15/01/2010 by amymarner.

Theta Healing is and energy healing which allows us to explore and release the memories we hold which may be blocking our full potential.  The Fertility Solutions Programme uses Theta Healing and Hypnosis to gently discover and release any beliefs, memories or emotions that may be blocking conception.  The process can also address physical symptoms such as PCOS.

<!–[if !supportEmptyParas]–> Tracy Holloway developed the Fertility Solutions Programme after years of working in the area of fertility.  Tracy has worked as a Hypnotherapist, Psychologist and Theta Practitioner who is renowned in the area of fertility.  She has brought together her rich knowledge and experience to develop the unique programme which explores the well being of the whole person in order to support their reproductive health.

<!–[if !supportEmptyParas]–> Using Theta Healing it is possible to address physical symptoms which may be affecting fertility, for example PCOS, Fibroids, Endometriosis and Sperm motility (to name a few).  It is also possible to address emotional issues which affect couples who are experiencing fertility challenges.  Many of my female clients will talk to me about their grieving each time their period arrives.  They describe their fertility journey as a roller coaster ride. They have hope during the month then the grieving starts as their cycle begins again.  Using the Fertility Solutions Programme it is possible for women to view each cycle as a positive thing, their body is working in the way that will make pregnancy possible at some point in the future, rather than a setback.  Sometimes a simple relieving of stress is enough to support conception.

<!–[if !supportEmptyParas]–> One thing that is important to remember is each couple is unique, their journey is unique and they will conceive in their own time.  In other words it’s best not to compare yourselves with others because everyone’s journey is different.  Using the Fertility Solutions programme it is possible to address the emotional stresses and strains and focus on other areas of your life (enjoying your relationship for example) rather than relying on conception to bring happiness.  By addressing both physical and emotional aspects of fertility it is possible to have your best chance of conception.

<!–[if !supportEmptyParas]–> <!–[endif]–>

Posted in Fertility Experts, Male Infertility, Guest blogger, Alternative medicine, Fertility Services, Running on empty, Hypnotherapy, Fertility Blog, Support for infertility, Theta Healing, pcos syndrome, Fertility Blogger, Infertility & Stress, doing things differently, Self care, Alternative Therapies & Fertility, Stress, Fertility, Infertility, Natural Fertility Methods, Womens Health, Fibroids & fertility, Stress relief, lifestyle and fertility, Fertility Treatment, PCOS, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, Male Fertility Issues | No Comments »

04/01/2010 by yourgreatlife.

How do you find the support you need for your infertility?  Regardless of how you came to be infertile or what your goal, it can be a challenge to find someone who not only empathizes with your situation, but also is prepared to be there for you on either an emotional or practical level. You may wonder why, for something so fundamental to your happiness, someone wouldn’t want to be counted in your support network. 

Why You May Not Be Getting the Support You Need from Logical Sources

1. They believe that you must be responsible for your infertility somehow.
2. Your partner is ambivalent about becoming a father or mother.
3. You want to be a single parent.
4. You are not married to your partner.
5. You are in a gay relationship and they believe every child needs a father
6. They are infertile also and worry they will lose you to a baby and mom-friends.
7. It’s your boss. Doctor appointments and maternity leave will inconvenience them.
8. People think you should be grateful that you already have one child.
9. They are jealous of the attention and sympathy you get for your infertility.
10. They are too wrapped up in their own life to realize you need them.

Those people may not realize they are being unsupportive. What is obvious to you may not occur to them.  An example:  your mother phoning you daily with details of her friend’s daughter’s pregnancy.  “What do you mean? I thought you would be happy for her.” Or, someone may think if you needed them you would ask and you haven’t.

They may be judgmental.  “Well if she hadn’t (pick one) a) taken such a stressful job, b) had that abortion years ago, c) waited so long or d) gained so much weight, she wouldn’t be in this situation now.” In fact, almost the entire list comes from people judging you and your condition by their own values, rather than stepping into your shoes to think what it must be like to be you.  However, you may be able to turn their attitude around.

First, look at your own responsibility for the situation and take ownership of it.  In that way, you will be less likely to assign blame, feel resentment and put other people on the defensive.

1. Have you failed to let people know about your infertility? (Most can’t read minds.)
2. Have you made it so much a part of your identity that you sound like a broken record?
3. Have you not been there for them when they needed your support?
4. Have you isolated yourself from all your friends who have children?
5. Have you held back on congratulations toward a sister-in-law, cousin or colleague who has had a baby?
6. Did you previously fail to show empathy toward someone else who was infertile?
7. Do you whine too much?
8. Have you lost your perspective?
9. Have you made sex seem like a chore, obliterating the romance and passion in the bedroom?

