Archive for July, 2009
Friday, July 31st, 2009
There is no shortage of blogs and websites purporting to have the “cure” for infertility. Unfortunately, many couples and individuals dealing with this personal, stressful issue can easily become pulled into the notion that all infertility can be somehow ”solved” through potions, lotions and pills.
Though there is nothing innately wrong with many of the natural ways to combat infertility, such as maintaining a healthy diet or engaging in yoga to keep anxiety levels to a minimum, some of the supposed miracle “cures” do nothing but waste time and money.
If you’re dealing with infertility, the best way to go is that of education.
Contact a trained fertility specialist like those at RSI and find out what he or she has to say. (Afterwards, feel free to contact another for a second opinion, as is your right.) From there, you may want to consider implementing holistic ways to help with your infertility (or the by-products of infertility, such as depression.) But please don’t assume that there’s any one “answer”; often, there are many alternatives and options… and therefore no magic infertility cure-all pill.
Tags: Couples, holistic, individuals, Infertility, miracle cure, Stress
Posted in Infertility | No Comments »
Tuesday, July 28th, 2009
Reading this article brought home a really important point — when you’re dealing with infertility issues, sex can often become more drudgery than anything else.
Big surprise, right? But it’s worth mentioning.
We’ve already established that couples who have difficulty conceiving can easily become stressed out. And high stress levels can lead to problems in the bedroom. Erectile dysfunction. Lubrication issues. Ejaculation problems. Those perfectly-understandable physiological responses to anxiety only exacerbate the underlying concern.
If you and your partner are to the point where sex is a chore, it’s time to seek out the help of a counselor. A therapist who is trained in the area of reproductive health issues can get you back on track. After all, there’s no reason that intercourse should cease to be pleasurable. You deserve to enjoy your time together.
(If any couples or individuals have any suggestions on de-stressing and keeping sex exciting during infertility, feel free to comment. We’d love to hear your thoughts.)
Tags: bedroom, difficulty conceiving, ED, ejaculation, erectile dysfunction, high stress levels, Infertility, Infertility Issues, lubrication, reproductive health issues, Sex, sex during infertility, stressed out
Posted in Sex | No Comments »
Friday, July 24th, 2009
Couples dealing with infertility issues often underestimate the effects of stress on their relationships. Even partners with a strong, “we’re in it together” attitude can experience periods of anxiety as a result of their inability to conceive.
If you’re in a relationship and you’ve been unable to get pregnant, it’s critical not to allow infertility to ruin your bond.
(As an interesting side note, some studies have suggested that the stress of infertility can be an enormous contributing factor to the infertility itself, a kind of “Catch-22″ scenario.)
Below are three ways for you and your significant other to get through your infertility issues:
1. Don’t make infertility the “elephant under the rug” no one talks about. Some couples tiptoe around the issue of infertility, all the while boiling below the surface. Instead, acknowledge the problem and move forward as a team.
2. Don’t accuse one another. Infertility isn’t anyone’s fault; consequently, if your partner is infertile, it is unacceptable to treat him or her badly. Period.
3. Don’t define yourselves by your infertility. The fact that you are having difficulty conceiving does not mean you are any less of a couple or any less of individuals. Infertility is only one aspect of your relationship, not your entire relationship.
Tags: inability to conceive, infertile, Infertility, Infertility Issues, Stress, unable to get pregnant
Posted in Stress | No Comments »
Tuesday, July 21st, 2009
Maybe you’re not dealing with infertility directly, but if your friend or relative is, it’s likely to affect you. That point was brought home in a recent blog post from the creator of Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus.
This particular post was in a Q&A style format and the first question was from a brother who wanted to help his male sibling cope with issues of infertility. However, the sibling refused to talk about it, causing stress for the brother who wanted to help. (And potential stress for the sibling, too!)
Truly, this can be a very tough and complicated subject. Many people coping with infertility simply don’t want to discuss their problems, especially if they are naturally private individuals.
So what can you do if you want to show your support for a person or couple dealing with infertility? Try some of these techniques:
- Be available, but don’t be pushy. If your friend doesn’t want to discuss the topic of infertility, let it go.
- Don’t constantly ask your friend about doctor’s appointments, outcomes, etc. if your friend seems hesitant to talk about the subject.
- Ask your friend if he or she wants to have a conversation about infertility. If the answer is “no”, respect that answer without question.
