Early Pregnancy Loss Is Fairly Common But Still Devastating

Early miscarriages are quite common.  About 15-20% of women will have a miscarriage in early pregnancy.  There are many causes for the loss, and many times it is the body's way of protecting against the birth of a baby with serious defects.  This article has a good overview of miscarriage--the causes and experience.

When a woman loses her baby Jamaica Gleaner, Jamaica - Jan 30, 2007 A miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy before 20 weeks. About 15-20 per cent of women will have a miscarriage or spontaneous abortion. ...

technorati tags:pregnant, miscarriage

Acupuncture Helps Male Fertility Problems

There has been a lot of media attention addressing the use of acupuncture to help women improve their chances of getting pregnant.  However, over one third of the fertility problems of couples is due to problems from the male.  New research points to acupuncture to help improve sperm production and quality.

Evidence suggests that acupuncture can have an effect on sperm production and quality, without causing any changes in behavior or sexual desire. A recent trial published in Fertility and Sterility has shown just how effective acupuncture can be in the treatment of this condition, leading to significant increases in the number of normal sperm and equally significant reductions in structural defects.

Pugliese Public Relations - Study Shows Acupuncture Improves Fertility in Men

technorati tags:fertility, pregnant, infertility

A Few Cigarettes A Day Keeps A Baby Away

I've already posted about the dangers of smoking when trying to get pregnant.  But I think many people don't take it that seriously--perhaps because they don't really understand how it can get in the way of conception.  This article goes into great detail about the effects of smoking on both women and men who are trying to have a baby.  It is a great overview and very convincing, so if you still haven't quit smoking and are trying to get pregnant, definitely read this...

Trying to conceive? Quit smoking MSNBC - 2 hours ago (Put into more statistical terms, studies have shown that the relative risk of infertility in women smokers is 1.60, compared to the baseline of 1.0 for ...

technorati tags:smoking, pregnant, infertility, fertility

Fertility Help For Dads To Be

Here's an article that addresses the male role in the quest for a baby.  It seems that men can be just as concerned as women about their role in being able to get her pregnant.  And there are some things he can do which can improve his fertility as well.  Read more...

Dads sweat out getting pregnant, too Inside Bay Area,?CA?- 3 hours ago As far as vitamins and nutritional supplements to increase a man's fertility, there are plenty of scams out there, so be careful. ...

technorati tags:fertility, infertility, pregnancy, conceive

Having Babies After 40?

This is a really interesting article about the trend of women postponing pregnancy until later life.  Because of the advances in reproductive technology and the media attention of women in their 40's and 50's having babies, may women are postponing pregnancy until they are older.  But the fact remains that fertility dramatically declines as early as age 30, and many women may find it very difficult to conceive when they finally decide they are ready.

Women's focus on career development -- combined with advances in fertility medicine -- has produced higher-than-ever increases in the birth rates for older mothers. The birth rate for American women aged 40-44 years has more than doubled in the last 25 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control, a greater increase than in any other age group.

RedOrbit - Health - Fertility & IVF Experts: Don't Bet All on Late Motherhood

technorati tags:pregnant, infertility, fertility

Empty Arms

If you, yourself are suffering from infertility, or know someone else that is, please view this very moving video.  It expresses the pain of infertility, while acknowledging the hope that still lives.

http://www.vocalicious.com/empty_arms/empty_arms_mod.html

technorati tags:pregnant, infertility, fertility

Designer Embryos For Sale

Wow...as long as the technology continues to improve in the area of reproductive science, it is no wonder that some controversy is bound to arise.  There is a center that is now creating embryos with preferred characteristics to sell to couples who can't have a baby on their own.  These embryos are being created and stored, and infertile couples will have a chance to purchase an embryo that will have the traits they would like in their future baby.  Does this seem ethical to you?   More...

Pandora’s baby San Diego CityBEAT, CA - 13 hours ago This topic is personal—I've experienced infertility. I could say that I "suffered" from it since it certainly was a difficult journey at the time. ...

technorati tags:pregnant, infertility

The Five Best U.S. Cities To Have A Baby

Here's an interesting report.  Fit Pregnancy Magazine did some in depth research to compile the top 5 cities in the United States to have a baby.  There were a lot of criteria taken into account, such as access to fertility centers, obstetricians, birthing centers and birthing options, affordability and even the weather.  Check it out here....

