Fertility Supplement Bundle

Vitamin supplements help fertility in women:

Taking multivitamins, particularly folic acid, can improve chances of pregnancy in couples having difficulty conceiving. Women who took multivitamin supplements 6 times a week were 40% less likely to fail to ovulate than women who took none.

In the UK, women are advised to take 400 micrograms of folic acid (one of several different B vitamins) every day while trying to conceive, and during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. 1000 micrograms of folic acid daily are the safe upper limit. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has proposed adding folic acid to the nutrients currently used to fortify white flour, as has happened in the US since 1988.

Researchers said the beneficial benefits seem to derive from folic acid, which helps prevent birth defects, 'The beneficial effect on fertility continued to increase as women consumed higher amounts of folic acid'. Folic acid is found in green leafy vegetables and liver.

Read more: Vitamin supplements help fertility in women

Supplements:

There is now a great deal of scientific knowledge about the use of nutritional supplements and their beneficial effects on both male and female fertility. As you will see, these supplements can be very effective in re-balancing your hormones, as well as improving you and your partner's overall health, which is so vital for successful conception.

Supplements are necessary because even the best diet in the world will not contain all the nutrients you need to give you the best chance of conceiving.

Nutricost Folic Acid

Folic Acid

It is now known folic acid can prevent spina bifida in your baby, and it is essential you get plenty both before and during pregnancy. And that's not all: folic acid is undoubtedly important, but it is just part of the very important B-complex family of vitamins necessary to produce the genetic materials DNA and RNA. Together with vitamin B12, folic acid works to ensure your baby's genetic codes are intact.

Remember: it's not enough to take folic acid alone when you are trying to become pregnant. All of the B vitamins are essential during the pre-conceptual period. Research has shown giving B6 to women who have trouble conceiving increases fertility and vitamin B12 has been found to improve low sperm counts.

Nutricost Zinc

Zinc

Zinc is the most widely studied nutrient in terms of fertility for both men and women. It is an essential component of genetic material and a zinc deficiency can cause chromosome changes in either you or our partner, leading to reduced fertility and an increased risk of miscarriage. Zinc is necessary for your body to attract and hold (utilize efficiently) the reproductive hormones, oestrogen, and progesterone.

And it's equally important for your partner: Zinc is found in high concentrations in the sperm. Zinc is needed to make the outer layer and tail of the sperm and is, therefore, essential for the health of your partner's sperm and, subsequently, your baby. Interestingly, several studies have also shown reducing zinc in a man's diet will also reduce his sperm count.

Nutricost Selenium

Selenium

Selenium is an antioxidant which helps to protect your body from highly reactive chemical fragments called free radicals. For this reason, selenium can prevent chromosome breakage, which is known to be a cause of birth defects and miscarriages. Good levels of selenium are also essential to maximize sperm formation. Blood selenium levels have been found to be lower in men with low sperm counts.

Triple Omega 3-6-9

Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)

These essential fats have a profound effect on every system of the body, including the reproductive system and they are crucial for healthy hormone functioning. For men, essential fatty acid supplementation is crucial because the semen is rich in prostaglandins which are produced from these fats. Men with poor sperm quality, abnormal sperm, poor motility or low count, have inadequate levels of these beneficial prostaglandins.

NATURELO Vitamin E

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is another powerful antioxidant and has been shown to increase fertility when given to both men and women. Men going for IVF treatment with their partners have been given vitamin E, and fertilization rates have, as a result, increased from 19 to 29 percent. It has been suggested the antioxidant activity of vitamin E might make the sperm more fertile.

Vitamin C with Rose Hips

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is also an antioxidant, and studies show vitamin C enhances sperm quality, protecting sperm and the DNA within it from damage. Some research has indicated certain types of DNA damage in the sperm can make it difficult to conceive in the first place, or it can cause an increased risk of miscarriage if conception does take place. If DNA is damaged, there may be a chromosomal problem in the baby, should the pregnancy proceed. Whether or not DNA damage does have these effects has not been conclusively proven, but it's worth taking vitamin C and the other antioxidants as a precautionary measure.

