Showing posts with label fertility. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fertility. Show all posts
Thursday, 29 August 2013
Coming out of the closet: Why we need National Infertility Awareness Week: October 28 – November 3 2013
Although 1 in 6 couples in the UK today – that’s around 3.5 million people – face a range of problems trying to conceive a child, many still don’t wish to share the heartache with others and tell people that they are undergoing some sort of fertility treatment. Infertility is one of the last great cultural taboos.
National Infertility Awareness Week has been launched by patient charity Infertility Network UK, which wants to make this a HUGE annual event and see everyone involved in fertility taking part in some way.
It’s time to bring infertility out of the closet and push it much higher up the medical, social and political agenda.
For the first time ever, National Infertility Awareness Week will provide a dedicated and specific focus for the millions of women and men fighting this often misunderstood illness, and an opportunity for the doctors, healthcare professionals, psychologists and politicians to promote greater awareness about infertility.
And even if you’re not directly affected by infertility, chances are you will know someone, work with someone, or be friends with someone who is. And that’s a lot of people who are touched in some way. We’re on a mission to end the isolation and secrecy of infertility and we need you to support us in whatever ways you can.
So join us and get behind National Infertility Awareness Week! With 1 in 6 people in the UK struggling to conceive, we need to raise the awareness though the roof.
The aim of National Infertility Awareness Week is, quite simply to:
• Highlight the extent and impact infertility has on people’s lives
• Explain what options exist for people struggling to conceive
• Change the conversation and get more people talking about infertility
The fertility challenged should not feel ashamed: it’s not always easy to have a baby and there’s no shame in that! Only be raising awareness, spreading the word and bringing infertility out of the closet will people feel more comfortable discussing this illness.
We have great plans for this week, which will end with the biggest event in the UK fertility calendar: The Fertility Show on November 2-3.
We will be hosting a number of activities during the week, both online and off, for anyone who wants to take part. Most activities focus on advocacy and public education but we are aiming to have some fun, especially with our ‘Great Cake Bake’.
We are asking people to bake cupcakes and sell them to workmates, friends and family to raise funds for us. Maybe have a coffee morning, or just meet up with a few friends, ask them to make a small donation to I N UK and enjoy the cake! We also have over 100 professional cake bakers on board who are supporting this wonderful event.
If you are hosting a cake bake then please let us know; contact the team at admin@infertilitynetworkuk.com who will send you a ‘Great Cake Bake’ pack with a poster and a sheet of rice paper cake toppers which you may like to use the decorate your cakes. We can also add you to our events page on the website www.niaw.org.uk and please remember to send us some photos of your event so we can put those on the website too!
This week will also be a focal point for our Talking about Trying campaign, www.infertilitynetworkuk.com/talking_about_trying so there are lots of reasons to join in.
Visit our awareness week website at www.niaw.org.uk and see how you can get involved. Whatever you do, please DO SOMETHING and let’s put National Infertility Awareness Week on the map.
Article: 28th August 2013 www.infertilitynetworkuk.com
Read more about fertility and parenting options at www.prideangel.com
Sunday, 7 October 2012
What are your chances of getting pregnant? New formula predicts
A formula that predicts a woman’s chances of pregnancy has been devised by scientists. It combines information about how fertility drops with age with the length of time a woman has been trying to start a family, to come up with their odds of conceiving. For example, they have worked out that the average 25-year-old who has been trying to get pregnant for six months has a 15 per cent chance of doing so in the following month.
By the age of 30, her odds are 13 per cent and, at 35, they have dropped below 10 per cent. The speeding up of the biological clock mean the chances of pregnancy plummet after 35. The average 40-year-old who has been trying for six months has just a 5 per cent chance of getting pregnant in the next month – or odds of one in 20.
The calculations also show that when a woman is 25, it will take 13 months for her odds of conceiving quickly to fall below ten per cent. But a 35-year-old woman has just six months before her chances are so slim.
The long-standing rule of thumb is that those trying for a family should wait a year before seeking help, although doctors are increasingly acknowledging the impact of age. The researchers, from the University of Warwick and the London School of Economics, say that more detailed information could make it easier for couples to discuss fertility issues with their GP.
Professor Geraldine Hartshorne said: ‘People feel embarrassed and upset and don’t want to go to the doctor. Men, in particular, can be a little bit reluctant. ‘As time goes by and people have been trying for a while, they start to get stressed and upset and that can affect their chances of having sex and then becoming pregnant. Approaching a doctor about a personal matter is daunting, so knowing the right time to start investigations would be a useful step forward.’
Writing in the journal PLoS One, she also warns that taking too long to conceive could indicate that the resulting pregnancy might be risky. The work could help doctors to decide whether to refer patients for costly and uncomfortable tests or advise them to keep trying for a baby a little longer. The researchers have passed their work to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, which formulates health guidelines. In future, it may be possible to create an online calculator that provides couples with a personalised prediction.
Professor Hartshorne added that factors such as smoking or being fat are ‘not the most important things’ when it comes to conceiving. However, a healthy lifestyle will boost the odds of a healthy baby. She said: ‘If your tubes are blocked, giving up smoking really isn’t going to make a difference, but things like smoking and obesity do have important effects when you do get pregnant and in that respect they should be addressed as soon as possible.’
