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]]>“Most importantly, if you’re overweight, get started on a reasonable regime of weight reduction. That is one of the most common reasons for infertility,” said Dr. Michael Covlin, MD Ob/Gyn at Heartland Women’s Health in Marion. “Weight control is huge, as is decreasing the amount of insulin in your system, and that’s done by reducing the amount of sugar and carbohydrates in your diet.”
In one study, researchers evaluated the body mass index of more than 2 000 pregnant women. They found that women who were overweight or obese (BMI of 25 to 39) took twice as long to get pregnant and women who were underweight (BMI of 19 or less) took four times as long.
“Women definitely need to stay at a healthy weight when trying to conceive,” Dr. Covlin said.
Drinking too much coffee or other caffeine drinks can contribute to infertility by decreasing the amount of vitamins and nutrients in a woman’s body. You don’t have to give it up completely, just stay under 250 milligrams of caffeine a day to be sure.
Moderation is also the key to alcohol consumption when trying to get pregnant – no more than one drink per day. But once you are pregnant, alcohol should be avoided completely as it has been proven to increase the risk of serious birth defects.
Smoking can impair both a woman and a man’s fertility, and smoking while pregnant has been proven to increase the risk of miscarriage.
Dr. Michael Colvin at Heartland Women’s Health in Marion, recommends supplementing a nutritious diet with Vitamin D, Iodine and Magnesium. “Deficiencies in these nutrients can contribute to infertility and are pretty common,” he said.
Herbs that promote hormonal balance, regular ovulation, and proper circulation may help, also, but should only be taken under the supervision of your Ob/Gyn. Here are a few that you could talk about trying:
Ovulation occurs about 14 days before the menstrual period is due. Couples often wait until the day of ovulation or later to have intercourse. But if you really want to get pregnant, err on the early side.
Delaying lovemaking won’t help your chances of conception. In fact, waiting more than five days may decrease the sperm count. “Couples trying to conceive should have sex at least every other day,” Dr. Covlin said.
“Water-based lubricants are best,” said Dr. Covlin. “Still, some can inhibit sperm mobility, so check with your Ob/Gyn first.” Some lubricants can actually decrease fertility, such as soap. When you’re trying to get pregnant, be sure to avoid products that have sper-micidal agents. Conceive Plus fertility lubricant has been cleared by the FDA and is safe to use when you are trying to get pregnant (www.conceiveplus.com).
“Remember that if all is in order, you’ve got a three percent chance of getting pregnant with each ovulation cycle,” Dr. Covlin said. “About 85% of couples who follow these simple rules will conceive within a year, 95% within two years. But if you’ve been trying for a year without results, consult your Ob/Gyn.”
About the Author: For more information, visit the Conceive Plus website or Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/conceiveplusSA.
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]]>The post Dads, here’s how to make your future kids healthier appeared first on All4Baby.
]]>Research from Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at the Robinson Institute, Research Centre for Reproductive Health at the University of Adelaide in South Australia found that a fathers diet and body composition at the time of conception is likely to affect his future child’s health and risk of disease during life.
One more reason to be as fit as possible when you are trying for a baby; fitter sperm equals healthy kids. Boost your sperm and strengthen your DNA today with these Conceive Plus tips:
About the Author: For more information, visit the Conceive Plus website or Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/conceiveplusSA.
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]]>The post 7 Pregnancy tips to help you conceive appeared first on All4Baby.
]]>Most doctors believe in a holistic approach to maximising a trying to conceive couple’s likelihood of conceiving a baby naturally, below are a number of simple steps both partners can take to assist the path to getting pregnant. These steps have been developed taking into consideration generally accepted health professional advice as well as recognised health research.
According to the Health Insite, (Australian Government initiative) smoking is an important risk factor for the three diseases that cause most deaths in Australia: heart disease, stroke and lung cancer. Smoking has also been linked to cancers of the mouth, bladder, kidney, stomach and cervix, among others. Smokers are also at increased risk of having reduced lung function from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Using tobacco has been linked to a variety of other conditions, such as diabetes, peptic ulcers, some vision problems, and back pain.
