Quote: Around half of all pregnancies in women over 40 end in miscarriage.

Quote: Patients over 40 may have a miscarriage rate as high as 50%.
Miscarriage rates for 40-year-old women are about twice that for 20-year-old women.

Quote: Generally, the rate of infertility in women over 40 is 30% greater than in younger women, while the miscarriage rate in women over 40 is about 50% using ART

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WAIT! Here is hope!

I was just looking on the BFP Over 40 [Big Fat Positive on a pregnancy test] post on Fertility Friends website and thought the following numbers might be helpful:

May - 28 BFP - 13 losses
June - 7 BFP - 2 losses
July - 13 BFP - 7 losses
August - 12 BFP - 7 losses
Sept - 15 BFP - 7 losses
October 21 BFP - 6 losses
November 13 BFP - 3 losses

Total: 109 positive pregnancy tests within 7 months, with 45 losses

So the ratio is just over 60% success! 

This plan can help many over 40 women:

🛏️ If you don't have fertile-quality cervical mucus, the sperm may only last 2 hours.
🛏️ Older men sometimes can't perform as often.
🛏️ Older men sometimes have lower sperm counts.
🛏️ The sperm needs to be there, waiting, before your egg is released. So you need to start trying before your OPK turns positive.
🛏️ Regular sex increases his testosterone, his sperm count, and your cervical mucus and helps ramp up your hormones, especially estrogen - getting everything working well.

The Plan - Short Version:

🛏️ Try every other night starting Day 8
🛏️ Buy 10 ovulation predictor kit sticks
🛏️ Begin ovulation testing on Day 10
🛏️ When test is positive, try that night, plus two additional nights in a row
🛏️ Skip one night, then do one last try
🛏️ Take a home pregnancy test 15 days after your ovulation test was positive, if your period has not begun
🛏️ If your ovulation test never goes positive, continue trying every other night until Day 35, then do a pregnancy test if your period has not begun.

For the Detailed Version, read the full article: The Sperm Meets Egg Plan

How Sexual Frequency Affects a Woman's Sexual Responsiveness, Fertility, and Health

🛏️ The less often a woman has sex, the less she will want sex, the less she will enjoy sex, and the more difficult it will be for her to become aroused and climax.

🛏️ Women who had sex two or more times a week had the most regular cycles, women who had sex once a week was slightly less regular, celibate women were still less regular, and women who had sporadic sex, or sex less than once a week, had the most irregular cycles. A variety of hormonal differences were seen, including higher estrogen levels in the women who had regular sex.

🛏️ The benefits of the hormonal changes in those having intercourse at least twice a week include better fertility, stronger bones, better cardiovascular health, less depression, lower incidence of fibrocystic breast disease and uterine cancer, and a decrease in menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and depression.

Photo credit: Sperm Count Recipe Ayurvedic, by Kamikaze Gecko

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
The Sperm Meets Egg Plan: Getting Pregnant Faster
by Deanna Roy
-- The Sperm Meets Egg Plan is a step-by-step guide to achieving pregnancy without taking invasive tests, charting temperatures, or making mistakes in predicting your ovulation that result in mistimed attempts at fertilization.

Designed by Deanna Roy after months of trying made her believe she had a fertility problem, the plan will help you time intercourse whether you have a typical or atypical cycle.

It includes adjustments for common fertility problems, what to do if you are over forty, and considerations for trying again after a pregnancy loss.

This booklet includes 40 pages of instruction plus a 10-page sneak peek of Deanna's book Baby Dust. It should be a free download.

This FREE booklet is a THANK YOU to all the women who have supported Deanna's web site since the loss of her first baby in 1998.

📚 Start reading The Sperm Meets Egg Plan on your Kindle in under a minute!

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

Dr. Eugen Jonas, medical doctor, made in 1950's the following discoveries:

The Lunar Conception: Women can conceive not only directly after ovulation, i.e. at the moment in their hormonal cycle, when their ovule is ripe and ready for conception. They can also conceive at the moment when lunar phase in the sky (i.e. angle between the Moon and the Sun) reproduces the phase which was at the moment of their birth.

Say, if a woman was born when the First Quarter of the Moon was in the sky, then every First Quarter of the Moon will be for her the moment of very high probability of conception.