Article: 6th October 2012 www.dailymail.co.uk
Thursday, 22 December 2011
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
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
Friday, 18 November 2011
Fertility treatments such as IVF and ICSI rise in the UK
The number of people accessing fertility treatments such as IVF and ICSI has risen in the UK by almost six percent in the past year.
Statistics released by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HEFA) revealed the number of fertility cycles carried out in 2010 stood at 57,652 – a 5.9 percent increase on treatments in 2009. It was also found that the age of women having such treatments is rising; within the last 20 years it has increased by 18 months.
The average age now stands at 35.1 years, compared to 33.6 years in 1991. Additionally, 19 percent of women having fertility treatments were found to be aged 40 plus, equating to one in five treatments. This figure has increased by nearly 10 percent since 1998.
Health experts believe the overall increase in fertility treatments and cycles is due to budget cuts that have affected the NHS. As a result, the National Health Service in the UK has tightened treatment eligibility regulations, meaning it is more difficult for to people to qualify for NHS funded fertility procedures.
However, in spite of this and the fact that most of fertility treatments are carried out and funded privately, the HEFA figures revealed the number of NHS treatments increased last year.
The proportion of fertility cycles that were funded by the NHS reached 40.6 percent in 2010 compared to 38.5 percent in 2009.
The Chief Executive of Infertility Network UK, Clare Lewis-Jones, commented on the findings. She said: “The fact that only a minority of treatment cycles in 2010 were funded by the NHS continues to highlight the difficulties faced by many patients in trying to access NHS treatment.
“The recent suspension of funding by many PCTs means that the number of NHS-funded cycles will no doubt decrease in 2011 and we are also concerned that, if responsibility for commissioning of fertility services is passed to GPs, there will be even more variations in access to treatment.”
Article: 17th November 2011 www.healthcareglobal.com
Statistics released by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HEFA) revealed the number of fertility cycles carried out in 2010 stood at 57,652 – a 5.9 percent increase on treatments in 2009. It was also found that the age of women having such treatments is rising; within the last 20 years it has increased by 18 months.
The average age now stands at 35.1 years, compared to 33.6 years in 1991. Additionally, 19 percent of women having fertility treatments were found to be aged 40 plus, equating to one in five treatments. This figure has increased by nearly 10 percent since 1998.
Health experts believe the overall increase in fertility treatments and cycles is due to budget cuts that have affected the NHS. As a result, the National Health Service in the UK has tightened treatment eligibility regulations, meaning it is more difficult for to people to qualify for NHS funded fertility procedures.
However, in spite of this and the fact that most of fertility treatments are carried out and funded privately, the HEFA figures revealed the number of NHS treatments increased last year.
The proportion of fertility cycles that were funded by the NHS reached 40.6 percent in 2010 compared to 38.5 percent in 2009.
The Chief Executive of Infertility Network UK, Clare Lewis-Jones, commented on the findings. She said: “The fact that only a minority of treatment cycles in 2010 were funded by the NHS continues to highlight the difficulties faced by many patients in trying to access NHS treatment.
“The recent suspension of funding by many PCTs means that the number of NHS-funded cycles will no doubt decrease in 2011 and we are also concerned that, if responsibility for commissioning of fertility services is passed to GPs, there will be even more variations in access to treatment.”
Article: 17th November 2011 www.healthcareglobal.com
Monday, 8 August 2011
Hormone test to reveal when your fertility will come to an end
A hormone test may help women to beat the biological clock by predicting how long they have left to have a baby, say scientists.
The team of researchers from St Andrews, Glasgow and Edinburgh has found how levels of a key chemical change throughout a woman's reproductive life. This can reveal how many eggs she has remaining. The discovery will allow women to compare their own hormone levels with the average for their age to see whether they should be concerned about their future fertility.
Tests will indicate whether they are likely to have an early or later menopause, meaning they know whether they have to try for a baby sooner rather than later.
The process will also help young women who have had treatment for diseases such as cancer, which may have affected their fertility, to find out whether their hormone levels have been affected. It will also help older women who have put off having children to pursue a career. One in five babies are now born to women aged over 35.
This trend has raised concerns that some will struggle to conceive if they delay motherhood for too long, leading to a search for ways of predicting when women should attempt to conceive. For the latest research, the Scottish academics used all previous data plus their own latest findings on the Anti-Millerian Hormone (AMH) - a hormone produced by growing, egg-producing ovarian follicles.
They set out to map how levels of AMH vary at different points in the lives of healthy women by studying data from 3,200 women. They were able to deduce how a woman's AMH level compares with the average for her age as a result.
Findings could indicate whether they are likely to have an earlier menopause and should not delay trying to conceive, or whether their fertile life will end later. The study found that AMH levels peaked at the age of 24 but had almost halved by the time women were in their mid-30s and were almost nonexistent by their late 40s.
Tom Kelsey, a lecturer in the School of Computer Science at St Andrews, said: 'We knew that high AMH levels were good for conception but we could not back that up statistically. 'This study now provides us with the level you would expect to find in a normal healthy woman.' Professor Scott Nelson, from the University of Glasgow, said a major use of the new findings could be in helping young cancer patients wondering how their treatment may have affected their chances of having a baby. 'We can now see 18-year-old girls, know what their AMH is and put that into context,' he said.
Nelson added that if women of any reproductive age were struggling to get pregnant, the refined information could be used to indicate whether their AMH levels are normal for their age or below average. This could suggest how soon they might have to start thinking about fertility treatment such as IVF.