Smoking in pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth or premature birth. Smoking can negatively affect sperm and your fertility.
Trying to conceive can be a stressful time in a couple’s relationship. Stress negatively affects fertility in many ways. Look for ways to reduce stress in your life. Perhaps try yoga, mediation, swimming; look for something you will enjoy and that you feel is relaxing. Most importantly, fun and laughter will help with a happy mental state. Try and create a fun environment for sex, enjoy love making rather than focusing on it as a task.
It is important throughout all times in our life to maintain a healthy weight range. So of course being a healthy weight around the time of conception is an important step. Both being underweight and overweight can reduce fertility. Look at a balanced diet with lots of grains, fruit, vegetables and small amounts of organic meat and fish; perhaps seek a dietician or nutritionist’s advice. Regular exercise combined with a healthy diet should help to create healthy body and mind.
Alcohol can affect fertility. The Australian National Research advises against drinking alcohol before and during pregnancy. Drinking alcohol can increase the risk of miscarriage and abnormalities in the baby. Alcohol can also affect healthy sperm so it is advisable for men to reduce their alcohol consumption.
It is best to discuss with your GP or specialist about any medications you are taking that may affect fertility. It is also important to review any over the counter medications you and your partner are taking as they may also affect fertility and sperm count.
Your home or workplace may be potential sites for toxins that may be damaging to fertility and pregnancy. Seek the advise of a healthcare practitioner to identify and sources and provide treatment for the elimination of substances. Workplace and home environment substances could include: pesticides e.g. DDT, dibromochloropropane, chlordecone, ethylenedibromide, chlorpyrifos (Dursban) herbicides e.g. Dioxin fungicides hydrocarbons e.g. vehicle emissions, benzopyrene, PCB chemical solvents e.g. xylene, acetone, trichlorethylene, petroleum distillates, paint thinners and strippers, glycol ethers found in paint, solder vapours toxic smoke from burning synthetic and plastic based compounds textile dyes dry cleaning chemicals lead, mercury, cadmium gasoline, oil-based paints, cleaning solvents, adhesives exposure to radiation can be toxic to a pregnancy.
About the Author: Conceive Plus fertility lubricant is for couples who are trying to conceive a baby naturally. If you are trying to get pregnant, use Conceive Plus during ovulation and your most fertile times will increase your chances of getting pregnant.
For more information, visit the Conceive Plus website or Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/conceiveplusSA.
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]]>The post World first: Baby born after womb transplant appeared first on All4Baby.
]]>“Absolute uterine factor infertility” is the only type of female infertility still considered to be untreatable. This condition is often a consequence of Rokitansky syndrome, which is when a woman is born without a womb. Adoption and surrogacy have so far been the only options for women with absolute uterine factor infertility to acquire motherhood.
However, the news of the first baby to be born from a woman with Rokitansky syndrome who received a womb transplant brings hope to women with forms of absolute uterine factor infertility.
The researchers who performed the transplant – from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden – have been investigating the viability of womb transplantation for over 10 years. Before attempting the procedure in humans, the researchers conducted trials on rodents and non-human primates.
In 2013, the researchers initiated transplants in nine women with absolute uterine factor infertility who had received wombs from live donors. The Swedish woman who recently gave birth was one of these women.
Although two of the women in the trial had to have hysterectomies during the initial months – because of severe infections and thrombosis – the team reported success in the other seven women.
These women began menstruating during the first two to three months after transplant. Although occasional episodes of “mild rejection” were detected in some of the women, the researchers were able to overcome this by prescribing a short course of immunosuppression therapy.
Outside of this trial, only two other womb transplants had been attempted. The first of these required the womb to be removed after three months, due to progressive uterine necrosis.
