26/11/2008 by admin.

What sort of ovulation test is the First Response Home Ovulation Test ?

The First Response home ovulation test is a midstream urine ovulation test that works by measuring the concentration of Luteinising Hormone (LH) in your urine.

LH is always present in your urine and increases just before your most fertile day of the month. This increase, or ’surge’, in LH triggers ovulation which is the release of an egg from an ovary.

How does the First Response Ovulation test show the LH surge ?

The appearance of two easy-to-read purple lines in the test’s Result Window indicates your LH surge prior to ovulation.

What does the LH surge mean ?

Most women will ovulate within 24 to 36 hours after the LH surge is detected. Predicting ovulation in advance is important because the egg can be fertilised only 6 to 24 hours after ovulation. Your two most fertile days begin with the LH surge. You are most likely to become pregnant if you have intercourse within 24 to 36 hours after you detect your LH surge.

When do I do the First Response Ovulation Test ?

You may test at any time of the day, (you do not have to use first morning urine) but you should test at approximately the same time each day and reduce your liquid intake for 2 hours before testing, since drinking excessive amounts of liquids can dilute the LH in your urine.

To find out when to begin testing, determine the length of your normal cycle. The length of your cycle is from the beginning of one period to the beginning of the next. Count the first day of bleeding or spotting as day 1.

If your cycle is irregular, that is, if it varies by more than a few days each month, take the average number of days for the last 3 months. Use the chart included with the test to work out the day you should begin testing. The day you begin testing is listed below the number of days in your normal cycle. For example, looking at the chart, if your period normally begins every 28 days, you should begin testing 11 days from the beginning of your last period.

How do I do the First Response LH test ?

The First Response Ovulation Test is simple to use - just hold the test in your urine stream for a few seconds. You will soon see the purple colour moving across the Clear Top to indicate that the test is working. Look at the Result Window at 5 minutes to read your result. Follow the full instructions enclosed in the pack before carrying out the test.

When do I read the result ?

After 5 minutes, you can compare the test line to the reference line to read your result.

How accurate is the First Response Home Ovulation Test?

The FIRST RESPONSE Ovulation Test has been shown to be over 99% accurate** in laboratory testing. 60/60 non-surge and 40/40 surge clinical samples showed correct results. For diagnostic specificity and diagnostic sensitivity.

Click here to find out more or to buy First response Home Ovulation Tests

Posted in First Response, LH Tests, LH Surge, Ovulation Prediction, Ovulation Tests | Print | 2 Comments »

26/11/2008 by admin.

What sort of pregnancy test is First Response  home pregnancy test & how do I use it ?

The 1st reponse home pregnancy test is a midstream pregnancy test.

The First Response Early Pregnancy Test is simple to perform - just hold the test stick in your urine stream for a few seconds and you will soon see the pink colour moving across the Clear Top to indicate that the test is working. After 3 minutes, you can read your result.

Test any time of the day. You don’t have to use first morning urine. Generally, however, your first morning urine contains the highest level of the pregnancy hormone.

How early can I use First Response ?

Now you no longer have to wait to miss your period! The First Response pregnancy test can be used 6 days earlier than the day of your missed periods (5 days before day of expected period).

The amount of pregnancy hormone increases as pregnancy progresses. In clinical testing, First Response detected hormone levels consistent with pregnancy in 62% of women 5 days before their expected period, in 78% of women 4 days before their expected period, in 87% of women 3 days before their expected period and in 98% of women 2 days before their expected period. Note that hormone levels may vary.

If you choose to test early and the result is negative, you may not pregnant or it may be too early to tell because your urine does not have enough hCG for the test to give a positive result. If you do not get your period within seven days, you should retest with another First Response Early Pregnancy Test.

How accurate is the First Response Pregnancy Test ?

The First Response test is over 99% accurate in laboratory testing.

How do I interpret the results of the First Response Pregnancy Test ?

The First Response Early Pregnancy Test has an easy to read test stick - two pink lines in the Result Window means you are pregnant, one pink line means you are not pregnant. The appearance of a second line, no matter how faint, is a positive result

Click here to find out more or to buy the First Response Home Pregnancy Test

Posted in First Response, Pregnancy Tests | Print | 3 Comments »

25/11/2008 by admin.

Dr Thomas Stuttaford answers readers questions on maximising fertility for men and women 9/1/08
Times Online .

Very useful & informative in our opinion.

Visit   http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/expert_advice/article3159893.ece

Posted in Fertility, Fertility Advice | Print | 1 Comment »

25/11/2008 by admin.

 This is an excellent question and answer session on this very subject that I read online last year, and wanted to share with you.

