Infertility affects more than 6 million people in the United States alone, or 1 out of every 6 couples, according to Lafayette-based Conceptions Reproductive Associates of Colorado.
And despite a common fallacy -- it's a woman's problem -- fertility difficulties are equally as likely to be caused by male difficulties. It is a combined issue in about 20 percent of infertility cases, Conceptions says.
For women, it is most commonly a problem with ovulation, according to Robyn Curtis, with the Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine, which has a Louisville office.
For men, it is mostly sperm health or motility,Curtis says.
But there are so many other influencing factors - dealing with a difficult conception can feel like a guessing game, says McGinnis, the new Boulder mom. That's why she recommends getting professional help after one year of trying -- and sticking to research-proven advice such as staying away from cigarettes and minimizing stress.
We've solicited the expertise of a spectrum of experts: a local acupuncturist, nutritionist-dietitians, reproductive endocrinologist-ObGyn, reproductive clinic, physician, Chinese herbal medicine practitioner, and the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, as well as the results from some studies and a nontraditional pharmacy.
Here's their take on some wives' tales -- and some truths.
Enhancing fertility
Drink raspberry leaf tea. FALSE.-- This tea may promote uterine health after you're pregnant, but does nothing for fertility. (Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy)
Have sex during a full moon. FALSE.
-- Menstrual cycles can coincide with the phases of the moon, but it doesn't matter if the moon's full if you're not ovulating. (Pharmaca)
Eat organic foods and drink purified water; eat alkaline foods.
DEPENDS on whom you ask.
-- Acupuncturist Amy Dickinson says pesticides and herbicides in non-organic food can harm a woman's eggs, and food chemicals and additives often have estrogen-like substances that can throw the hormonal balance off.
Dickinson recommends alkaline foods, such as vegetables, non-citrus fruits, sprouts, and wheat grass. Acidic foods, such as sugar, dairy, and grains, can create an acidic cervical pH, which sperm don't like, she says. Plus, she says fruits and vegetables contain bioflavonoids, which help create healthy blood vessels that can help prevent miscarriage and prepare the uterus for implantation.
Physician Robert Gustofson, with the Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine at the Avista Hospital, says no food types have been shown to improve pregnancy probability. He says they won't harm your chances, however.
Be at a healthy body weight. TRUE.
-- Being overweight or underweight can have adverse effects.
Get acupuncture. TRUE.
-- Acupuncture increases the chances of implantation and increases blood circulation to the uterus. (Journal of Fertility and Sterility, 2003)
Adopt. FALSE.
-- Everyone knows someone who had adopted a child and then gotten pregnant, but research has not shown a connection.
Dream you are pregnant. FALSE.
-- Dreams are unrelated to fertility. (Gustofson)
Relax. TRUE.
-- Stress is a fertility killer. You need progesterone for pregnancy. When a body is stressed, it redirects to produce the stress hormone, cortisol, instead of creating progesterone. (Boulder acupuncturist Amy Dickinson)
Have sex 14 days after your period. FALSE.
-- Not every woman has a 28-day menstrual cycle with ovulation in the middle.
Have sex in a certain position. FALSE.
(Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine)
Be well rested. TRUE.
-- This helps combat stress. (Conceptions Reproductive Associates of Colorado)
You have sex in a swimming pool. FALSE.
-- The chlorine will not kill all sperm. (Julie McGinnis, Boulder nutritionist, dietitian, and herbalist)
You douche after sex. FALSE.
-- There is no evidence douching will prevent pregnancy, even if you use certain essential oils or other liquids. (McGinnis)
You have sex while on your period. MAYBE.
-- The chances of ovulating while on your period are smaller, but you can still get pregnant.
The man was kicked hard in the groin while playing a sport. FALSE.
-- It's very unlikely a single traumatic event will result in sterility. The male system is pretty hardy. (Conceptions)
The woman is older than 35. FALSE.
-- In general, the chance of getting pregnant in one year is about 90 percent until age 34. It drops to 67 percent by age 40, and after age 45, it declines to 15 percent. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine) However, fertility varies with every woman.
The man is older than 35. FALSE.