The second attempt involved a womb from a deceased donor being transplanted into a woman with Rokitansky syndrome. Although this woman became pregnant twice via embryo transfer, both pregnancies resulted in miscarriage before week six.
The Swedish woman who gave birth received her womb from a 61-year-old family friend. As the recipient had intact ovaries, she was able to produce eggs, which were then fertilized using IVF prior to the transplant.
A total of 11 embryos were produced and frozen using this method. One year after the womb transplant, one of these embryos was transferred to the transplanted womb.
Prof. Mats Brännström, who led the team of researchers, says that foetal growth was normal through the first 31 weeks of pregnancy. “We found only one episode of mild rejection during the pregnancy that was successfully treated with corticosteroids,” he says, “and the woman was working full time until the day before delivery.”
As a consequence of preeclampsia, the woman was admitted to hospital at 31 weeks and her baby was delivered by caesarean section 16 hours later.
Although an abnormal foetal heart rate had been detected when the woman was admitted to the hospital, in the days after being born, the baby scored as being in perfect health according to the Apgar rating scale for determining the health of newborns.
The infant was discharged from the neonatal unit after 10 days, and the researchers say that both mom and baby are continuing to do well.
According to Prof. Brännström:
“Our success is based on more than 10 years of intensive animal research and surgical training by our team and opens up the possibility of treating many young females worldwide that suffer from uterine infertility. What is more, we have demonstrated the feasibility of live-donor uterus transplantation, even from a postmenopausal donor.”
About the Author: For more information, visit the Conceive Plus website or Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/conceiveplusSA.
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]]>The post The role of cervical mucous in reproduction and fertility appeared first on All4Baby.
]]>The cervical fluid, also known as cervical mucus, is the fluid produced by the crypts of the cervix during a woman’s menstrual cycle. Throughout the menstrual cycle, the cervical fluid is changing as a response to ovarian hormones and it is observable at the cervix or as it passes into the vagina.
Cervical fluid plays an important role in reproduction and also in fertility charts. In reproduction, the main function of cervical fluid is similar to that of the sperm. The survival of sperm and its migration after intercourse is important for reproduction, as the intercourse rarely coincides with ovulation. The success of fertilization is influenced by the storage and constant release of sperm to the female’s upper reproductive tract around her ovulation time. Additionally, the increased cervical fluid is responsible for an increased libido and it also produces lubrication, so that the intercourse becomes more comfortable and pleasurable.
Examining your cervical fluid may help you determine your fertility status easier. For this, you need to observe the changes that happen with the cervical fluid during your menstrual cycle. There are basically five different types of cervical fluids, as follows:
At the beginning of your menstrual cycle and after the ovulation, you are not fertile, and your cervical fluid is dry and scant or sticky, thus cannot be penetrated by sperm. As soon as the presence of oestrogen in your body increases and your ovulation approaches, the production of cervical fluid amounts increases and the fluid becomes thin, stretchy, watery and egg-white, which means it becomes receptive to sperm penetration.
The cervical fluid referred to as “egg white” is the most fertile, as it allows sperm to penetrate. When your cervical fluid is egg white, sperm can be nourished and transported within your reproductive tract. The cervical fluid is observed in the most fertile days, right before ovulation and it quickly dries up after ovulation.
Usually, ovulation occurs on the last day when egg-white cervical fluid is observed, although this can vary. Observing your cervical fluid can help you determine the time when your ovulation is approaching and thus allows you to determine when you are most fertile.
You can also use the free ovulation calendar of Conceive Plus: http://www.conceiveplus.com/ovulation-calculator/
About the Author: For more fertility facts, visit the Conceive Plus website or Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/conceiveplusSA.
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]]>The post 10 Fertility myths busted appeared first on All4Baby.
]]>Sadly, feeling healthy doesn’t mean you are immunised against infertility. Although you both may feel in a great shape, this is no 100% indicator of your fertility. Many men and women have fertility problems without showing any outward signs. On the other hand, being unhealthy can be a risk factor for infertility.