SEX ADVICE :CAN A HOT KITCHEN MAKE ME INFERTILE? From The Times February 9, 2008

Q My son works in a commercial kitchen. I’ve heard the chef Gordon Ramsay talking about “heat stress infertility” – but is this a real danger to my boy?

DR THOMAS STUTTAFORD

A Gordon Ramsay’s phrase “heat stress infertility” encapsulates two factors that might make it difficult for your son to impregnate a woman. Either the stress of being shouted at and harried from morning to night could be dampening his sexual desire, or the heat in the kitchen may be toasting his testes.

Any exhausting and stressful job – and there is no better example of this than a professional kitchen – will shrivel libido. Physically tiring or emotionally draining work leaves a man longing for peace and quiet, a pillow and sleep, rather than the embrace of a woman.

It was always believed that recruits when first joining the Army had bromide added to their tea to remove their libido. Not so. The true reason for their loss of interest in sex was that they were shouted at all day as they worked hard from 5am to midnight.

Most men’s libido would also suffer from life in a hot kitchen. The effects of heat on the physiology of the testis will become more pronounced the longer the exposure to high temperatures. And the harmful effect on sperm production may take up to three months to disappear. Testes need to be kept at a temperature that favours spermatogenesis, the manufacture of sperm. This process is not at its best if the heat is persistently abnormally high. High temperatures will affect the results of a standard comprehensive semen analysis, the sperm count, and the more detailed sperm DNA fragmentation tests.

Although men with poor-quality semen and low sperm counts are more likely to have sperm that show DNA fragmentation (abnormalities that can also affect fertility) the relationship is not consistent. Men with normal sperm counts may have DNA abnormalities. Research shows that many things can affect the ability of sperm to fertilise eggs: too few sperm, too many abnormal sperm, too little semen; or laggardly sperm which, instead of swimming purposely towards the ovum like greyhounds after a hare, stroll like shoppers down Bond Street. Conversely, excessive sperm fragmentation and DNA abnormalities reduce the chance that the ovum will develop normally.

The factors that affect male fertility in one way or the other are poor diet, smoking, environmental pollutants, drugs – including so-called recreational drugs – and excessive alcohol. Other causes of reduced fertility are: chronic infection, varicose veins in the scrotum, tight trousers, so that the testes can’t hang loosely but are held firmly against the crotch, or working in a sweaty, busy kitchen.

If your son is infertile, the first step is for him to have a comprehensive sperm assessment. When the results are known you and your son will know whether some change in lifestyle is going to be necessary if you are to have grandchildren to play with in old age.

If your son only has to give up drinking half a bottle of whisky a day, forswear cigarettes, refuse recreational drugs, and buy boxer shorts rather than Y-fronts, it shouldn’t be too much of a problem. It may be rather more difficult if he has to change his career. If he can’t face life without having a celebrity chef swearing at him like a drill sergeant, and the rest of his lifestyle is sound, there may be little that you can do.

Dr Thomas Stuttaford, The Times doctor, spent many years working in a genitourinary clinic

Read the fulll article here
http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/body_and_soul/article3334560.ece

Posted in Heat stress infertility, Sperm, Male Fertility Issues | Print | 1 Comment »

25/11/2008 by admin.

This is an extract from an article I read online earlier in the year, about how chemicals that painters & decorators are exposed to may affect sperm motility

Male painters exposed to fertility-damaging chemicals
23 May 2008

Men working as painters and decorators who are exposed to glycol ethers are more likely to have poor semen quality, according to research carried out by scientists from the Universities of Sheffield and Manchester.
The findings from the research, which have been published in the BMJ journal Occupational Environmental Medicine, show that men who work with solvents such as glycol ether have a 2.5 fold increased risk of having a low motile sperm count compared to men with low exposure. Glycol ethers are widely used in many products including water-based paints – a product used by many painters and decorators.

Sperm motility is an important factor in the fertility of men and the concentration of motile sperm per ejaculate has shown to be linked with conception. However, the size and shape of sperm (morphology) and the quality of sperm DNA are also important factors that may be affected by chemical exposure.

The findings are a result of a major collaborative UK study to determine the occupational risks of male infertility through chemical exposure in the workplace. The study, undertaken in 14 fertility clinics in 11 cities across the UK, examined the working lives of 2,118 men.

The researchers however did conclude that, apart from glycol ether, there are currently few workplace chemical threats to male fertility. 

In additional to chemical exposure, the study looked at other non-chemical factors in the men’s lifestyle. The researchers discovered that men who had undergone previous surgery to the testicles or who undertook manual work were more likely to have low motile sperm counts, whereas men who drank alcohol regularly or wore boxer shorts were more likely to have better semen quality. 