-- Growing evidence suggests age may be a factor eventually, but the number and quality of sperm doesn't decline until after age 64. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
You're stressed. TRUE.
-- Stress can reduce sperm count and stop ovulation. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine and Conceptions)
You took birth control pills. FALSE.
-- A few months after you stop taking the pill, your body should be back to normal. (Conceptions)
Your mom took birth control pills. FALSE.
-- (Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine)
You've already had one child. FALSE.
-- (Conceptions)
You had a C-section. FALSE.
-- Not unless it was complicated by something affecting the Fallopian tubes. (Conceptions)
You are breastfeeding. MAYBE.
-- It can decrease ovulatory function but doesn't stop it. It depends on the woman. (Conceptions)
You haven't re-started your period after childbirth. FALSE.
-- You can ovulate and not have your period first. (Conceptions)
You have diabetes. TRUE.
-- Good glycemic control prior to conception can decrease birth defects. And women with pre-diabetes glucose intolerance can have disrupted ovulation. (Conceptions)
You have had a heart attack or liver or kidney failure. TRUE.
-- Significant, life-threatening medical conditions may decrease the chance of pregnancy until treated or resolved. (Gustofson)
If the man masturbates a lot. TRUE.
-- Masturbation can temporarily lower sperm count. It cannot make you sterile. (McGinnis)
You have anal sex. TRUE.
-- Anal sperm deposition does not fertilize an egg in the uterus. (Gustofson)
The man spends a lot of time in saunas or hot tubs. TRUE.
-- Overheating may temporarily reduce sperm count. (Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine)
The guy wears tight underwear. TRUE.
-- This can increase the temperature of the testes. (Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine)
The man smokes cigarettes or marijuana. TRUE.
-- Smoking can reduce sperm count. (Infertility.about.com)
You drink alcohol. TRUE.
-- Excessive alcohol can damage sperm and eggs. (Infertility.about.com) More than two drinks a day can suppress hormones. Plus, the byproduct of alcohol is a toxin, and if it goes to the uterus, it doesn't enhance pregnancy rates. (Conceptions)
You drink a lot of caffeine. TRUE.
-- (Conceptions)
The man uses steroids. TRUE.
-- Steroids can severely impair sperm production. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
The man consumes too much vitamin C (more than 1,000 mg). FALSE.
-- Vitamin C will be urinated out if not absorbed. It does not necessarily acidify the semen or kill sperm. (Gustofson)
You unnecessarily take over-the-counter drugs, including ibuprofen. TRUE.
-- Ibuprofen can inhibit prostaglandins and inhibit ovulation. (Dickinson)
The woman has an iron deficiency. TRUE,
-- Acupuncturist Amy Dickinson says pesticides and herbicides in non-organic food can harm a woman's eggs, and food chemicals and additives often have estrogen-like substances that can throw the hormonal balance off.
Dickinson recommends alkaline foods, such as vegetables, non-citrus fruits, sprouts, and wheat grass. Acidic foods, such as sugar, dairy, and grains, can create an acidic cervical pH, which sperm don't like, she says. Plus, she says fruits and vegetables contain bioflavonoids, which help create healthy blood vessels that can help prevent miscarriage and prepare the uterus for implantation.
Physician Robert Gustofson, with the Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine at the Avista Hospital, says no food types have been shown to improve pregnancy probability. He says they won't harm your chances, however.
Be at a healthy body weight. TRUE.
-- Being overweight or underweight can have adverse effects.
Get acupuncture. TRUE.
-- Acupuncture increases the chances of implantation and increases blood circulation to the uterus. (Journal of Fertility and Sterility, 2003)
Adopt. FALSE.
-- Everyone knows someone who had adopted a child and then gotten pregnant, but research has not shown a connection.
Dream you are pregnant. FALSE.
-- Dreams are unrelated to fertility. (Gustofson)
Relax. TRUE.
-- Stress is a fertility killer. You need progesterone for pregnancy. When a body is stressed, it redirects to produce the stress hormone, cortisol, instead of creating progesterone. (Boulder acupuncturist Amy Dickinson)
Have sex 14 days after your period. FALSE.
