Archive for November, 2007

Health Tips - Answers To Frequently Asked Questions About Fertility

Monday, November 19th, 2007

Having a baby can be a momentous occasion in a woman’s life, but getting pregnant depends on a person’s fertility. Various fertility issues affect males and females all over the world. Many don’t know they suffer from infertility until they try to get pregnant. Fertility problems usually can be addressed by your doctor, and can often be remedied through treatments and procedures. With today’s advancements in medical science, women and men can even conceive without using their own sperm and ova. In the following questions and answers, you will learn about different issues regarding fertility in both males and females.

What is Varicocele?

Varicocele is one of the most common causes of infertility in men, affecting around forty percent of men tested for infertility. It’s the abnormal dilation of the internal spermatic veins that drain blood away from the testicle to the abdomen. Defective valves cause the blood flow to go back towards the testicles and scrotum instead of away, causing a dangerous environment for the growth of sperm. Sperm can not grow in overly warm testicular environments, leading to infertility. Tests can be performed to find out if you suffer from the disease and the problem can be remedied through surgery or other medical therapies such as in-vitro fertilization.

Can environment and lifestyle affect fertility?

If you’re trying to get pregnant, it’s important to think about the environment you live in. Scientists have been studying the affects of environment on fertility for a while and have found some evidence to link the two together. Pesticides can play a part in fertility and women who live near or on a farm may have up to a forty percent chance of infertility. Everyday exposure to certain chemical elements, such as those found in dry cleaners, salons and in pesticides used for farming. Women exposed to these chemicals stand a greater chance at miscarriage while men can suffer from lower sperm counts. What you eat and drink can affect your chances at conceiving because of the chemicals found in water that has been purified and soil. You can eliminate this exposure by eating organic foods and personal products or avoiding the use of chemicals on your lawn.

What does embryo donation involve?

Embryo donation is when a couple donates an early-stage cell cluster after the sperm and egg unite in the uterus. Most of the time, donated embryos are those left over from the donating couple’s own attempt at in-vitro fertilization. The cluster is injected into the recipient’s uterus through frozen embryo transfer. Although the child won’t be biologically related to the mother, recipients will still get to experience pregnancy. Embryo donation has some positive points for couples considering the option. It’s easier and more affordable than adoption methods, and it’s also cheaper than other forms of in-vitro fertilization methods. Sperm can even be donated in lieu of an embryo through the same methods. A drawback to embryo donation is that success rates are considerably lower than rates associated with egg donations. To find out what qualifications are needed to be a donor or a recipient, a couple should visit their local fertility clinic.

What is Asherman’s syndrome?

Asherman’s syndrome is when intrauterine adhesions, commonly known as scar tissue, forms. This can cause serious reproductive function by lessening the chances of conception or causing a miscarriage. Scarring can occur as the result of several situations. Women that have undergone a dilation and curettage (D & C) procedure, where the lining of the uterus is scrapped away, can develop scar tissue. Infections after a D & C procedure can also cause scarring to occur. Miscarriages and abortions are another cause of Asherman’s syndrome. Asherman’s syndrome can be treated, even when it’s diagnosed. A hysteroscopy procedure can be performed where scar tissue is cleaned out of the uterine lining. An IUD can be inserted to help prevent future scarring from occurring.

Read the full article here: Fertility Issues

Dealing With Female Infertility

Sunday, November 18th, 2007

The following extract is from a series of parenting-related articles on dealing with infertility …

Not all of the infertility issues in a relationship can be attributed to female infertility problems. But whether the issue stems from genetical inheritance or some type of injury that affects reproduction, doctors can now successfully treat the majority of female infertility problems. For women who are trying to conceive, infertility treatments provide a sense of hopefulness to those who thought they would otherwise be childless. The majority of female infertility problems can be treated through infertility clinics, but in other instances, more serious measures are required to address the problem.

Infertility information is your best resource for determining the cause of your infertility problems. Whether the problems stem from male or female infertility issues, there are treatments that will either rectify the problem or, at the very minimum, increase your chances of starting a family. Infertility clinics and specialists are dedicated to helping young couples start a family through discounted services as well as making payment arrangements available for low-income families. You can even find organizations that specialize in distributing grants and loans to couples for the purposes of achieving their dream of starting a family.

Female infertility can be attributed to several things that can be corrected through changing certain behaviors. Oftentimes, the reason for female infertility problems is due to smoking or drinking. While these factors are not significant causes of infertility, they can often impair the chances for a woman to properly fertilize an ovum in her reproductive system. Caffeine also contributes to this problem as well as weight. Overweight as well as underweight women often suffer from female infertility. Although none of these factors are the sole reason for female infertility, changing these behaviors will often contribute to an increased chance of conceiving.

After finding the causes of infertility in your situation, contact your insurance provider to find out if they cover procedures to help overcome infertility. Some insurance providers view pregnancy as unnecessary and, as a result, will not offer coverage for female infertility treatments. If your insurance provider does not offer benefits for female infertility, you still have other options available to you. Some institutions offer grants and loans to people who are trying to conceive but have infertility issues. Other non-profit organizations specialize in helping women through free in-vitro fertilization (IVF) to help them get pregnant without breaking their budgets.

Knowing the cause of your infertility, whether it is due to male or female infertility problems, is the best way to get the problem resolved. Since causes of infertility can range from unhealthy personal behaviors to serious biological problems, the majority of cases can successfully be treated. Infertility clinics are the best place to get the latest and most accurate infertility information, as well as receive a variety of inexpensive treatments. Once your problem is identified, it is much easier to receive treatment for the infertility issues.

For more information about fertility, visit this site: Fertility Issues