New research suggests embracing emotions during infertility

On September 27, a diverse group—doctors, authors, filmmakers, trauma therapists, and members of the public—will convene in New York City to watch the infertility documentary The Cycle: Living a Taboo. They will also participate in a forum to “challenge conventional wisdom and foster a new, more open dialogue about infertility.” This project is meant to give voice to important but often marginalized perspectives, including patients who are not only unsuccessful but traumatized by the fertility treatment experience. It’s good to redirect our attention from the depression and anxiety that we often associate with those seeking fertility treatments to a more complicated emotional cocktail that includes desperation, anger, and helplessness. But while we collectively share and show compassion for our diverse reproductive experiences, we must clarify exactly what we mean when we discuss these emotions and how they bear upon patients’ competencies. Before we encourage infertility patients to spring out of the stirrups to avoid an emotionally bumpy ride, it's good to question why so many stay on the path to fertility treatments nonetheless. I have spent the past two years researching emotion’s impact on fertility treatment decision-making and informed consent, conducting lengthy interviews and survey research with approximately 400 in-vitro fertilization patients and 90 reproductive medicine professionals. My research has revealed that, by themselves, generalized labels such as “desperate,” “angry,” and “vulnerable” are often misleading; they can actually do a disservice to and disparage the patients. Some infertile women do experience feelings of desperation, but common-sense understandings of what it means to be desperate range from unsophisticated to flagrantly wrong. Yet these labels not only are present in popular stereotypes of infertile women and couples, but for decades they have often been applied (without empirical evidence) by well-intentioned individuals seeking to draw attention to patients’ vulnerabilities—including experts in medicine, law, and business, religious leaders, and former patients. In reality, the lived experience of these emotions is highly complex and nuanced, and many purportedly “toxic” emotions actually play positive roles and are critical to successful coping processes. My research shows that some “negative” emotions, including desperation and anger, often deepen patients’ involvement in decision-making and cause them to deliberate carefully, rather than consigning them to paralyzed indecision or blind commitment to unrealistic goals. Read more ...

Coming out of the infertility closet

Although one-in-six U.S. couples face problems conceiving, many still feel funny telling others that they are undergoing treatment. In fact, infertility is one of the last great cultural taboos. One survey of infertile couples conducted by the pharmaceutical companies Schering-Plough and Merck found that 61% hid their infertility from family and friends, and half didn’t share it with their mothers. Why the secrecy? The study also found that seven-in-10 women admitted that being infertile made them feel “flawed,” and half of men reported feeling “inadequate.” It’s no wonder then that talk show host Jimmy Fallon waited two weeks after the birth of his daughter Winnie Rose to reveal that she was carried by a surrogate. “My wife and I had been trying for a while to have a baby,” Fallon told Today’s Savannah Guthrie Friday morning. “We tried a bunch of things. So we had a surrogate.” Fallon’s openness came as a surprise, considering that most celebrities have been notoriously mum on the subject. Who can blame them? Remember all the rampant speculating about whether Kate Middleton had infertility problems? And—gasp!—was Baby George conceived via IVF? We should applaud Fallon—along with his wife and other high-profile women willing to share their stories—for going public with facts so many would prefer to keep hidden. Article: 11th August 2013 www.ideas.time.com Read more...

Jayne Torvil's IVF misery revealed: fertility facts you need to know

Jayne Torvill has spoken out about her difficult and heartbreaking experience of trying to conceive by IVF. Despite improvements in IVF success rates, Jayne revealed how her desperation to become a mum took over her life before she came to the decision to adopt. Jayne, 55, half of the super skating duo Torvill and Dean, broke down on Piers Morgan's Life Stories as she spoke for the first time about her trials to get pregnant and how an ectopic pregnancy left her devastated. And with Anna Friel, 36, admitting she's looking into freezing her eggs for when boyfriend Rhys Ifans is ready to become a dad, we looked at what you need to know about your fertility now. IVF success rates The latest figures from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) show that around 25 per cent of IVF cycles using a woman's own, fresh eggs, result in a live baby at the end. However, success rates are clearly related to age. Women aged 35-37 have a success rate of 32.3 per cent but this decreases with each age group beyond 37. 27.7% for women aged 35-37 20.8% for women aged 38-39 13.6% for women aged 40-42 5.0% for women aged 43-44 1.9% for women aged 45+ For frozen egg (which is what Anna Friel is talking about), success rates were similar for each age group but slightly less successful overall, with around 22 per cent of cycles ending up with a live baby. Though Anna blithely said she would freeze her eggs, it's not quite as simple as that. Though the actress is more likely than most potential mums to be able to afford several rounds of IVF, the impact on your body and emotions is huge and shouldn't be taken lightly. Read more... Read more about IVF and alternatives to IVF at www.prideangel.com