-- Not every woman has a 28-day menstrual cycle with ovulation in the middle.
Have sex in a certain position. FALSE.
(Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine)
Be well rested. TRUE.
-- This helps combat stress. (Conceptions Reproductive Associates of Colorado)
Diminishing fertility
You may adversely affect conception if:You have sex in a swimming pool. FALSE.
-- The chlorine will not kill all sperm. (Julie McGinnis, Boulder nutritionist, dietitian, and herbalist)
You douche after sex. FALSE.
-- There is no evidence douching will prevent pregnancy, even if you use certain essential oils or other liquids. (McGinnis)
You have sex while on your period. MAYBE.
-- The chances of ovulating while on your period are smaller, but you can still get pregnant.
The man was kicked hard in the groin while playing a sport. FALSE.
-- It's very unlikely a single traumatic event will result in sterility. The male system is pretty hardy. (Conceptions)
The woman is older than 35. FALSE.
-- In general, the chance of getting pregnant in one year is about 90 percent until age 34. It drops to 67 percent by age 40, and after age 45, it declines to 15 percent. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine) However, fertility varies with every woman.
The man is older than 35. FALSE.
-- Growing evidence suggests age may be a factor eventually, but the number and quality of sperm doesn't decline until after age 64. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
You're stressed. TRUE.
-- Stress can reduce sperm count and stop ovulation. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine and Conceptions)
You took birth control pills. FALSE.
-- A few months after you stop taking the pill, your body should be back to normal. (Conceptions)
Your mom took birth control pills. FALSE.
-- (Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine)
You've already had one child. FALSE.
-- (Conceptions)
You had a C-section. FALSE.
-- Not unless it was complicated by something affecting the Fallopian tubes. (Conceptions)
You are breastfeeding. MAYBE.
-- It can decrease ovulatory function but doesn't stop it. It depends on the woman. (Conceptions)
You haven't re-started your period after childbirth. FALSE.
-- You can ovulate and not have your period first. (Conceptions)
You have diabetes. TRUE.
-- Good glycemic control prior to conception can decrease birth defects. And women with pre-diabetes glucose intolerance can have disrupted ovulation. (Conceptions)
You have had a heart attack or liver or kidney failure. TRUE.
-- Significant, life-threatening medical conditions may decrease the chance of pregnancy until treated or resolved. (Gustofson)
If the man masturbates a lot. TRUE.
-- Masturbation can temporarily lower sperm count. It cannot make you sterile. (McGinnis)
You have anal sex. TRUE.
-- Anal sperm deposition does not fertilize an egg in the uterus. (Gustofson)
The man spends a lot of time in saunas or hot tubs. TRUE.
-- Overheating may temporarily reduce sperm count. (Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine)
The guy wears tight underwear. TRUE.
-- This can increase the temperature of the testes. (Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine)
The man smokes cigarettes or marijuana. TRUE.
-- Smoking can reduce sperm count. (Infertility.about.com)
You drink alcohol. TRUE.
-- Excessive alcohol can damage sperm and eggs. (Infertility.about.com) More than two drinks a day can suppress hormones. Plus, the byproduct of alcohol is a toxin, and if it goes to the uterus, it doesn't enhance pregnancy rates. (Conceptions)
You drink a lot of caffeine. TRUE.
-- (Conceptions)
The man uses steroids. TRUE.
-- Steroids can severely impair sperm production. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
The man consumes too much vitamin C (more than 1,000 mg). FALSE.
-- Vitamin C will be urinated out if not absorbed. It does not necessarily acidify the semen or kill sperm. (Gustofson)
You unnecessarily take over-the-counter drugs, including ibuprofen. TRUE.
-- Ibuprofen can inhibit prostaglandins and inhibit ovulation. (Dickinson)
The woman has an iron deficiency. TRUE,
at least for people with chronic anemia.
-- It can affect ovulation. (Conceptions)
Eating soy, which contains plant-based estrogens. FALSE.
-- There is no research showing a high-soy diet creates infertility. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
Using a cell phone. MAYBE.
