IVF is a medical technique used for couples experiencing a variety of infertility problems—in particular, male factor problems, endometriosis, advanced maternal age or blocked or damaged fallopian tubes.

Here is an explanation of the process:

Before you begin

Before you start, the doctor will complete a thorough diagnostic and treat you and your partner for any conditions that might compromise your fertility (including medical conditions like auto-immune problems or elevated sugar levels, lifestyle issues like a high BMI, smoking or excessive alcohol intake, and emotional conditions like stress).

If the doctor diagnoses IVF as a solution for your fertility problems, you and your partner will need to assess the cost and emotional challenges of the process and decide if it is right for you to go ahead.

The IVF process

If you choose to begin IVF, the doctor will determine which programme is best for you (either short course or long course IVF—these differ in duration but contain many of the same elements).

The clinic staff will then create a detailed, patient-specific programme for you which usually includes the following stages:

1. First Scan

IVF begins with a scan to establish the state of the lining of your uterus.

2. Hormone injections

If the doctor is happy with the results of the scan, you will begin hormone injections.

These can be self-administered but if the thought of injecting yourself is stressful, ask your partner for help or visit your clinic or pharmacy daily and request that the nurse does them for you.

Typically, there are two sets of injections and the timing of administering them depends on your programme. They are:

3. AGnRH Antagonist which is given subcutaneously. This injection is designed to take control of your cycle, suppress the release of the body’s hormones and prevent premature ovulation.There are very few related side effects but some women do report headaches and hot flushes.
4. A FSH or FSH/LH injection, given subcutaneously or intramuscularly. This is designed to hyperstimulate the follicles in the ovaries to produce as many eggs as possible. You may feel bloated and uncomfortable so try to drink lots of water.

3. Follicle scan

After five days of the FSH or FSH/LH injections, the clinic will scan you to determine the number and size of the egg follicles.

Usually the follicles are small at the first scan. If so, you will continue hormone injections and scans until the biggest follicle reaches 18mm or more in size.

4. Ovulation injection

This injection(which can again be self-administered) is usually given at a specific time in the evening.

Egg retrieval will then take place 38 hours after the ovulation injection—about eight hours before the egg is due to be released from the ovary.

5. Aspiration

The clinic will tell you what time to check into the clinic for the egg retrieval.

The procedure is only about 15 to 20 minutes but takes place under strong sedation, so plan to take the day off work.

The doctor will retrieve the eggs and your partner will produce a sperm sample to fertilise the eggs. When I woke up from the procedure, the number of our eggs was written on my hand (clinics know that women need details and their partners are often bad at remembering or communicating them).

This can be an emotional day because your hopes and expectations are linked to the number of eggs and how mature they are.

Ask your partner to drive you home and be available to support you if the news is bad.

6. Embryo fertilisation (naturally or through ICSI)

Once the eggs are retrieved, the laboratory scientist will place them in a dish along with the sperm. The dish is put in an incubator where fertilisation occurs.

If necessary (usually when there is male infertility or when fertilisation has failed to occur or has occurred abnormally in the past), the lab will use ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) to fertilise the eggs. During ICSI, the lab will select and then inject a single sperm into a single mature egg.

7. Embryo development (the waiting period)

The clinic will decide when to do the embryo transfer (either on day three or five after aspiration). In the period between aspiration and transfer you will phone the clinic every day to get an update on the growth of your embryos.

This can be a very stressful time, especially if the embryos are poor quality. Remember that stress at this point can no longer affect your embryo quality but it can impact negatively on your experience of IVF as well as your emotional preparedness for the embryo transfer and early pregnancy.

If you are feeling overwhelmed, it is best to seek some help.

8. Embryo transfer

The clinic will schedule a time for the embryo transfer. This is a minor procedure, not requiring an anaesthetic.

Before transfer, the clinic will talk about the number and quality of embryos and give you a more accurate estimate of the likely success of the procedure.

Depending on the quality of the embryos, this may be an emotional and challenging day but do try to stay hopeful.

9. Waiting stage

Following the transfer, you will be given medication to maintain a healthy uterine lining which will result in heightened emotions and symptoms that resemble pregnancy.

Symptoms can include; tender breasts, bloating and frequent urination. This is a period of high stress where emotions can vacillate wildly from hope and optimism to despair.