If you don’t keep up your work, friendships, social or sport activities, you may become “out of sight, out of mind.” If you no longer accept invitations, people may assume you no longer want or need their company.  Though it may seem logical to you and very unfair to compare the situations, a friend who has had a difficult pregnancy or birth, postnatal depression, has a colicky baby or has had a miscarriage, may feel that you have not supported her when she needed you.  It isn’t your friend’s fault that you haven’t yet had a baby of your own.  Messages can be misconstrued and feelings hurt on both sides.  All relationships need to be nurtured in order to thrive, so give to get.

How to Find The Right Kind of Support

The trick to getting support is to first list the type of support you need, and then identify who can provide it.  For example:

• Someone who will listen and keep it confidential
• Go with me to the doctor
• Someone who’s also infertile and knows what it’s like
• Friends I can go out with, to forget my problems
• Cover my workload when I need time off
• Friend(s) who won’t need an explanation or take it personally when I opt out of get-togethers and baby showers
• Give me my injections  
• Pass the word so that I don’t have to get into it 10 times a day
• Friend who will rescue me from upsetting conversations
• Help me with my food and fitness plans

Now, split your list of needs into two, under the headings: emotional support and practical support. Connect the tasks with the names of people you know. Then ask yourself a very important question: “Is it reasonable for me to expect this person to provide this support.”  Consider:

1.     your relationship

2.     their nature (sensitivity, generosity, etc…)

3.     their availability

4.     their reliability

Next, look at acquaintances in an outer layer of your life.  A colleague at work may also be trying to conceive.  You may click with a nurse at the clinic.  That other woman you always see in the RE’s waiting room may be happy to go for a coffee. A friend of a friend may have had the treatment you are considering and be happy to answer your questions. Reach out when you feel strong enough or the need is big enough. Infertility seems like a personal or sensitive subject that people may wait for you to bring up the conversation. So go for it; you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

When No One Close at Hand Will Do - Infertility forums are wonderful resources for information, camaraderie and supportive conversations.  They all have a “personality” of their own, so cruise them for a few days to figure out which one is a good fit for you.  There are also hundreds of blogs written by infertile women (and a few by men) to which you can subscribe.  Again, cruise the blogs until you find an appropriate few, keeping in mind that they are the product of someone else’s personal experiences, attitude and knowledge level.  After a little while, if you keep reading and commenting on the forum(s) or blog(s) of your choice, you will feel a part of that community.  Be careful though not to take someone else’s experience or opinion as valid medical advice unless they are medically qualified.  Always check with the doctor treating you before trying anything that may interfere with or delay your chances of treatment.

Professional Support - Last, but not least, there is an advantage in having a specialist fertility coach if you are not coping well with your infertility.  The criteria to look for in a coach include training, rapport between the two of you and their ability to teach and motivate you to achieve the positive changes you are after. While coaches don’t absolutely need to have personal experience with a client’s issues to be effective, I believe that it is a genuine advantage in the area of fertility coaching. A fertility coach who has herself had difficulty conceiving, will have an authentic understanding of the emotional, physical, financial and social aspects of the fertility rollercoaster ride.

There is plenty of evidence that your state of mind can affect your fertility.  If you are overly stressed, feeling negative, comfort-eating, arguing with your partner or not sleeping, you are not creating the best possible state of wellbeing for conception, pregnancy and childbirth.  A fertility coach will look at the whole person to determine which small changes in your attitudes, actions and lifestyle will make a difference to your overall wellbeing.  From that better place, you will work together to find the best way to create and build your family. By aligning your goals with your value system, your coach may also be able to help you determine whether to undergo or continue fertility treatment, if and when to stop trying to conceive, end fertility treatment or consider an alternative path to parenting, such as egg or sperm donation, surrogacy or adoption.

In the end, it’s your choice of how open or private you will be about your infertility and that will directly affect what kind of support you receive.  Just remember support comes in many forms and from many places and sometimes must be earned. Be understanding; over time, supporters can be more or less active in your life as their own circumstances change.  Giving support is not a job description; it’s a gift.

Lisa Marsh is the fertility coach  and owner of Your Great Life in Stanmore, North London.  For more information about her, go to http://yourgreatlife.co.uk. Subscribe to her blog at http://yourgreatlife.typepad.com or to arrange a coaching session, in person or via telephone, please contact her at 020 8954 2897 or lisa@yourgreatlife.co.uk. 

You can also follow Lisa at http://twitter.com/yourgreatlife for helpful Fertility and Miscarriage Support Tips, as well as other information about news in the field of women’s reproductive health.