-- One study by The Cleveland Clinic found men who used cell phones the most had poorer sperm quality than men who used them the least, but more research is needed.
You have an eating disorder. TRUE.
-- Too-low body fat levels can stop the reproductive process. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
You are a hard-core athlete. TRUE.
-- Low body fat can mean irregular periods. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
The man is an avid cyclist. TRUE.
-- For men, pressure from the bicycle seat can damage blood vessels and nerves. Mountain biking shocks the perineum and can injure the scrotum. One study found mountain biker men were more likely to have twisted veins in the scrotum, cysts or calcium deposits. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
You have a sexually transmitted infection. DEPENDS.
-- Chlamydia or gonorrhea are associated with male and female infertility. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine) HPV (human papillomavirus) typically is not, unless it is linked to cancer and the woman must have her cervix operated on. Herpes does not affect fertility. (Conceptions)
The woman has endometriosis. TRUE.
-- (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
The woman has thyroid problems. MAYBE
-- Too much or too little thyroid hormone can interrupt ovulation. (Conceptions)
The man has retrograde orgasms (sperm deposition in the bladder). TRUE AND FALSE.
-- It will be more difficult to conceive, but it not impossible. (Gustofson)
You were exposed to harmful chemicals. TRUE.
-- Some chemicals can hurt sperm or eggs or cause birth defects. (McGinnis)
You go under an anesthetic at the dentist's office. FALSE.
-- (Conceptions)
You've had radiation treatment. TRUE.
-- Cells exposed to significant levels of radiation may take up to two years to resume normal sperm production or, in severe cases, may never recover. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
You're exposed to some kinds of plastics and rubber or pesticides.
-- It can affect ovulation. (Conceptions)
Eating soy, which contains plant-based estrogens. FALSE.
-- There is no research showing a high-soy diet creates infertility. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
Using a cell phone. MAYBE.
-- One study by The Cleveland Clinic found men who used cell phones the most had poorer sperm quality than men who used them the least, but more research is needed.
You have an eating disorder. TRUE.
-- Too-low body fat levels can stop the reproductive process. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
You are a hard-core athlete. TRUE.
-- Low body fat can mean irregular periods. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
The man is an avid cyclist. TRUE.
-- For men, pressure from the bicycle seat can damage blood vessels and nerves. Mountain biking shocks the perineum and can injure the scrotum. One study found mountain biker men were more likely to have twisted veins in the scrotum, cysts or calcium deposits. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
You have a sexually transmitted infection. DEPENDS.
-- Chlamydia or gonorrhea are associated with male and female infertility. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine) HPV (human papillomavirus) typically is not, unless it is linked to cancer and the woman must have her cervix operated on. Herpes does not affect fertility. (Conceptions)
The woman has endometriosis. TRUE.
-- (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
The woman has thyroid problems. MAYBE
-- Too much or too little thyroid hormone can interrupt ovulation. (Conceptions)
The man has retrograde orgasms (sperm deposition in the bladder). TRUE AND FALSE.
-- It will be more difficult to conceive, but it not impossible. (Gustofson)
You were exposed to harmful chemicals. TRUE.
-- Some chemicals can hurt sperm or eggs or cause birth defects. (McGinnis)
You go under an anesthetic at the dentist's office. FALSE.
-- (Conceptions)
You've had radiation treatment. TRUE.
-- Cells exposed to significant levels of radiation may take up to two years to resume normal sperm production or, in severe cases, may never recover. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
You're exposed to some kinds of plastics and rubber or pesticides.
DEPENDS on whom you ask.
-- McGinnis says some plastics contain materials can disrupt hormones. (McGinnis)
Gustofson says large amounts of pesticide ingestion may cause infertility, but minimal exposure will not cause harm. He says plastics and rubber do not cause infertility.
You use petroleum-based lubricants, including spermicides, oils or Vaseline. TRUE.
-- Astroglide, Replens, mineral oil or all-natural lubricants may not be as harmful to sperm. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
Read more: Misconceptions about conception
Eat, Love, Get Pregnant: A Couple's Guide To Boosting Fertility and Having A Healthy Baby
by Karen Daniels
--
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
📚 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.