Try to keep busy and not attempt anything too physically or emotionally strenuous during this time.

10. Pregnancy test

This takes place 11 days after the transfer. The clinic will perform a blood test and then communicate the results.

If the test is positive (and I sincerely hope it will be), you will continue on your medicine and return to the clinic for regular scans. Many clinics will continue to care for you through the first trimester following which you can see an obstetrician.

A negative result can be devastating though. It is common to go through all of the stages of grieving: shock, disbelief, numbness, anger, depression and lots of “why” questions. This is normal but friends and family may not understand so it may be a good time to seek external help (especially if you find that you cannot move on).

Hard as it is, it is also important to speak to your doctor about factors that may have contributed to the failure,as well as next steps.

Having a plan can make the difference between depression and continued hope.

Top tips

1. Cost

IVF is expensive – leading clinics quote between R35 000 and R50 000 per IVF cycle depending on the procedures used (this excludes medication).

Although semi-government hospitals offering IVF may be cheaper, you will still need to budget for it or obtain IVF-specific finance (speak to your clinic about options).

South African medical aids don’t fund IVF but pressure groups continue to lobby them so watch this space.

2. Your emotions

IVF is very stressful. Be sure to set up a good support structure and if necessary seek professional help to cope with it successfully.

3. Readying yourself

Prepare well. Infertility experts understand that a large number of factors contribute to a couple’s success with IVF. Try to make any necessary health, psychological and lifestyle-related changes prior to the treatment to maximise your chances of success.

About the Author: Robyn Wolfson Vorster is a writer, survivor of IVF and a passionate adoption advocate.  She is mom to a biological son (7), an adoptive daughter (2) and two step-daughters in their twenties.

Acknowledgements: Medical content derived from Medfem clinic and Vitalab. With grateful thanks to Mandy Rodrigues for the content about how you will feel.

The post What to expect from IVF appeared first on All4Baby.

Dr. Jorge Chavarro and colleagues at the Harvard School of Public Health in the US looked at how intake of different types of fats affected success of IVF treatment in 147 women, mostly in their 30s.

Mediterranean diet triples success

Findings revealed that diets rich in foods typically eaten as part of the Mediterranean diet, including sunflower oil and nuts and seeds, tripled the chances of success for women having the fertility treatment.

Saturated fats lead to fewer good eggs

In contrast, women who ate mostly saturated fat, found in dairy products and red meat, produced fewer good eggs for use in fertility treatment. High saturated fat intake has already been linked to lower sperm counts.

The best kinds of food to eat

“The best kinds of food to eat are avocados, which have a lot of monounsaturated fat and low levels of other sorts of fat, and olive oil,” said Chavarro. He said the study was small and more research is needed before clinical advice can be given to women. “While these results are interesting, this is the first time to our knowledge that dietary fats have been linked to treatment outcome in IVF.”

Coffee reduces success

Another new study presented at the same conference found that women who reported drinking five or more cups of coffee a day at the start of IVF treatment reduced their chance of success by 50 percent. The Danish researchers described heavy coffee drinking as being “comparable to the detrimental effect of smoking.”

(AFP Relaxnews)

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While prior research has found that the timing of our meals can affect our weight, a new study announced this week shows that it can also affect insulin resistance and hormone levels.

Making breakfast the largest meal of the day could boost the chance of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a menstrual problem that affects up to 10 percent of women of reproductive age, to conceive, researchers said.

Women with PCOS become resistant to insulin, which can result in an increase in male sex hormones known as androgens, impairing their fertility.

A research team from Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv University studied 60 patients with PCOS between the ages of 25 and 39 over a 12-week period. Each subject was told to eat about 1,800 calories per day, slightly below the recommended daily total for women, but with half having their largest meal of the day at breakfast and the other half at dinner.

Findings, published in the journal Clinical Science, found that there were higher levels of ovulation in the group who ate their largest meal, typically about 980 calories, at breakfast time.

Also among the big breakfast eaters, glucose levels and insulin resistance dropped by eight percent, while levels of androgens decreased by 50 percent. Those who ate a larger dinner showed no change.

“The research clearly demonstrates that indeed the amount of calories we consume daily is very important, but the timing as to when we consume them is even more important,” said study leader Professor Oren Froy.