However, Prof Nelson said he would not recommend women in their 30s delaying having a baby because the AMH test appeared to suggest they had a certain number of fertile years left. 'It might be useful if you are much younger and in your 20s, but not in your mid-30s. For example, Down's syndrome risk is one in 250 at 35, but by the time you are 40 it is one in 100,' he said. 'If you wait those few years that risk is going to increase.'
The team of researchers from St Andrews, Glasgow and Edinburgh has found how levels of a key chemical change throughout a woman's reproductive life. This can reveal how many eggs she has remaining. The discovery will allow women to compare their own hormone levels with the average for their age to see whether they should be concerned about their future fertility.
Tests will indicate whether they are likely to have an early or later menopause, meaning they know whether they have to try for a baby sooner rather than later.
The process will also help young women who have had treatment for diseases such as cancer, which may have affected their fertility, to find out whether their hormone levels have been affected. It will also help older women who have put off having children to pursue a career. One in five babies are now born to women aged over 35.
This trend has raised concerns that some will struggle to conceive if they delay motherhood for too long, leading to a search for ways of predicting when women should attempt to conceive. For the latest research, the Scottish academics used all previous data plus their own latest findings on the Anti-Millerian Hormone (AMH) - a hormone produced by growing, egg-producing ovarian follicles.
They set out to map how levels of AMH vary at different points in the lives of healthy women by studying data from 3,200 women. They were able to deduce how a woman's AMH level compares with the average for her age as a result.
Findings could indicate whether they are likely to have an earlier menopause and should not delay trying to conceive, or whether their fertile life will end later. The study found that AMH levels peaked at the age of 24 but had almost halved by the time women were in their mid-30s and were almost nonexistent by their late 40s.
Tom Kelsey, a lecturer in the School of Computer Science at St Andrews, said: 'We knew that high AMH levels were good for conception but we could not back that up statistically. 'This study now provides us with the level you would expect to find in a normal healthy woman.' Professor Scott Nelson, from the University of Glasgow, said a major use of the new findings could be in helping young cancer patients wondering how their treatment may have affected their chances of having a baby. 'We can now see 18-year-old girls, know what their AMH is and put that into context,' he said.
Nelson added that if women of any reproductive age were struggling to get pregnant, the refined information could be used to indicate whether their AMH levels are normal for their age or below average. This could suggest how soon they might have to start thinking about fertility treatment such as IVF.
However, Prof Nelson said he would not recommend women in their 30s delaying having a baby because the AMH test appeared to suggest they had a certain number of fertile years left. 'It might be useful if you are much younger and in your 20s, but not in your mid-30s. For example, Down's syndrome risk is one in 250 at 35, but by the time you are 40 it is one in 100,' he said. 'If you wait those few years that risk is going to increase.'
Sunday, 7 August 2011
Sperm produced from stem cells may help rid male infertility
Researchers may be able to produce sperm from stem cells in the battle against infertility.
If you know just one thing about embryonic stem cells, it’s probably that they have the potential to grow into any type of cell in the body. That, of course, is why scientists find them so valuable.
But having the potential to become any type of cell is not the end game -- research groups around the world are trying to figure out the precise recipe for turning those stem cells into specific types of cells that would be useful for studying or treating various diseases.
This week, a group of Japanese researchers from Kyoto University said they had figured out a way to turn embryonic stem cells into the more specific type of stem cell that makes sperm. Their findings were published online Thursday in the journal Cell.
How did they know they got it right? They took those sperm progenitor cells and injected them into the testes of infertile mice. Those mice went on to father healthy mouse pups that were able to reproduce themselves.
These experiments offer hope to men who struggle with infertility issues. But there’s a long way to go before this work can be translated into people.
For starters, the recipe used to transform the mouse stem cells into sperm will need to be modified to work with human embryonic stem cells. But infertile men who want to pass their own DNA to their children won’t be helped much by this, at least not directly. By the time a person is of reproductive age -- let alone gets past the first several days of embryonic development -- it’s too late to make embryonic stem cells with one’s matching DNA.
So the second step will be to figure out a way to make the sperm precursor cells out of induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPS cells. These are the cells taken from skin or another adult tissue and rewound to an early state where they are flexible enough to -- say it with me -- become any type of cell in the body.
The Japanese researchers were able to make sperm progenitor cells out of iPS cells, and some mouse pups were born as a result, but the entire process worked less well than with embryonic stem cells. If these technical hurdles can be overcome, a man with fertility issues theoretically could donate a patch of skin and let scientists use that to produce sperm that contains his DNA.
If you know just one thing about embryonic stem cells, it’s probably that they have the potential to grow into any type of cell in the body. That, of course, is why scientists find them so valuable.
But having the potential to become any type of cell is not the end game -- research groups around the world are trying to figure out the precise recipe for turning those stem cells into specific types of cells that would be useful for studying or treating various diseases.
This week, a group of Japanese researchers from Kyoto University said they had figured out a way to turn embryonic stem cells into the more specific type of stem cell that makes sperm. Their findings were published online Thursday in the journal Cell.
How did they know they got it right? They took those sperm progenitor cells and injected them into the testes of infertile mice. Those mice went on to father healthy mouse pups that were able to reproduce themselves.
These experiments offer hope to men who struggle with infertility issues. But there’s a long way to go before this work can be translated into people.
