Twin Babies, by Chris Ford

A 50-year-old man, who had a vasectomy 22 years ago, has become a proud father of twins after a miraculous treatment at a British fertility clinic.

Steven Richardson lost his hopes to have kids with second wife Carol after a reverse snip operation failed.

But the couple became parents to twins Annie and William, thanks to Indian-origin medic Dr. Rashmi Patel, at the Manchester CARE fertility clinic, who tried an operation called ICSI, or Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection.

Steven already had three children - Lee, now 33, Lisa, 27, and Nicola, 23 years old from his first marriage before he went for the snip.

And it was in 1994 he met Carol, 37 years old, whom he married in 1998.

But when the reverse operation failed, he got the miracle treatment from Manchester CARE fertility, where the doctors extracted sperm from his testicles and used it to fertilize one of Carol's eggs IVF-style, followed by embryo implantation.

However, it was his age and scarring after the snip which made the chances for success quite bleak.

But it was in November 2006 the treatment finally clicked for this couple after two failed tries.

It seems like a miracle - 22 years after Steve's vasectomy we've been able to have our twins. I had always wanted to be a mother, and against all the odds, we have our beautiful twins and I'm a mum at last, The Sun quoted Carol, now 49 years old, as saying.

Steven added: When my reversal failed we were devastated. But the other procedure did work and now we are over the moon.

Dr. Patel said: We were very happy to help Carol and Steven.

Source: Man has miracle twins - 22 years after he had a vasectomy

---

TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
The Impatient Woman's Guide to Getting Pregnant
by Jean M. Twenge Ph.D.

-- Complete guide to the medical, psychological, social, and sexual aspects of getting pregnant, told in a funny, compassionate way, like talking to a good friend who's been through it all.

And in fact, Dr. Jean Twenge has been through it all—the mother of three young children, she started researching fertility when trying to conceive for the first time.

A renowned sociologist and professor at San Diego State University, Dr. Twenge brought her research background to the huge amount of information—sometimes contradictory, frequently alarmist, and often discouraging—that she encountered online, from family and friends, and in books, and decided to go into the latest studies to find out the real story.

The good news is:
There is a lot less to worry about than you've been led to believe. Dr. Twenge gets to the heart of the emotional issues around getting pregnant, including how to prepare mentally and physically when thinking about conceiving, how to talk about it with family, friends, and your partner, and how to handle the great sadness of a pregnancy loss; as well as how to know when you’re ovulating, when to have sex, timing your pregnancy, maximizing your chances of getting pregnant, how to tilt the odds toward having a boy or a girl, and the best prenatal diet.

Trying to conceive often involves an enormous amount of emotion, from anxiety and disappointment to hope and joy.

With comfort, humor, and straightforward advice, The Impatient Woman's Guide to Getting Pregnant is the bedside companion to help you through it.

Paperback: 256 pages
Click to order/for more info: The Impatient Woman's Guide to Getting Pregnant

Start reading The Impatient Woman's Guide to Getting Pregnant on your Kindle in under a minute!

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

---

I was lucky enough to organise a Dr Check consult because I am in Australia, and also thinking of (maybe) cycling with him if things don't work out here at my clinic. I found him to be very helpful and patient with my questions, and although our discussion only lasted for 90 minutes - it began at 10.30pm his time and I wasn't the last one he had to speak to so he's clearly very very dedicated!

FSH: Cornell 2005 study said once someone's FSH has been above 15 (even once) then they must use donor eggs. He doesn't believe this and has had plenty of success encouraging women to try both naturally and with minimal stim cycles.

He said once you can achieve a 6-7-8 cell embryo then 65% of the time it should work if you are under 35 and if you are over 35 then 38-42% success (in the absence of other factors such as immune issues). A normal live pregnancy rate for someone 41-42 should be 20% per cycle (without distinguishing FSH as normal or abnormal).

WHY LOW DOSE STIM: He believes a high dose stim regime doesn't fry our eggs, but it does somehow affect implantation and this leads to lower success rates.