Posted in fertility coach, Life Coaching, Fertility & stress, Fertility Blogger, Support for infertility, Fertility Experts, Guest blogger, Infertility, Fertility, Friendship & support, lifestyle and fertility, Fertility Advice | 4 Comments »

25/11/2009 by yourgreatlife.

Have you considered your weight as one of the possible obstacles to your dreams of having a baby? This isn’t about being fat or skinny; no judgment about your appearance is being made. Your weight can play a significant part in the ability of your body to ovulate, produce quality eggs and maintain a healthy pregnancy, especially if you are extremely underweight or overweight.  

You may already have some idea about your weight’s impact on your reproductive system if you have had irregular menstrual periods, the onset of a thyroid condition or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or vitamin deficiencies.  What you may not know is that very overweight or underweight women have a much lower chance of conceiving, even with fertility treatment. As a result, many fertility specialists won’t take on a patient who wouldn’t benefit as much from their help and/or whose unsuccessful treatment would affect their success ratings.  

Many clinics will use your weight, or Body Mass Index (BMI), as criteria for accepting you as a patient.  There is no hard and fast rule on this because one athletic woman with developed musculature can weigh more and carry less fat than another woman of similar age and height.  BMI of 19 – 24 is considered normal and 25 – 29 overweight. If either your weight or BMI falls under 19 or above 29, you may encounter a delay in being accepted for treatment, with instructions to lose or gain weight before coming back.  Whether you are still trying to become pregnant naturally, or if fertility treatment is your next step and your weight is a possible issue, here are some steps that you can follow to move forward with your family plan.  

Your Attempts to Conceive Keep notes, not only of your weight, but also how often you have a period and how often and when you have sexual intercourse without the use of contraceptive devices. There are books available that provide a structure for tracking essential information for fertility, but any journal or notebook will do. 

Identify Your Obstacles See your doctor to identify whether your current weight is a possible obstacle to conception. You must be forthcoming about your pattern of weight gain and loss, your eating habits and any extreme dieting or exercising you have done, even if you find these topics embarrassing.  You may be tested for high or low blood pressure, thyroid function, diabetes, vitamin and mineral deficiencies and the level of oestrogen you are producing.  

Eating Disorders Serious eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, and extreme compulsive overeating require medical supervision, structured programs and counselling over a lengthy period to ensure and support recovery. Anorexia and obesity can both affect ovarian function adversely and bulimia is linked to PCOS, so pregnancy is unlikely, though not impossible. If you do conceive while battling an eating disorder, it could impact negatively upon the baby’s ability to thrive as well as your own health. Think about everything you eat and drink passing to the baby in your womb, though in a slightly different form. Not only nutrients are taken in by the baby, but also the high calorie/ high sugar and high fat content of your less nutritious food.   

Recovery from an eating disorder can be a long and difficult process; it’s not only about what you eat, but also why you eat it that needs to be determined.  The destructive cycle of thought and behaviour has to be broken and relearned in a positive way.  The baby will be dependant upon you and require a fully present parent. 

Eating disorders actually require an enormous amount of mental energy, planning the next binge, the next purge (self-induced vomiting) or how to avoid eating without anyone else noticing.  These disorders are nearly always accompanied by some degree of self-hatred. Dissatisfaction with the sufferer’s appearance, social relationships and/or self-belief fuels the fire and that brings on more irrational and dangerous behaviour. 

If you think, or know, that you have an undiagnosed eating disorder, don’t waste a minute before you consult a doctor.  I am not minimizing the difficulty in admitting it to oneself; it will take courage and commitment. 

Your GP can probably refer you to a specialist medical unit where counselling  and other practical assistance is offered.  There are also many groups where you can meet with people who have experienced similar disorders and receive confidential support.  

Lifestyle Changes for Self-CareYour health is vital before, during and after you conceive, carry and deliver your baby.  You can’t breathe a sigh of relief upon conceiving and then let yourself go to pot.  Bad habits don’t disappear overnight, so get working on them immediately. 

If your current weight is due to poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking or over-consumption of alcohol, a nutritionist and an experienced personal trainer can advise on necessary changes in your lifestyle.  This is no time for a crash diet or the use of over-the-counter weight-loss or weight-gain drugs or powdered drink mixes. Don’t put all of yourself into a weight-loss or weight-gain scheme just to win the approval of your RE, only to let it all go back the way it had been afterward.  Careless indulgence in bad habits means that you aren’t prioritizing self-care.   

How fit you are will also determine how you carry a pregnancy.  Over the nine months, you may be carrying anywhere between 18 and 45 extra pounds, putting extra pressure on your skin, muscles, veins, spine, breasts and joints.  Stretch marks only mar the surface of your body, but varicose veins can result from carrying too much weight and excess blood flow during pregnancy and knee trouble is quite common in obese women.  That’s just during pregnancy. 