For starters, the recipe used to transform the mouse stem cells into sperm will need to be modified to work with human embryonic stem cells. But infertile men who want to pass their own DNA to their children won’t be helped much by this, at least not directly. By the time a person is of reproductive age -- let alone gets past the first several days of embryonic development -- it’s too late to make embryonic stem cells with one’s matching DNA.
So the second step will be to figure out a way to make the sperm precursor cells out of induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPS cells. These are the cells taken from skin or another adult tissue and rewound to an early state where they are flexible enough to -- say it with me -- become any type of cell in the body.
The Japanese researchers were able to make sperm progenitor cells out of iPS cells, and some mouse pups were born as a result, but the entire process worked less well than with embryonic stem cells. If these technical hurdles can be overcome, a man with fertility issues theoretically could donate a patch of skin and let scientists use that to produce sperm that contains his DNA.
Sunday, 29 May 2011
Hormone levels may give us the key to when our fertile years will end
The age-specific blood levels of the Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) can predict when women will reach menopause. This makes family planning easier, say fertility researchers from the University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands. Their findings were published online May 26 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Generally, women enter menopause between the age of forty and sixty. A woman's fertility, however, ends ten years prior to this and in the most unfavorable circumstances occurs around the age of thirty. With regard to family planning and a career, it is extremely valuable for women to know the expected length of their fertility.
Predicting menopause
The study included 257 healthy women who were monitored for as long as eleven years. The Dutch researchers linked AMH levels to the point when the women entered menopause and based on these data constructed a model to predict the menopausal age. Using age and AMH, the age range in which menopause will occur can be individually predicted.
For example, the predicted median age at menopause of a 30 year old woman with an AMH concentration close to 0.15 ng/ml will be 48.8 years. On the other hand, the predicted median age at menopause of a 30 year old woman with an AMH concentration close to 4.38 ng/ml will be 55.3 years. These findings may only be translated into clinical practice after a thorough assay standardisation.
Postpone having children
The research was conducted under the leadership of gynecologists Professor Frank Broekmans and Professor Bart Fauser. "Women often postpone having children until their career has been well established. However they may find that it is difficult to get pregnant at this time. It could therefore be very useful for women to know beforehand up to which age they remain fertile. As far as we know, we are the first researchers worldwide to succeed in making long term predictions for individual women," the gynecologists say.
This knowledge will enable women who are predicted to become infertile at an early age to choose the option of having their eggs frozen. This means that they will still be able to have children if it turns out that they can no longer get pregnant spontaneously. University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands, offers people the possibility of having eggs frozen and stored in a human egg bank.
Article: 29th May 2011 www.sciencedaily.com
Test your fertility with FSH and ovulation tests.
To read more go to
Generally, women enter menopause between the age of forty and sixty. A woman's fertility, however, ends ten years prior to this and in the most unfavorable circumstances occurs around the age of thirty. With regard to family planning and a career, it is extremely valuable for women to know the expected length of their fertility.
Predicting menopause
The study included 257 healthy women who were monitored for as long as eleven years. The Dutch researchers linked AMH levels to the point when the women entered menopause and based on these data constructed a model to predict the menopausal age. Using age and AMH, the age range in which menopause will occur can be individually predicted.
For example, the predicted median age at menopause of a 30 year old woman with an AMH concentration close to 0.15 ng/ml will be 48.8 years. On the other hand, the predicted median age at menopause of a 30 year old woman with an AMH concentration close to 4.38 ng/ml will be 55.3 years. These findings may only be translated into clinical practice after a thorough assay standardisation.
Postpone having children
The research was conducted under the leadership of gynecologists Professor Frank Broekmans and Professor Bart Fauser. "Women often postpone having children until their career has been well established. However they may find that it is difficult to get pregnant at this time. It could therefore be very useful for women to know beforehand up to which age they remain fertile. As far as we know, we are the first researchers worldwide to succeed in making long term predictions for individual women," the gynecologists say.
This knowledge will enable women who are predicted to become infertile at an early age to choose the option of having their eggs frozen. This means that they will still be able to have children if it turns out that they can no longer get pregnant spontaneously. University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands, offers people the possibility of having eggs frozen and stored in a human egg bank.
Article: 29th May 2011 www.sciencedaily.com
Test your fertility with FSH and ovulation tests.
To read more go to
Sunday, 24 April 2011
Easter fertility and pregnancy tips
We hope that the Easter bunny came to your home today and we wish all of you who are trying for your own little chick much luck and happiness on your journey.
Getting pregnant may be easy for some although for others it may mean a little planning and a little lifestyle change. If you’re planning to get pregnant, or you have been trying to get pregnant for some time now and you are not having any success, you may possibly need some tips about fertility and pregnancy.
If you have been trying and planning to get pregnant, you’ll need to prepare your body and understand your fertility to help you facilitate the process. One important thing to keep in mind when planning to get pregnant is to understand when you ovulate or when you’re most fertile – as this signifies your chances of getting pregnant easily.
For tips and techniques to get pregnant easily, you might find these helpful.
1) Know when to conceive: If you have a regular 28-day menstrual cycle, count fourteen days after your first day of menstruation and mark that as your fertile period. If you want to increase your chances of getting pregnant, make sure you inseminate on those fertile times. Ovulation tests will help to detect the best days around your ‘fertile window’.