HOW DOES LOW STIM WORK: their premise is you don't add FSH on high FSH, i.e. they like to use estrogen to bring down your FSH if it is elevated. After this, he likes to let your own FSH drive your follicle growth - so whether or not they add FSH, and how much, is driven by your own levels during your cycle.

ANTAGNOSIST VS AGONIST: although there are some published studies suggesting lower success rates for an antagonist cycle, he believes these were earlier studies and it is no longer the case. He believes there are benefits to an antagonist cycle in that it is easier.

ESTROGEN PRIMING PROTOCOL: while he was the first to introduce estrogen to lower FSH before a cycle, he's not in favour of the full EPP because it means a whole month (while you're 1st on BCPs) is lost, ie. it takes two months in total, and seems to be wasting time.

BACK TO BACK CYCLES: this is case by case, but generally where there is no risk of hyper stim, then it should be OK.

ANY DIFFERENCE IN DRUGS: in their experience (and no studies have been done to confirm), very high doses of GONAL F seem to have had the lowest pregnancy rates. However when you use low doses it doesn't seem to matter whether you are using Gonal F, Follitism or Bravelle - they are all essentially the same ... He does seem to prefer Cetrorelix vs Ganerlix (sp?) though for antagonist cycles.

WHEN IS ENOUGH, ENOUGH? So long as you are producing nice embryos then even if you are over 40 years old, you have a chance of success with your own eggs. On the other hand, he is a pragmatist, so if you do want to increase your chances in any given cycle then donor eggs could boost success rates to 55%.

ABNORMAL FERTILISATION: I had a 3PN fertilisation on my last cycle and he suggested that it wasn't that my eggs are "suddenly old" but more likely a result of the protocol (very high stim of 900 Gonal F).

ICSI: in general he thinks arranged marriages aren't that good, i.e. your eggs probably know how to pick out the best partner better than we do. But he can see why in my case (where I only get 1-3 eggs) it might seem better to use it - even psychologically, because if you don't use ICSI and then they don't fertilise well you'd be upset (although the same could even have happened with it).

ASSISTED HATCHING: should definitely be done for older than 40 years, as the embryo is avoiding vital enzymes available to it on its way down the fallopian tube.

DAY 2 OR 3 OR BLAST: on Day 2 you can't hatch embryos so, for this reason, DAY 3 is better. On the other hand, on Day 3 some think the uterus is more sensitive/cramps more, so ... the only real advantage to blast is if you have lots of eggs and don't have a good freezing program ... on the whole, the best environment for them is inside you not in the lab.

IMMUNOLOGY: His background is in reproductive immunology. If you have NK Cells in your uterus, then they can have a protein that acts as a progesterone blocking factor and this can cause implantation problems. He thinks the studies show LIT can work, but it is hugely expensive and he thinks something like Intralipids (a free fatty acid from soybeans which can bind to the NK cells and deactivates them) works well too and is much cheaper ...

On the other hand, he doesn't think there are any tests which will reliably determine if you have got an NK Cell problem, so it would probably be best to just go off your history (ie, multiple IVF failures etc) ... Basically, he doesn't think anything else (like IVIG, etc) is needed and he wouldn't advocate them.

STERIODS: No good data to support the use of steriods (prednisone/dex) in IVF cycles. Doesn't think they are necessary.

HEPARIN: Only really helps people with implantation issues associated with APA. You can use it, but he doesn't really see a reason to do so.

MTHFR: I am homozygous, and he says it's quite common and heparin isn't really warranted - especially if you haven't got elevated homocysteine levels.

ASPIRIN: he hasn't seen any studies showing a difference in blood flow to the uterus or endometrial thickness based on aspirin. He thinks no aspirin (even low dose) is better.

VIAGRA/VAGINAL ESTROGEN: no good studies showing a significant difference in endometrial thickness with use of these, ie. wouldn't bother with them.