Then comes the aftermath: life with baby.  Think about how often mothers  have to bend over, crouch down on the floor, get in and out of the car or bus, lift car seats and play cots and balance a baby on one hip.   If you were quite overweight before conceiving, and continue your poor habits, you could easily find yourself 75 to 100 pounds above your optimal weight before you give birth.   

Trading One Habit for Another Keep in mind that what you ingest (not just food) during pregnancy and breastfeeding, your baby will too. Do not consider turning to cigarettes, alcohol or caffeinated, artificially sweetened soft drinks to help you avoid eating.  Nicotine and damaged lung tissue stay in your system for a very long time.  Smoking itself can cause low birth weight and nicotine addiction in newborns.  Alcohol could result in your baby being born with Foetal Alcohol Syndrome, which could cause low birth weight, developmental problems or epilepsy among other symptoms that could affect him for life. The soft drinks will just fill you up, make you gassy and add no nutrition relative to the volume you consume.  Since you need extra nutrients for optimal health at conception, don’t waste space on junk drinks. 

Your Motivation Finding the motivation to change your behaviour should be simple because you already have a goal in mind. You want to become pregnant and give birth to a healthy baby. Use that goal as motivation to change your attitudes and behaviour.  Think of yourself as a healthy vessel for conceiving, carrying and then caring for your child. When you are on the verge of bingeing, skipping a meal or eating junk food, consider how that would impact upon your weight and health and ultimately upon your attempts to conceive. 

Your Plan Bad habits take a long time to embed, so they are not going to change over night. If you and your doctor believe that you can make positive weight changes yourself, formulate your own structured plan. Write down your:  

• specific weight,
• a realistic time frame,
• a list of quality foods in moderate quantities and
• the exercise you will do to boost your health and strength
• other healthy strategies to achieving your goal weight.

Keep track of your efforts and your achievements as you move toward your goal. While there may be other obstacles to conceiving a healthy pregnancy, if you persevere, you will have eliminated weight as one of them.  

Lisa Marsh is a qualified life coach in
London, UK, specializing in Fertility and Miscarriage Support. She is dedicated to educating and supporting men and women concerned with reproductive health, infertility, fertility treatment and all forms of family building. 

To find out more about Lisa and her work as a fertility coach, visit her blog at http://yourgreatlife.typepad.com/.  She can be contacted at 020 8954 2897 or lisa@yourgreatlife.co.uk  for coaching, article writing or speaking engagements. You can also follow her on Twitter for Fertility and Miscarriage Support Tips at http://twitter.com/yourgreatlife .

Posted in Weight loss, fertility coach, Fertility & weight, female fertility, PCOS, Fertility, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, Fertility Advice | 2 Comments »

16/11/2009 by amymarner.

Hypnosis is a natural state that we all enter daily. It’s those times when your imagination is active, so watching a film or reading a book. If you are immersed in the story and your imagination is involved that is hypnosis. You are completely in control and free to leave it at anytime. Our subconscious does not know the difference between our imagination and reality so we can use our imagination to access the subconscious and create what we want in our lives.

Using hypnosis is a great way to address fertility, because we can access our imagination and address what is going on in our subconscious. For example we may have spent years trying not to get pregnant, our subconscious may not have caught up with our new plans to start a family so using the imagination we can show the subconscious what we really want and it can catch up. This then supports our body to conceive.      

We may often have negative thoughts running through our minds, worry creating more worry and affecting our well-being. Our negative thoughts can affect our hormonal balance but with hypnosis it is possible to bring them back to a healthy equilibrium therefore supporting conception.

Fertility Solutions hypnosis CDs have been developed by Tracy Holloway (a qualified hypnotherapist and renowned fertility specialist) in order to prepare the subconscious mind for conception. The powerful CDs begin with deep relaxation; this prepares your mind for suggestion and supports you to release stress. Once you have listened for at least a week to the first CD you can move on to the next. Each one brings you relaxation and prepares the body for conception. Some are designed specifically for those who are planning to conceive naturally, others support assisted conception and there are also CDs for those who have experienced miscarriage and fear their body cannot support a healthy baby.

These powerful CDs go hand in hand with the Fertility Solutions Programme but can also be very effective in their own right. For more details and to buy online click here.

Posted in Guest blogger, Alternative medicine, Running on empty, Assisted reproduction, Hypnotherapy, Fertility & stress, Fertility Blogger, Infertility & Stress, Fertility Blog, doing things differently, Stress relief, Fertility, Infertility, Recurrent Miscarriage, Alternative Therapies & Fertility, Stress, female fertility, Miscarriage, Womens Health, Natural Fertility Methods | No Comments »

03/11/2009 by yourgreatlife.