This information can be used for contraception, but, more importantly, this moment of Lunar Conception is so powerful that those who couldn't conceive scientifically, often got pregnant by utilizing the knowledge of Lunar Conception.

If Lunar Conception coincides with ovulation, the probability of conception is very high. Strangely enough, it is also very high when the moment of Lunar Conception coincides with menstruation. This explains many unbelievable cases which just cannot be explained by official science, but which exist in real life.

Read more: Lunar Conception: a Discovery of Dr. Jonas

• Lunar Abundance: Reflective Journal

• Free Moon Angle Calculator

• Free Lunar Conception Calculator

• Lunar 2021 Wall Calendar

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
The Sperm Meets Egg Plan: Getting Pregnant Faster
by Deanna Roy
-- The Sperm Meets Egg Plan is a step-by-step guide to achieving pregnancy without taking invasive tests, charting temperatures, or making mistakes in predicting your ovulation that result in mistimed attempts at fertilization.

Designed by Deanna Roy after months of trying made her believe she had a fertility problem, the plan will help you time intercourse whether you have a typical or atypical cycle.

It includes adjustments for common fertility problems, what to do if you are over forty, and considerations for trying again after a pregnancy loss.

This booklet includes 40 pages of instruction plus a 10-page sneak peek of Deanna's book Baby Dust. It should be a free download.

This FREE booklet is a THANK YOU to all the women who have supported Deanna's web site since the loss of her first baby in 1998.

📚 Start reading The Sperm Meets Egg Plan on your Kindle in under a minute!

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

Tens of thousands of women in more than 127 countries have naturally conceived and are now proud mothers they never believed they could be. The best part is, they did it without drugs, over the counter, and without risky surgery or any side effects…

How did they do it? They used a scientifically-proven and real-world tested program that's been sweeping the Internet called Pregnancy Miracle.

What makes this pregnancy breakthrough so exciting is that it gives you the power to...

• Get Pregnant Quickly While Reversing Infertility Permanently.
  It's a fact - 92% of the women who use conventional treatments to increase their chances of getting pregnant fail and sometimes even end up worse than when they started. Now you can learn how to be in the successful 8% group that keeps infertility off forever.
• Get Pregnant Holistically.
  It's a fact - getting pregnant naturally and reversing Infertility can never be achieved by tackling one of the many factors responsible for Infertility. If you've ever tried to tackle your Infertility using a one-dimensional treatment like hormone pills, sexual positions, or even changing your diet and failed, it's probably because you have tackled only one aspect of the condition. Not only will this system teach you the only way to get pregnant naturally, but you will also learn the only way to reverse Infertility for good - the holistic way.
• Get Pregnant Naturally Without Drugs or Typical Infertility Treatments.
  Drugs and expensive, painful procedures such as IVF or IUI to treat infertility only seldom work, but the side effects and the procedures are nasty. The tiny handful of infertility sufferers who have learned how to treat their Infertility from within and without ever using drugs, painful surgical procedures, or over the counters are the only women in the world who keep it off permanently. Now you can learn these Infertility cure secrets from a nutritionist, Chinese medicine researcher, and a former sufferer who knows from real-world experience exactly how it's done.

Pregnancy Miracle™ is a 240-page downloadable e-book, jam-packed cover to cover with all the secret natural Infertility cure methods, unique powerful techniques, and the step-by-step holistic Infertility cure system I've discovered in over 14 years of research. This program contains all the information you'll ever need to eliminate your Infertility permanently in weeks and become pregnant naturally within 3-4 months, without using drugs, without surgery, and without any side effects.