Access the study: http://www.clinsci.org/cs/125/cs1250423.htm

(AFP Relaxnews)

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Stage One: Starting the adoption process

This might seem obvious but the decisions you make during this stage may determine how successful your adoption process will be. It involves:

• Making the decision to pursue adoption. If you have a partner, you need tomake this decision together.
• Choosing a social worker and / or agency. Popular culture has led people to believe that they can adopt without a social worker. This is incorrect and frankly inadvisable. You need a social worker to help you navigate through all of the legal challenges of adoption and shield you from exploitation (there are always people who will take advantage of you if you are desperate for a child).

Top tips:

1. Only social workers accredited for adoption are able to process adoptions. Be sure to check your social worker’s credentials before you begin.
2. Where possible, try to get a personal recommendation before you choose a social worker. If in doubt, contact the National Adoption Coalition for a list of reputable social workers and agencies.
3. Remember that your social worker will evaluate your suitability to be adoptive parents and drive the process of selecting your child so it is essential that you are compatible and able to trust her.
4. Agencies and social workers vary is their pricing, timing and policies. Be sure that they disclose these details and that you take them into account when selecting one.
5. If possible, avoid agency hopping—it can be a cause of concern for social workers.

Stage Two: The screening process

The screening process may seem quite daunting but don’t be put off— while time consuming, these tasks are relatively easy for you and your partner to complete. They include:

• Participating in a series of qualifying interviews with your social worker
• Obtaining a police clearance
• A medical, including blood tests and a chest x-ray
• A psychological assessment
• Compiling a summary of your finances
• Obtaining clearances from the National Child Protection Register and National Register of Sexual Offenders
• A marriage assessment (or an evaluation of your previous relationships)
• Submitting references (three per partner)
• A group session
• A home visit from your social worker
• Creating a family profile (without identifying features). This is given to biological mothers who want to choose their child’s adoptive family and the social workers who will match your family to a suitable child.

If everything is in order, your social worker will confirm your eligibility, list you on the national adoption database and start looking for a child for you.

Top tips:

1. Social workers are very busy people but for the most part, the screening process will move as quickly as you want it to.
2. Some of these tasks involve expense (such as the medical, police clearance and psychological assessment). Be sure to budget for them.
3. Social workers are open to you stating your preferences regarding your child (including age, gender, health, race and whether the child was abandoned or given up for adoption consensually). Be specific, but realistic (for example, if you are an older couple with children and you want a white new-born baby, you may not be successful). Also remember that some criteria make it harder for the social worker to find you the right child and this will make your wait longer.

Stage Three: Waiting for a child

This is often the hardest part of the process. After a period of heightened activity everything goes quiet for a bit and it seems that not much is happening.   But nothing could be further from the truth. While you are waiting, your social worker is busy looking for suitable children and your child’s social worker (usually not the same person) is ensuring that the child selected for you has been qualified for adoption.

Stage Four: Meeting your child

And finally you get the call—your social worker has a child for you. She will brief you about the child and ask if you want to proceed. If you agree, she will organise for you to meet your child.

Places of Safety handle these meetings differently. We visited our daughter for three days before taking her home. We learnt her routine and preferences and were allowed to feed, bath and change her, put her down for naps and introduce her to our family.

While everyone is understandably anxious to take their child home immediately, this time is essential for bonding and if the child is older or particularly anxious, homecoming may be delayed.

When you take your child home, the Place of Safety will provide you with a “leave of absence” which will authorise you to keep him or her in your home until such time as the legalities are finalised.

Stage Five: Completing the legalities

The last stage involves completing the legalities through the Children’s court. This includes:

• The social workers submitting all of the documentation to the court.
• Adoptive parents signing papers to effect the child’s change of name.
• The court granting the adoption order and changing the child’s surname to that of the adoptive parents (if required).
• Sending the order to the National Adoption Register for registration.

The child then becomes the legal child of the adoptive parents (as if s/he were born to them) and has all of the same rights as a biological child.

Once the legalities are complete, adoptive parents can apply to Home Affairs for a new birth certificate which includes the adoptive parent’s details and the child’s new name. This should take three to six months.

The adoption process may seem lengthy and complex, and to some extent it is. But from experience, I know that one day when you look into your child’s eyes, it will all be worth it.

About the Author: Robyn is a writer, survivor of IVF and a passionate adoption advocate.  She is mom to a biological son (7), an adoptive daughter (2) and two step-daughters in their twenties.