Dr Andy Povey, senior lecturer in Molecular Epidemiology at the University of Manchester, said: “We know that certain glycol ethers can affect male fertility and the use of these has reduced over the past two decades. However our results suggest that they are still a workplace hazard and that further work is needed to reduce such exposure.”

Dr Allan Pacey, senior lecturer in Andrology at the University of Sheffield, added: “Infertile men are often concerned about whether chemicals they are exposed to in the workplace are harming their fertility. Therefore it is reassuring to know that on the whole the risk seems to be quite low.”

The study was funded by the UK Health and Safety Executive, the UK Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions, the UK Department of Health and the European Chemical Industry Council.

Information taken from
http://www.manchester.ac.uk/aboutus/news/display/?id=3672

Posted in Sperm Motility, Sperm, Male Fertility Issues | Print | 1 Comment »

25/11/2008 by admin.

The debate about oily fish continues.

I just read this interesting question and answer article on this very subject from the Times Nutrtionist

 Here is an extract from the article: 

The whole oily fish debate is a bit of a minefield. The one basic rule for child-bearing women is not to eat more than two servings of oily fish a week. A serving is around 140g raw and 170g cooked weight.

This is because, although oily fish gives us omega-3 (two servings give us around 3g), which is essential for the healthy development of a baby’s brain, sadly, our polluted waterways and oceans mean that these same fish have accumulated toxins in their bodies known as dioxins and PCBs.

When we eat the oily fish, we eat these pollutants, which build up in our bodies and can be harmful to a developing baby. Although you cannot change the levels of dioxins and PCBs already in your body, you can avoid consuming too many more by sticking to these guidelines.

Not so long ago, this was pretty much all you had to remember and you could eat what you liked of white fish. Unfortunately, recently surveys have found that sea bream, turbot, halibut, huss and sea bass as well as crab may also have similar levels of dioxins and PCBs as oily fish, so you need to include these in your two servings a week.

Click here to read the full article

Dont fancy the oily fish. Then consider fertility and pregnancy suupplements fortified with DHA  or Omega 3

Click here to see Zita West Vital DHA Supplement

Click here to see fertility and pregnancy supplement Pregnacare Plus

Posted in Omega 3, Pregnacare Plus, Vital DHA | Print | No Comments »

25/11/2008 by admin.

Scientists think so.  I just read this article online and wanted to share it with you.

 Here is an extract from the article:

Despite our deep need for lifelong love, scientists have done little to study the phenomenon.

One survey of 50 couples married for 55 years, in the International Journal of Ageing and Human Development, says that they most value Independence, commitment, companionship and caring.

But political skills may play a big role, too. John Gottoman, a Washington University psychologist, told the American Association for the Advancement of Science how his study of 600 couples created a 94 per cent true test of love’s longevity: the ratio of positive to negative comments during a row (i.e. “that’s a good point, dear”, versus “you idiot”). Positive words must outnumber the negative by five to one. Below this, trouble looms.

Click here to read the full article

Posted in Keeping the romance alive | Print | 2 Comments »

25/11/2008 by admin.

Just read this article below at Times online about the results of a recently published study into which sperm can swim the fastest.

Size does not matter when it comes to a sperm’s ability to reach and fertilise an egg, a study published today suggests.

Research in the London-based journal BMC Evolutionary Biology casts doubt on the common scientific belief that sperm with longer tails can swim faster. The speed at which a sperm swims is a key factor in its capability to fertilise an egg.

While a longer tail does mean more thrust, this can be cancelled out by the drag caused by a correspondingly larger head. The proportions of the sperm - and ratio of head size to tail length - is the key factor, the researchers found.

Stuart Humphries, from the University of Sheffield, who took part in the study with collaborators from the University of Western Australia, said: “It is commonly believed that selection for increased sperm performance will favour the evolution of longer sperm. In fact, the relative lengths of a sperm’s parts, rather than their absolute lengths, are likely to be the target of selection.” The authors added that looking at liquid dynamics could allow research to progress rapidly.

The artcile can be found here http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/health/article5225778.ece

Posted in Sperm, Male Fertility Issues | Print | 1 Comment »

21/11/2008 by admin.

Weekend Special!

10% OFF ONLINE!

In order to claim your discount just visit: http://www.accessdiagnostics.co.uk/ and type in the following promotional code at the checkout:

Promotional Code: AD3DAY

Valid Until 11pm: Monday 24/11/2008

Only available at www.accessdiagnostics.co.uk. Not valid in conjunction with any other offers, subject to availability, while stocks last.

Remember UK 1^st class shipping is currently FREE when you spend over £25

Posted in Fertility Test Site | Print | 1 Comment »

18/11/2008 by admin.

Just read an interesting article online at the Times.

As an older mother myself I can relate to many of the issues they raise in the article. My partner & I waited 10 years after we married before trying for a baby as we had busy careers and lives and the time did not seem right. I realise now this was probably foolish.