Here is a small sample of what you'll learn when you download your copy of the Pregnancy Miracle™ System today:

• The proven 5-step multi-dimensional Pregnancy Miracle™ Anti-Infertility Success System has helped thousands of women to eliminate almost all types of Infertility and get pregnant within 2 months
• The shocking truth about conventional Infertility treatments and the medication trap, and how you can finally free yourself and use the natural approach forever
• The top ten best fertility foods you should eat all the time
• The top ten worst foods you should never eat when you are struggling to get pregnant. Did you know, for example, that there is a certain beverage which can decrease your chances of conceiving by 50%?
• Finally: the whole TRUTH about how to get together the right Way: learning when and how to do it, making sex work to your advantage using ancient Chinese secrets
• SECRET#1: Discover the 1st most important element that, when eliminated, can virtually dissolve over 85% of all Infertility cases (and almost all women do it)
• Discover EXACTLY when you are most ready to make a baby: knowing the signs of fertility is crucial for your success!
• The one secret 100% natural hormonal balancing supplement that you should always take on a daily basis, and is guaranteed to make a dramatic impact on your Infertility condition, sometimes in a matter of days!
• The cardinal sin of infertility treatment almost every woman is guilty of, which instead of reversing your Infertility, weakens and destroys your body's natural ability to defend itself, thus putting your health at serious risk and making your reproductive system worse in the long run (and almost everybody's doing it!)
• SECRET#4: Discover the link between insulin resistance, ovarian cysts, and Infertility and how to start fighting this problem right now, reverse it, and prevent potential health complications
• SECRET#7: What must you NEVER do, even if your doctor tells you to
• A simple task you can do to determine exactly when you ovulate so you will not miss your fertility window
• The 7 most important nutritional foundations to an effective fertility program (ignore these and you'll it will become even more difficult to conceive)
• SECRET#9: The most up-to-date and detailed illustrations, diagrams, and step-by-step instructions for using Acupuncture and Acupressure to cleanse your energy for conception
• SECRET#12: How to get pregnant fast using an exclusive PROVEN technique that shortcuts your way to success by turning anovulatory cycles into ovulatory ones.
• 17 common household products you MUST avoid that interfere with your hormonal production system and significantly contribute to the development of infertility
• Several of the best-kept anti-Infertility supplements that almost NOBODY knows about...compiled by a 14-year study
• Finally, the complete and honest answer as to why you have Infertility and why some women always seem to make their Infertility worse, and how you can GUARANTEE to stop it permanently
• The amazing connection between physical activity and Infertility and why, when, where, and how you can start 'exercising' your way to pregnancy today!
• The 2 breathing strategies that significantly help your body to start to heal itself, normalize hormonal production, and fight Infertility.
• Why no special diet or detox program will ever cure your Infertility
• SECRET#18: WARNING! Don't use any makeup containing the following ingredient. If you do so, you will never get rid of your Infertility
• An ingenious method to cleanse your digestive organs and get rid of chemicals that mimic hormones that aggravate your condition
• SECRET#27: The three-part secret to conceiving a healthy fetus. This technique has been voted the best.
• Why you'll never get the whole truth about drugs, birth control pills, and risky surgeries from almost any doctor (Even if they wanted to tell you, this is why they CAN'T!)
• REVEALED: The most potent vitamins which improve the quality of your cervical mucus dramatically.
• Why this almost magical combination of three types of herbs will empower your body's self-immune mechanism and cleansing abilities (required to eliminate Infertility) dramatically!
• Discover how the East and West differ in their views regarding infertility and how it can help you get the baby you dream of. Learn the answer to the controversial question: Does Infertility even exist?
• Why Infertility is a WARNING sign that something is wrong in your system and in some cases even a warning sign for much worse diseases, and what you can learn from it and do about it.
• A secret yet very simple technique to double your chance of conception overnight ( this tactic is ignored by 99% of women )
• REVEALED! The hidden truth behind your everyday activities and their negative impact on your fertility. Discover how to stop sabotaging your chances of getting pregnant!
• The CRUCIAL link between insomnia, stress, and Infertility and exactly what you should do to significantly control or completely eliminate these afflictions from your life.
• Discover 3 simple things that your partner can do right to increase sperm count and motility.
• And much,h much more...

And believe me.... this is just the tip of the iceberg! Pregnancy Miracle™ is so much more than just an e-book - it's a complete holistic system for sure-fire freedom from Infertility and all hormonal/insulin resistance disorders - possibly the most comprehensive pregnancy enhancement system that has ever been developed.

There are NO gimmicks in this program - there are no magic pills, or drugs to buy, and no hidden agendas - just the FACTS you need to know to get pregnant quickly and naturally. It's great news someone has finally released an effective pregnancy program based on the truth, but this also means that you have to ask if this is the right program for you:

Anyone who is not willing to put some effort, anyone looking for a quick fix solution to pregnancy, anyone who wants overnight results, is just not ready for a program like Pregnancy Miracle yet.