Part Two: Coming upon a Crossroads, What You Need To Make Your Decisions

The first crossroads is likely to be when you decide to see the doctor because, despite your efforts, you have not conceived.   It isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, or culture, to expose their intimate life to the scrutiny of doctors or undergo blood tests and scans, checking for something “wrong.”  Some uninformed men may be unwilling to provide a semen sample, for fear of what the results may suggest about his manliness.

Both the woman and man may feel some anxiety about whose family line may be to “blame” for their inability to become pregnant.  If this pertains to you or your partner, you must cast these outdated stigmas aside and take some relatively simple tests to discover the cause of your infertility.  If having a baby is your ultimate goal, your value system may have to adapt to accept the help that modern medicine and technology offer.

The second crossroads is deciding whether to pursue more invasive medical investigations and/or treatment.  With a clear diagnosis and readily available treatment, it is easier to decide what to do because the options are more clearly set out.  Your personal life may present the deciding factor: your relationship, finances, career, religion or emotional wellbeing may all be taken into consideration.  Many couples have to contend with unexplained infertility, where early test results were ambiguous.  If you (or your doctor) are operating in the dark, it won’t do much for your confidence.  In this case, the dilemma about which treatment to pursue may be decided by not knowing what else to do. 

Whatever your decision, the most important factor is agreement between the partners, not only because cooperation, understanding and support are vital to keeping stress levels down, but also because it could mean the difference between having a genetic child or not.  From the point that you choose assisted conception you enter a different world; one where your daily life centres on the fertility clinic. For working men, the clinical, inconvenient scheduling, financial and sexual aspects of trying to conceive while being treated, put them into unfamiliar territory and cause stress.  Women will physically experience all of that, and possibly, mood swings, pain, invasive procedures and fear that time is running out as well. 

The decision-making shifts to:

• Are you happy with the doctor/clinic you started with?
• Should you try less invasive treatment first, or go straight to IVF?
• Should we try complementary therapies before, or alongside, traditional medical treatment?
• How will you pay for your treatment?
• When should you begin treatment?
• Can this be managed around your work and/or other obligations?
• How many embryos do you want to implant? 
• How many times will you undergo treatment?

These questions may have the two of you at a new crossroads every week. While some people may sail through and others agonize, it’s more likely that some decisions will bring up unexpected issues.  Pay really close attention how you are both functioning.  Your emotional state is important: Do either of you feel stressed, resentful, guilty, desperate, depressed, or hopeless?  Is one of you leaning one way and the other in another direction?  Are you fighting? That is where mutual respect, communication and agreement come into play.

Lisa Marsh is a Fertility Coach working with people on all aspects of fertility, including female and male infertility, pregnancy loss, assisted conception, alternative means of family-building and menopause.  Visit her blog http://yourgreatlife.typepad.com or her website http://yourgreatlife.co.uk for more information.  For coaching, email lisa@yourgreatlife.co.uk

Posted in doing things differently, female fertility, Fertility Treatment, Assisted reproduction, Life Coaching, infertility investigations, Asking for help, fertility coach, Marriage, Getting Pregnant, Trying to Conceive, Fertility Tests, Male Fertility Issues, Pregnancy, Infertility, Alternative Therapies & Fertility, IVF, Fertility, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

01/11/2009 by yourgreatlife.

Part One: How Do You Function as a Couple? 

Infertility is no picnic. There are months or even years of suspecting a problem, opening up about it, asking for help, educating yourselves about issues, medical terms, finding acceptance and making decisions about how to proceed.  It’s not entirely straightforward for most couples.  How can it be, unless you are incredibly agreeable, immediately find the right doctor and receive an unequivocal diagnosis and solution?  Often, I get annoyed by the over-used term “fertility journey,” but it fits here too perfectly to cast aside, as I describe various crossroads you may reach on the way to creating your family.  A crossroads, in this context, is one of those times when you have to stop and deliberate a big decision that will affect the way you pursue parenting and its success.  You may have a possible diagnosis, a medical opinion, and/or the opinions of family, friends and forum members to contend with, fighting for attention in your head.  You have to pay attention to what your body is telling you as well.  Primarily, if you are in a relationship, you must come to an agreement with your partner at each of several crossroads. 

How will you get through these rather large bumps in the road? For the most part, that will depend upon how your relationship already works.