Getting your period around the same day every month indicates that you’re ovulating regularly, but it doesn’t ensure that the eggs are good quality, explain doctors. Many factors determine your fertility, including the health of your reproductive system. “Your fallopian tubes (through which the egg travels to get fertilized) could be blocked, and you’ll still get regular monthly periods,” says Dr. Leondires. Again, that means not just eating right and exercising but keeping your sexual health in top form.
A visit to your gynae yearly for a Pap smear, STD screening, and cervical exam would not harm but just the opposite All of those will show potentially existing irregularities and infections so you can get treated for them before they affect your fertility.
At birth, a woman has seven million eggs, which slims down to 400 000 at the onset of puberty. During a woman’s lifetime, approximately 400 to 500 eggs will be released. As a woman ages, the ovarian reserve declines. A woman’s egg supply takes a rapid decline in the late 20s, again in the 30s and then most notably after age 35.
In others words, fertility changes throughout a woman’s life and doesn’t suddenly decline when she turns 35. Rather, many women reach their fertile peak in their early twenties, says Dr. Shari Brasner, author of ‘Advice From a Pregnant Obstetrician: An Inside Guide’. This is an age when most women aren’t even considering having children yet, says Dr. Brasner.
But just because you’re not thinking about children doesn’t mean your biological clock isn’t ticking. Knowing and understanding this from early adulthood can prevent a lot of heartbreak later on and give you realistic expectations about your chances of conceiving. Still! While it is true that a woman’s fertility dramatically decreases once she is older than age 35, women in their 20s can also have fertility problems.
This is one of the biggest misconceptions. Unless you have a perfect, consistent, 28-day cycle you’re not always most fertile on day 14. While the typical menstrual cycle is 28 days, not every woman is typical. In fact, many women have a cycle that lasts from 21 days up to as many as 35 days. To calculate your day of ovulation, count backwards 14 days from the last day of your cycle.
It very well could be day 14, or day 12, or day 20. While counting helps, tracking your fertility signs and patterns will help you determine better when your ovulation period is. Try tracking your basal body temperature, watching for changes in your cervical fluid, or testing your saliva or urine for the presence of chemicals indicating ovulation is near.
“This is one of the biggest misconceptions my patients have,” says Dr. Morris. “You’re older the second time, and your reproductive system changes over the years,” he says. Not only women but also men should consider the effect of ageing: researchers found out that a man’s sperm quality also declines with age.
A study of about 2 000 couples undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) found that pregnancy attempts were 70% more likely to fail if the man was 40 or older. So if you do plan on having more children, don’t wait forever. If you’re approaching age 35 – or you’re older – consider getting started on baby number two sooner rather than later and add Conceive Plus in your fun formula to get your good news quicker.
Miscarriage, which occurs in 20% of all pregnancies, doesn’t affect a woman’s ability to get pregnant, says Dr. Lerner, author of ‘Miscarriage: Why It Happens and How Best to Reduce Your Risks’.
In fact, experts say that in many cases, you can start trying to conceive again as soon as one month after the miscarriage. If you have three miscarriages in a row, however, it may be a sign of an underlying medical problem and your doctor should make thorough examinations to determine if something’s wrong.
It certainly sounds like a good idea in theory – the logic being that this will tip your pelvis and help your partner’s little swimmers get a direct route to your eggs. In practice however it is not necessary to torture yourself. Sperm are chemically programmed to travel directly to your baby-maker following ejaculation, regardless of what position you’re in. (Yes, those mighty sperm defy gravity.)
Sceptical? Consider this: Each time your partner ejaculates, he lets out about two to three cubic centimeters of ejaculation, with about 20 to 80 million sperm in each cc – in other words, if a little leaks out after you’ve had sex, there’s plenty more where that came from.