On the other hand, if you're sick of the B.S. and gimmicks in the fertility industry, if you're willing to make a lifestyle change to regain your natural inner balance and conceive naturally, then you have definitely found the honest and effective pregnancy solution you've been searching for.

To learn more about the Pregnancy Miracle system and to find out how YOU can start re-balancing your body today and start the path to becoming a proud mother, visit the Pregnancy Miracle Website

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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 for 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 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

Photo credit: Twins, by Joelle Inge-Messerschmidt/PhotographyByJoelle.com

Twins can occur naturally in any woman at any time. However, there are certain factors that increase your chances of having twins.

These factors include:

Family History:
  • Having a maternal history of twins or other multiple births increases your chance of becoming pregnant with twins considerably.

Cultural Background:
  • People of African American descent are more likely to have twins or multiple births. People of Asian or Hispanic descent are less likely to have twins.

Age:
  • Your chances of having twins increases as you grow older. Women produce more ovulation-stimulating hormone as they age, increasing your chance of releasing more than one egg during ovulation. The chance of having twins rises to 4% between the ages of 30 and 34, and to 5% between the ages of 35 and 39.

Previous Twins:
  • If you’ve already had twins, it is more likely that you will have another twin pregnancy.

Previous Pregnancies:
  • Women who have had four or more previous pregnancies are the most likely to have twins.

Fertility Drugs:
  • Taking fertility drugs or undergoing fertility treatments can significantly increase your chances of having twins or another type of multiple births. In some cases, women can increase their chances of having twins by up to 20%.

Weight Gain:
  • A study by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology linked the recent rise in multiple births with the steady rise of obesity in North America. Women with a body mass index (BMI) over 30 are more likely to have twins than those in the suggested BMI range of 19 to 25.

Increasing Your Chances of Having Twins:
  • So, are there any proven methods to increase your chances of having twins? Well, there are a number of ways that you can go about trying to have twins, but, as with anything, there are no guarantees. Having twins is mostly down to luck, although there are a few things you can do to help Lady Luck along.

Focus on Nutrition:
  • Women who are well nourished are more likely to have twins or multiple births. So focus on eating well and eating enough to maintain a healthy weight.

Eat Yams:
  • Yams, a type of sweet potato, have also been linked with multiple births. A tribe in Africa whose diet consists mostly of yams was recently found to have exceptionally high rates of twins and multiple births. Yams are thought to contain chemicals that stimulate hyperovulation, increasing your chances of conceiving twins.

Try Fertility Drugs:
  • Though not recommended unless you are suffering from fertility issues, fertility drugs do seem to greatly increase your chances of having twins. The fertility drug clomiphene (Clomid) increases your likelihood to 8%, while menotropins (Pergonal) increases your likelihood to 18%. Fertility drugs do cause side effects though and should never be taken without the supervision of a medical doctor.

Try Fertility Treatments:
  • Fertility treatments are also associated with higher rates of multiple births. In-vitro fertilization involves implanting more than one embryo into your uterus, which means you are more likely to conceive twins or higher-order multiples. Like fertility drugs, fertility treatments should not be undergone without approval from a medical doctor and are usually reserved for couples who are having difficulties conceiving.

Full article: Increasing Your Chances of Twins

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
The Brotherhood of Joseph: A Father's Memoir of Infertility and Adoption in the 21st Century
by Brooks Hansen

-- Offering men a chance to be heard and women a rare opportunity to view the struggle with infertility from a male perspective, The Brotherhood of Joseph brings to life the anger, frustration, humor, heartbreak, and sense of helplessness that come to dominate the husband's role.

As his remarkable account reaches its finale in Siberia, however, Hansen's once again becomes the story of a husband and a wife who, even after years of medical frustration and fruitless paperwork, still must take one last risk together and trust in their most basic instincts before their new family can be born.

Start reading The Brotherhood of Joseph 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: A steak being cut up with a knife, by Klaus Post

High Protein Diet may Inhibit Conception
-- Women on the Atkins diet, or a low-carbohydrate /high-protein diet, may have a lower chance of conceiving than those women who follow a regular diet.