Vitamin C also appears to keep the sperm from clumping together, making them more motile.
One study has shown women taking the drug clomiphene to stimulate ovulation will have a better chance of ovulating if vitamin C is taken alongside the drug. Clomiphene does not always work for every woman, but the chances are often increased when vitamin C is supplemented.

Nutricost L-Arginine

L-Arginine

This is an amino acid found in many foods and the head of the sperm contains an exceptional amount of this nutrient, which is essential for sperm production. Supplementing with L-arginine can help to increase both the sperm count and quality.

Note: People who have herpes attacks (either cold sores or genital herpes) should not supplement with arginine because it stimulates the virus.

Nutricost L-Carnitine

L-Carnitine

This amino acid is essential for normal functioning of sperm cells. According to research, it appears the higher the levels of L-Carnitine in the sperm cells, the better the sperm count and motility.

Nutricost Vitamin A

Vitamin A

This vitamin needs to be mentioned because there is a lot of confusion about its use before and after pregnancy. Many health practitioners now advise no vitamin A is taken during pregnancy. This advice is incorrect, and it can be dangerous to assume any vitamin or other nutrients should be avoided during the gestational period. Vitamin A has important antioxidant properties, and the consequences of Vitamin A deficiency during pregnancy can be devastating. For one thing, vitamin A is essential for healthy eyes. Animals studies show vitamin A deficiency during pregnancy has produced new-born animals with no eyes, eye defects, undescended testes, and diaphragmatic hernias.

It is only when the vitamin A is in the form of retinol (in other words, the animal form of vitamin A) there is a problem. It has been found retinol can cause birth defects if taken in excess of 10,000iu a day. Beta-carotene, which is one of the vegetable forms of vitamin A, does not carry any risks.

Read more: How to increase your chances of conceiving and preventing miscarriages

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:

Eat, Love, Get Pregnant: A Couple's Guide To Boosting Fertility and Having A Healthy Baby
by Karen Daniels

-- A breakthrough revolutionary plan for getting pregnant fast, solving common fertility problems and having a healthy baby – this is NOT your average book on getting pregnant!

Renowned fertility expert Dr. Niels Lauersen and women's wellness expert Colette Bouchez help readers take charge of their fertility with a revolutionary new self-help plan designed to show couples how to work together to boost their conception odds, plan for a healthy pregnancy, and get pregnant faster – all without the use of expensive fertility treatments or medications.

Based on scientific research and tested on thousands of couples Eat-Love- GET PREGNANT is a simple yet revolutionary plan that provides the quintessential missing link absent from most other fertility programs – namely, the importance of not only boosting both male and female fertility simultaneously but bold new evidence showing how, when couples work together in certain special and unique ways, they can create a unified fertility power boost strong enough to take them from infertile to fertile in as little as three months

📚 Paperback: 116 pages
Click to order/for more info: Eat, Love, Get Pregnant

📚 Start reading Eat, Love, Get Pregnant on your Kindle in under a minute!

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

 Subfertility is defined as the failure to conceive after 1 year of regular, unprotected intercourse with the same partner.

Approximately 10–17% of all couples experience primary or secondary subfertility at some time during their reproductive life.

UV radiation destroys folic acid, a precursor for folate, the lack of which may result in birth defects.

Current treatments of subfertile couples are usually empiric, as the true cause of subfertility often remains unknown.

Therefore, we outline the role of nutritional and biochemical factors in reproduction and subfertility.

A literature search was performed using MEDLINE, Science Direct and bibliographies of published work with both positive and negative results.

The studies showed folate has a role in spermatogenesis.

In female reproduction, folate is also important for oocyte quality and maturation, implantation, placentation, fetal growth and organ development.

Zinc has also been implicated in testicular development, sperm maturation and testosterone synthesis.

In females, zinc plays a role in sexual development, ovulation and the menstrual cycle.

Both folate and zinc have antioxidant properties which counteract reactive oxygen species (ROS).

Thiols, such as glutathione, balance the levels of ROS produced by spermatozoa and influence DNA compaction and the stability and motility of spermatozoa.

Oocyte maturation, ovulation, luteolysis and follicle atresia are also affected by ROS.