For a couple whose communication skills are quite healthy, facing these decisions may not be too difficult. Secure in their relationship, they may sit down together and have private, peaceful conversations every step of the way.  They will lay out the pros and cons very efficiently, really listening to each other and reading the subtext (that which is not actually spoken) to arrive at a decision that both find acceptable.

The couple who do not talk about much may just launch into medical investigations and treatment without much forethought.  That may seem unbelievable, considering the physical, emotional and financial costs, but it works for some.  This is the couple that knows they want children, want their “problem fixed” and allow their doctor to run the show. “It seems like everyone is having fertility treatment these days,” so why shouldn’t they? One concern is that if they don’t talk about huge issues like fertility treatment, they may not know when they need to be supportive of each other.

Where one person in the relationship is clearly dominant, the person who is in the power seat makes most of the decisions and their partner follows the lead.  When it comes to fertility issues, I would lay a bet down that the woman is making the decisions. This is actually more effective than you might think, in that traditional relationships assign matters of health, wellbeing and family planning to the woman. Her man goes off to work, doesn’t accompany her to the doctor’s office and understands the need for scheduling tests, scans, injections, sex and, well, life.  She only has to tell him where and when to show up to fulfil his parts of the equation. 

 Finally, there are the couples who discuss EVERYTHING in minute detail, who I divide into two camps:1)  The couple who talk about everything with each other and everyone else. Copious research, note-taking, question-asking, Google-obsessing, and forum-hopping is normal for them, but they do finally come to a decision and eventually take a step forward and 2) The couple that goes round and round the issues in circles, saying “What do you think? No, you say what you want first. Please just tell me what you want to do. Maybe we should discuss it more.”  This couple is in danger of losing valuable time in getting their treatment started or moving on to the next available spot with the clinic.

This is Part One of a Series. Please look for the next Part: Coming upon a Crossroads, What You Need To Make Your Decisions.

Lisa Marsh is a Fertility Coach working with people on all aspects of fertility, including female and male infertility, pregnancy loss, assisted conception, alternative means of family-building and menopause.  Visit her blog http://yourgreatlife.typepad.com or her website http://yourgreatlife.co.uk for more information.  For coaching, email lisa@yourgreatlife.co.uk

Posted in Guest blogger, Assisted reproduction, Male Infertility, fertility coach, infertility investigations, Asking for help, Fertility Treatment, Male Fertility Test, Infertility, Trying to Conceive, Fertility, IVF, Getting Pregnant, Fertility Tests | No Comments »

25/07/2009 by Duofertility.

New research indicates that sex every day may enhance the genetic quality of men’s sperm, and could improve their chances of conception and becoming a father.

Couples trying for a baby are usually recommended to only have sexual intercourse every other day in order to avoid reducing the man’s sperm count. A low sperm count may negatively affect men’s fertility levels and chances of fatherhood.

However, a new study conducted at Sidney IVF, a centre for infertility treatment, suggests that daily sex for a week could significantly enhance the genetic quality of sperm. Although refraining from sexual intercourse for a few days allows the sperm count to recover, the quality of sperm may be damaged from infrequent ejaculations.

It is believed that the DNA of sperm may become damaged while sperm rests in the epididymis due to heat and oxygen-free radicals exposure. Therefore, the longer sperm rest in the epididymis, the greater the risk of genetic damage. Dr Greening, who led the study, said that “through simply clearing the epididymis and testicles, DNA damage has less time to occur. There’s less time for vandalism.”

Since frequent ejaculations empty the sperm reservoir, newly produced sperm of higher genetic quality are more likely to be quickly available. Having sex every day during a woman’s most fertile days is therefore critical to achieving pregnancy, according to Dr. Greening.

The findings of this study are of particular relevance for couples undergoing in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment. Before IVF, the man is usually asked to refrain from ejaculating for a few days before providing a sperm sample which is used to fertilise his partner’s eggs. Many couples do not have frequent intercourse during IVF treatment either.

A pilot study conducted two years ago found that daily ejaculation decreased levels of DNA damage by 12 per cent. The study was carried out on 42 men with high levels of sperm DNA damage, and was then repeated on a further 118 men. Incidences of DNA damage in the sperm of 81 per cent of these men fell by 12 per cent, although sperm DNA damage increased in the remaining 19 per cent of the men involved in the study.

According to Allan Pacey, a senior lecturer in andrology at the University of Sheffield, clearing the sperm reservoir is particularly important in cases in which the sperm have high levels of genetic damage. There appears to be a clear trade-off between the quantity of sperm and genetic damage; according to the study, if a man has a decent sperm count but high sperm DNA damage, ejaculating every day will increase his chances of becoming a father.

 Click here for information about the DuoFertility Female Fertility Monitor Device.

