Friday, February 26, 2010

IVF May Increase Risk Of Stillbirths!

According to the recent studies, women who consume with the help of fertility treatments such as IVF are at four times the risk of having stillbirths. Research said that women who consume with the help of fertility procedures such as IVF and ICSI were at more risk compared to women who consume naturally.

Research proved that risk of stillbirths for women who consume naturally or non-IVF procedures was 4.3 per 1,000 pregnancies, whereas the risk associated with IVF and ICSI was 16.2 per 1,000 pregnancies.

The findings also proved that the reason for women who are at greater risk of stillbirths with IVF and ICSI is mainly due to their age. But the research does not completely find whether it is IVF or ICSI that increase the risk of stillbirths.

Researchers already proved that risk of multiple pregnancies is greater with fertility treatments and also the research proved that risk of low birth weight, preterm births and other serious health problems is greater with multiple pregnancies. So, women who are undergoing IVF should get single embryo transfer to reduce the risk of multiple pregnancies.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Debilitating Signs And Symptoms Of Infertility In Women!

As women age, the most significant factor that effect is the ability to conceive.

Nowadays most of the women wait a longer time to have a baby. As the age increases, the ability of your ovaries to produce normal eggs will decrease, risk of chromosomal abnormalities increases and unsuccessful implantation thus leading to infertility in women.

The ability of a woman to conceive will start decreasing during her 30’s. After 38 there is a more rapid decrease in women’s fertility.

20’s is the most prominent period for a woman to get pregnant. Doctors usually recommend that after 35, women should have fertility evaluation once after attempting pregnancy for six months.

Though there are various causes of infertility in women, they differ from one woman to another.

Symptoms of infertility in women:

Some women may experience physical symptoms associated with infertility, but some may not have any physical symptoms.
  • Abnormal menstrual period

  • Absence of menstruation

  • Pelvic pain

  • Rapid weight gain

  • Chronic acne

  • Unable to get pregnant

  • Various emotional reactions by either or both members of the couple and the reactions are great among the childless couple.
Test to perform in infertile women:
  • Calculating the basal body temperature

  • Monitoring cervical mucus changes throughout the menstrual cycle to note the wet, stretchy, and slippery mucus associated with the ovulatory phase

  • Biopsying the uterine lining or endometrium

  • Measuring the amount of luteinizing hormone in urine with home-use kits to predict ovulation and assist with timing of intercourse.

  • Progestin challenge when the woman has sporadic or absent ovulation.

  • Checking serum hormone levels

  • Laparoscopy for direct visualization of your pelvic cavity

  • Determining existence of any cysts with pelvic exam
About 85-90% of the cases of infertility in women can be determined with the above test. Seeking right therapy in right timings can give 50 - 60% of chances to become pregnant. Usually, the treatments for infertility in women include: IVF, intrauterine insemination, and ovulation induction.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Some Foods May Contribute To Infertility!

There are various digestive disorders that can damage your small intestine when you eat wheat, rye and barley. Gluten is a protein found in these foods can cause these problems. Celiac disease is one among those digestive disorders. There are varied symptoms of this disease.

Celiac disease can lead to infertility or inability to become pregnant. Also this disease can cause various gynecological and obstetrical problems along with miscarriage and preterm births. Men who ignore the condition of celiac disease can also have fertility issues.

Celiac disease in women can lead to start periods later and stop menstruating earlier than average. Also, women suffer from secondary amenorrhea, a condition in which menses start but then stop. Collectively, these menstrual problems can lead to fewer ovulations thus resulting in fewer chances to become pregnant. Improper nutrition and hormonal factors can play a role in causing these problems.

Celiac disease in men can cause sperm abnormalities, such as: low sperm count, reduced sperm functioning and altered sperm shape. Untreated celiac disease can lead to low testosterone levels.

One study stated that sexual relations occurred less often when one partner had active celiac disease compared with couples in which the partner’s celiac disease was being treated.

Even women with celiac disease become pregnant; there are some problems that they may get during pregnancy such as smaller babies, miscarriage. These are the most common conditions that can be noticed in women with untreated celiac disease. So, women who experience repeated miscarriage or unable to conceive should get screening for celiac disease.