After fertilization, glutathione is important for sperm nucleus decondensation and pronucleus formation.

Folate, zinc, ROS and thiols affect apoptosis, which is important for sperm release, regulation of follicle atresia, degeneration of the corpus luteum and endometrial shedding.

Therefore, the concentrations of these nutrients may have substantial effects on reproduction.

In conclusion, nutritional and biochemical factors affect biological processes in male and female reproduction. Further research should identify pathways that may lead to improvements in care and treatment of subfertility.

Read more: The importance of folate, zinc and antioxidants in the pathogenesis and prevention of subfertility

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
Ready: Why Women Are Embracing The New Later Motherhood
by Elizabeth Gregory

-- Over the past three decades, skyrocketing numbers of women have chosen to start their families in their late thirties and early forties.

In 2005, ten times as many women had their first child between the ages of 35 and 39 as in 1975, and thirteen times as many had their first between 40 and 44.

Women now have the option to define for themselves when they're ready for a family, rather than sticking to a schedule set by social convention.

As a society, however, we have yet to come to terms with the phenomenon of later motherhood, and women who decide it makes sense for them to delay pregnancy often find themselves confronted with alarmist warnings about the dangers of waiting too long.

In Ready, Elizabeth Gregory tracks the burgeoning trend of new later motherhood and demonstrates for many women today, waiting for family works best.

She provides compelling evidence of the benefits of having children later -- by birth or by adoption.

Paperback: 336 pages
Click to order/for more info: Ready

Start reading Ready on your Kindle in under a minute!

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January 2008 -- Geena Davis did it. So did Emma Thompson and Susan Sarandon.

Now, Nicole Kidman is joining the swelling ranks of women who have their first baby after the age of 40.

Only a century ago the average life expectancy for women was about 50, so a 35-year-old would have been an ageing matriarch with grandchildren in tow.

But now one in seven babies in Australia is born to a woman older than that as thousands hit the snooze button on parenting.

Maturity can bring a satisfying career, a healthy bank balance and a well-rounded sense of self, but women who become pregnant later in life also have a much greater risk of miscarriages, ectopic pregnancies, and stillbirths.

Older women are also more likely to have induced labour, epidural anaesthesia, forceps or vacuum deliveries, and caesarean sections. They have a one in 100 chance of having a child with chromosomal abnormalities such as Down syndrome.

A fertility specialist with IVF Australia, Michael Chapman, said yesterday that women aged 40 to 45 had a one in four chance of miscarrying.

Age and the miscarriage rate are linked because the older a woman gets, the older her eggs get. They become more fragile with age and have abnormalities, which can lead to miscarriage or disorders such as Down syndrome.

He said pregnant women in their 30s and 40s had a greater risk of hypertension and gestational diabetes, which often required intervention during labour.

One study showed first-time mothers older than 40 were 14 times more likely to have a caesarean than those under 30.

Most obstetricians encourage older women to have a caesarean section because their muscles are weaker and their tissues are less elastic, Dr Chapman said.

But the secretary of the NSW Midwives Association, Hannah Dahlen, said yesterday, women should not be deterred.

Older mothers are more likely to be educated and financially secure, more settled in themselves and more prepared to make the sacrifices required to be a mother, she said.

They are better able to negotiate care for their child, their children often do better in school, and it has also been shown in some studies women who have babies in their 40s live longer.

Read more: The risks - and rewards - when motherhood begins at 40

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
It Starts with the Egg:
How the Science of Egg Quality Can Help You Get Pregnant Naturally, Prevent Miscarriage, and Improve Your Odds in IVF
by Rebecca Fett

-- Whether you are trying to conceive naturally or through IVF, the quality of your eggs will have a powerful impact on how long it takes you to get pregnant and whether you face an increased risk of miscarriage.

Poor egg quality is emerging as the single most important cause of age-related infertility, recurrent miscarriage, and failed IVF cycles. It is also a major contributor to infertility in PCOS.

Based on a comprehensive investigation of a vast array of scientific research, It Starts with the Egg reveals a groundbreaking new approach for improving egg quality and fertility.