2) Lie still: One additional helpful detail around this issue. – Spend a few minutes lying after insemination or support your buttocks with a pillow to help give time for the sperm to swim to its destination.
3) Check if you’re not killing the sperm: Some artificial lubricants, vaginal sprays and douches may alter the pH level in the vagina that may lead to infection or may wash the mucus that helps transport the sperm, or may kill the sperm before even reaching its destination. Saliva as well can be harmful for the sperm, so make a healthy environment for the sperm as possible if you’re planning to get pregnant.
To read more go to
Getting pregnant may be easy for some although for others it may mean a little planning and a little lifestyle change. If you’re planning to get pregnant, or you have been trying to get pregnant for some time now and you are not having any success, you may possibly need some tips about fertility and pregnancy.
If you have been trying and planning to get pregnant, you’ll need to prepare your body and understand your fertility to help you facilitate the process. One important thing to keep in mind when planning to get pregnant is to understand when you ovulate or when you’re most fertile – as this signifies your chances of getting pregnant easily.
For tips and techniques to get pregnant easily, you might find these helpful.
1) Know when to conceive: If you have a regular 28-day menstrual cycle, count fourteen days after your first day of menstruation and mark that as your fertile period. If you want to increase your chances of getting pregnant, make sure you inseminate on those fertile times. Ovulation tests will help to detect the best days around your ‘fertile window’.
2) Lie still: One additional helpful detail around this issue. – Spend a few minutes lying after insemination or support your buttocks with a pillow to help give time for the sperm to swim to its destination.
3) Check if you’re not killing the sperm: Some artificial lubricants, vaginal sprays and douches may alter the pH level in the vagina that may lead to infection or may wash the mucus that helps transport the sperm, or may kill the sperm before even reaching its destination. Saliva as well can be harmful for the sperm, so make a healthy environment for the sperm as possible if you’re planning to get pregnant.
To read more go to
Saturday, 19 March 2011
Today is Goddess of Fertility Day
The spring equinox in Western culture marks the first day of the change of the seasons. Many people will start to do their spring cleaning around this time, and the Christian holiday of Easter is celebrated some time between March and April. For many cultures, religions, and spiritual paths, however, it marks what could be called the Goddess of Fertility Day.
Ostara, as the day is often called, was named after the Norse Goddess of Fertility. The celebration of fertility, life, and rebirth is most often celebrated during the vernal equinox, sometime between March 19 and March 22. It is a festival often celebrated with a plentiful feast, cleaning, decorating, and exploration.
Eggs and rabbits are most often associated with the day, as a sign of fruitful production and fertility. Decorating them with warm colors is a means to celebrate the renewal of the harvest and welcome in the change in the weather.
Many cultures and religions celebrate a similar holiday each spring. This is believed to have been a way for the different religions to gain new followers and converts.
List of Fertility Goddesses:
Ala (Nigerian) Mother Goddess responsible for fertility of both animals and man.
Ajysyt (Siberian) Mother Goddess. Her name means "birth giver". She visited every mother and provided a soul for the newborns.
Aka (Turkish) Ancient Mother Goddess.
Alemonia (Roman) Goddess responsible for feeding of the feotus in the womb. Also known as Alemona.
Aphrodite (Greek) Represented fertility.
Arianrhod (Welsh) Associated with fertility.
Aveta: (Gaulish) Goddess of fertility, childbirth and midwives, also linked to fresh water.
Bast (Egyptian) Bast the cat headed Goddess was associated with both fertility and childbirth.
Bendis (Greek) One of several Greek fertility Goddesses.
Bona Dea (Roman) Goddess of fertility, healing, virginity, and women
Brigit (Irish) was the Goddess of home, hearth, feminine aspects, healing, and fertility.
Ceres (Roman) Goddess of crops and agriculture.
Corn Mother (Native American) Responsible for the fertility of the land and people.
Cybele (Roman) Cybele was the goddess of fertility based on Anatolian Goddess Kybele.
Demeter (Greek) The Goddess of grain and bringer of fertility to the earth.
Frigg (Nordic) Frigg was the Odin wife she protected a man's marriage and made him fertile. Her name was invoked to bring children into a conjugal union.
Freya (Nordic) Often confused with Frigg, Freyja was the Norse goddess of sexual activity.
Gaia (Greek) Ancient Greek mother goddess who gave birth to the land and the Titans.
Gefjon(Teutonic) She was one of Frigg's handmaidens and associated with fertility of both man and the land.
Haumea (Hawaiian) Haumea was perpetually reborn, allowing her to continually mate with her offspring.
Juno (Roman) Often called upon by infertile women.
Macha (Irish) Fertility goddess who primarily concerned with male virility.
Mastor-Ava (Russian) Earth Goddess.
Nile Goddess - One of the prehistoric fertility Goddesses worshipped in the Nile Delta. She had the head of a bird.
Rainbow Snake (Aborigine) She represented the fertile rains, and sea she flows through her people's lives bringing children. Rhea (Greek) Replaced her mother Gaia as the earth and fertility goddess. She gave birth to the first Olympians
Tlalteutli (Aztec) Goddess of Creation. The Universe was made of Her body.
Urd (Teutonic) Norse Earth Goddess.
Venus (Roman) Roman equivalent to Aphrodite. She represented one of the main fertility Goddesses.