When we had our first baby my husbands parents who lived locally were in their late 70’s, and so less able to help than if they had been in their 60’s. Luckily we had a neighbour who was fantastic

As an older pregnant women I ended up having an amniocentesis in my second pregnancy, which I found quite stressful although thankfully everything was ok.

I also found I was often the oldest mum in the antenatal clinic and the oldest mum at the toddler group. Now I am one of the oldest mums in the playground !  

On the plus side it does keep you young, as many of my friends are younger than myself however if I knew then what I know now I would probably have started younger.

Here is an extract fromn the article:

The risks of trying to conceive a baby later in life, amid statistics about fertility plummeting with age and the relentless tick of the biological clock often hit the headlines.

Last week Maja Butscher made medical history when she was born after the world’s first successful ovary transplant. Her mother, 39-year-old Susanne, who had suffered early menopause, became pregnant a year after being given an ovary from her twin sister in a pioneering new procedure.

But while the number of women giving birth in their late thirties and forties has doubled in the past decade, there is little focus on the psychological and physical challenges of late motherhood. No matter how much they want it, pregnancy and the turmoil of bringing up a baby can still come as a huge shock.

Two years ago, 40,659 mothers in England and Wales aged 35 and over gave birth, compared with 19,468 in 1996. Of the 669,601 babies born in 2006, 22,512 were born to mothers aged 40 and over, according to the Office for National Statistics. A further 1,064 mothers aged 45 to 49 gave birth to 1,123 children, and 55 women aged 50 and over had 71 children.

Click here to read the full article

Posted in TTC over 35, Older Mums, Trying to Conceive | Print | 1 Comment »

18/11/2008 by admin.

Use this Coupon Code to save 5% when shopping for pregnancy tests, ovulation tests, pre-seed, fertility tests & lots more fertility products

Use coupon code reward  to receive a 5% discount when spending over £5.00 on goods.

Coupon valid until end of November 2008. Online Coupon may be used multiple times. Please feel free to pass this coupon code on to your family, friends, colleagues etc. Only one discount is applied per order

Click here to visit Access Diagnostics Fertility Site

Posted in Early pregnancy tests, Fertility Test Site, LH Tests, Male Fertility Test, Sex Education, Pregnancy Tests, Fertility Tests | Print | 1 Comment »

14/11/2008 by admin.

Simply place your order before the end of Nov 2008 to attract Free Standard 1^st Class UK Delivery on all products when you spend over £25.

Click here to visit Access Diagnostics Fertility Test site for FREE Delivery offer

Posted in Fertility Test Site, Ovulation Tests, Pregnancy Tests, Trying to Conceive, Fertility Tests | Print | 1 Comment »

12/11/2008 by admin.

 “DHA will be become as important for pregnancy as Folic Acid in the future”
Zita West

What is Zita West Vital DHA ?

Vital DHA is an essential fatty acid containing DHA and GLA.

Essential fatty acids are very important for female fertility, helping hormone balance and egg production, and for male fertility too, as they are thought to help with the manufacture of healthy sperm.
VitalDHA can be used by itself, should you so wish or it can be used as a companion product alongside a multivitamin and mineral such as Pregnancy Plan.

How does Vital DHA help our fertility & pregnancy ?

Zita West strongly recommend that all couples should consider DHA supplementation during their preparation for conception and that women should continue with this through pregnancy and in the months following birth. Research has associated optimal foetal and infant development with the availability of sufficient levels of fatty acids in the mother’s diet.

How do I take Zita West Vital DHA ?

1 capsule is to be taken two times a day with or after food.

How is Zita West Vital DHA made ?

Vital DHA is made from ultra-pure oils which are molecularly distilled to test for the absence of all known contaminants. It is free from artificial colours, preservatives and gluten and is certified non-GM.
All tuna oil used is dolphin-friendly and from sustainable stocks.
Capsule shells (vegi-caps) contain no meat products.

Click here for more info or to buy Zita West Vital DHA

Posted in Omega 3 & fertility, Vital DHA, Pregnancy Supplements, Fertility Supplements, Zita West | Print | 1 Comment »

11/11/2008 by admin.

Ideal for preconception, pregnancy & breastfeeding.

Newly formulated high quality one-a-day multi-stage multivitamin from fertility guru Zita West.

Contains 24 important vitamins and minerals, including anti-oxidants for healthy cellular growth, B vitamins for hormonal health, plus Folic Acid, Beta-carotene, Iron, Magnesium and Zinc.