DHEA: he knows the Gleitcher (sp?) study showing higher implantation rates, but apparently it also showed higher miscarriage rates. Plus, he says it was a study on women around 30 years old where none of them had an FSH higher than 12. In other words, it's not convincing and he thinks pregnancy rates might be better without it.

ENDOMETRIOSIS: the studies are a little mixed. Some show no lower pregnancy rates in women with endo, some do. 2003 data showed IVF overcomes endo abnormalities, and 2005 studies showed endo does inhibit IVF success. If you have had multiple failed cycles without IVF then laparoscopy - a study showed 61% of women falling pregnant afterward vs 18% before. However, in my case where I have already had multiple laps for endo, he wouldn't advocate anymore.

HYDROSALPINX: I recently had my tubes removed due to hydrosalpinges (bilateral), and he said this is a good idea as plenty of research shows it impacts IVF success rates.

DIET/EXERCISE/SUPPLEMENTS: doesn't advocate anything special - regular healthy living etc ... don't have to give up exercise, sugar, meat or use only organic food etc etc etc.

GOLDEN EGG THEORY: the premise behind the high stim approach is the higher the better. The argument is our bodies are like a lottery - the higher the number of eggs achieved, the higher the probability of getting that one golden egg from the (presumably) bad lot.

Dr. Check feels our body knows how to identify the best of the eggs in our basket, and kicks out this one each month - so even if you use a low stim approach and get only 2 embryos, it's not necessarily a worse outcome than someone using high stim and getting 9 embryos ...

Source: Check Consult - Summary of Info - (Long)

---

A tiny, six-legged critter that suspends all biological activity when the going gets tough may hold answers to a better way to cryopreserve human eggs, researchers say.

Tardigrades, also called water bears, can survive Himalayan heights or ocean depths as long as they have moisture.

When they don't, they produce a sugar, trehalose, slowly dehydrate and essentially cease functioning until the rain comes, says Dr. Ali Eroglu, reproductive biologist and cryobiologist at the Medical College of Georgia.

Tardigrades are not alone in their amazing ability to outlast adverse conditions. A type of brine shrimp, often called a sea monkey, comes back to life with water.

The Baker's yeast Dr. Eroglu uses when he bakes bread with his children does as well. Similarly, arctic wood frogs use the sugar, glucose, to tolerate frigid temperatures until the summer thaw.

While humans don't naturally produce trehalose, researchers think they can use it to safely preserve human eggs – and those of endangered species – giving better options to young women facing cancer therapies that may leave them infertile and others who simply want to delay reproduction.

Our hypothesis is when we introduce sugars into cells and into oocytes, we can protect them against freezing-associated stresses, says Dr. Eroglu, who received a $1.2 million grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to continue pursuing his hypothesis. We also hypothesized if we used trehalose, we also could use conventional cryoprotectants, which can be toxic, in lower concentrations to minimize their toxicity while maximizing overall protection.

Pilot data show it works like a charm, at least in mouse eggs. Researchers injected eggs with trehalose, cooled them to liquid nitrogen temperature, thawed them and exposed them to sperm. They got healthy babies at a similar rate to unfrozen controls.

We were very excited, says Dr. Eroglu, whose work has prompted desperate calls from young cancer patients wanting to preserve their eggs. We got very good development rates, then we transferred the embryos to foster mothers and got pups that were completely healthy. In fact, those pups had healthy pups. His limited testing in human eggs indicates they also can be preserved and thawed safely using this approach, however further research is needed to pursue clinical applications.

The NIH grant enables him to use monkey eggs, which are similar to human eggs, to find the optimal mix of sugar, conventional cryoprotectants and freezing to maximize egg preservation. Collaborators at Emory University are providing the eggs and at the Georgia Institute of Technology are developing a mathematical model to predict cooling rates while avoiding destructive intracellular ice formation. Dr. Eroglu also is working with the MCG Section of Reproductive Endocrinology, Infertility and Genetics In vitro Fertilization Program to obtain discarded eggs that failed to fertilize.