Read more information about fertility and getting pregnant at www.prideangel.com
More at http://bit.ly/dRaHXD
Ostara, as the day is often called, was named after the Norse Goddess of Fertility. The celebration of fertility, life, and rebirth is most often celebrated during the vernal equinox, sometime between March 19 and March 22. It is a festival often celebrated with a plentiful feast, cleaning, decorating, and exploration.
Eggs and rabbits are most often associated with the day, as a sign of fruitful production and fertility. Decorating them with warm colors is a means to celebrate the renewal of the harvest and welcome in the change in the weather.
Many cultures and religions celebrate a similar holiday each spring. This is believed to have been a way for the different religions to gain new followers and converts.
List of Fertility Goddesses:
Ala (Nigerian) Mother Goddess responsible for fertility of both animals and man.
Ajysyt (Siberian) Mother Goddess. Her name means "birth giver". She visited every mother and provided a soul for the newborns.
Aka (Turkish) Ancient Mother Goddess.
Alemonia (Roman) Goddess responsible for feeding of the feotus in the womb. Also known as Alemona.
Aphrodite (Greek) Represented fertility.
Arianrhod (Welsh) Associated with fertility.
Aveta: (Gaulish) Goddess of fertility, childbirth and midwives, also linked to fresh water.
Bast (Egyptian) Bast the cat headed Goddess was associated with both fertility and childbirth.
Bendis (Greek) One of several Greek fertility Goddesses.
Bona Dea (Roman) Goddess of fertility, healing, virginity, and women
Brigit (Irish) was the Goddess of home, hearth, feminine aspects, healing, and fertility.
Ceres (Roman) Goddess of crops and agriculture.
Corn Mother (Native American) Responsible for the fertility of the land and people.
Cybele (Roman) Cybele was the goddess of fertility based on Anatolian Goddess Kybele.
Demeter (Greek) The Goddess of grain and bringer of fertility to the earth.
Frigg (Nordic) Frigg was the Odin wife she protected a man's marriage and made him fertile. Her name was invoked to bring children into a conjugal union.
Freya (Nordic) Often confused with Frigg, Freyja was the Norse goddess of sexual activity.
Gaia (Greek) Ancient Greek mother goddess who gave birth to the land and the Titans.
Gefjon(Teutonic) She was one of Frigg's handmaidens and associated with fertility of both man and the land.
Haumea (Hawaiian) Haumea was perpetually reborn, allowing her to continually mate with her offspring.
Juno (Roman) Often called upon by infertile women.
Macha (Irish) Fertility goddess who primarily concerned with male virility.
Mastor-Ava (Russian) Earth Goddess.
Nile Goddess - One of the prehistoric fertility Goddesses worshipped in the Nile Delta. She had the head of a bird.
Rainbow Snake (Aborigine) She represented the fertile rains, and sea she flows through her people's lives bringing children. Rhea (Greek) Replaced her mother Gaia as the earth and fertility goddess. She gave birth to the first Olympians
Tlalteutli (Aztec) Goddess of Creation. The Universe was made of Her body.
Urd (Teutonic) Norse Earth Goddess.
Venus (Roman) Roman equivalent to Aphrodite. She represented one of the main fertility Goddesses.
Read more information about fertility and getting pregnant at www.prideangel.com
More at http://bit.ly/dRaHXD
Tuesday, 4 January 2011
Intralipid fertility treatment may cut miscarriages and boost pregnancy rates
An experimental fertility treatment increases the odds of an IVF pregnancy up to six times while also inhibiting chemicals which cause miscarriages, a study has found. When women who had gone through IVF time and time again without success were given a soya-based substance, half became pregnant. In contrast, fewer than one in ten of those who had conventional fertility treatment alone conceived.
The doctors behind the remarkable study believe that the Intralipid liquid, a fat and calorie-rich potion normally used when tube-feeding very sick patients, could help many more women achieve their dream of motherhood.
Improving success rates would spare women the emotional and financial pain of going through repeated IVF treatments, only for them to fail. The liquid also stems the production by the body of harmful chemicals which can lead to miscarriage.
George Ndukwe, of the Care fertility clinic in Nottingham, said: ‘Every day in my clinic I see women who have had numerous IVF cycles all with the same negative outcome and no baby. ‘I also regularly see couples who have suffered the misery of repeated miscarriages. ‘People talk about the financial implications but the emotional one is as bad or, I would say, worse. ‘These women are at the bottom of a dark pit and can’t climb out and can’t see the light.
We are devoting our attention to finding answers when nature goes wrong.’ Dr Ndukwe, the clinic’s medical director, believes that up to one in four women who struggle conceiving have faulty immune systems.
It is thought that extra high levels of white blood cells called natural killer cells ‘fight’ the pregnancy by triggering the production of chemicals that attack the placenta or the embryo. The chemicals are already known to trigger rheumatoid arthritis and the arthritis drug Humira has shown promise in boosting pregnancy rates.
However, it costs up to £2,000 per patient and does not work for everyone. At around £200 per woman, Intralipid, which is given through a drip around a week before a woman has IVF, is much cheaper.
To read more go to http://bit.ly/ieus05
The doctors behind the remarkable study believe that the Intralipid liquid, a fat and calorie-rich potion normally used when tube-feeding very sick patients, could help many more women achieve their dream of motherhood.