Suitable for vegetarians

Eack pack contains 30 tablets

Click here for more info or to buy Zita West Pregnancy Plan Fertility and Pregnancy Supplement

Posted in Fertility Supplements, Vitamin & Mineral Supplements, Zita West, Pregnancy, Folic Acid | Print | 2 Comments »

11/11/2008 by admin.

The bestselling Zita West Vital DHA is now available in a 4 week blister pack

The benefits of DHA and Omega 3 have been making news for the past decade for all stages of reproduction, from preparing for conception, through to pregnancy and immediately after the birth.

It is especially important for the development of your baby’s brain and nervous system as well as in the manufacture of healthy sperm.

Both partners should think about building their reserves prior to conception.

If you are already pregnant, it is well worth starting at any time during pregnancy, whether or not you have considered taking supplemental DHA before you conceived. It can be particularly important as your baby is entirely reliant on your supply of DHA.

Click here for more info or to buy Zita West Vital DHA Fertility & Pregnancy Supplement

Posted in Fertility Supplements, Zita West | Print | 1 Comment »

10/11/2008 by admin.

Just read this article from The Times today

Here is an extract from the article

Infertile couples could double their chances of starting a family by IVF, with an embryo quality test developed by British and American scientists.

The first trial of the procedure, which identifies embryos with the best chances of developing into healthy babies, delivered remarkable results that suggest it could transform IVF success rates, while helping to prevent damaging multiple pregnancies.

Of 23 women to have their embryos genetically screened with the technology, two have given birth while another 16 are currently pregnant and have passed the point at which miscarriages typically occur. Another two became pregnant but miscarried.

The 78 per cent success rate is particularly outstanding because all the patients had a poor prognosis, with an average age of 37½ and a history of failed attempts at IVF or miscarriage.

Dagan Wells, of the University of Oxford, who leads the research team, has applied for permission from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) to offer the test at the Oxford Fertility Unit, and a British trial is expected to begin next year. The test will eventually cost about £2,000.

It could raise success rates when only a single embryo is used. The HFEA has launched a strategy to promote single embryo transfer, to guard against twin and triplet pregnancies – the biggest health risk of IVF.

Dr Wells said: “The pregnancy rates we’ve got so far are absolutely phenomenal.” The probability that one embryo leads to a pregnancy is doubled, he said. “That means that you’ve got a much better chance of a pregnancy if you do a single embryo transfer.”

The new procedure to detect chromosomal defects called aneuploidies was developed by Dr Wells with colleagues from the Colorado Centre for Reproductive Medicine near Denver.

Click here to read the full story

Click here to read related article ‘Twins on the way after more thorough testing’

Click here to read the fertility docotrs response to the new IVF embryo test

Posted in IVF | Print | No Comments »

07/11/2008 by admin.

Persona is marketed in the UK by Unipath, the makers of the Clearblue range of pregnancy tests, ovulation tests & the fertility monitor.

Persona is sold as a digital hand held unit which comes with 16 test sticks which are used in the first month to set up or calibrate the device. After this the user on average uses 6-8 Persona test sticks per month and the monitor indicates the onset of the possible fertile periods occuring in each mentrual cycle.

Persona works by monitoring the changes in hormones (Persona measures both luteinising hormone and oestrogen) which control your cycle and identifies the days when you are at significant risk of becoming pregnant.

The Persona monitor  reads, stores and uses the information from the Persona test sticks to let you know whether you are at risk of becoming pregnant (‘Red’ Day) or free to make love without a contraceptive* (‘Green’ Day).

As part of the calculation is cycle time based, women must have a regular cycle

The manufacturer lists the following as excluding Persona as a suitable method (ie You should not us Persona if…….)

PERSONA is 94% reliable when used according to the instructions and as the only method of contraception. 

Persona is often recommended by contraception clinics as “It is best for couples in stable relationships, whom are seeking to avoid

 pregnancy, but for whom an unplanned pregnancy would not be a disaster.”

Persona has a UK RRP of £64.99 for the starter pack and £9.99 for a box of 8 test sticks.

Persona Monitor and test sticks are not available on prescription and have to be purchased by the user.

Click here for more information on Discount Persona Monitor Starter Pack or to buy

Click here for more information on Discount Persona test sticks or to buy

Posted in Persona, Fertility Monitor | Print | 1 Comment »

06/11/2008 by admin.

Just found this informative article while reading another one and thought you may find it interesting. The article is from the Sunday Times October 19th . It is fairly long so I have edited it down.

Why are we so slow to spot fertility-threatening fibroids?

“I wish to God someone had sat me down when I was 30 and said, ‘You need to be having babies now,’ ” says Elaine Foran, a 40-year-old celebrity agent. Foran has had three miscarriages as a result of fibroids, a condition that affects up to half of all women, yet is often misdiagnosed or ignored. “It wasn’t until I had a miscarriage that the fibroids were spotted on a scan,” she says. “Nobody had even suggested I might have them before. People are quite embarrassed to talk about them. I bet if it was a condition that affected men, we would all know more.”