-- McGinnis says some plastics contain materials can disrupt hormones. (McGinnis)
Gustofson says large amounts of pesticide ingestion may cause infertility, but minimal exposure will not cause harm. He says plastics and rubber do not cause infertility.
You use petroleum-based lubricants, including spermicides, oils or Vaseline. TRUE.
-- Astroglide, Replens, mineral oil or all-natural lubricants may not be as harmful to sperm. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
Read more: Misconceptions about conception
TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
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 linkabsent 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 booststrong 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.
It is widely known some anti-depressants can affect sexual functioning in men and women. A study has found men taking paroxetine—brand names Seroxat and Paxil — can experience impaired fertility and sperm damage, says the Chicago Tribune.
The New York research revealed nearly half of the [men] taking Seroxat and Paxil tested with increased levels of
sperm fragmentation,said the Chicago Tribune, which added the study appears online today in the journal Fertility and Sterility.
It's fairly well known SSRI anti-depressants negatively impact erectile function and ejaculation. This study goes one step further, demonstrating they can cause a major increase in genetic damage to sperm,said Dr. Peter Schlegel, the study's senior author and professor of reproductive medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, quoted the Chicago Tribune.
TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
Eat, Love, Get Pregnant: A Couple's Guide To Boosting Fertility and Having A Healthy Babyby 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 linkabsent 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 booststrong enough to take them from infertile to fertile in as little as three months.
Paperback: 116 pagesClick 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.
In a groundbreaking study, Yale School of Medicine researchers and colleagues at the University of Oxford have identified the chromosomal make-up of a human egg.
This discovery may soon allow them to avoid using abnormal -- or aneuploid -- eggs during infertility treatments, and instead to pick eggs healthy enough for a successful in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle.
The results are published in the May issue of the journal Human Reproduction.
Only a few oocytes (eggs) per IVF treatment cycle are able to produce a pregnancy because many eggs have the wrong number of chromosomes.
If the egg is missing a chromosome or has an extra chromosome, this is referred to as aneuploidy. This problem increases as women age.
Oocytes are surrounded by cells, called cumulus cells, which regulate and assist the process of egg maturation.
In this study, Yale Fertility Center director Dr. Pasquale Patrizio, and Dagan Wells of the University of Oxford studied genes expressed in the cumulus cells.
They were able to identify a set of genes less active in cells, which is associated with abnormal eggs.
They characterized two genes -- SPSB2 and TP5313 -- and found the expression of these genes was consistently underrepresented in cumulus cells surrounding abnormal eggs, while these same genes were normally expressed in eggs with the correct number of chromosomes.
The identification of these genes in cumulus cells can serve as a novel, non-invasive marker to identify abnormal oocytes and thus ultimately improve IVF success rates,said Patrizio, professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at Yale.
We can use cumulus cells surrounding the eggs to gain insight into the health of an egg. These cells are now able to inform us about the chromosomal makeup of an egg. This can help us know if it is the 'right egg' to be fertilized and produce a baby.
This finding opens up the possibility of a safe, effective, and inexpensive way of identifying healthy eggs, potentially lowering the risks of miscarriage and Down syndrome,said Wells.
By conducting these tests before eggs are fertilized, ethical concerns about an analysis of human embryos are avoided.
Other authors on the study include Elpida Fragouli, Amy E. Lager, and Umit A. Kayisli.
Wells is supported by the National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford; the work was also supported by a grant from Gema Diagnostics, Inc.
Story Source: The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Yale University. The original article was written by Karen N. Peart.
Journal Reference: Alteration of gene expression in human cumulus cells as a potential indicator of oocyte aneuploidy
TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
The Insider's Guide to Egg Donation: A Compassionate and Comprehensive Guide for All Parents-to-Beby Wendie Wilson-Miller and Erika Napoletano
-- In their search for alternative means for building a family, those who face infertility turn to the nearly 500 reproductive specialty clinics across the United States.
While egg donors enter into the picture for a variety of reasons, every reason has the same desired result: a family to call one’s own.