With a concrete strategy including minimizing exposure to toxins such as BPA and phthalates, choosing the right vitamins and supplements to safeguard developing eggs, and harnessing nutritional advice shown to boost IVF success rates, this book offers practical solutions to will help you get pregnant faster and deliver a healthy baby.

Paperback: 304 pages
Click to order/for more info: It Starts with the Egg

Start reading It Starts with the Egg on your Kindle in under a minute!

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

Photo credit: Sweet Still Life by Andrew Morrell Photography

Aspartame (NutraSweet) appears to cause slow, silent damage in those unfortunate enough to not have immediate reactions, and a reason to avoid it.

It may take one year, five years, 10 years, or 40 years, but it seems to cause some reversible and some irreversible changes in health over long-term use:

- The testing of sucralose reveals that it can cause up to 40 percent shrinkage of the thymus: a gland that is the very foundation of our immune system.

- In Aspartame Murders Infants he said: At every point in the fertility process aspartame (NutraSweet/Equal/Spoonful/Canderal/Benevia, etc.) destroys.

It ruins female sexual response and induces male sexual dysfunction. Beyond this, aspartame disrupts fetal development by aborting it or inducing defects. And if a live child is born aspartame may have heinously damaged the DNA of the baby cursing future generation.

- The FDA has received over 5,500 complaints against Aspartame (NutraSweet), which was legalized amid controversy regarding the capacity of this substance to alter brain hormone balances; some 9% of the complaints today involve serious neurological effects, including seizures.

- In a simple word, you would just as soon have DDT in your food as Splenda, because sucralose is a chlorocarbon. The chlorocarbons have long been famous for causing organ, genetic, and reproductive damage.

It should be no surprise, therefore, the testing of sucralose, even at less than the level demanded by FDA rules, reveals it has been shown to cause up to 40% shrinkage of the thymus: This gland is the very foundation of our immune system.

Full article: Artificial Sweeteners Sickness - Aspartame Disease An Ignored Epidemic

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I Never Held You: Miscarriage, Grief, Healing and Recovery
by Ellen M. DuBois

-- Speaks to the heart of women, their families, and friends who have either lived through the pain and grief after pregnancy loss or who want to better support someone who has.

Author Ellen M. DuBois shares her own painful journey after loss taking you from her darkest moments of grief, despair, isolation, anxiety, fear, and depression to the steps she took towards healing and recovery.

Her suggestions prove to be helpful in balancing the emotional peaks and valleys after suffering such a heartbreaking loss.

I Never Held You validates your grief after losing a baby to loss, and assures you are not alone in your struggle.

With the help of contributing author Dr. Linda Backman, Ed.D., licensed grief counselor, psychologist, and author, you'll come to better understand grief - and why it's so important to allow yourself the time necessary to heal.

Paperback: 150 pages
Click to order/for more info: I Never Held You

Start reading I Never Held You on your Kindle in under a minute!

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

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Photo credit: Pregnant Girl Eating Cake,by FoodandYou

Low levels of folate in women may be due to lack of bread, officials say

ATLANTA - Blood levels of folate in young women are dropping, a disturbing development that could lead to increased birth defects and may be due to low-carb diets or the popularity of unfortified whole-grain breads.

Government health officials could only speculate on the reasons but called the backslide in this important B vitamin disturbing.

It's not clear how the decline in folate levels has affected newborns, but preliminary data suggest the dramatic declines in neural tube defects seen in the late 1990s may have leveled off by 2004, said officials with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This is a cause of substantial concern, said Dr. Nancy Green, medical director for the March of Dimes, which campaigns for birth defects prevention.

Folate is a naturally occurring B vitamin. An artificial version, which is more easily metabolized by the body, is folic acid.

Years ago, scientists concluded that folate deficiencies contributed to the occurrence of serious birth defects of the spine and brain, known as neural tube defects.

Read the full article

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
The Infertility Cleanse: Detox, Diet and Dharma for Fertility
by Tami Quinn and Beth Heller

-- Women who are trying to conceive will find a holistic approach in this hands-on manual.