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I adored my son (conceived miraculously from the only embryo we produced in our first attempt at IVF) and my step-daughters,but the thought of not having any more children was devastating.

Here I was, driven, goal-oriented and time urgent (the typical infertility profile) and for the first time, I was without a plan.

It is only now, four years later that I’m grateful there was no plan B. At the time, adoption was not an option for us because my husband wasn’t keen. So, I had to fully grieve the loss of the daughter I had dreamt about, the little girl with my features and my husband’s temperament that I was planning to conceive and birth.

Little did I know that in letting go of her, I was preparing for the daughter I was intended to have—the one we adopted. She is two now and everything I had hoped for, and more.

Adoption was definitely the right option for us. But is it for you? Ask these five questions to find out.

Question one: Are you emotionally ready to adopt?

Some people recover quickly from the struggle with infertility. For others, moving on from the failure is a prolonged and painful process (this is often a function of how long you struggled and how devastating the loss was). For the latter group, rushing to adopt can make coming to terms with your new family much harder. Emotional preparedness is essential if you want to avoid post-adoption depression or attachment problems.

My top tips for preparing emotionally are:

1. Take time to mourn the loss of the biological child you hoped for. Your grief is completely valid and creating a memorial (for me it was a memory box), going for counseling, obtaining spiritual support or finding creative outlets are all options for dealing with it.
2. If the grief of a failed fertility procedure is still raw or you are finding it hard to move on, consider getting some help.
3. Process these questions as honestly as you can:

• Are you ready to parent a child who is different from the picture that you have in your head?
• Can adoption be the best and most perfect option for your family or is it just plan B?
• What are your motives for adoption? We have all heard people say, “adopt, then you will definitely fall pregnant.” It does happen, sometimes. But if that is part of your thinking, it is best to acknowledge it. At the end of the adoption process you will have a son or daughter but if that doesn’t lead to biological children too will you be content with your family?

Question two: Do you and your partner both want to adopt?

If you have a partner, this is one of the first questions that your social worker will ask. You will be co-parenting so you need to be in agreement before you proceed.

The 18 months I waited for my husband to choose adoption were unbelievably hard but in the end,a child’s life and our family’s happiness were at stake so it was well worth the wait.

Question three: Are you ready for the process and the wait?

The adoption process is actually not as long and invasive as some people make it out to be. In fact, it took eleven months for our social worker to screen us and find us a baby, exactly the same amount of time as it took me to conceive my son through IVF and carry him to term.

But at the time, it felt excruciating, especially after all our years of infertility.I therefore encourage woman to be prepared for the process and the wait, and to remember that as a rule of thumb, the more specific you are about the child you want, the longer it is likely to take.

On the plus side though, while the adoption screening is intensive and requires time, honesty and self-disclosure, there are no internal examinations!And, unlike the majority of my IVF attempts, we actually got a child at the end of it.

Question four: Is trans-racial adoption an option for you?

The media is full of adoption stories involving white, coloured and Indian children but in truth these are quite rare. Because of South Africa’s demographics, the vast majority of adoptable children are black. For this reason, most agencies either have strict criteria for same-race adoptions or a closed list (that is, they will not accept new applicants). So, if  you are only willing to adopt a white, coloured or Indian child, it’s best to prepare for a long wait or for disappointment.

However, if you are prepared to adopt trans-racially (or are a black family wanting to adopt) and you are approved, you are certain to get a child, and relatively quickly.

Question five: Can you love your adopted child as much as a biological child?

This was the first question I asked my husband when we decided to adopt. He is a wonderful dad and I knew that if he didn’t love our adopted daughter as much as his biological children, I would know, and so would she. Turns out I had no reason to be concerned. He was committed, and from the first moment he held her and she snuggled into his arms,he knew that he would take a bullet for her. In the end, love is a choice and when it comes to children—biological or adopted—it isn’t a hard one.

About the Author: Robyn is a writer, survivor of IVF and a passionate adoption advocate.  She is mom to a biological son (7), an adoptive daughter (2) and two step-daughters in their twenties.

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However – this day is, for some, a sad and painful reminder that they have not yet been able to father a child or are battling infertility issues.

Did you know that today, one couple out of every six is coping with the challenges of infertility. In approximately 30- 40% of these couples, the infertility is due to a problem on the male side.