Dr. Eroglu looks for a better way because current approaches are fraught with problems. Scientists have been freezing human eggs for about two decades but not very successfully. Embryo cryopreservation is relatively successful, but to freeze oocytes, we have to overcome many hurdles, he says. A major problem is the protective, exterior jelly coat of an egg doesn’t freeze well. The jelly coat protects the egg from mechanical stress and serves as a receptor for sperm. Sperm must pass through the coat then penetrate the interior plasma membrane. As soon as a single sperm penetrates, it triggers intracellular signaling that transforms the coat into a hard, impermeable structure and with good reason: if multiple sperms penetrate, chromosomal abnormalities result. Interestingly, traditional freezing, even with cryopreservatives, can cause these problems and more. The jelly coat hardens, making it impossible for sperm to get through the traditional way. You don’t have this issue with an embryo because fertilization already has occurred, Dr. Eroglu says.

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection came into use in 1997 to help overcome the hardened jelly coat but other problems persist. Chemical stress, freezing or warming can disrupt the egg's mechanism for dividing chromosomes – babies get half their chromosomes from mom and half from dad – so they don't line up as they should. In addition to hardening the jelly coat, cold stress can change intracellular signaling resulting from sperm penetration. Lipids or fats in the egg can fuse and the membrane can become leaky.

The bottom line is only about 1-5 percent of eggs develop to term after standard cryopreservation techniques, which include a combination of slow freezing in conjunction with low levels of cryoprotectants such as dimethyl sulfoxide, or rapid freezing with more cryoprotectants.

Dr. Eroglu says the sugars, which help protect the natural structure of proteins, enable the use of warmer temperatures and fewer cryoprotectants. He uses the tried and true intracytoplasmic sperm injection approach to deliver sugar – instead of sperm - to eggs before cooling. One of his ultimate goals is to design sugars that can easily penetrate the egg’s membrane, but at least for now, tardigrade sugars seems to work just fine in mice.

One of his many hopes is that freezing embryos won't always be necessary, whether it's a human or an endangered species. Rather, eggs and sperm – which have been frozen successfully for decades – can be kept apart until fertilization is desirable. This could preclude the controversy of destroying unused embryos and perhaps the debate over embryonic stem cells, he says.

Eggs, which can reprogram cell function by turning genes off and on, can produce cells that can become essentially anything, Dr. Eroglu says. If he can better understand how they do this, regular body cells might be reprogrammed in a test tube to embryonic-like stem cells for therapeutic use.

Source: Durable Critters Providing Insight For Human Egg Preservation

---

TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
You Can Get Pregnant Over 40, Naturally II: Overcoming infertility and recurrent loss in your late 30s and 40s naturally
by Sandy Robertson

-- After years of infertility and failed fertility treatments, Sandy Robertson developed an all-natural pregnancy protocol leading to the birth of her daughter at the age of 44.

In this new expanded edition, she shares her research including over 100 references.

She explains how she:
- Overcame recurrent miscarriage
- Conceived multiple times of the age of 40 with one Fallopian tube
- Balanced hormones
- Increased pelvic circulation

Paperback: 248 pages
Click to order/for more info: You Can Get Pregnant Over 40, Naturally

---

Photo credit: hello in there!, by Adrienne Bassett

October 27, 2006 - The International Council on Infertility Information Dissemination (INCIID) and Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. (Amex: HTI), a biopharmaceutical company developing and commercializing recombinant human enzymes, announced the results of a survey designed to determine in vitro fertilization (IVF) patients' level of awareness of lab practices surrounding intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) procedures on their eggs.

While over 82 percent of the 168 survey respondents are generally aware that there are a number of procedures performed on their eggs after retrieval, only 8 percent are aware that many IVF clinics use slaughterhouse-derived animal extract products (from bovine and ovine sources) to treat eggs prior to the ICSI procedure.

More than 89 percent of respondents do not know that the use of animal extract products may have a potential impact on the outcome of an IVF cycle, such as fertilization rates and quality of embryos, for example. Fifty-seven percent of IVF procedures performed in the U.S. are ICSI or include ICSI.