Step-by-step guidelines help implement a three-part program — of yoga, hypoallergenic and anti-inflammatory nutrition, and stress-reduction techniques — to cleanse the body, mind, and spirit in preparation for pregnancy.

In addition, this program draws on cleansing methods from traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda and has been specifically designed for women who are trying naturally or with assisted-reproduction plans.

Also based on new clinical research that suggests that gut health, chronic inflammation, and environmental toxins may be root causes of infertility, this important book offers all women a natural, holistic approach to readying the womb for a child.

Paperback: 192 pages
Click to order/for more info: The Infertility Cleanse

Start reading The Infertility Cleanse on your Kindle in under a minute!

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

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It is happening! Pregnancy after 40 is no more as rare as it used to be. Congratulations, if you have already conceived.

It is not an easy journey when you get pregnant after the age of 40. There are extra precautions to be taken, more tests to be carried out, and there is always the fear of something going wrong.

Miscarriage, premature delivery, delivering a baby with a genetic defect and the list goes on and on.

To top it all you have to put up with comments and questions from your well meaning friends and relatives. But believe in yourself, pray, and read the right kind of books. This will help you through the various stages.

Reasons For Pregnancy Over 40

Maybe you were career-oriented and feared that child rearing will come in the way, or you may have had a late marriage. Divorce and remarriage could be yet another reason. Maybe you were undergoing infertility treatment.

Maybe even a psychological buildup due to a neglected childhood affected your decision to have a baby earlier on in life. Now it is anyways not the time to ponder over the reasons but to go ahead and do whatever possible to nurture your unborn baby.

Getting pregnant over 40 is difficult as the reproductive capacity slowly decreases after 35. If you are one of those who are trying to balance a high-stress job and your pregnancy, I am telling you that you are only adding to your risks.

Take up something less stressful and yet fulfilling. Eat healthily, avoid alcohol and caffeine. Have reasonable physical activity and take adequate rest. Try to practice meditation.

Prenatal Tests

You should undergo all the routine blood, urine and blood pressure tests. In addition, you can opt to get additional tests done as applicable for late pregnancies. These tests are done to detect defects like Down's syndrome. Although not fully accurate, a normal result can be a great relief. If the results are not good, prepare for the arrival of a baby with special needs.

You can also decide not to get these additional tests done. The risks involved in getting pregnant above the age of 40 are similar to that of a late after the age of 35 but are definitely more pronounced. Gain more insight on the subject by reading books. Get yourself a pregnancy wheel< to keep track of your progress.

Social Aspects Of Pregnancy After 40

Whom all to tell and when to tell that you are pregnant? As you missed your period and felt the early symptoms, you must have already told your partner. After the medical tests confirm that you are pregnant, you may want to confide in one or two of your friends and relatives. Since it is a pregnancy over the age of 40, you might want to wait until the end of the first trimester also.

If the additional prenatal tests are normal, you may feel more confident in telling others. In any case, be prepared for some disapproving comments. Maintain your calm and peace. Let your pregnancy after 40 be safe for you and your baby.

Congratulations for getting pregnant over 40. If you are worried over what others will say, don't. Although you have to be extra cautious as the risks increase, there is no reason why you should not enjoy your pregnancy. Get the required prenatal tests done and maintain a healthy routine throughout your pregnancy, study the pregnancy wheel for the different pregnancy stages, and all will be great.

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
It Starts with the Egg:
How the Science of Egg Quality Can Help You Get Pregnant Naturally, Prevent Miscarriage, and Improve Your Odds in IVF
by Rebecca Fett

-- Whether you are trying to conceive naturally or through IVF, the quality of your eggs will have a powerful impact on how long it takes you to get pregnant and whether you face an increased risk of miscarriage.

Poor egg quality is emerging as the single most important cause of age-related infertility, recurrent miscarriage, and failed IVF cycles. It is also a major contributor to infertility in PCOS.

Based on a comprehensive investigation of a vast array of scientific research, It Starts with the Egg reveals a groundbreaking new approach for improving egg quality and fertility.

With a concrete strategy including minimizing exposure to toxins such as BPA and phthalates, choosing the right vitamins and supplements to safeguard developing eggs, and harnessing nutritional advice shown to boost IVF success rates, this book offers practical solutions to will help you get pregnant faster and deliver a healthy baby.