This one is actually rooted in some truth. You definitely shouldn’t feel guilty about having a glass or two of wine or even an occasional couple of beers while trying to conceive. However binge drinking or drinking to excess could put your body through the ringer and affect your fertility.
Reason? Drinking too much and too often can lead to irregular cycles, cutting down your chances of conceiving each month even further, and making it nearly impossible to chart or temp accurately. Just keep any drinking on the light side and you should be fine.
For some reason, when a problem with fertility arises with a couple, the party responsible is often assumed to be the woman—yet this couldn’t be further from the truth. Real stats: 40% of infertility problems are attributed to men. Another 40% is attributed to women, and about 20% of infertility problems can be attributed to both parties.
You just stopped using your birth control and your period started immediately coming month after month. This, however, is not a guarantee that you will get pregnant right away. For the majority of couples, getting pregnant doesn’t happen the first month they try to conceive. Studies show that healthy couples only have a one in four chance of conceiving in any given cycle. Still, our little trick can make this happen.
About the Author: For more fertility myths, visit the Conceive Plus website or Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/conceiveplusSA.
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]]>The post Fertility issue: Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) appeared first on All4Baby.
]]>Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disorder that is characterised by an excess of androgens or male hormones in the body. The imbalance of hormones interferes with the growth and release of eggs from the ovaries, which can prevent ovulation, menstruation and thus pregnancy.
Menstruation begins on average at age 12, and a normal menstrual cycle is approximately 28 days. Dr. Kavic reports that girls should have a regular menstrual cycle within approximately two years after they get their first period or by age 17 at the latest.
“PCOS can be overlooked because irregular periods are normal in teens,” said Suzanne Kavic, MD, division director, Reproductive Endocrinology, Loyola University Health System (LUHS). “However, if erratic menstrual cycles persist later into the teen years, girls should see a specialist to determine if something else might be causing this issue.”
PCOS is one of the leading causes of infertility
Other symptoms associated with PCOS can include;
Women with PCOS are at risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol and endometrial cancer. People with PCOS also tend to become resistant to insulin, which can lead to diabetes.
Treatments for PCOS can include a combination of;
Weight loss helps to regulate male hormones and blood sugar levels, which can restore ovulation and menstruation and thus fertility. Birth control pills also may be prescribed to control the menstrual cycle while other hormone therapies can decrease androgen levels and curb symptoms.
Article source: Loyola University Health System via Science Daily.
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]]>The post First-ever home conception device: The Stork appeared first on All4Baby.
]]>The device consists of a cervical cap, which is worn during natural sexual intercourse and into which semen is collected. After intercourse, the long applicator delivers the collected semen to the cervix where the cap keeps it in place for up to six hours.
Cervical cap insemination is nothing new, and websites abound advising couples trying to conceive to use traditional caps to lock in the semen after intercourse, although the device is the first to have conception for a goal rather than birth control.
According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), cervical cap insemination increases chances for conception by nearly 20 percent, almost as much as intrauterine insemination (IUI), in which semen is delivered directly into the uterus.
The single use device costs $79.99, which by US standards is a bargain compared to IUI and in vitro fertilization (IVF). According to data from the National Infertility Association, an IUI cycle costs an average of $865 and an IVF cycle costs $12 400 on average.
According to the NIH, 15% of couples are unable to conceive after one year of trying.
Parent company Rinovum announced the approval of the Stork in Europe in August 2013 and introduced the product in Canada on September 10 of this year.
For more information: www.storkotc.com
(AFP Relaxnews)
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]]>Some couples who face infertility will have to undergo extensive fertility treatments to help them conceive, while others may just need to make some simple lifestyle changes that can help boost their fertility.
There are a variety of simple, effective lifestyle changes to help improve a couple’s chances of conceiving. These lifestyle changes can be beneficial for all couples trying to conceive, regardless of the severity of the infertility they are experiencing:
Be sure to include plenty of proteins and vitamins in your diet. Taking a daily multi-vitamin will help you to obtain all of the vitamins that you need to keep your body healthy and your hormones properly balanced.