Source: ARLINGTON, Va., and SAN DIEGO, Oct. 27, 2006 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/
Full article: Inciid.org

---

TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
Pregnancy Miracle
by Lisa Olsen

-- A 279-page, instantly downloadable e-book presenting a 5-step, sure-fire, 100% guaranteed, clinically proven holistic and ancient Chinese system for permanently reversing your infertility and your partner's infertility disorders and getting pregnant quickly, naturally and safely within 2-4 months without drugs, dangerous surgeries, side effects, or expensive infertility treatments.

It's probably the most powerful infertility reversal system ever developed, and currently the best-selling e-book of its kind on the entire Web!

Here's what the author Lisa Olson had to say about her incredible program:
After 14 years of trial, error, and experimentation, I finally discovered the answer to infertility and developed a fool-proof system to getting pregnant the natural way - no drugs, or surgery necessary.

It took a lot of research to get to where I am today, to know exactly what works and what doesn't. Yes, after desperate trial and error, countless of useless treatments, disappointments, and agony, a simple holistic system opened the door to my new and much brighter life of motherhood.

I was also excited to see that my other infertility related symptoms had diminished. After years of waiting, I was finally free from Infertility! I have become a proud mother of two.

And now I'm finally revealing my secrets in this new 'encyclopedia' of pregnancy called, Pregnancy Miracle.

I will be your own personal coach, take you by the hand, and lead you through the lousy advice, hype and gimmicks... and directly to the sort of inner balance perfection that will end your battle with infertility forever and help you become a proud mother of your healthy children.


Click to order/for more info on this helpful program:
Pregnancy Miracle

FAIRFAX, Va., July 25, 2008 -- Genetics and IVF Institute announced today, on the 30th anniversary of the birth of the world's first IVF (in vitro fertilization) baby, that it has created more than 17,000 pregnancies through in vitro fertilization and other advanced techniques.

Louise Brown, the world's first baby born through in vitro fertilization, was born in England on July 25, 1978, and media outlets trumpeted the news of the first 'test tube baby', says David Wise, president and CEO of Genetics and IVF Institute (GIVF), which is based in Fairfax, VA.

 Now, people around the world are enjoying parenthood thanks to the invention of IVF by the remarkable British scientists Drs. Robert Edwards and Patrick Steptoe. We honor them today on the 30th anniversary of Louise Brown's birth.

Founded in 1984, GIVF was one of the first free-standing fertility treatment centers in America.

GIVF pioneered the development and implementation of many improved fertility treatment technologies and methods, including non-surgical retrieval of eggs and sperm, intracytoplasmic sperm injection and pre-implantation genetic diagnosis of embryos (PGD).

GIVF also developed a new, patented sperm separation technique for pre-conceptual gender selection called MicroSort (R) which is currently in an FDA clinical trial.

It is the only American infertility treatment center with its own donor egg and donor sperm programs.

GIVF also introduced high tech infertility treatment in China and is the only American center that provides infertility treatment in China.

Many of the pregnancies created at GIVF are in patients with particularly challenging infertility problems, including some who have been rejected for treatment by other centers.

Every pregnancy is a cause for joy. Patients who come to GIVF seeking help to become pregnant are elated when they learn that they have achieved pregnancy and our staff is thrilled to help them, Mr. Wise said.

For more information on GIVF and its extraordinary range of programs, visit Genetics and IVF Institute .

Photo Credit: Louise with her parents Lesley and John following her birth at Oldham General Hospital
Photo: PA / Telegraph.co.uk
All Rights Reserved

---

TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
Taking Charge of Your Fertility, 10th Anniversary Edition:
The Definitive Guide to Natural Birth Control, Pregnancy Achievement, and Reproductive Health
by Toni Weschler

-- For any woman unhappy with her current method of birth control; demoralized by her quest to have a baby; or experiencing confusing symptoms in her cycle, this book provides answers to all these questions, plus amazing insights into a woman's body.