Men experience a range of emotions

Regardless of whether the infertility is due to the male or to their female partner or is unexplained, it is also common for men to experience a range of emotions. These feelings are often unexplained and unexpressed and may lead to behaviors and actions that are misunderstood by others.

Men are sometimes perceived as being unable or unwilling to talk about their feelings and experiences. Pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting are seen as a women’s realm and fertility and medical treatments often focus more specifically on women.

Men are often left out

Our society also abounds with images of women as mothers, carers and nurturers much more than those of men as fathers and carers. The voices and thoughts of men are therefore often missed, silent and forgotten.

To fill this void, men who have been through the infertility journey are now starting to write about their experiences and about aspects that they have found to be valuable and supportive.

 Some of the ideas are

Men may feel a wide range of emotions, including anger, sadness, confusion, anxiety, humiliation, guilt, embarrassment and shame. Such experiences may be due to feeling one or, indeed, many of the following:

• Saddened by the loss of their ability to provide for their family- “ I’ve let my wife down”, “I feel less of a man”
• Unable to protect their partner & their couple relationship from pain & intense emotions due to the roller coaster of infertility treatment and interventions and ongoing feelings of grief and loss
• Full of self-doubt with the potential loss of manhood. Questions self- “who am I?”- “what is a man?”
• Sexually inadequate
• A loss of identity – may feel he does not meet cultural, spiritual, family and
• Community expectations of himself
• Sadness due to the loss of personal dreams and expectations to be a dad
• Left out of the loop – as the focus of treatment is mostly on their wife or partner
• Isolated – friends & family are getting on with it and having their own children
• Powerless with a lack of control – “nothing I do seems to help”
• Misunderstood – by partner, family, friends, work mates
• Lonely- no-one to talk to who really understands and is without judgement
• Fearful- “I want a child but am afraid it might not happen” “what sort of father will I be if I ever get there?

Tips for men dealing with infertility

• Acknowledge your feelings. Find ways that work for you to deal with strong emotions such as grief, depression, anger e.g. regular exercise, massage.
• Keep up social networks & interests.
• Talk to someone you know will understand
• Gain support. Work out who you can count on for emotional support & use them.
• Find the right people to talk to. Don’t be afraid to seek counselling or emotional support- either as a couple or for yourself.
• Acknowledge as a couple, that your individual experiences & responses to infertility & treatment may be quite different from each other – not better, not worse, just different.
• Take control. Work out what you can control and what you can’t.
• Nurture your relationship.
• Self care. Pay attention to your physical, mental & psychological well-being.
• Treat yourself. Remember to exercise, nurture yourself with things you love doing, consider relaxation & stress management options, eat well, & find a balance in your day-to-day life choices.
• Look after your own health. Remain aware of your own needs and wants.
• Remember that you and your partner are in this together.
• Try to balance hope with compassion.
• Try and avoid being “Mr Fix It”. Nurture yourself and your relationship. Listen without having to offer solutions.

About the Author: Prelox® is a patented blend of Pycnogenol and L-arginine designed to actively treat male infertility. For further information visit www.2tostartafamily.co.za or email [email protected]

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Growing social crisis of child abandonment

The research undertaken by Dee Blackie, a consultant to the National Adoption Coalition of SA, is the result of an intensive, 1-year long research project that will provide NACSA with the understanding and insights needed to address the growing social crisis of child abandonment and declining adoption rates in South Africa.

© michaeljung – Fotolia.com

Blackie’s fieldwork, conducted from March 2013 to February 2014, involved in-depth interviews and participant observation with young women experiencing unplanned pregnancy, women who had been apprehended for abandoning their children, community members, police officers, nurses and social workers, baby home managers and caregivers, adoption social workers, foster care and adoptive parents, psychologists and psychiatrists, legal experts, traditional healers and abandoned children (predominantly in Alexandra, Soweto and Tembisa).

Little understanding of the alarming social change

“Child abandonment continues to rise in South Africa, but there is little to no understanding of this alarming social challenge. This together with the increasing numbers of orphans due to the HIV/AIDS pandemic is placing extreme pressure on temporary care solutions such as children’s homes and foster care.

Adoptions have decreased by more than 50% over the past decade with research indicating that much of the decline is due to the implementation of the new Children’s Act in 2010 and what has been referred to as ‘cultural barriers’,” says Dee Blackie.