Including lots of good proteins, vegetables and fruits will help you stay healthy and strengthen the immune system.
Staying well hydrated is equally important when trying to conceive. Drinking plenty of water every day will help to flush toxins out of the body, improving your overall health and thereby increasing your chances of successfully conceiving.
Start an exercise program to help reach and or maintain a healthy weight.
When you are trying to conceive, added weight can be a problem.
Unhealthy habits can wreak havoc on your body (we’re talking smoking and alcohol here). When trying to conceive, it is more important than ever to make sure your body is in the best possible shape.
It can be hard to get rid of those nasty habits, but for people who are hoping to become pregnant, it can mean the difference between successfully conceiving and facing months or years of infertility.
Stress affects everyone in different ways. Some people are better at managing stress than others. For most people however, high stress levels can be very harmful to physical health, therefore affecting their chances of conception in a negative way.
Getting to know your body is a step in the right direction to help increase your fertility chances.
Good to know: When facing fertility problems, many people automatically assume it is the woman who is responsible for not being able to conceive. The woman’s health is not the only piece to the fertility puzzle. A man’s health can affect the fertility process just as much as a woman’s health.
Source: Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki building the world’s largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to increase your fertility naturally. Content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons License.
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]]>The post 4 Ways to pinpoint ovulation appeared first on All4Baby.
]]>Ovulation: when a mature egg is released from the ovary and travels down the fallopian tube, ready to be fertilized if it meets a sperm cell.
Start keeping track of your cycle. Circle the first day of your cycle, which is the day you start your period. Keep track of how many days it lasts.
It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact day you’ll ovulate using only a calendar. Instead, a calendar is useful for predicting the range of days during which you will be fertile.
You can predict the first fertile day in your current cycle by finding the shortest cycle in your chart. Subtract 18 from the total number of days in your shortest cycle. Count that number of days from day one in your cycle (including day one when you count) and mark the day you land on. That day is the first fertile day in your cycle – in other words, the first day in your cycle when you’ll be able to get pregnant.
Similarly, you can predict the last fertile day in your current cycle by finding the longest cycle in your chart. Subtract eleven days from the total number of days. Count that number of days from day one in your cycle (including day one when you count) and mark the day you land on. That day is the last fertile day in your cycle – the last day you’ll be able to get pregnant.
Obviously, your range of fertile days will be shorter or longer depending on your unique cycle.
Check your cervical mucus every day and note the distinct changes that take place over the course of your cycle. Keep track of the changes on your calendar.
It’s important to note that breastfeeding, infections, certain drugs, and other circumstances can affect the cervical mucus, so be sure to note these factors as well.
The day of ovulation is usually the day when cervical mucus is most wet and slippery. In the days that follow that peak, especially when the cervix is dry again, fertility is at its lowest.
Buy a basal thermometer (a digital thermometer). Your body temperature is at its lowest during the first part of your cycle and it rises slightly when you ovulate. After that it stays elevated for the rest of your cycle.
Keeping track of your basal body temperature, when your body is completely at rest, over three months or so will reveal patterns that help you predict when you’ll ovulate. Because the incremental temperature change from day to day is so small, regular thermometers shouldn’t be used.
Ovulation testing kits are available for sale in drugstores. They test for the presence of Luteinizing Hormone (LH) in your urine, which increases one to two days before ovulation. Similar to over-the-counter pregnancy tests, they are digital devices with a testing stick to be held under your urine stream.
Good to know: Ovulation tests accurately predict the level of LH in urine, but since there’s always a small amount of LH in urine, its presence doesn’t necessarily mean a person is ovulating. For this reason, ovulation tests are generally not considered to be as accurate as other methods of calculating ovulation.
Source: Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki building the world’s largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to calculate your ovulation. Content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons License.
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