The five best cities to have your baby MSNBC - 1 hour ago Fit Pregnancy magazine talked to the experts, looked at the research, and measured everything from fertility services to maternity leave and daycare laws. ...

technorati tags:pregnant, fertility

Women Need To Get Healthy Before Pregnancy

Preconception care is getting a lot of attention these days.  In the past, prenatal care was deemed important to make sure women would have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.  But actually, it is preconception care that will have a dramatic impact on the baby's health.  By the time many women see a doctor regarding their pregnancy, they may already be several weeks pregnant.  By that time, many of the baby's organs are already formed.  To prevent certain birth defects, it is important that a woman become as healthy as possible before attempting to get pregnant.  This article has a nice overview on this topic...

Health Before Conception Is Also Very Important CBS4Boston, Boston - 2 hours ago "Folic acid is one of the B vitamins and it's been shown that if you take folic acid before you get pregnant, you will reduce your risk of having a baby ...

technorati tags:pregnant, preconception, fertility

Miracle Pregnancy

I love to read success stories.  Especially ones where all hope was lost and then a miracle occurs, and a woman gets pregnant and has the baby she so desperately wanted.  I think it helps those who are still struggling to read about the success of others.  Here is a story about a woman who went through 15 years trying to get pregnant, including many fertility treatments.  The story has a happy ending!!

I GOT MY BABY WHEN I GAVE UP FERTILITY TREATMENT Mirror.co.uk, UK - 8 hours ago After all, there was no medical reason why I couldn't get pregnant. Over the next eight years I tried every treatment available but the medical bills ...

technorati tags:pregnant, fertility, infertility

Getting Pregnant - Fact or Myth?

I found a great list of myths relating to fertility that I think is very worthwhile reading.  This was posted on a message board at at the parenthood.com site.  Here are a couple of the myths relating to getting pregnant.  Click on the link to read the rest.  How many did you believe were true?

Common Fertility Myths
1. Ovulation usually occurs on Day 14 of the cycle.
2. A normal menstrual cycle is 28 days.
3. A woman can get pregnant only one day per cycle.
4. A woman can spontaneously ovulate at any time in the cycle.
5. Women are fertile all the time.

:: View topic - Fertility Myth or Fact

technorati tags:pregnant, fertility

A Baby Required Careful Planning

Sometimes the decision to have a baby can be made in haste, or not planned at all, and this article gives some pointers on a variety of topics that relate to expanding your family.  Worth a look...

Baby, we're ready - Minneapolis Star Tribune (subscription)

Baby, we're ready Minneapolis Star Tribune (subscription), MN - 4 hours ago Get a cleaning before you get pregnant and make sure your smile is in its optimal condition. 5See a financial planner: Or give yourself a financial checkup. ...

technorati tags:pregnant, conceive

One Woman's Story Of Endometriosis

Endometriosis can be a very painful disorder to live with and there doesn't seem to be enough public awareness about this condition.  It can be difficult to diagnose accurately and if left untreated, may affect a woman's ability to become pregnant.  This is one woman's story...

My heavy periods were a sign I was at risk of infertility - Daily Mail

Daily Mail

My heavy periods were a sign I was at risk of infertility Daily Mail, UK - 17 hours ago This painful condition affects up to two million women in the UK and can cause infertility. Although it is treatable, some don't discover they have the ...

technorati tags:endometriosis, pregnant, infertility

Trans Fats Linked To Infertility

It's already fairly well known that it's best to avoid food with trans fats.  They are known to be harmful to the heart and metabolism in general.  But now some new research suggests that eating a diet that contains trans fats may contribute to ovulation related infertility problems. According to the article, for every two percent increase in trans fat consumption that replaces carbohydrates, there is a 73 percent greater risk of ovulation related infertility.  More...