Fibroids are noncancerous growths of muscle tissue that form in the uterus, and can lead to infertility and miscarriage. They usually occur when a woman is in her thirties or forties, which means they are becoming an issue for increasing numbers of women choosing to have children later in life.

Yet there seems to be a conspiracy of silence about fibroids; because there are often no symptoms, they are rarely mentioned or checked for, until it is too late. Treatment can also be hit and miss. Doctors used to perform a hysterectomy in serious cases, but now that is a less viable option, as more women want to remain fertile for longer.

After three miscarriages, Foran decided to seek private treatment, and last year she had 17 fibroids removed in an operation known as a myomectomy. This is a complicated surgical procedure with a number of risks, and it can make conceiving more difficult. Foran felt she had no choice. “If I hadn’t had the operation, it would have meant getting pregnant again and potentially losing another baby,” she says. “After my last miscarriage, I was very depressed. I would wake up every day at 4am, and it took me a long time to recover.”

Foran’s operation went well, but since then she has not been able to conceive. “It is early days, but I have always got pregnant really easily, so I’m worried. The problem is that the fibroids were on the wall of my uterus, and you can get scar tissue that stops an embryo attaching,” she says.

Fibroids: the facts

Fibroids are benign growths of muscle that occur in the womb. They can be as small as a pea or as big as a melon. An estimated 20%-50% of women develop fibroids at some stage in their lives, usually those aged 30 to 50 who have not had children.

Symptoms can include heavy bleeding, weight gain, increased frequency of urination, back pain and trouble getting or staying pregnant. Many women, however, have no symptoms.

Fibroids are one of the leading reasons for hysterectomies, which are carried out on about 30,000 women a year in the UK. They are never removed during pregnancy because of the risk of bleeding.

The cause of fibroids is unknown, but genetics are a factor. If a woman’s mother had fibroids, her risk of having them is about three times higher than average.

An Italian study found that women who eat little meat but a lot of green vegetables and fruit seem less likely to develop fibroids than women who eat a lot of red meat and few vegetables.

Click here to read the full article

Posted in Fibroids & fertility, Womens Health, Fertility | Print | 1 Comment »

06/11/2008 by admin.

Just read an intersting article online from Sunday Times 2/11/08 saying that the government is revising its guidelines on how much caffeine is safe during pregnancy.

Strangely enough when I am pregnant I completely go off coffee, although I love it normally. However I did not go off tea, chocolate & cola which also contain caffeine . Here is an extract from the article below:

Pregnant women will be warned this week to limit their caffeine consumption to two cups of coffee a day or risk giving birth to underweight babies.

The government’s food standards watchdog will issue guidance to coincide with a study linking caffeine to low birth weight. Scientists have previously linked it to miscarriages.

The advice from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) comes a week after scientists found that a weekly glass of wine during pregnancy could help boost a baby’s behaviour and vocabulary.

The FSA is lowering the current recommended caffeine limit of 300mg a day to 200mg, the equivalent of two average-sized mugs of instant or two cups of brewed coffee a day.

It has also identified other products containing caffeine that count towards the 200mg total. The limit is equivalent to four cups of tea, five cans of cola, three energy drinks or five bars of chocolate.

Andrew Wadge, chief scientist at the FSA, said: “This is new advice but these are not new risks. I want to reassure women that if you’re pregnant and have been following the previous advice, the risk is likely to be tiny.”

Coffee shops have higher levels of caffeine in their drinks than assumed in the FSA guide-lines, which state that an average mug of coffee contains 100mg.

A small cafe latte in Starbucks contains 240mg of caffeine, meaning a pregnant woman would exceed the recommended daily caffeine intake in one drink. A new generation of energy drinks, including Spike Shooter, contain up to 300mg of caffeine in a single can. The mass market drink, Red Bull, typically contains 80mg.

Click here to read the full story

Posted in Pregnancy | Print | 2 Comments »

05/11/2008 by admin.

How to take your Basal Body Temperature (BBT)

1. Taking Your BBT Temperature

Your Basal Body Temperature is probably best taken orally (simplest in my opinion ), by placing the thermometer under your tongue. BBT temperature refers to a ‘resting’ or ‘base’ temperature. That means that your BBT must be measured before activity, after at least four hours of sleep. Take your BBT temperature first thing each morning (ideally at the same time each morning) - as soon as you wake up and before you get out of bed or have a cup of tea! Other things such as hot drinks, infections, illness etc can affect your BBT reading.