A number of challenges

Contemporary South Africa has a number of the challenges associated with child abandonment including restrictive legislation, high levels of poverty, mass urbanisation and migrant labour, high levels of violence especially rape, gender inequality and diminishing family support. All of these issues lead to the increasing vulnerability of young women in the urban environment and can result in child abandonment as a ‘survival strategy’ on the discovery of an unplanned and unwanted pregnancy.

Ancestral beliefs an influence

Blackie’s research found that both child abandonment and the decline in adoption are influenced by indigenous African ancestral beliefs. She found that some mothers and community members believe that, in the eyes of their ancestors, to abandon a child is better than formally relinquishing their rights as parents so that the child can be adopted.

The research found that ancestral beliefs play a significant role in child abandonment in South Africa.

“Formally placing a child up for adoption is seen as a conscious act, and similar to the choice of abortion, amounts to the rejecting a gift that the ancestors have given you. Many young women believe that the punishment for doing this could be extreme suffering and bad luck and in some cases, they believe they may even be rendered infertile as a result of their actions. Other circumstances such as depression, high levels of stress possibly due to how the child was conceived such as rape, or that she had been abandoned herself by the father of the child or her own family, which is often the case, are often contributing reasons for abandoning the baby. In this instance, the mother can then sacrifice something to call her ancestors, and then when they appear, apologise to them at which point they could choose to forgive her,” explains Blackie.

Unknown ancestry to cause problems

“Adoption is also viewed with great concern as bringing a child with an unknown ancestry into a family is thought to cause problems for both the adoptive family and the child. Most research respondents believe that a child who does not know their ancestors – the decedents of their father’s line – will live a difficult life and may also not be able to fulfil many of their traditional roles and rituals in their family.  These include paying damages for a child, paying lebola (to get married), celebrating big milestones such as matriculating, graduating or getting a new job.  Ancestors are also important for guidance and support, for understanding where illness may come from, and assisting a person in making important life decisions. ”

© sarininka – Fotolia.com

“Many black adoptive parents choose not to disclose that their children are adopted for fear of rejection from their extended family or community. However, if this is discovered later on in life, it can cause high levels of trauma for the abandoned child” adds Blackie.

Solving the issue at a community level

But the research also revealed that despite the negative perceptions of adoption, all of the sangomas (traditional healers) interviewed confirmed that they could assist a child who has been abandoned to find their ancestors. They can also help a family who chooses to adopt a child, through a process called ‘ubigile’ or the announcing of the child to the ancestors.

“The sangomas believe that despite child abandonment being increasingly associated with postpartum depression and post-traumatic stress syndrome, the only way to solve this issue is to fix it at a family and community level, rather than through the medication and counselling of the individual mother or child,” adds Blackie.

Research to inform initiatives

The comprehensive research will inform a number of initiatives planned by the National Adoption Coalition in their attempt to curb this growing social crisis.

Pam Wilson, spokesperson for NACSA adds: “Getting to the heart of cultural and ancestral beliefs is crucial if we are to address this challenge by understanding the reasons behind high levels of abandonment and declining adoptions. It will inform and shape our messaging and approach, particularly as we are about to embark on a campaign specifically aimed at unplanned pregnancy and helping families to support the young women in their homes. The research information will also be used to expand on the Coalition’s Community Engagement Programme specifically around option counselling for unplanned pregnancy to help young pregnant mothers to make informed decisions. Finally, in support of the call by sangomas and traditional leaders, this year’s adoption conference planned for October, will focus on trying to find more culturally relevant approaches to adoption and otherchild protection strategies,” says Wilson.

During Child Protection Week 2014, the National Adoption Coalition will focus on the insights revealed from the research and use this as a basis to inform its actions going forward around the plight of South Africa’s adoptable children and provide accurate process information to birth and prospective adoptive parents, particularly around the issues of ancestry and cultural beliefs in South Africa.

For more information on the National Adoption Coalition call 0800 864 6580800 864 658 or go to www.adoptioncoalitionsa.org

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Permanent infertility

Unfortunately, this means that a couple is unable to achieve natural conception at all. Ulterior conception methods, such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF) usually follows a permanent infertility diagnosis.