Same-sex and single-by-choice parents are more prevalent than ever in the fertility industry, and there is no definitive, up-to-date guide to help families of all types approach egg donation, especially these niche groups. Resources are fragmented, true regardless of the family structure.
The Insider's Guide to Egg Donation is the first how-to-handbook helping families of all types navigate the less talked about but widely practiced egg donor landscape with a warm and friendly tone, giving those in search of a different kind of stork the answers and information they need as they begin to research family-building options.
Paperback: 280 pagesClick to order/for more info: The Insider's Guide to Egg Donation
Start reading The Insider's Guide to Egg Donation 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
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 pagesClick to order/for more info: Ready
Start reading Ready on your Kindle in under a minute!Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.
Being overweight, or obese for example, reduces both male and female fertility.
In women, it can affect ovulation.
Being underweight can also impact on fertility, particularly for women, who will not ovulate if they are severely underweight.
Smoking not only affects a person's general and long-term health, but it can also affect fertility and stress can reduce sexual desire, reducing the frequency of sexual intercourse.
Severe stress may also affect female ovulation and can limit sperm production.
Nutrition – what people are eating – also has an impact on fertility.
Many of us will be aware of the importance of folic acid for women trying to conceive, or that zinc is good for healthy sperm, but the role of nutrition infertility goes beyond this.
Read more: Healthy eating can help perk up fertility
TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
Yes, You Can Get Pregnant: The Diet That Will Improve Your Fertility Now and Into Your 40'sby Aimee E. Raupp
-- Worried about your ability to have children in the next five years?
Have you been trying to get pregnant for a while now and it's just not happening?
Does it seem like every woman you know is having a hard time getting pregnant and you don't want that to be you when you're ready?
If you answered yes to any one of these questions, Aimee's second book, Yes, You Can Get Pregnant: The Diet That Will Improve Your Fertility Now and Into Your 40s, was written for you.
Whether you're in your 20s, 30s or 40s, this book will give you all the nutritional information you need to keep your baby-making machinery in tip-top shape.
Paperback: 52 pagesClick to order/for more info: Yes, You Can Get Pregnant
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.
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...
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
TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
Pregnancy Miracleby 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
Researchers are testing a new treatment for fertility – it's a kind of pregnancy patch.
Melissa Willmarth describes her 6-week old son Brook as her
little miracle.She said,
It was a long journey... a few years of infertility.
Willmarth credits her
miracleto a team of reproductive health specialists led by Dr. Mike Thomas.
He's part of a national team conducting one of the first trials in the country on a patch to help prepare the body for pregnancy.
It's a patch that pumps hormones into the system every few minutes, primarily for women who have low hormone function, or a condition called polycystic ovary syndrome -- which can lead to irregular cycles,Thomas said.
The patch is being studied in healthy women between the ages of 18 and 38 who want to become pregnant.
There are very few restrictions with the trial, with the exception of not being obese or having a body-mass index of greater than 35.
Thomas's team is comparing the patch to other approved fertility treatments, which means all women who qualify to be part of the study get free fertility care.
Willmarth said,
I couldn't imagine my life without him. He's the best thing that ever happened.
TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
Pregnancy After 40: 40 Things No One Told You About Being Pregnant Over 40 (Pregnancy Plan Series)by Jill Conrad, Pregnancy Support Institute
-- So you're over 40 and you've decided to get pregnant. You are not alone.
A growing number of women are waiting to have a baby until they are over 40.
This book will reveal:
♥ How you can have a healthy baby in your forties (in spite of all the warnings).
♥ What the biggest risks are and what you can do about them (it may not be as bad as you think)
♥ The 3 most important things you can do to have a healthy baby after 40 (you might already be doing some of them)
♥ Why older mothers often make better parents (the surprising reason)
♥ The one thing you should do every night to keep you fertile and able to conceive naturally (it takes 5 minutes)
…and Much More!
So get started and discover how to have the safest pregnancy and the healthiest baby when you are over 40 and pregnant.
Start reading Pregnancy After 40 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: Beautiful Pregnancy, by JGeraert |
Fecundity was significantly reduced in a dose-response fashion for women who were overweight (fecundity ratio, 0.89), obese (FR, 0.75) and very obese (FR, 0.68) after adjustment for age, education, smoking history, alcohol intake, physical activity, parity, region, and waist-to-hip ratio.