Research has shown that mice which were fed a high-protein diet conceived less frequently.

As well, the mice that did conceive on a high-protein diet, had a higher rate of difficulty with their embryos in the early stages of development.

Source: Joseph Brean, National Post

On the other hand...

High Protein, Low Carb Diets Greatly Improve Fertility

-- A diet rich in proteins appears to have a pronounced positive effect on fertility, according to new research presented today at the Annual Clinical Meeting of The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments who consumed high levels of protein and low levels of carbohydrates had better quality eggs and embryos.

Source: High Protein, Low Carb Diets Greatly Improve Fertility

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
Fertility Facts
by Conceive Magazine Editors

-- The ultimate compendium of pre-pregnancy advice, essential not only for the one in six couples struggling with fertility challenges, but also for anyone starting a family.

This chunky volume offers hundreds of ways, sourced from doctors and the latest research by the experts at Conceive Magazine, for women to conceive faster.

Each page offers a new and often surprising tip: women should avoid taking ibuprofen, while men looking to increase sperm count should double up on pumpkin seeds!

With this highly accessible reference in hand, readers will be one step closer to parenthood.

Paperback: 312 pages
Click to order/for more info: Fertility Facts

-- Start reading Fertility Facts 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 woman, still waiting, by Valeer Vandenbosch

Many women can and do get pregnant over 40. Some women retain their fertility right up into menopause. Some women have no trouble getting pregnant without any help, no matter their age. Some women just need a bit of fine-tuning to enable them to carry a pregnancy successfully.

Some women do find it harder to get pregnant because fertility can decline with age. They may need more time, or some vitamin, herbal or hormonal help. Many women will go on to conceive without help, given enough time.

But sadly, the answer is no, not every woman will get pregnant without medical help in her 40s. There are many reasons why pregnancy might not be possible without medical assistance. If you are older than 40 and haven't gotten pregnant after trying for six months, fertility experts says you should see your health care provider. To determine whether you face any particular health risks and whether there is anything you can do medically to improve your chances.

In many cases, there are medical options that could help. Medical help such as fertility meds, IUI, IVF, donor egg, donor sperm, donor embryo. However, these can be expensive options, filled with pros and cons, and often heartache along the way.

If you do find that carrying a pregnancy is simply not possible for you, there is surrogacy or adoption - foster, domestic or international. These too, can be expensive options, filled with pros and cons, and often heartache along the way.

No matter how a child comes into your life, it is a miracle, and should be rejoiced! Yet not everyone is willing or able to go these routes - for financial, age, health, lifestyle or other personal reasons. I guess the bottom line is - how will you feel if you don't end up with a child? For some that is an acceptable risk, for others they are willing to do what it may take to bring a child into their lives.

However, there ARE things you can do to make yourself healthier. Herbs, vitamins, diet, bio-identical hormones, TCM, alternative therapies, lifestyle changes. Which may help your body work better, which may improve your fertility. Yes, even if you are going the medical route in your attempt to get pregnant.

No, getting pregnant isn't always easy. Very few couples conceive on the first try. In fact, even if everything is absolutely in perfect working order, and you were 20 years old, you would only have a 20-25% chance of conception each month.

Are these things guaranteed to get you pregnant? No, but a healthy body has a better chance. Your body works better, your reproductive organs can function properly and your chances of having a successful pregnancy increases.

I hope that you are able to find a way to make your dreams come true!

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
One Mom's Journey to Motherhood: Infertility, Childbirth Complications, and Postpartum Depression, Oh My!
by Ivy Shih Leung

-- Author Ivy Shih Leung shares her not-so-perfect road to motherhood in this book that is part memoir and part self-help guide, reflecting lessons learned in the form of helpful tips and information to empower readers on the biological and sociological roots behind postpartum depression (PPD).

She also seeks to raise awareness of the myths of motherhood and the stigma of PPD that contribute to the silent suffering of many mothers, as well as the importance of adequate social support in the early postpartum weeks.

A culmination of Ivy's frightening PPD journey and her emergence from it with a passion to learn more about perinatal mood disorders, this book is fueled with passion to help other women and their families, anger from the unnecessary suffering Ivy went through from the lack of information available to the public about PPD, her doctors' ignorance and lack of sensitivity, and public remarks like, There is no such thing as a chemical imbalance.