Weschler thoroughly explains the empowering Fertility Awareness Method, which in only a couple minutes a day allows a woman to:
• Enjoy highly effective, scientifically proven birth control without chemicals or devices
• Maximize her chances of conception or expedite fertility treatment by identifying impediments to conception
• Increase the likelihood of choosing the gender of her baby
• Gain control of her sexual and gynecological health

Paperback: 512 pages
Click to order/for more info: Taking Charge of Your Fertility

---

GARY AND KATHY, both geologists in Houston, are the grateful parents of twins -- a boy and a girl. The babies have big eyes and tufts of hair that stick straight up, making them look like alert, crested birds. Gary smiles every time he looks at them. Kathy basically crawled through broken glass to get these kids, he says.

[ Photos show the development of the twins, from embryos to today's lively babies. Family Photo Album Page 1 and Page 2 ]

Gary also went through a painful ordeal to produce these babies. A few years ago, he had surgery on his testicles to improve his sperm count. It didn't work. So the couple tried IVF. Kathy took drugs to stimulate her ovaries, then had eggs removed. Doctors cut into Gary's testicles to extract sperm, fertilized the eggs in a laboratory dish, then put the resulting embryos into Kathy's uterus. But she didn't get pregnant.

I was having trouble with seeing pregnant women, seeing children, going to baby showers, Kathy says. The thought of that was just, no way. Some days you're fine. But other days you're a wreck.

I was more worried about Kathy than I was about having a child, Gary says. This is pretty stressful, particularly when you're loaded up on all the drugs they pump into you. It was getting pretty stressful for both of us, so, being a guy, I wanted to find a solution. By God, let's just go out and adopt a baby.

Kathy and Gary looked into adoption, but found it could be as expensive IVF (a single IVF cycle costs $7-15,000). And they feared the birth parents might someday demand the baby back, even though that almost never happens. The couple worried about the prenatal care an adoptive baby might receive. What if the birth mother drank or smoked? Besides, Kathy wanted to experience pregnancy.

Well meaning people who just don't understand, Kathy says. They see what you're going through and they say, 'Why don't you just adopt?' And my answer is, 'For the same reason you didn't.' Because they are invariably people who have their own biological children. 'Why didn't you adopt?'
Gary adds, It's something that's inherent in everybody, in all species. You gotta go out and procreate.

When the couple learned of a less painful technique for extracting sperm from a man's testicles, they decided to try IVF again. This time the technology worked. In March 1997, Kathy gave birth. The first picture in their baby book is a black and white shot of what looks like lumpy soap bubbles. It's the twins as embryos, photographed through a laboratory microscope.

Kathy plays with their baby boy at bedtime.
LISTEN

Today, they're energetic babies. The boy kicks and babbles as Kathy changes his diaper, shrieking with laughter when she coaches him to gimme five! The girl waits her turn, cuddled in Gary's arms.

Gary says the money he and Kathy spent to have their twins was worthwhile. LISTEN

They're perfect, Gary says. Not that we have a particularly objective opinion. Gary doesn't want more children, but there's no question in his mind that the twins were worth all the trouble, pain and expense. Knowing what we know, would we do it again? he asks. Both of them answer, Yeah.

Next: Genetic Mandate or Social Impulse?

Read more: http://americanradioworks.publicradio.org/features/fertility_race/part2/narr_adopt.shtml
Photo Credit: americanradioworks.publicradio.org
All rights reserved

---

TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
Inconceivable: A Woman's Triumph over Despair and Statistics
by Julia Indichova

-- A memoir of hope for the thousands of women struggling with infertility, from one who beat the odds by simply tuning in to her body and tapping her well of sheer determination.

At a time when more and more women are trying to get pregnant at increasingly advanced ages, fertility specialists and homeopathic researchers boast endless treatment options.

But when Julia Indichova made the rounds of medical doctors and nontraditional healers, she was still unable to conceive a child.

It was only when she forsook their financially and emotionally draining advice, turning inward instead, that she finally met with reproductive success. Inconceivable recounts this journey from hopeless diagnoses to elated motherhood.