Paperback: 304 pages
Click to order/for more info: It Starts with the Egg

Start reading It Starts with the Egg on your Kindle in under a minute!

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

Photo credit: Grandma Julia and David - 4 days old, by Jessica Merz

Whether or not a pregnant woman will give birth to a child with Down Syndrome is not simply a matter of how old she is.

Although it is a fact that as women get older, they are more likely to have a child with Down Syndrome, other factors also play a role.

According to Markus Neuhäuser and Sven Krackow, from the Institute of Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology at University Hospital Essen, in Germany, the risk of a child being born with Down Syndrome is also dependent on how many existing siblings the child has and how big the gap is between the child and his immediate preceding sibling.

The research is published in Springer's journal Naturwissenschaften this week.

Neuhäuser and Krackow reviewed and analysed data from 1953 and 1972 (before abortion was widespread). They found that other factors, besides the mother's increasing age, were linked to the number of Down Syndrome cases.

 Down Syndrome rates were significantly higher in older mothers in their first pregnancy than in older mothers who had already had children. Only late first pregnancies were more likely to produce a Down Syndrome baby, not late second or third pregnancies. In addition, the larger the gap between pregnancies, the higher the rates of Down Syndrome.

Down Syndrome is the result of the genetic abnormality Trisomy 21. Trisomy has been the focus of extensive medical research but the exact mechanism is still not understood. One feature common to most trisomies is an increase in frequency of trisomic pregnancies with increasing maternal age.

There is strong evidence for uterine selection against genetically disadvantaged embryos. However, as women approach the menopause and the risk of future infertility increases, this selection, or filtering stringency, is expected to relax.

Neuhäuser and Krackow's paper provides evidence that older mothers, who give birth to children with Down Syndrome, have a relaxed stringency of quality control of embryos (or relaxed filtering stringency), which increases the probability these women will bring children with developmental defects to full term.

They believe that this relaxed filtering stringency is an adaptive maternal response and it might explain why the rate of Down Syndrome accelerates with increasing maternal age.

These findings have important implications for the prevention of abnormal fetal development. The authors conclude that clearly, identification of the relaxation control mechanisms and therapeutic restoration of a stringent screen holds promise not only for Down Syndrome.

1. Neuhäuser M & Krackow S (2006). Adaptive-filtering of trisomy 21: risk of Down Syndrome depends on family size and age of previous child. (Naturwissenschaften, DOI 10.1007/s00114-006-0165-3)

Read more

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:

Gifts: Mothers Reflect on How Children with Down Syndrome Enrich Their Lives
by Kathryn Lynard Soper (Author), Martha Sears (Foreword)

-- Having a baby with Down syndrome is not something most parents would willingly choose. Yet many who travel this path discover rich, unexpected rewards along the way.

In this candid and poignant collection of personal stories, sixty-three mothers describe the gifts of respect, strength, delight, perspective, and love, which their child with Down syndrome has brought into their lives.

The contributors to this collection have diverse personalities and perspectives, and draw from a wide spectrum of ethnicity, world views, and religious beliefs. Some are parenting within a traditional family structure; some are not.

Some never considered terminating their pregnancy; some struggled with the decision. Some were calm at the time of diagnosis; some were traumatized. Some write about their pregnancy and the months after giving birth; some reflect on years of experience with their child.

Their diverse experiences point to a common truth: The life of a child with Down syndrome is something to celebrate. These women have something to say--not just to other mothers but to all of us.

Paperback: 326 pages;
Click to order/for more info: Gifts: Mothers Reflect on How Children with Down Syndrome Enrich Their Lives

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Photo credit: Fasting - Empty Plate, by RitaE

Could fasting allow older women to have children?

That's the implication of two new studies which suggest that restricting food may offset some of the loss of egg quality and quantity that comes with aging.

The findings may even enable new eggs to be created from scratch.

It's not yet clear whether the findings extend to humans, but a better understanding of the mechanisms involved might eventually make it easier for older women to bear children.