All of which shows there's still a long way to go in terms of educating the public about an illness that is suffered by one in eight new mothers.

Paperback: 428 pages
Click to order/for more info: One Mom's Journey to Motherhood

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Ultrasound, by Tomasz Kobosz

A recent study* has shown that adding the hormone dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) to the treatment regimen of patients with poor ovarian reserve may increase pregnancy rates.

Dr. Natalie Burger, a physician at Texas Fertility Center, has recently begun implementing this supplement on a trial basis.

We are excited that a relatively inexpensive option such as DHEA has the potential to help our patients conceive, Dr. Burger explained.

We are excited that a relatively inexpensive option such as DHEA has the potential to help our patients conceive, Dr. Burger explained.

The hormone DHEA naturally occurs in the body and is known to help improve cognitive skills as people age and to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease. DHEA can also help improve strength and muscle mass in athletes. DHEA may also have another benefit for women trying to get pregnant.

According to the research, 33 women with significantly low ovarian reserves were enrolled in the study; 17 received 75 mg of DHEA once daily before starting their IVF cycles. The medication was continued during the treatment phase. The patients who received DHEA had a 23 percent live birth rate, compared with a 4 percent live birth rate for patients in the control group.

In this small trial, DHEA seemed to have a positive impact on the IVF success rate for a group of women who were predicted to have a very low success rate, stated Dr. Burger. Larger studies are needed to determine which fertility patients may benefit from DHEA supplementation and if there are any downsides.

Because DHEA is cost-effective and readily available at most pharmacies, it may provide another treatment option for fertility patients. Unlike many fertility medications, DHEA does not appear to increase the risk of multiples.

Dr. Burger recommends that fertility patients discuss this option with their reproductive endocrinologists.

Talk with your physician about whether adding DHEA to your treatment regiment could produce the desired outcome. Before recommending DHEA, your doctor should analyze your history and complete a thorough fertility evaluation.

About Texas Fertility Center
Texas Fertility Center (TFC), one of the nation's leading full-service infertility practices, provides advanced Infertility and Reproductive Endocrinology services to patients throughout Texas, the Southwestern United States, and the Americas. Since 1980, TFC has been recognized nationally for outstanding pregnancy rates, cutting-edge laboratory procedures, and innovative research programs. For more information, please visit TXFertility.com.

Source: *Wiser A, Gonen O, Ghetler Y, Shavit T, Berkovitz A, Shulman A. Addition of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) for poor-responder patients before and during IVF treatment improves the pregnancy rate: a randomized prospective study. Hum Reprod. 2010;25:2496–2500.

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TODAY'S PRODUCT SUGGESTION:
Natrol DHEA 25mg
• Helps balances DHEA levels and enhance energy
• Works as an anti-aging precursor
• Helps Enhance Energy*
• Contains no yeast, wheat, corn, milk, egg, soy, glutens, artificial colors, added sugar, starch or preservatives

Click for more info

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More the merrier!
The simple rules of probability apply to baby making too. It is a myth to think you should have less sex in order to conceive. All the evidence shows that the more you have sex, the better your chances of getting pregnant. With the way our lives are getting cramped and fast paced, it is not surprising that infertility experts regularly observe how many people are having problems trying to get pregnant because they are simply not having sex often enough, especially during the woman's most fertile few days of her cycle – ovulation.

Photo credit: Parents - A tender moment between Mom and Dad,
by Fran Priestley on FreeImages
Some rights reserved

Sex during ovulation
To capitalize on your chances of getting pregnant you must first understand ovulation and why it is important for conception. It is the most fertile period in your cycle when the egg or ovum is released into the uterus. During this fertile period you need to make love every couple of days. By doing this you can almost double your chances of getting pregnant. Remember that the sperm can live for anywhere from 48-72 hours within the woman's reproductive system depending on the how favorable the cervical environment is. Sexual intercourse every 2-3 days, around or at the time of ovulation, should be adequate to achieve pregnancy.

Full article: Do I Need to Have Sex Every Day to Get Pregnant?