Tuesday, February 9, 2010

How To Enhance Your Sex Life?

Almonds, seafood, avocados, figs and strawberries can enhance your sexual function and experience. Here are some of the health benefits of each for your life:

Almonds: They are abundant in nutrients and minerals like zinc, vitamin E and selenium.

They are very essential for women sexual and reproductive health. Vitamin E is responsible for the production of estrogen and testosterone.

Vitamin E helps to enhance your sexual desire and helps in fertility.

Seafood: wild salmon, oysters and herring are rich in zinc and omega-3 fatty acids. They increase the release of sex hormones. Zinc increases the sex hormone in both the sexes and oysters boost your libido. Seafood can keep your sex and heart life healthier.

Avocados: These are the best sources of mono unsaturated fats that keep your healthy and strong.

A healthy heart can direct the blood to all the organs and also boosts the sex instincts.

Heart disease in men keep them at greater risk of erectile dysfunction.

You will get enough saturated fats from your diet, but mono saturated fats are not. So, consume avocados for these fats.

Figs: They are good sources of soluble and insoluble fiber. Fiber is essential to keep your heart healthy. Also, it curbs your hunger. High fiber content is essential particularly for women who main healthy weight, which makes them feel and look sexy.

Strawberries: They are good sources of folic acid, which helps to prevent birth defects in women.

Folic acid helps to boost the sperm count in men. Color of strawberry boosts your libido.

Citrus foods: They are good sources of anti-oxidants, folic acid and vitamin C. It helps to maintain reproductive health in men. Include lot of citrus in your diet.

Antioxidants available in vitamin C have very short life span, so to the continuous benefits, men should consume a lot and very frequently. Consume plenty of fruits and vegetables as they can lessen heart disease and adversely affect the man’s performance.

Monday, February 8, 2010

IVF Procedure May Inherit Fertility Problems in Baby Boys!

A new study conducted on baby boys who born through IVF treatment that involve single sperm being directly introduced into a woman egg frequently inherit shorter fingers, which is a trait identified to be connected with infertility.

The study conducted on one million babies across Europe who born through IVF procedure. One in every 50 British babies is conceived artificially. Almost half of the couples having this treatment go through a treatment called intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

The procedure evades the normal competition where only the healthy sperm cell is able to reach the female egg and fertilize it. Study proved that low sperm count in men can lead to have ring finger the same length as the index finger. But in healthy fertile men ring finger is relatively larger than the index finger.

This effect is reversed in women, most fertile women have index finger slightly larger than the ring finger. Finger length is known to be set within the first 14 weeks of pregnancy and is linked to testosterone exposure which is, in turn, governed by a specific group of genes.


Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Evening Primrose Oil To Regulate Fertility!

Evening primrose is a mixture of vitamin E and the antioxidant selenium in addition to the optimal, nutritionally-sound amount of evening primrose oil for trying-to-conceive women.

Evening Primrose Oil or EPO is an essential fatty acid that contains gamma linolenic acid (GLA).

GLA s converted to a hormone-like substance called prostaglandin E1 which has anti-inflammatory properties and may also act as a blood thinner and blood vessel dilator.

These anti-inflammatory properties of evening primrose oil help people suffering from pains, aches and cramps.

This oil gives women with Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA), an omega-6 fatty acid converted in the body to prostaglandins - types of enzymes which can balance female reproductive hormones and support a wide range of bodily functions, including moisture regulation of mucous membranes.

Key benefit of evening primrose oil for women trying to conceive is its purpose in lubricating and preserving mucus membranes and production, hence helping your body to naturally regulate the quality of fertile cervical mucus.

One of the major characteristics of well and abundant cervical mucus throughout the fertile period prior to ovulation is its capability to maintain sperm in a healthy means and to permit sperm to shift freely through the "hostile," or pH-challenged, environment of the cervix.

During ovulation, healthy fertility relies on the change in texture and increase in amount of a woman's cervical mucus. Don’t take evening primrose oil during the pre-ovulation period of each cycle.