Consuming unhealthy fats increases infertility risk Earthtimes.org - 9 hours ago 'Avoiding trans fats is a good idea for many reasons, and one of them may be reducing infertility risk,' he said.

technorati tags:pregnant, fertility, infertility

Test Your Biological Clock At Home

This article discusses a new test you can buy that will evaluate three hormones in a woman's blood to determine the level of her fertility.  It basically asesses her ovarian reserve, which is the number of eggs she has left to conceive a child.  More and more women put off having children (especially to pursue careers) and don't really know if that delay will cause a struggle to get pregnant later on.  There are many factors, both genetic and lifestyle, that can affect a woman's ability to conceive.  This test can be another helpful way to help women determine when it is appropriate for them to try to get pregnant.  More...

A woman's fertility declines at different rates for a variety of reasons. It can be affected by genetics, which determines the rate at which the eggs a woman is born with are used up, and the age of the onset of puberty, meaning eggs could start to be used up earlier. Lifestyle factors such as body weight and alcohol consumption can also have an effect, making eggs deteriorate more quickly.

The body-clock baby | News | This is London

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

Emotional Health Key In Fertility Treatment

I just read this article by a woman who became pregnant after 3 years of infertility treatment.  She raises a very important point that is often overlooked when treating couples who are pursuing fertility treatment.  The psychological trauma of not being able to conceive is often overlooked when treating a couple trying to have a baby.  Yet, not being able to conceive is a deeply distressing emotional issue and this particular woman raises the idea that counselors should be heavily involved in treating couples who pursue infertility treatment. I agree wholeheartedly with her.   More...

Fertility treatment must factor in emotional needs The Australian, Australia - 3 hours ago Rather, the reason most patients seek fertility treatment is to satisfy an emotional need – usually to nurture another human being or perpetuate the family ...

technorati tags:pregnant, fertility, infertility, ivf

Green Fish Can Help Prevent Infertility?

This article caught my attention.  It's been widely publicized that infertility is on the rise around the world and that male sperm counts have been dropping dramatically over the past 50 years.  One theory is that estrogen, which can be found in water, soil or even food can contribute to male infertility.  So a team of researchers in China have genetically modified a fish so that when it swims in lakes and rivers polluted with estrogen, it turns green.  Environmental officials can then treat the water to remove the problem.  More details....

Widely found in water, soil and even food, environmental estrogen poses a great threat to the reproductive abilities of humans and animals, researchers said, noting even a tiny level of estrogen can leave men infertile.

Fudan scientists turn fish into estrogen alerts -- Shanghai Daily | 上海日报 -- English Window to China News

technorati tags:pregnant, fertility, infertility, estrogen

Fertility Monitor Can Better Your Chances Of Conception

The number one most important issue to help you conceive is to pinpoint ovulation.  If you don't have the timing of your fertile window right, nothing else really matters.  There are several ways to monitor ovulation and using ovulation predictor kits is one way.  Some new research suggests that the Clearblue Fertility Monitor can improve your chances of getting pregnant.  More...

New Study Finds Clearblue(R) Easy Fertility Monitor to ... Yahoo! News (press release) - 10 hours ago But new research proves that one at-home fertility predictor in particular can significantly improve the odds of a quicker conception. ...

technorati tags:pregnant, fertility, infertility

Can A "Womb" Be Donated? Should It?

Advances in reproductive technology continue to amaze me.  Women who have difficulty getting pregnant continue to have more and more options available to them if they decide to let science intervene.  One new area of development is the harvesting and transplanting of a woman's womb.  There are many uterine problems that contribute to infertility, and this option, while still a long way away, might be the answer for some women in the future to have the baby they dream of.


Womb transplants may one day be a reality (Reuters via Yahoo! News)

Current organ donor networks appear able to supply human wombs, or uteruses, for transplantation as a possible approach to treating infertility, researchers report in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology.

technorati tags:pregnant, infertility, fertility

Help For PCOS Sufferers

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is a hormonal imbalance that can have some very unpleasant side effects, oot the least of which is difficulty getting pregnant.  More than 1 in 6 women are effected.  An eating program has been developed which is helping women to lose the weight that PCOS suffererers often gain, and this in turn helps improve fertility.  More info....

US Woman Helps Pioneer to Develop Healthy-Eating Route to Improved ... PR Web (press release),?WA?- 3 hours ago The symptoms can be unpleasant, causing disruption of the menstrual cycle so that fertility is adversely affected. Severe weight gain, bodily and facial ...

technorati tags:PCOS, fertility, pregnant, infertility