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
The Brotherhood of Joseph: A Father's Memoir of Infertility and Adoption in the 21st Century
by Brooks Hansen

-- Offering men a chance to be heard and women a rare opportunity to view the struggle with infertility from a male perspective, The Brotherhood of Joseph brings to life the anger, frustration, humor, heartbreak, and sense of helplessness that come to dominate the husband's role.

As his remarkable account reaches its finale in Siberia, however, Hansen's once again becomes the story of a husband and a wife who, even after years of medical frustration and fruitless paperwork, still must take one last risk together and trust in their most basic instincts before their new family can be born.

Start reading The Brotherhood of Joseph 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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1. Statistics rarely apply to the individual.

-- Population statistics are derived from a large group of people in all states of health. These statistics do not apply to every individual.

For you, or any other individual within the population, it can actually be misleading, if not downright inaccurate.

Although it is true that fertility rates in the population at large decrease with age, this often does not apply to a woman whose biological age may be far younger than her chronological age.

In my opinion, telling all women over the age of 35 that they will have trouble getting pregnant is like telling everyone over the age of 50 they will get high blood pressure and diabetes — it is simply not true.

2. It is possible to conceive a baby right up until menopause.

-- This is why every woman is told by her doctor to use birth control for a full year after her final menstrual period.

If you still think pregnancy at menopause cannot happen, I suggest reading Hot Flashes, Warm Bottles, by Nancy London, MSW.

This book details the challenges faced by women going through menopause who have babies.

3. Stress is a large factor in unexplained infertility.

-- Infertility clinics capitalize on women’s fears — the same fears that are fueled by stories like the one on 60 Minutes.

Studies have shown that women who participate in programs to alleviate stress — such as those taught by Dr. Alice Domar at Boston IVF and in her books, Healing Mind, Healthy Woman and Conquering Infertility — have higher rates of conception or healing their relationship to fertility.

Niravi Payne's The Whole Person Fertility Program, and visualization tapes can also help you relieve stress and get started on the road toward fertility.

Read more

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
Hot Flashes Warm Bottles : First-Time Mothers Over Forty
by Nancy London

-- The first prescriptive and anecdotal guidebook for the multitudes of older moms, and distills the wisdom, insight, and practical advice gathered during her years as a therapist and support group leader.

With tips for renewing physical and sexual energy, parenting after infertility and adoption, balancing career and family, and caring for elderly parents, the personal stories from these older moms are often humorous, sometimes surprising, but always reassuring.

Without exception, the reader will be left with the comforting knowledge that she is not alone on her journey. Hot Flashes fills a much-needed place in the parenting field, at a time when more and more women are embracing motherhood later in life.

Paperback: 192 pages
Click to order/for more info: Hot Flashes Warm Bottles

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The road to conception can be very smooth for some couples, while others find that it can take years before they are able to become pregnant. While there are many factors that can affect successful conception, understanding some basic things can make your journey easier. If you are trying to conceive, here are a few things to keep in mind.

1. Know Your Monthly Cycle. One of the best ways to increase your chances of becoming pregnant is to understand how your monthly cycle works. Every woman is different and in some cases, every cycle is different. Before you conceive, take a few months to chart your cycle from beginning to end. Keep track of the first day of your period and when you ovulate.

This information will help you determine when you are most fertile and when you should be scheduling intercourse. It may not be very romantic to schedule it in, but if you do want to conceive, you have to be able to take advantage of that window of opportunity when it arrives.

2. Predict Your Monthly Ovulation. In order to find that window of opportunity, you have to know when you ovulate. There is a period of five days within each cycle that you are at your most fertile. The three days preceding ovulation and the day following ovulation. Once you know when this occurs, you can greatly increase the likelihood of fertilization.

Remember that once an egg is released from an ovary, it only has a period of 24 hours when it remains viable. It is vital to make sure that you are having intercourse as close to the date that you ovulate as possible. While you can become pregnant at any time during those five days, it is best to try to time your ovulation and intercourse as closely as possible.

3. Get Healthy Ahead of Time. In order to be at your most fertile, you need to take care of yourself. Start taking prenatal vitamins ahead of time and have yourself looked over by a doctor. If you have noticed any irregularities with your monthly cycles, talk to them about it now. If you have questions about ovulation or learning more about your body, it is important to have these questions answered ahead of time.