Excess body hair in women may be a sign of infertility

Every morning before her husband Bill wakes, Marianne Ponsonby-White leaps out of bed and rushes to the bathroom to scrutinise her face in the mirror. She isn’t looking for spots or wrinkles but for unwanted hairs. ‘Every morning, without fail, at least a dozen thick black hairs have appeared on my cheeks and chin,’ Marianne confides. The 30-year-old sales and marketing manager from Buckinghamshire has polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal imbalance in which women’s ovaries produce excessive amounts of the male hormone testosterone. This results in the formation of small harmless cysts as well as symptoms such as excessive hair growth (known as hirsutism), baldness, erratic periods, weight gain, acne and fertility problems. The condition, which affects one in ten British women, should not be confused with polycystic ovaries, which merely describes the appearance of small cysts on the ovaries. (Roughly 20 per cent of women have this condition with no effects at all and no problems conceiving.) Women with PCOS have both the cysts and the symptoms caused by excess testosterone. While Marianne is fortunate to have few of the symptoms, she is blighted by excess hair, which she says makes her feel utterly unfeminine. ‘As well as waxing my face every fortnight, I use an epilator on my abdomen,’ she says. ‘If I didn’t, the hair on my face and body, which is thick and very dark, would be grotesque. ‘Bill is sweet and maintains he doesn’t notice a thing, but it’s impossible for him not to see the hair growth. ‘I hate it. I’m fighting what feels like a losing battle against hair sprouting in places no woman should have it.’ The condition can run in families and Marianne believes a great-aunt had it. ‘She didn’t have children, and I remember her whiskery chin very clearly,’ she says. Polycystic ovary syndrome can be devastating to women’s self-esteem, says Rachel Hawkes of Verity, a support group for sufferers. ‘I have had members contemplating suicide because they simply can’t cope any longer with excessive hair or the constant struggle with weight. 'One poor woman has to shave three times a day. She takes her razor to work so she can shave at lunchtime.’ Polycystic ovary syndrome affects around three million women, but some experts say GPs fail to take it seriously and that there should be more help available for sufferers, including counselling. ‘The condition can have serious repercussions in terms of mental health,’ says Professor Helen Mason, an endocrinologist who specialises in PCOS at St George’s Hospital Medical School, London. ‘I have come across women who simply refuse to leave the house.’ Despite its prevalance, there are issues with underdiagnosis. ‘Some GPs are unwilling to diagnose it because they worry that patients will panic about infertility,’ adds Professor Mason. ‘But it is better for women to know that they have PCOS because there are steps they can take to alleviate their symptoms. ‘Lots of women just put up with very irregular cycles, bad skin and excess hair — but missing periods is not normal, and if your cycle hasn’t settled down by about age 16 and you have at least one other symptom of polycystic ovary syndrome you should ask your GP to check for the condition,’ she emphasises. As well as underdiagnosis, lack of help is another problem. Verity says 75 per cent of sufferers are offered no help with hair removal on the NHS. ‘For a woman, growing a beard and moustache is absolutely devastating — this is not a cosmetic condition,’ says Rachel Hawkes. ‘There is almost no NHS-funded treatment for hair removal. ‘It’s wrong that women should either have to pay for treatment themselves or just put up with it.’ Vaniqa, a prescription cream which inhibits hair growth, is available in some areas. But at £57 for 30g, many primary healthcare trusts do not fund it. There is a similar postcode lottery for laser hair removal. Some women are prescribed the contraceptive pill Dianette, which blocks the action of male hormones, to help with hirsutism. ‘But lots of women can’t tolerate Dianette, and many doctors are unwilling to prescribe it long-term,’ says Professor Mason, explaining there are concerns about side-effects such as deep vein thrombosis, though these have not been proven. She says losing weight is the best way to minimise symptoms of PCOS, but patients are often given insufficient dietary advice. ‘Controlling weight is absolutely vital to managing the symptoms of PCOS,’ she explains. This is not only because the condition causes weight gain — and so raises the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes — but also because being overweight exacerbates the symptoms. Fat cells produce more insulin, which in turn increases the production of male hormones. Although women are born with the condition, many are not diagnosed until they are in their early 20s. This is because lifestyle changes during early adulthood exacerbate the symptoms. ‘In young adulthood, many women leave home. They eat less healthily, do less exercise and they have stopped growing — all factors that can lead to weight gain,’ says Dr Gerard Conway, an endocrinologist at the Institute for Women’s Health, University College London. However Marianne, who is a size 14, says losing weight didn’t make any difference to her hirsutism. She first noticed excess facial hair when she was 22. ‘I suddenly started to grow whiskers and a moustache and thick dark hair on my body — it was horrific.’ She put up with the problem for two years before seeking help from her GP. ‘I just kept thinking it would go away,’ she explains. She was referred for an ultrasound scan which confirmed it was due to PCOS. But although she now knew what was causing her excessive hair growth, Marianne didn’t get any help or advice, and was left to research the condition herself. She was also shocked to discover that many women with the syndrome have problems conceiving. About 40 per cent of women with PCOS will experience fertility problems. Raised testosterone levels mean that sufferers ovulate very irregularly, and so find it harder to get pregnant naturally. Marianne was fortunate. She conceived her daughter Beatrice naturally five years ago at the age of 25, and is now eight months pregnant with her second child. ‘I am very lucky,’ she says. Around a quarter of women with PCOS will need assistance with conception, but experts say weight loss will often help sufferers to become pregnant. Anna Thorpe, 30, a teacher from Preston, believes losing weight helped her to ovulate normally. ‘Because I have PCOS, I only had a period about once every 18 months,’ she says. ‘My partner Steven and I want to start a family. At 13st, I was advised to lose weight to try to kickstart my ovaries into action.’ Over the past year she has lost 2st — and for the first time ever she is having regular periods. ‘Having a baby finally feels like a real possibility,’ she says happily. If losing weight does not help, women may be prescribed Clomid to stimulate ovulation. Marianne says that, for her, one of the worst things about having to live with PCOS is fear of the unknown. ‘At the moment, I don’t have to contend with acne or baldness, but I can’t help wondering if that’s what’s in store for me in the future.’ The best thing a woman can do, Professor Mason says, is maintain a healthy weight. ‘It is key to managing the condition,’ she stresses. For more information about PCOS visit www.verity-pcos.org.uk Read more about infertility. Article: 7th August 2012 www.dailymail.co.uk