2. Charting Your BBT Temperature
Starting on day one of your menstrual cycle - the first day of your period - begin recording your BBT temperature using graph paper. Each morning, record your temperature. Plot each day’s BBT on the a graph. Your temperature rise may be sudden, gradual, or in steps. The pattern may vary from cycle to cycle.

3. Predicting Ovulation
Typically a rise of at least 0.4 to 0.6 degrees centigrade or  will take place at ovulation, though for different women the temperature increases may be sudden or gradual. Over time, charting you BBT will help you predict ovulation.

It is important to remember that the rise in your BBT (basal body temperature) does not tell you when you are most fertile or about to ovulate. It tells you when you already have ovulated. Women are most fertile in the few days before their peak temperature.

Click here to see Digital Thermometers suitable for BBT

Posted in Fertile Time, Signs of Ovulation, Basal Body Temperature, BBT, Ovulation, Natural Fertility Methods | Print | 13 Comments »

04/11/2008 by admin.

I think I’m  ovulating -how can I tell ?

Cervical mucus is clear, sticky & kind of stringy just before ovulation-this is called Spinbarkeit mucus (I think-I will check spelling later) and signifies the most fertile time of the cycle. This slippery  stretchy cervical mucus resembles uncooked egg whites.

It is this clear, wet & stringy ’egg-white type’ cervical  mucus, which helps the sperm move freely from the vagina, through the cervix, and into the uterus in search of an newly released egg. This is the most fertile time in a woman’s cycle.

p.s I looked it up online and it looks like this fertile cervical mucus is called Spinbarkeit mucus although I found a couple of different spellings-not sure which was in right.

Posted in Signs of Ovulation, Fertile Time, Cervical Mucus, Ovulation, Natural Fertility Methods | Print | 1 Comment »

03/11/2008 by admin.

What can you do to help improve things if you have a low sperm count ?
-Eat a healthy, balanced diet.
-Take regular exercise.
-Try to maintain your weight in the ideal range.
-Don’t smoke.
-Keep alcohol consumption within recommended limits.
-Don’t use recreational drugs.
-Try to reduce stress.
Two other actions have been suggested that may help
Avoid tight underwear or wear boxer shorts
Cold showers or scrotal soaks - while these might take the mind off fertility concerns for a few moments, there is no evidence of their effectiveness.

You may also consider taking a dietry supplement

Click here to see a range of supplements suitable for men trying to conceive

Posted in Sanatogen Pro-Natal, Fertility Supplements, Vitamin & Mineral Supplements, Male Fertility Issues | Print | 1 Comment »

03/11/2008 by admin.

There are many possible causes of fertility problems in men.

They include:
-obstructive problems (blockages in sperm-carrying tubes)
-testicular injury and disease
-varicocele
-sperm disorders
-genetic disorders
-problems with erection and ejaculation
-hormonal problems
-general medical disorders that reduce fertility
-drugs that reduce fertility
-Environmental toxins and radiation.

Posted in Male Fertility Issues | Print | No Comments »

03/11/2008 by admin.

A survey recently carried out by Norwich Union Healthcare revealed that only five percent of men were aware they might have a lower sperm count than average. Many men may be too embarrassed to get their sperm checked by their GP or at a fertility clinic and for them a home male fertility test can be a useful screening test that can be used in the privacy of their own home.

Research has found a rising number of men are now being treated for reduced fertility. Some studies show average sperm counts have fallen by more than half and although the causes are uncertain experts suspect lifestyle factors such as alcohol and drug use, lack of exercise, smoking and obesity as well as environmental factors may be to blame for this alarming increase in the figures.

With 1 in 4 couples suffering from fertility problems and some experts predicting this to increase to 1 in 3 in the near future, the problem of male subfertility needs to be addressed.

The FertilityScoree home male fertility test allows men to check the quality of their sperm in the privacy of their own home simply and quickly. It measures the amount of motile sperm (sperm that are able to move freely) concentration within minutes and can give a strong indication as to the quantity of motile sperm in the sample, which is one of the most accurate indications of sperm quality and quantity.

The home test is positive if it represents 20 million sperm per ml, which is the cut off quantity recommended by the World Health Organisation between fertile and infertile. In a clinical study the FertilitySCORE Home Male was shown to be 93% accurate in identifying semen samples containing 20 million or more motile sperm per ml. Click here to for more information or to buy home male fertility test (home sperm counts) visit Access Diagnostics Fertility Test site

Posted in Male Fertility Test, Fertility Tests, Male Fertility Issues | Print | 1 Comment »

03/11/2008 by admin.