The following conditions may cause permanent infertility;

• Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
• Endometriosis
• Problems with Ovulation
• Poor egg quality
• Problems with a woman’s fallopian tubes

Secondary infertility

This diagnosis is given to couples who struggle to fall pregnant after already having conceived a child. Secondary infertility is usually a tough pill to swallow after a previous uncomplicated conception and pregnancy.

The causes of secondary infertility are usually the same as primary infertility. These issues have just developed after you have had your first child.

Sub-infertility

A Sub-infertility diagnosis is given to couples who are less fertile than the average couple. Being diagnosed with sub-fertility doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to conceive, it just means that the road to conception will be a little longer (and harder) for you.

Where does the problem lie?

It’s a common misconception that fertility problems lie only with the woman. But, research shows that 30% of the time, it’s actually the man that is the problem. Another 30% is attributed to the woman’s inability to fall pregnant, while the remaining 40% goes to a combination of both the woman and man having fertility problems.

The post Infertility lingo explained! appeared first on All4Baby.

Essential diet tips

As fertility experts shared their research at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine in Boston this week, Loyola University dietitian Brooke Schantz offered essential diet tips to increase your chances of having a baby.

“Establishing a healthy eating pattern and weight is a good first step for women who are looking to conceive,” she said. “Not only will a healthy diet and lifestyle potentially help with fertility, but it also may influence fetal well-being and reduce the risk of complications during pregnancy.”

Fertility affected by weight

Thirty percent of infertility is due to being either overweight or underweight, according to the National Infertility Association in the US. Reducing extra weight by even five percent can enhance fertility, experts say.

Follow these six food tips

For women looking to conceive, Schantz recommends the following:

1. Reduce intake of foods with trans and saturated fats while increasing intake of monounsaturated fats, such as avocados and olive oil
2. Lower intake of animal protein and add more vegetable protein to your diet
3. Add more fiber to your diet by consuming whole grains, vegetables, and fruit
4. Incorporate more vegetarian sources of iron such as legumes, tofu, nuts, seeds, and whole grains
5. Consume high-fat dairy instead of low-fat dairy. A Harvard University study showed that women who ate more than two portions a day of low-fat dairy foods were 85 percent more likely to be infertile due to ovulatory disorders than those who only ate it less than once a week.
6. Take a regular women’s multivitamin

Men also have a responsibility

But men aren’t left out of the equation. “Men who are looking to have a baby also have a responsibility to maintain a healthy body weight and consume a balanced diet, because male obesity may affect fertility by altering testosterone and other hormone levels,” Schantz said.

Approximately 40 percent of infertility issues are attributed to men, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

(AFP Relaxnews)

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Many of these products could contain toxic chemicals known as phthalates which can cause hormonal abnormalities, birth defects and even reproductive problems.

A recent investigation of 14 common air fresheners by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) found hormone-disrupting chemicals known as phthalates in 12 products, including some fresheners marketed as “all-natural” and “unscented.”

None of the air fresheners listed phthalates on their labels. The air fresheners NRDC tested included aerosol sprays, liquids that emit a continuous scent, and a solid.

NRDC’s testing was limited, but the results do suggest that more comprehensive, in-depth testing of air fresheners is warranted.

Air fresheners are used indoors, heightening the threat of exposure to families.

A study (by the University of Bristol called “Children of the ’90s”, which has followed the health and development of 14,000 children since before birth) didn’t analyse the ingredients in air fresheners, just the effects:

• 32% more babies suffered diarrhea in homes where air fresheners were used every day
• These babies had significantly more earaches in these homes as well.
• Air fresheners also affected mothers—those who used them daily suffered nearly 10% more headaches.
• Perhaps most surprising is the finding that women who lived in homes with daily air freshener use had a 26% increased risk of depression.

Researchers have suggested that strong regulations need to be set in motion to protect consumers, such as having all manufacturers test and submit data on the levels of toxicity and health effects of inhaling the chemicals.

All is not lost if you wish to keep your home smelling fresh. Simple ways to freshen your surroundings naturally include:

• Opening the shades and windows to bring in air and sunlight
• Burn pure beeswax candles that purify and clean the air
• Leave an open box of baking soda open
• Use indoor plants
• Simmer cinnamon and cloves, fresh ginger or herbs in water on the stove top
• Use potpourris

Learn more about effectively removing  odour & bacteria at www.hygizone.com.

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