Are we heading for an Infertility Epidemic?

Research figures published in 2005 stated that by 2015, 33% of the population would be infertile. Now, as we head into 2012, we are only 3 years away, so, are we still heading for this infertility epidemic and why?

Since the introduction of industrial, agricultural and household chemicals in the 1960’s, we have continued to be exposed to an increasing number of toxic chemicals; in turn fertility problems have risen continually every year. Today, an average 30 yr old female in Britain has at least 500 potentially dangerous man made chemicals in a fat sample, whereas an Egyptian mummy has none. Likewise, men in western countries have half the sperm production of their grandfathers at the same age. This information alone is reason enough to understand why we are becoming infertile.

Dr. Alan Beer, a world renowned Immunologist, stated in his 2006 book “Is your body baby friendly?”, that as much as 40% of unexplained infertility may be the result of immune problems, as are as many as 80% of unexplained pregnancy losses. Immune problems may be lying dormant and there may be an imbalance causing disruption to your fertility which you and your GP may be unaware of it. An imbalanced immune system may be attacking any successful attempts of conception; therefore the body is in conflict with itself and needs to be rebalanced. With 80% of our immune system residing in the Digestive System, this highlights the importance of good digestion to aid in strengthening Immunity.

With an abundance of food choices today, our diets are often lacking in nutrients which directly affects successful conception and pregnancy. There have been several recent articles in the press about the increase of rickets due to vitamin D deficiency in pregnant mothers. Vitamin D deficiency is on the increase impacting the health of the Egg & Sperm and causing fertility problems.

Infertility is a modern day problem; our lifestyles, poor diets and lack of understanding of health are not conducive to fertility.

Article: 22nd December 2011 by Clare & Donovan Blake www.naturalfertilityprogram.co.uk

Why older women are more prone to fertility problems

Scientists have discovered why women are more likely to suffer from miscarriages and infertility problems if they try to have babies later in life.
Their study also sheds light on why children born to women in their late 30s and early 40s are at greater risk of Down's Syndrome and other genetic conditions.

The team of British researchers found that as a woman gets older levels of a crucial protein that helps eggs prepare for the moment of fertilisation decline sharply.

The drop increases the risk that an egg will end up with the wrong number of chromosomes and be faulty. The finding raises the prospect of new drugs to help keep eggs healthy as women get older.

Researchers have long known that these eggs deteriorate over time and that babies born to women in their late 30s and early 40s are at greater risk of genetic disorders.

However, the reason why the eggs of older women are less healthy has been unclear. Girls are born with a set of immature egg cells that will last for their entire reproductive life. Each immature egg contains two sets of 23 chromosomes - the chains of DNA that contain instructions on how to build and maintain a human being.

Before the eggs can be fertilised, they must complete a complex process of 'ripening' called meiosis in which half of these chromosomes are ejected.

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Women warned: Don't delay the next try following a miscarriage

After the trauma of a miscarriage many women take a break to recover before they begin to try again for a baby.
But they may in fact be increasing their risk of having another pregnancy with complications, research has found. Women who conceive within six months of a miscarriage have the best chance of a healthy pregnancy with the lowest likelihood of another miscarriage, according to the British study. The team from Aberdeen University analysed data for almost 31,000 women who had suffered a miscarriage and fallen pregnant again.

Those who conceived within six months after a miscarriage were 44 per cent less likely to have a second one than those who had an interval of six to 12 months before falling pregnant again.

They were also 52 per cent less likely to have an ectopic pregnancy - where the foetus lodges in a fallopian tube and has to be removed - or a termination.

The study found women who conceived within six months were 10 per cent less likely to need a Caesarean or to have a premature baby, and 16 per cent less likely to have a low birthweight baby.

Women with an interval of more than two years were around twice as likely to have an ectopic second pregnancy or a termination. The study, published online in the British Medical Journal, concludes: 'Women who conceive within six months of an initial miscarriage have the best reproductive outcomes and lowest complication rates in a subsequent pregnancy.

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