In the first study, Jonathan Tilly and his colleagues at Harvard Medical School reduced the calorie intake of adult female mice by 40 per cent and found that significantly fewer of their eggs had abnormal chromosomes once the mice reached the age of 12 months – advanced reproductive years in mouse terms – compared with mice that were allowed to eat as much as they liked.

Such abnormalities in eggs are known to increase the risk of miscarriage and birth defects in older mothers, both mouse and human.

Journal references: Tilly: Moderate caloric restriction initiated in rodents; Van Gilst: Starvation Protects Germline Stem Cells and Extends Reproductive Longevity

Source: Fasting could extend female fertility

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
Ovulation Diet: Trying To Conceive By Eating Fertility Boosting Foods Eating To Get Pregnant Guide
by Dana Tebow

-- This book is just what you need if you are having trouble getting pregnant. Dana's book provides all the well-meaning advice you could find.

But do not be fooled by the kind manner in which she presents her advice, because this book is filled with the fruitage of many months of careful research.

Dana begins with basics of explaining what ovulation is. This is the most crucial aspect of understanding how the ovulation diet works.

Once the foundation has been laid, Dana next explains what Cervical Mucus is, and its role in helping you conceive the child you have always wanted.

Dana even explains the foods that will help you become more fertile. Best of all, she presents a few of the methods that have been tried and proven to help women get pregnant.

Paperback: 24 pages
Click to order/for more info: Ovulation Diet

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What do popcorn bags, frying pans and mattresses have in common?

Chemicals contained in these and other common household items may affect maternal thyroid function and may lead to impaired fetal brain development, according to PhD candidate Glenys Webster, of UBC’s School of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene.

Webster is leading an investigation into the effects of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), chemicals that are used as flame-retardants, and perfluroinated compounds (PFCs), used as stain or water repellents. The chemicals are found at low levels in all Canadians. They leach out of many products, can last for a long time in both indoor and outdoor environments, and accumulate in both animals and humans via dust, foods and air.

Called the Chemical, Health and Pregnancy study (CHirP), Webster believes it is one of the first such studies in the world. She is collaborating with investigators from BC Women’s Hospital & Health Centre, Health Canada, and the University of Alberta.

Animal studies have shown that certain PBDEs interfere with the thyroid system, critical to fetal development. A butterfly-shaped gland in the lower front part of the neck, the thyroid controls metabolism and keeps basic functions such as body temperature, blood pressure and energy levels working properly.

It is known that thyroid disruption in early pregnancy can result in neurological damage in babies, but the mechanism — including any negative environmental factors — is not known. Although there are no known human health risks from common levels of PBDEs and PFCs, very few studies have been conducted in humans, says Webster, so at this point nothing is conclusive.

She suspects the chemicals may put additional stress on the thyroid system. Animal and laboratory studies have shown that certain PBDEs can mimic thyroid hormones and bind to a transport protein that sends the damaging “imposter” hormone from the mother to the fetus, possibly directly to the brain.

“Until recently, we didn’t have the analytical methods we need to measure low levels of these chemicals and study effects on human health,” says Webster, whose previous research focused on environmental toxicology and looking at how chemicals move through the environment. “There is considerable new interest among scientists to start looking at human health effects, and governments, including Canada’s, are now making decisions about regulating these chemicals.”

Researchers will enroll 150 pregnant women for the study, which was launched last month and will extend to September 2008. Participants will be asked, during in-home surveys, about exposures to PBDEs found in mattresses, furniture foam, plastic casing of electronic equipment such as TVs and computers, and other household goods. The women will also be asked about exposure to PFCs via products ranging from microwavable popcorn bags to non-stick cookware coatings and self-cleaning ovens.

Levels of PBDEs and PFCs will be measured in the air, dust and dryer lint in homes. Also, maternal blood samples will be collected in mid-pregnancy and a sample of umbilical cord blood will be collected at delivery. Levels of both groups of chemicals won’t be analyzed until all 150 subjects have been recruited.

In humans, accumulation rates and toxicity relative to exposure levels are not well understood. It is known that PFCs are some of the most persistent compounds known, and the half-life of PBDEs in human tissues ranges from approximately 15 days to six years. However, fast-degrading PBDEs don’t actually clear the body after two weeks. They transform into slower degrading chemicals and persist. A puzzling factor is that age doesn’t necessarily affect PBDE accumulation.