Improving success rates would spare women the emotional and financial pain of going through repeated IVF treatments, only for them to fail. The liquid also stems the production by the body of harmful chemicals which can lead to miscarriage.
George Ndukwe, of the Care fertility clinic in Nottingham, said: ‘Every day in my clinic I see women who have had numerous IVF cycles all with the same negative outcome and no baby. ‘I also regularly see couples who have suffered the misery of repeated miscarriages. ‘People talk about the financial implications but the emotional one is as bad or, I would say, worse. ‘These women are at the bottom of a dark pit and can’t climb out and can’t see the light.
We are devoting our attention to finding answers when nature goes wrong.’ Dr Ndukwe, the clinic’s medical director, believes that up to one in four women who struggle conceiving have faulty immune systems.
It is thought that extra high levels of white blood cells called natural killer cells ‘fight’ the pregnancy by triggering the production of chemicals that attack the placenta or the embryo. The chemicals are already known to trigger rheumatoid arthritis and the arthritis drug Humira has shown promise in boosting pregnancy rates.
However, it costs up to £2,000 per patient and does not work for everyone. At around £200 per woman, Intralipid, which is given through a drip around a week before a woman has IVF, is much cheaper.
To read more go to http://bit.ly/ieus05
Sunday, 6 June 2010
Zita West: Less stress to help conceive
For many couples, conception takes longer than you might think and one in six couples have problems conceiving. According to Britain's best-known midwife Zita West, the stress of it all can make conception even harder.
West has been baby guru to Hollywood A-listers such as Kate Winslet and Cate Blanchett as well as Sophie, Countess of Wessex. At her London clinic she takes an integrated approach to pregnancy and birth, combining sound medical advice with therapies and counselling. She has a reputation for getting amazing results with couples who are struggling to conceive, particularly those undergoing IVF.
Now, thanks to her new book, Zita West's Guide to Fertility and Assisted Conception, we can all benefit from her expertise. West says she interviewed "all the top doctors in the field of fertility and IVF" for the book. Their bottom line? "When you look at what is stopping people from getting pregnant," she says, "the common theme is stress."
Around 23 per cent of infertility cases are "unexplained". But West believes that around 80 per cent of these cases could be down to the wrong mindset.
This is an area of some clinical debate. After all, women conceive in war zones and famines. And surely the last thing any stressed couples need is to berate themselves for not being relaxed enough? West agrees. "You have to take the pressure off," she says. "And that's not easy."
To read more go to http://bit.ly/c6EoZ9
West has been baby guru to Hollywood A-listers such as Kate Winslet and Cate Blanchett as well as Sophie, Countess of Wessex. At her London clinic she takes an integrated approach to pregnancy and birth, combining sound medical advice with therapies and counselling. She has a reputation for getting amazing results with couples who are struggling to conceive, particularly those undergoing IVF.
Now, thanks to her new book, Zita West's Guide to Fertility and Assisted Conception, we can all benefit from her expertise. West says she interviewed "all the top doctors in the field of fertility and IVF" for the book. Their bottom line? "When you look at what is stopping people from getting pregnant," she says, "the common theme is stress."
Around 23 per cent of infertility cases are "unexplained". But West believes that around 80 per cent of these cases could be down to the wrong mindset.
This is an area of some clinical debate. After all, women conceive in war zones and famines. And surely the last thing any stressed couples need is to berate themselves for not being relaxed enough? West agrees. "You have to take the pressure off," she says. "And that's not easy."
To read more go to http://bit.ly/c6EoZ9
Friday, 5 March 2010
IVF Drugs cheaper at ASDA
Women undergoing private IVF treatment will be able to buy the drugs involved for bargain prices at Asda, the supermarket announced yesterday.
Its pharmacies will be the first to sell the drugs without profit - meaning that IVF patients will save up to £820 on each treatment, compared to prices charged by other chains such as Boots or Superdrug.
More and more women are being forced to go private for treatment because the NHS is cutting back on the number of IVF cycles it provides free to those with fertility problems.
Although primary care trusts are supposed to provide three free cycles, a post-code lottery means 71 per cent of primary care trusts fund only one or two, leaving women to pick up the cost of further treatment.
When women have private infertility treatment, they also have to pay for the drugs they need, such as medications which shut down the woman's hormonal cycle, stimulate the production of eggs, or mature them before they are extracted and added to sperm. They are given a prescription by the clinic they attend, which they can have made up at the store of their choice.
But a survey for Asda found that 63 per cent of people were unaware that prescription prices varied between chemists.
Asda's pharmacies will charge £1,171.41 - the supermarket's cost price - for drugs to accompany one IVF cycle. This will offer a saving of up to £820 compared with other high street pharmacies.
Asda superintendent pharmacist John Evans said: 'We know that an IVF postcode lottery means a considerable number of women will have to pay for additional cycles of treatment and lots of customers have spoken to us about the issue.
IVF - or in vitro fertilisation - is one of the fastest and most profitable branches of medicine. But the NHS usually only offers patients up to three cycles if a woman is under 40.
This is due to the huge costs involved as around 3.5million people in Britain suffer infertility at some point in their lives - putting huge financial pressures on the system.
A single cycle of IVF treatment at a private clinic is believed to cost about £5,000.
Infertility is the most common reason for women aged 20 to 45 to see their GP after pregnancy.