Anyone who has faced infertility will relate to Julia's desperate measures: acupuncture, unidentifiable black-and-white pellets, herb soup, foul-smelling fruit, even making love on red sheets.

Five reproductive endocrinologists told her that there was no documented case of anyone in her hormonal condition getting pregnant, forcing her to finally embark on her own intuitive regimen.

After eight caffeine-free, nutrient-rich, yoga-laden months, complemented by visualization exercises, Julia received amazing news; incredibly, she was pregnant.

Nine months later she gave birth to a healthy girl.

Paperback: 208 pages
Click to order/for more info: Inconceivable

Start reading Inconceivable on your Kindle in under a minute!

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

---

Infertile couples undergoing in vitro fertilization might have more success if the procedure is performed in the spring.

Research published in July's Gynecological Endocrinology found the rate of fertilization was significantly higher in spring than any other season, though time of year had no effect on pregnancy rates. Natural reproduction also varies with the seasons; it is believed the number of hours of sunlight in the day and temperature variations affect fertility.

Researchers compared seasonal fertilization rates in 1,932 women who underwent intracytoplasmic sperm injection, or ICSI, in Brazil from 2005 to 2009. ICSI involves the injection of a single sperm directly into an oocyte, or unfertilized egg, outside of a woman's body.

Subjects were organized into groups according to the timing of oocyte retrieval: 435 were assigned to winter, 444 to spring, 469 to summer and 584 to autumn. Fertilization, the fusion of sperm and egg to form an embryo, was assessed 18 hours after ICSI.

The rate of fertilization was 73.5% in spring, 68.7% in summer, 67.9% in winter and 69% in autumn. Ovarian response to ICSI hormone treatments, a measurement of estrogen concentration per number of retrieved oocytes, was higher in spring compared with other seasons, tests showed. Following fertilization, one to three embryos were transferred into the woman's uterus.

The procedure resulted in an average pregnancy rate of 33% for all seasons.

Study: Seasonal variability in the fertilization rate of women undergoing assisted reproduction treatments

Source

Photo credit: wsj.com
All rights reserved

---

TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
In Vitro Fertilization: The A.R.T. of Making Babies
( Assisted Reproductive Technology )
by Geoffrey Sher, Virginia Marriage Davis, Jean Stoess

-- This clearly written technical handbook guides couples who are trying to conceive in determining whether they are eligible for in vitro fertilization (IVF) and in selecting the program that will help them achieve the best results.

It describes in detail the anatomy and physiology of conception and the steps required for realizing it in the IVF procedure.

In addition to providing accurate information, the practitioner authors address emotional, financial, physical, and moral-religious issues involved in the decision to conceive with medical assistance.

Despite its experimental reputation and persistent high cost, IVF is an appropriate option for many of the estimated 3.3 million infertile couples in the U.S. today, so this specialized manual speaks to a rather large audience of potential users.

Paperback: 312 pages
Click to order/for more info: In Vitro Fertilization

---

New long-lasting weekly injections of fertility hormones are as safe and effective as standard daily injections, according to Cochrane researchers. The researchers compared weekly and daily hormone injections in a Cochrane systematic review and found no difference in pregnancies or serious side effects between the two regimens.

Women undergoing fertility treatment are usually given daily injections of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) to increase the number of eggs that their ovaries release each month. In in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), the eggs are then removed and fertilized outside the body. Daily hormone injections can be painful and stressful but a new longer-lasting FSH, known as corifollitropin alfa, has recently been introduced. One injection of this longer-lasting hormone can replace the first seven days of FSH injections required in the standard treatment regimen.

The researchers included data from four trials involving 2,335 people in their review. They show that women given medium doses of the new long-lasting hormone on a weekly basis are equally likely to become pregnant and are no more likely to have a miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy than those receiving daily FSH injections.

"These results show that the new long-acting injections are a safe treatment option and equally effective in medium doses compared to the standard daily injections," said Jan Kremer, one of the authors of the review based at the Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center in Nijmegen, Netherlands.