A large waist-to-hip ratio (defined as 0.8 or greater), also was significantly associated with lower fecundity (FR, 0.73), with fecundity ratios less than 1 indicating reduced fecundity or longer time to pregnancy (TTP).
Read more: Obesity Especially Impairs Fertility in Black Women
TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
But I Don't Feel Too Old to Be a Mommy! The Complete Sourcebook for Starting (and Re-Starting) Motherhood Beyond 35 and After 40by Doreen Nagle
-- The first and only book to fully address the concerns of the ever-growing but greatly ignored an audience of literate, educated women who have delayed motherhood.
In this comprehensive work, women who are considering parenting in their 30s, 40s, and later-whether for the first time or starting over-will find all the information they need to make informed choices.
Complete with quotes from medical experts, later-in-life moms, and their kids, this one-stop book will calm the doubts and fears of women considering motherhood after 35 and beyond 40 by providing supportive yet realistic information.
Paperback: 275 pagesClick to order/for more info: But I Don't Feel Too Old to Be a Mommy!
Start reading But I Don't Feel Too Old to Be a Mommy! on your Kindle in under a minute!Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.
ABSTRACT: Although the transfer of fertilized donor oocytes is the most efficacious mode of conception for infertile women with hypergonadotrophism associated with incipient or apparent ovarian failure, there are many individuals who, for religious, ethical, or personal reasons, would prefer to try to conceive with their own oocytes.The three cases presented here represent extremes to date for (i) highest serum FSH concentration in a woman with incipient ovarian failure (n = 2), and (ii) the oldest woman with apparent overt ovarian failure (n = 1) to have successful pregnancies. All three cases were treated for only a short time with pharmacological dosages of ethinyl oestradiol with luteal phase support with progesterone.
The peak FSH (mIU/ml) in cases 1 and 2 was 143 and 127 respectively. The precedents set in these cases can help physician-patient consultation when patients inquire whether there is a certain critical FSH concentration above which pregnancy is not possible or an age over which successful pregnancy could not be achieved even if ovulation despite ovarian failure was possible.
First case: A 36-year-old gravida 1, para 1 presented with a 3-year history of infertility. Her estradiol was less than 20 pg/ml, her FSH was 143 mIU/ml. Conceived 2nd cycle, delivered vaginally at full term.
Second case: A 35-year-old woman presented with primary infertility and oligomenorrhoea. FSH of 22 mIU/ml, estradiol was less than 20 pg/ml. She had a successful full-term delivery.
Third case: a 45y old woman, last menstrual period was 6 months previously, FSH of 35. She delivered a full-term healthy baby.
Read more: Human Reproduction, Vol. 15, No. 8, 1709-1712, August 2000© 2000 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
3 Steps to Fertilityby Marina Nicholas
-- The world of infertility can be complex and daunting.
This book helps couples navigate the world of infertility treatment and tells them how they can maximize their chances of conceiving by following the three essential steps—gaining a full understanding of what conception entails, completing the necessary fertility tests at the appropriate time, and choosing the treatment that will improve their chances of having a baby.
Each infertile couple is unique, and what suits one couple may not suit another.
Some may be more comfortable first looking into complementary therapies while others will opt for immediate in-vitro fertilization.
With detailed information on assisted conception techniques, all possible tests, and how diet, ovulation tracking, hypnotherapy, reflexology, acupuncture, and herbal medicine can improve one's chances of having a baby, this book will help all couples find the right approach for them.
It also will ensure they are both better informed and more open to all forms of treatment as they embark on their journeys to parenthood.
Paperback: 160 pagesClick to order/for more info: 3 Steps to Fertility
Announcing the Donor Concierge web site, filled with information for intended parents looking for that perfect egg donor or surrogate to help build their family. Gail Sexton Anderson, founder, has made sure the site has all of the facts to guide intended parents through the Donor Concierge search process.
Included in the web site is an extensive Resource page as well as a Testimonials page, plus Gail's Blog.