In North America, PBDE levels in humans are approximately 10-100 times higher than levels found in Europe or Japan, according to a review of PBDE levels in humans conducted in 2004. Health Canada data showed PBDE levels in Vancouver mothers’ breast milk increased approximately 15-fold from 1992-2002, but are still lower than levels found in certain areas of the US. Canada has this year prohibited the importation of certain chemicals that turn into PFCs.

Should expectant mothers be alarmed?

We’re not expecting to see dramatic changes here – the effects, if any, will be subtle but may still be important, and show a trend that should be monitored, says Webster. I think it’s important to start looking at connections so we can take precautionary measures, if needed. Even if effects are subtle, because virtually everyone is exposed to these chemicals, any small effects may still represent a public health concern.

BC Women’s Hospital andHealth Centre is an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority.

This article is featured in the Mobilemom.com newsletter!

Source: PublicAffairs.ubc.ca

Chemicals found in household items such as non-stick cookware and flame-retardant furnishings may affect fetal brain development. (Photo by Martin Dee - All rights reserved)

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
Midlife Motherhood: A Woman-to-Woman Guide to Pregnancy and Parenting
by Jann Blackstone-Ford

-- What's a woman to do when she's facing menopause, toddlers, and elder care all at the same time?

Women who have been there and done that provide some insight in Midlife Motherhood.

Offering humor, warmth, and frankness, this is a hand-holding guide for the uninitiated.
What's on their minds:
• Common fears and concerns: from Down's syndrome to being too old
• Fertility challenges and what to physically expect from pregnancy
• How to juggle postpartum demands-parenting, working, caring for aging parents . . . and all at once!
• Hot flashes and warm bottles: coping with hormonal changes while caring for a new baby

Paperback: 288 pages
Click to order/for more info: Midlife Motherhood

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Taking folic acid before becoming pregnant is one of the best ways to prevent certain birth defects, and now research suggests it may also lower the risk of early miscarriage.

"This is very encouraging data that suggest we may be reducing the risk of spontaneous abortions in the U.S. by fortifying certain foods," study researcher James L. Mills, MD, an NICHD epidemiologist, tells WebMD.

Folic acid, also known as folate, is a vitamin necessary for proper cell growth and embryo development.

Women who get at least 400 micrograms of the vitamin from their diets during the first few weeks of pregnancy can reduce their unborn baby's risk of neural tube defects (NTDs) by as much as 70%.

These birth defects include the paralyzing spinal disease spina bifida, and anencephaly, a fatal disease in which the brain does not develop.

Full article: WebMD.com

Photo Credit: Amazon.com - Vitafusion Vitafusion Prenatal Dha And Folic Acid Gummy Vitamins -- Nature Made Folic Acid 400mcg -- Solgar Folic Acid 400 mcg Tablets

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
Zita West's Guide to Fertility and Assisted Conception: Essential Advice on Preparing Your Body for IVF and Other Fertility Treatments
by Zita West

-- Embarking on IVF—or any assisted fertility treatment—can be a very demanding and stressful experience, but the right physical, nutritional, and emotional support can lessen these stresses and strains and increase the chances of success.

Here a leading fertility and pregnancy expert offers an in-depth explanation of all aspects of fertility and, uniquely, addresses the issues involved in using assisted conception.

She explains fertility from preconception and trying naturally to assisted conception, what is involved in the IVF process, how to prepare your body to increase the chances of conceiving successfully, the importance of a proactive approach to diet and nutrition, and how complementary therapies, such as acupuncture, can increase the chances of success.

Including interviews with leading experts in the field, case histories from patients, and the author's own holistic principles, this is an invaluable guide for the growing number of people who are considering, or have already embarked on, medical intervention to enable them to conceive.

Paperback: 500 pages
Click to order/for more info: Zita West's Guide to Fertility and Assisted Conception

Start reading Zita West's Guide to Fertility and Assisted Conception on your Kindle in under a minute!

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

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