Posted in Male Fertility, Fertility, Male Fertility Issues | No Comments »

12/05/2009 by admin.

What a great idea! Hope this idea takes off in UK to.

Just read this great story online. The link was posted on Twitter.

DENVER — Martinis, manicures, and getting pregnant: the latest approach to talking sex and fertility isn’t happening in a doctor’s office, it’s in a nail salon near you.

Monday night, the drink of choice at Fingers and Toes nail salon in Denver was the “Fertilitini,” a non-alcoholic all-organic martini.

It’s part of a series of “Martini & Manicure” events being held across the country by the American Fertility Association

Here is link to read whole story

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/19435094/detail.html

Posted in Fertility, Fertility Advice | 1 Comment »

09/05/2009 by admin.

Just read about this article from last year about ongoing research at University of Nottingham into how chemicals in the enviroment affect fertility

http://research.nottingham.ac.uk/NewsReviews/newsDisplay.aspx?id=472

Posted in Fertility news, Fertility research, Fertility | No Comments »

26/03/2009 by admin.

Have you visited Access Diagnostics new google checkout fertility website yet

It is very quick and easy to navigate with the same low prices on fertility tests and fertility products, and great service we know you expect

Click here to visit Access Diagnostics NEW fertility website for fertility information, pregnancy tests, ovulation tests, fertility tests, fertility supplements, Pre-Seed and lots more fertility products

Posted in LH Tests, Ovulation Microscopes, Pregnancy Supplements, Fertility Test Site, Ovulation Kits, Tests for Health Professionals, Ovulation Tests, Pre-Seed Lubricant, Fertility, Pregnancy Tests, Zita West, Vitamin & Mineral Supplements, Male Fertility Test, Fertility Tests | No Comments »

07/03/2009 by admin.

Just read this really interesting article online from January 2009 ,and wanted to share it with you.

A recent study has suggested that chemicals found in food packaging, pesticides & household items may be linked to reduced fertility in women. The study was performed on 1240 women at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). The scientists found that those women with higher levels of the chemicals (PFCs) in their bloodstreams took longer to conceive than those with lower levels.

Click here to read the article

Posted in female fertility, Fertility | No Comments »

06/01/2009 by admin.

Hi everyone .

Hope you all had a good christmas and new year.

 Access Diagnostics have a 5% coupon code valid until 14th January 2008

 The coupon code is value

Posted in Fertility Test Site, Fertility, Fertility Tests | 1 Comment »

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 | No Comments »

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 | No Comments »

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 | No Comments »

30/10/2008 by admin.

Ovulation miscroscopes are an easy and cost effective way to identify fertile times at home. Ovulation microscopes are small hand held mini miscroscopes. They do not require any technical training to use as they are low magnification (50 to 60 times magnification) lenses.

How do I use the Saliva Ovulation Microscope ?

A simple focus mechanism allows the user to focus on a small integral specimen slide area. On each use, a dab of saliva is applied to the lens area and allowed to air dry. This takes between 3 and 6 minutes depending on room temperature.

If the oestrogen levels are at significant levels a ferning pattern appears on the slide due to an increased salt concentration in the saliva. Oestrogen only peaks normally at the mid cycle, just before ovulation, so by detecting this peak, the user can determine the timing of ovulation.

Ovulation Microscopes offer great value for money & flexibility for frequent testers

Ovulation microscopes are cheap to buy, totally re-usable and can be used at any time of day. Look for ovulation microscopes offering at least 60* Magnification and replaceable batteries.

Best buy in our opinion is the ISIS scope for all round value and performanace. The batteries in the ISIS can be replaced thereby extending the life of the ovulation microscope. 

Did you know ? : Oestrogen also peaks in horses and dogs and other animals, so these devices are used extensively by breeders.

When is the best time to test with a saliva ovulation test ?

Good news you can test any time of day. Some people recommend testing first thing in the morning, as at this time the mouth is empty and you can make it part of your morning routine.

Avoid testing immediately after eating, drinking or brishing your teeth as this may interfere with the saliva fertility test results. It is best to wait at least 30 minutes before testing.

Posted in Ovulation Microscopes, Ovulation Prediction, Fertility | No Comments »

15/10/2008 by admin.

I have just checked my FSH level using a home urine FSH test, and it is elevated.

I did it about a year ago and it was negative. Howver I am 45 years old and have been having some flushes, which I had put down to stress. Now I am wondering if it is my hormones changing.

The test instructions say to repeat the test in 7 days, and if this is elevated this is significant. I will let you know how I get on. I have put it in my diary for next week. The test was very easy to perform and the result appeared within minutes.