 Here is an extract below from an article I read in the Times last year, about a little known condition called Ashermanns Syndrome

THE HIDDEN THREAT TO FERTILITY
A rarely diagnosed condition called Asherman’s causes miscarriage and can prevent pregnancy, yet it’s cheap to test for and can be treated
Catherine Bruton The Times Dec 10th 2007

Sarah Raynes had no trouble conceiving the first time around. But when, a year after her son was born, she wanted to try for her second child, her menstrual cycle hadn’t resumed – despite confirmation from a home ovulation kit that she was ovulating regularly. At her GP’s advice, she gave up breast-feeding, but several months later there was still no sign of her periods returning, and Sarah started to get concerned.

She turned to the internet for advice: “I typed ‘ovulation without bleeding’ into a search engine and came across a condition called Asherman’s Syndrome.”

Also known as scarring of the uterus, this syndrome can result in permanent infertility and recurrent miscarriage. It is usually caused by a D&C (a dilation and curettage) procedure, performed to clear the uterus after a miscarriage, to remove a retained placenta after the birth of a child or, in a minority of cases, to abort a pregnancy.

Here is the link to read the full story

Posted in Ashermanns Syndrome, Fertility, Fertility File | Print | 1 Comment »

01/11/2008 by admin.

There are now lots of home pregnancy tests that can be used before your period is due.

Most home pregnancy tests are designed to give a positive result in most women by the day that your period is due. Now we also have lots of home pregnancy test kits available that can be used before your period is due.

Home pregnancy tests work by measuring the concentration of a pregnancy hormone Human Chorionic Gonadatrophin (hcg for short) in a urine sample.

The lower the amount of this hormone that the pregnancy test can detect , the earlier the pregnancy test can be used.

Home pregnancy tests vary in their sensitivity. Many pregnancy tests detect 25mIU of hcg in urine. In recent years manufacturers have been producing pregnancy test kits that detect even lower levels of hcg in urine.

The 10mIU pregnancy test kit is one of the most sensitive pregnancy tests available as it can detect just 10mIU of hcg in a urine sample, which means it can detect pregnancy earlier than a standard 25mIU test.

Pregnancy tests come in a range of sensitivities, as a general rule, the lower the sensitivity, the earlier the test will give a positive result. The most sensitive home pregnancy tests available is the ultra 10 mIU test.

We know lots of people wish to test early, and for some, with irregular or erratic cycles, knowing when to test can be challenging.

In this situation, the earliest time at which hCG is possibly detectable is 8 -10 days after conception. This is dependent on early implantation and placental development to a level able to cause urinary concentrations of hCG in excess of the sensitivity of the pregnancy tests used.

If you do decide to test early, always use your first morning sample, use an ultra sensitive pregnancy test, and be prepared to re-test at 48 hr intervals, and if you do get very early positive results, always confirm these a few days later (as sadly some very early implantations do not continue )

Click here for more information on ultra sensitive early pregnancy test kits

Click here for more information on early pregnancy test kits

Posted in How soon can I do a pregnancy test, Early pregnancy tests, Pregnancy Tests | Print | 1 Comment »

01/11/2008 by admin.

In my opinion the best pregnancy test currently on the UK market is the Clearblue Digital Pregnancy Test. 

 It gives the user a definite yes you are pregnant, or no your not pregnant in a digital display, leaving no room for confusion.

However all this technology comes at cost making the Clearblue Digital Pregnancy Test also the most expensive pregnancy test on the UK market (definitely the Rolls Royce of pregnancy test kits)

It can also be used up to 4 days early and the new Clearblue Digital Pregnancy Test also has a conception indicator telling you approximately when you conceived (useful if you are unsure)

Click here for more information on the Clearblue Digital Pregnancy Test

Posted in Clearblue Digital Pregnancy Test conception indicator, Clearblue Digital Pregnancy Test, Best Pregnancy Test, Clearblue, Pregnancy Tests | Print | 1 Comment »

01/11/2008 by admin.

As it is Saturday I decided to blog on something fun.

I have recently come to believe that sexy underwear is a great moral booster for women. It used to be that matching knickers and bra were quite pricey and maybe just for special occaisons.

Now all the supermarkets sell the most wonderful glamourous underwear & at just a few pounds per item, there is no excuse for not treating yourself to some lovely lacy matching underwear sets. Marks and Spencers has a wonderful range of sexy underwear at reasonable prices. For best value for money you can’t really beat Asda and Tesco’s underwear ranges

I recently read in a survey of men that sexy underwear does not make a huge difference to how attractive they find us. However it does make a huge difference to how we feel about ourselves, and that in itself can affect ones attractiveness to the opposite sex.

Lets face it if you feel sexy you act sexy-so come on girls were worth it!

Lets get some new matching underwear sets and chuck out the grotty old ones-you know the ones I mean.

Lets get some fun & glamour back into our underwear drawers, and in to the bedroom !

Posted in Sex, Keeping the romance alive | Print | No Comments »