However, there is currently limited information about patient satisfaction with long-lasting FSH. "One of the main reasons weekly injections are considered preferable to daily injections is that they are more patient friendly," said Kremer. "So are couples undergoing fertility treatment happier with weekly injections? We would like to see research addressing this question."

Further research is also needed to establish whether long-acting injections are as effective in women who respond poorly to fertility hormones and those who 'hyperrespond', meaning they produce higher than expected numbers of eggs.

Photo credit: beesnail
Some rights reserved

---

TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
How to Get Pregnant Fast: Crucial Knowledge for Getting Pregnant
by Hillary J Lowndes

-- Discover the keys to getting giving yourself the best chances of getting pregnant. Don't surround yourself with information about what not to do.

Instead you can take proactive steps to make sure that everything is just right. If you feel you can't get pregnant it may be because you're not taking the right approach.

The best way to get pregnant doesn't have to be stressful.

You can take control once you learn some of the science, and some of the secrets that have been passed down through time.

Paperback: 124 pages
Click to order/for more info: How to Get Pregnant Fast

---

The Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society (CFAS) supports fully the provision of publicly funded in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment across Canada.

Infertility has been defined by the World Health Organization as a disease of the reproductive system defined by the failure to achieve a clinical pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse(1).

Since infertility has been defined as a disease, and its associated diagnostic and surgical management deemed "medically necessary" by provincial medical insurance plans, full infertility treatment including IVF and ICSI must also be made available as a funded service, and easily accessible to all Canadians.

Read more...



Recent Keyword Searches: fertility in the your late 40s, how old can a woman get pregnant, can you have fibroids and still get pregnant, can you get pregnant in your 40s, can a women 41 years old get pregnant

Stock photo by omdur
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The number of baby boys conceived by a fertility treatment known as ICSI may be lower than what is produced by Mother Nature, a new study suggests.

On average, there are 105 baby boys born for every 100 girls -- a natural advantage that helps balance out the higher number of deaths among male fetuses and infants. But in the new study, researchers found that this male-to-female birth ratio seems to be reversed when infants are conceived through intracytoplasmic sperm injection, or ICSI.

Read more...



Recent Keyword Searches: 42 and can't get pregnant, how likely to get pregnant at 45, can 48 year old woman get pregnant, chances of getting pregnant women 44 man 50, 43years old no period what can i use to conceive

In every fertility book I've read—and I've read plenty—there's a final chapter called "Other Paths to Parenthood" or "There's More Than One Road to Motherhood" or something similar.

Picture by straymuse
U.S. Sen. Kristin Gillibrand (D-New York) has introduced a bill that would require health insurers to pay for advanced fertility treatments the Senator says would help the 1 in 8 American couples affected by infertility to bear children.

Fertility therapy via acupuncture has been practiced for over 2,000 years by the Chinese, and can be used to treat both men and women. It is usually combined with herbal therapy, and has been shown in scientific studies to boost IVF (in-vitro fertilization) and ICSI (intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection) by as much as 40% (enlightenedbody.com/fertility).

The Berkeley Center for Reproductive Wellness reports that a combination of acupuncture, traditional medicines and herbs provide for the best chance at pregnancy for struggling couples (American Pregnancy Association).

Read more: http://www.examiner.com/x-10674-SF-Wellness-Examiner~y2009m6d2-Fertility-treatment-doesnt-have-to-be-risky-and-painful



Recent Keyword Searches: pregnant at 40years, pregnancy success at 42, acupuncture aiding pregnancy women over 45, can i get pregnant at 47, getting pregnantover 40 with accpuncture

Photo by xsupergrrrlx
Early detection of pregnancy could be of great clinical significance and aid in modifying the surveillance and treatment strategies after assisted reproduction techniques.

The first time Marie Pearson saw her seven-week-old baby's heart beat, rising and falling on the ultrasound monitor, she couldn't stop sobbing. It's an exciting moment for any expectant mother, but for Marie, the new life represented the successful culmination of a three-year struggle.