The failure to conceive during the three NHS cycles has led to the boom in private clinics in the UK offering the service for thousands of pounds. There are currently 115 private clinics licensed to carry out fertility treatment.
The fertility industry is worth aroound £500 million and last year produced more than 13,000 babies in the UK. The huge demand and competition from cheaper clinics abroad has pushed supermarkets to enter the market and push prices down. More than three million babies worldwide have been born from IVF.
'IVF is extremely expensive and around 40,000 women go through it every year. More than 80 per cent of our customers are women and so, naturally, we want to help to reduce the cost of IVF by offering the medication on a notforprofit basis.'
Patient organisation Infertility Network UK welcomed the announcement. Its chief executive, Clare Lewis- Jones, added: 'Many patients who should be eligible for NHS treatment are being forced to pay for private treatment due to the appalling lack of full implementation of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence fertility guidelines plus the incredibly restrictive eligibility criteria being applied by many PCTs.
'Infertility is an illness and patients deserve fair and equitable treatment for it. Infertility Network UK, in its role as lead of the National Infertility Awareness Campaign, will continue to campaign for an end to the 'postcode lottery', but in the meantime this announcement by Asda means that the cost of the drugs will be reduced, which is good news for those patients who are forced to pay for private treatment.'
A Department of Health spokesman declined to comment on the cost of private drugs, but said: 'A recent survey of every PCT in England shows the NHS is making good progress in implementing NICE guidelines and in providing fair and consistent access to IVF. 'Our figures show that 30 per cent of PCTs are providing three cycles of IVF, 23 per cent two cycles and 47 per cent one cycle. This shows significant improvements, with only two trusts out of 150 not routinely providing infertility treatment in England. 'The option to become a parent is something most of us expect to have. People who cannot conceive naturally should have access to NHS treatment, just as they would for any other clinical need.'
Go to http://bit.ly/bha8lc, for more information
www.prideangel.com
Its pharmacies will be the first to sell the drugs without profit - meaning that IVF patients will save up to £820 on each treatment, compared to prices charged by other chains such as Boots or Superdrug.
More and more women are being forced to go private for treatment because the NHS is cutting back on the number of IVF cycles it provides free to those with fertility problems.
Although primary care trusts are supposed to provide three free cycles, a post-code lottery means 71 per cent of primary care trusts fund only one or two, leaving women to pick up the cost of further treatment.
When women have private infertility treatment, they also have to pay for the drugs they need, such as medications which shut down the woman's hormonal cycle, stimulate the production of eggs, or mature them before they are extracted and added to sperm. They are given a prescription by the clinic they attend, which they can have made up at the store of their choice.
But a survey for Asda found that 63 per cent of people were unaware that prescription prices varied between chemists.
Asda's pharmacies will charge £1,171.41 - the supermarket's cost price - for drugs to accompany one IVF cycle. This will offer a saving of up to £820 compared with other high street pharmacies.
Asda superintendent pharmacist John Evans said: 'We know that an IVF postcode lottery means a considerable number of women will have to pay for additional cycles of treatment and lots of customers have spoken to us about the issue.
IVF - or in vitro fertilisation - is one of the fastest and most profitable branches of medicine. But the NHS usually only offers patients up to three cycles if a woman is under 40.
This is due to the huge costs involved as around 3.5million people in Britain suffer infertility at some point in their lives - putting huge financial pressures on the system.
A single cycle of IVF treatment at a private clinic is believed to cost about £5,000.
Infertility is the most common reason for women aged 20 to 45 to see their GP after pregnancy.
The failure to conceive during the three NHS cycles has led to the boom in private clinics in the UK offering the service for thousands of pounds. There are currently 115 private clinics licensed to carry out fertility treatment.
The fertility industry is worth aroound £500 million and last year produced more than 13,000 babies in the UK. The huge demand and competition from cheaper clinics abroad has pushed supermarkets to enter the market and push prices down. More than three million babies worldwide have been born from IVF.
'IVF is extremely expensive and around 40,000 women go through it every year. More than 80 per cent of our customers are women and so, naturally, we want to help to reduce the cost of IVF by offering the medication on a notforprofit basis.'
Patient organisation Infertility Network UK welcomed the announcement. Its chief executive, Clare Lewis- Jones, added: 'Many patients who should be eligible for NHS treatment are being forced to pay for private treatment due to the appalling lack of full implementation of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence fertility guidelines plus the incredibly restrictive eligibility criteria being applied by many PCTs.
'Infertility is an illness and patients deserve fair and equitable treatment for it. Infertility Network UK, in its role as lead of the National Infertility Awareness Campaign, will continue to campaign for an end to the 'postcode lottery', but in the meantime this announcement by Asda means that the cost of the drugs will be reduced, which is good news for those patients who are forced to pay for private treatment.'
A Department of Health spokesman declined to comment on the cost of private drugs, but said: 'A recent survey of every PCT in England shows the NHS is making good progress in implementing NICE guidelines and in providing fair and consistent access to IVF. 'Our figures show that 30 per cent of PCTs are providing three cycles of IVF, 23 per cent two cycles and 47 per cent one cycle. This shows significant improvements, with only two trusts out of 150 not routinely providing infertility treatment in England. 'The option to become a parent is something most of us expect to have. People who cannot conceive naturally should have access to NHS treatment, just as they would for any other clinical need.'
Go to http://bit.ly/bha8lc, for more information
www.prideangel.com
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