Get plenty of rest and practice a healthy lifestyle. Try to remove stress from your life and take good care of your body. You'll be asking it to undergo a great task over the next nine months and you owe it to yourself and your future child to be as healthy as possible.

Successful conception doesn't have to be difficult. Although it can take a healthy couple a year to conceive naturally, by paying attention to this advice, you can increase your chances of becoming pregnant in less time. Remember, if you don't conceive right away, don't get disheartened. Just keep trying and barring any fertility issues you should be able to conceive a happy and healthy baby.

Now this entire foundation of knowledge regarding female egg production and depletion is in question.

A recent paper by Johnson et al., (Nature, March11th 2004, Vol. 428, pp. 145-150) has opened up new doors for a drastic revision of the biological theory behind female egg production, and thus her fertility.

The research comes from the laboratory of Jonathan Tilly, an established and highly respected developmental biologist at Harvard Medical School.

By studying mice, the researchers determined that germ cells persist after birth; and such stem cells give rise to new eggs throughout a mouse's life.

In a remarkably simple experiment, researchers quantified the rate of egg depletion in the mouse ovaries, and determined that the rate should have exhausted the egg supply much earlier. Yet an unidentified replenishment was taking place.

Mice are normally fertile for about a year, but Tilly found that their egg supply would be exhausted in just 2 weeks if it were not somehow being replenished.

Full article: InfertilityDoctor.com

Photo credit: Anna at the Dr, by Sam Pullara, on Flickr
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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
How to Make Love to a Plastic Cup: A Guy's Guide to the World of Infertility
by Greg Wolfe

-- The man's guide to anything and everything in the infertility universe.

Greg Wolfe went through four cycles of IVF on his rocky journey to fatherhood—and now, with profound sympathy and side-splitting humor, he lays it all out for guys on similar baby-making quests.

How to Make Love to a Plastic Cup is not your typical nuts and bolts (no pun intended) medical guide but a helpful handbook designed specifically with the male partner in mind, with answers to his most pressing questions about the infertility process...

Paperback: 256 pages
Click to order/for more info: How to Make Love to a Plastic Cup

Start reading How to Make Love to a Plastic Cup 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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In the United States, maternal age specific birth rates for 2004 were: 15 to 17 years (22.1 per 1000 women), 18 to 19 years (70.0 per 1000), 20 to 24 years (101.8 per 1000), 25 to 29 years (115.5 per 1000), 30 to 34 years (95.5 per 1000), 35 to 39 years (45.4 per 1000), 40 to 44 years (9.0 per 1000), and 45 to 54 years (0.6 per 1000) [1].

In 2002, 263 births were reported in women from 50 to 54 years of age [2]. Women 50 years of age or older are more likely to conceive with the assistance of ART and to have a multiple gestation and to have a disproportionate number of low birth weight and very low birth weight babies [3].

Births to women as old as 66 years of age using ART have also been reported worldwide. The oldest woman to achieve a naturally conceived pregnancy was 57 years old.

The percentage of pregnancies in women greater than or equal to 35 years of age in the United States was about 14 percent before World War II, dropped to about 5 percent in the 1970s and, since the 1980s, rose to about 14 percent in 2002 [4]. The large number of births to this age group is expected to continue for another decade, when the youngest baby boomers will enter menopause.

The increased occurrence of births at older maternal ages relates not only to the increased number of women aged 35 to 45, but also to later marriage, second marriage, the availability of better contraceptive options, and wider opportunities for further education and career advancement.

Source: patients.uptodate.com

Photo credit: Look at me,
by merfam / Jason Meredith, on Flickr
Some rights reserved

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
The Belated Baby: A Guide to Parenting After Infertility
by Kelly James-Enger and Jill S. Browning

-- Infertility is a mind-set and that every woman who experiences infertility is forever changed, even when she eventually has the child she yearned for.

When many women who have gone through fertility treatments describe their experience, they say it abused their soul.

The experience may have also hurt their relationship with their husband and sometimes permanently altered relationships with their extended families.

Studies show that even after the desperation of infertility subsides, emotional wounds still fester and an asterisk accompanies her bundle of joy.

Paperback: 242 pages
Click to order/for more info: The Belated Baby

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