 After getting this positive result I decided to research FSH levels and their significance

 First thing I found out is it could just mean I’m ovulating-phew. FSH rises sharply to stimulate the ovaries to release an egg-hence Follicle Stimulating Hormone.

As I did not write down my LMP (last period) I do not know if this is the case , although it does seem ages ago and I thought I was pre-menstrual, as have been quite snappy !

Other possible causes I found are that my FSH levels may be elevated due to declining ovarian reserve (not many eggs left in my ovaries). In this scenario the FSH is elevated in an attempt to kick start the ovaries-in my case it could be flogging a dead horse. MY cycle has been fairly erratic recently which is why I stopped writing them down.

Click here for more information on home FSH tests or to buy

Posted in Menopause, FSH, Fertility, Trying to Conceive, Fertility Tests | No Comments »

14/10/2008 by admin.

I Just read this very interesting article online about work related stress, and how it affects women. The article is from The Sunday Times September 21, 2008

Here is an extract of the article, explaining how stress can affect fertility

Risking infertility

One in seven couples in the UK now struggles to conceive and, for many women, prolonged stress and anxiety could be the root cause. Professor Sarah Berga of Emory University in America is a leading proponent of the link between chronic stress and compromised fertility. She has shown that stress often triggers a cascade of events that result in reduced levels of two hormones that are crucial for ovulation, and that women with hectic jobs on top of busy lives are most at risk. One of her studies, published two years ago, showed that women who didn’t ovulate had excessive levels of the stress hormone cortisol present in their brain fluid.

“Your brain is hard to fool,” says Berga. “If you are undereating, overworking and overexercising, then the hypothalamus — the part of the brain that controls the release of hormones — keeps a running tally of what you are doing.”

For many women, stress-related infertility can be reversed. Berga found that ovulation was restored in seven out of 10 women who underwent “talking therapies” such as cognitive behavioural therapy.

Click here to read the full article on work related stress in women

Posted in Stress, Fertility, Fertility File | No Comments »

13/10/2008 by admin.

This is a very honest and open account of the authors experience in freezing her eggs, including her fertility MOT, and all the tests, injections egg extraction and then the final freezing of the eggs

Pending Mr Right’s arrival, I had my eggs frozen. But will putting a baby on hold be worth it?

Fleur Britten

At age 34, I’m having a panic attack. I might be biologically ready for procreation — past ready, even — but, emotionally, I’m committed to my career, not to The One. I’m still asking, which One? I exist in that “30 is the new 20” generation: perfection-seeking, commitment-phobic and no way near ready. But I need to insure against finding myself in a Tracey Emin moment, choked by my childlessness at 40. Twenty-three per cent of women born in 1973 won’t have had children by the time they hit 45. By which time it might be too late. I need to put my fertility on ice, before it runs out on me. So I’m having my eggs frozen.

Click here to read the full story

Posted in IVF, Egg Freezing, Fertility, Fertility Advice, Trying to Conceive, Fertility File, Fertility Tests | No Comments »

07/10/2008 by admin.

Men who smoke marijuana (cannabis) frequently have significantly less seminal fluid, a lower total sperm count and their sperm behave abnormally, all of which may affect fertility adversely.

The Study was first conducted at the department of reproductive physiology at the University at Buffalo 2003.

Marijuana contains the cannabinoid drug THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which is its primary psychoactive chemical, as well as other cannabinoids.

 ”The bottom line is, the active ingredients in marijuana are doing something to sperm, and the numbers are in the direction toward infertility,” said Lani J. Burkman, Ph.D., lead author on the study. Burkman is assistant professor of gynecology/obstetrics and urology and head of the Section on Andrology in the UB School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. UB’s andrology laboratory also carries out sophisticated diagnosis for infertile couples.

Men involved in actively trying to concieve a child should avoid THC, probably for at least a month prior to TTC.

read full article http://www.cannabis.net/sperm/

Posted in Fertility, Male Fertility Issues | 1 Comment »

07/10/2008 by admin.

I was doing some research on this subject this morning, and came across this online news article which I wanted to share with you

Diabetes and obesity are linked to male infertiltiy From Times Online July 9, 2008
Mark Henderson, Science Editor, in Barcelona

The obesity epidemic could be contributing to falling sperm counts and increasing male fertility problems, according to research that shows that both excess weight and diabetes can reduce the quality of a man’s sperm.

Men who are obese or overweight are significantly more likely to produce abnormal sperm and low volumes of semen than those of healthy weight, and those with diabetes — which is commonly triggered by obesity — are more likely to have sperm with genetic damage, two British studies have found.

Read the full story here

Posted in Fertility, Fertility File, Male Fertility Issues | No Comments »