Donor Concierge provides a comprehensive search to help intended parents find the egg donor or surrogate candidates that meet their criteria.
Gail also provides counseling as they consider the options available and to give advice as needed.
Only when intended parents reserve an egg donor or surrogate directly with the agency, will Donor Concierge step back, and at that time, the chosen agency takes over the process to complete the match and manage the cycle in conjunction with the intended parents infertility clinic.
About Donor Concierge:
Donor Concierge is a personalized search and consulting service with access to over 20,000 egg donors through more than 100 trusted egg donor agencies, as well as many reliable surrogacy programs, across the country. Gail Sexton Anderson, founder of Donor Concierge, conducts an extensive search for her clients quickly and efficiently and has helped hundreds of intended parents by taking the
overwhelmout of what can be a stressful process. Donor Concierge can usually find a minimum of 8 to a maximum of 28 egg donor candidates within a few days of the initial phone conversation. Gail has also been able to find excellent available surrogates in two weeks or less. Most of the agencies Donor Concierge works with give a discount to their Donor Concierge clients', which covers the cost of the Donor Concierge search fee.
TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
Making Babies: A Proven 3-Month Program for Maximum Fertility by Sami S. David and Jill Blakeway
-- MAKING BABIES offers a proven 3-month program designed to help any woman get pregnant.
Fertility medicine today is all about aggressive surgical, chemical, and technological intervention, but Dr. David and Blakeway know a better way.
Starting by identifying fertility types, they cover everything from recognizing the causes of fertility problems to making lifestyle choices to enhance fertility to trying surprising strategies such as taking cough medicine, decreasing doses of fertility drugs, or getting acupuncture along with IVF.
MAKING BABIES is a must-have for every woman trying to conceive, whether naturally or through medical intervention.
Dr. David and Blakeway are revolutionizing the fertility field, one baby at a time.
Paperback: 384 pagesClick to order/for more info: Making Babies
Start reading Making Babies on your Kindle in under a minute!Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.
 |
| Rest and Relaxation, by Lillian Nelson |
(I had a feeling that would get your attention.)
Did you ever consider that? How could you with all the other things to worry about:
You've cut down on alcohol, caffeine, and even processed food.
You've scheduled more time to relax and tried to reduce the stress in your life
You've started a consistent exercise routine and detoxified your house.
You've charted your monthly cycle, bought ovulation kits, and still...nothing.
But you've overlooked one very important element: sleep, which you don't get enough of.
Read more: Sleep Linked to Infertility
TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
Empty Womb, Aching Heart: Hope and Help for Those Struggling With Infertilityby Marlo Schalesky
-- Contains frank and emotionally resonate stories from both men and women facing the struggle of infertility.
Mother's Day is not a joyful occasion for all women, particularly those who would like to have children but cannot.
Marlo Schalesky's Empty Womb, Aching Heart: Hope and Help for Those Struggling with Infertility does for Christian women what Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin's Tears of Sorrow, Seeds of Hope: A Jewish Spiritual Companion for Infertility and Pregnancy Loss did for Jewish women: provide comfort and camaraderie in the face of infertility and pregnancy loss.
Paperback: 188 pagesClick to order/for more info: Empty Womb, Aching Heart
Start reading on your Kindle in under a minute!Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.
Popular Posts
-
Menopause is the time in a woman's life when her reproductive system shuts down and her reproducing days are over... or are they? For s... -
Found this on Women Over 40 With High FSH : TheFertilitycure.com -- I am sure many people here are very familiar with Randine Lewis... -
Newborn baby , by Joelle Inge-Messerschmidt/Photographybyjoelle.com In the Infertility Support forum on TCOYF's [Taking Care of You... -
Photo credit: Tea Cup , by Saxon ABSTRACT OBJECTIVES: The effect of caffeine consumption on fertility was examined prospectively in 210... -
Photo credit: Yvonne , by Duane J A woman who is over age 43 or 44 years old, will often be turned away from any chance at assisted repr... -
Found this post by Ally (Ocelot Cub) on FertilityFriends.co.uk : Ally wrote: I have collected a number of success stories from ladies w...
Recent Comments