocentesis

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

technorati tags:pregnant, fertility, infertility

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

technorati tags:pregnant, infertility

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

technorati tags:infertility, pregnant, transplant

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

technorati tags:pregnant, ivf, fertiility

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.

technorati tags:fertility, pregnant, ivf

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

technorati tags:pregnant, infertility, fertility, oriental, medicine

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 ...

technorati tags:pregnant, fertility, conceptionmoon

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

technorati tags:chlamydia, infertility

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

technorati tags:pregnant, fertility, infertility, Wurn

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.

technorati tags:pregnant, fertility, infertility