There are definitely ways to be a good friend to someone struggling with infertility. The best is to remember to focus on what that person needs and wants, not on what you think you ought to be doing to help.
Tags: Coping With Infertility, dealing with infertility, doctor's appointments, helping a friend, Infertility, Men are from Mars, struggling with infertility, Women are from Venus
Posted in Support | No Comments »
Friday, July 17th, 2009
Anyone who has ever chosen to undergo IVF treatments understands that it’s a definite commitment. Appointments must be met to maximize the possibility of becoming pregnant.
However, many (if not most) of people opting for IVF treatments have at least a part-time — if not full-time — job. This can present a serious problem, especially if employers are not or cannot be (because of the nature of the business) flexible or open.
A recent Wall Street Journal blog article hit home this point very well. In the story, the author notes that:
Some women keep the treatment secret and cite unspecified medical reasons for their absences, if they have enough job flexibility to do so. Others feel they must be more specific with bosses, because of the frequent time off required.
RSI’s question for you is this:
Have you ever had to deal with this issue? If so, what has your experience been?
Tags: becoming pregnant, Fertility Issues, full-time job, Infertility, IVF treatments, job flexibility, medical absences, part-time job
Posted in Employment, IVF treatments | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, July 14th, 2009
As we mentioned in a previous post, infertility doesn’t just affect couples in North America. In fact, it’s a worldwide concern, as evidenced by these recent articles:
- From Allahbad, India: A recent “infertility camp” was offered to about 150 couples. During this “camp”, the partners were given free consultations about the precise fertility issues they were having.
- From Australia: Data is now indicating that more Australian men than Australian women are infertile. This research was conducted by a group called “Fertility First”. Possible culprits include drug/chemical exposure, metal toxicity, alcohol/drug abuse and obesity, among others.
- From Petaling Jaya, Malaysia: Malaysia’s fertility rates are dropping dramatically, according to a United Nations Children’s Fund report. This has led to more couples seeking IVF treatments in the country.
Tags: alcohol abuse, Australia, chemical exposure, Couples, drug abuse, Fertility Issues, fertility rates, India, infertile, Infertility, IVF treatments, Malaysia, metal toxicity, North American, nutrition, obesity
Posted in Fertility Issues In the News | No Comments »
Friday, July 10th, 2009
Guys who use their cell phone for prolonged periods of time may be inadvertently contributing to their infertility problems. So says a news item from WebMD.
Holding the cell to one’s ear isn’t the culprit; it’s when hands-free devices are used (think Bluetooth) and the cell phone is placed in the man’s lap (if sitting), in his pocket or snapped on his waistband. Small doses of radiation from the cell phone can actually contribute to male infertility, according to researchers.
As noted in the article:
Semen exposed to radiofrequency electromagnetic waves emitted from cell phones had higher levels of damaging free radicals, lower sperm motility (the ability of the spermto move and swim) and sperm viability (the percentage of live sperm), and possibly greater oxidative stress…
For men and their partners who are having trouble conceiving naturally, these findings may provide a clue to their personal fertility mystery.
Tags: Bluetooth, cell phone, electromagnetic waves, Fertility, free radicals, Infertility Problems, live sperm, lower sperm, oxidative stress, radiation, radiofrequency, sperm viability, WebMD
Posted in Male Infertility | No Comments »
Tuesday, July 7th, 2009
If you’re a man who’s taking an SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) like Paxil, you may be inadvertantly lowering your fertility.
A recent report released by New York-Presbyterian and Weill Cornellcontains some cautionary notes for males who are actively trying to have a child with a partner. As it turns out, in some men, SSRIs alter DNA (referred to as “DNA fragmentation” in the report), thus creating problems with fertility.
Of course, while the New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell evidence may be an important clue to solving certain male infertility issues, it doesn’t necessarily mean that men should abandon their antidepressant medications.
As always, males should discuss all issues with their doctors before considering weaning themselves off of any SSRI.
Tags: antidepressant, DNA fragmentation, lowering fertility, males trying to have a child, man, medications, Paxil, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, SSRI, trying to have a child
Posted in Male Infertility | No Comments »
Friday, July 3rd, 2009
In a recent Times of London article, Australian researchers announced that the key to boosting men’s sperm counts might lie in the number of times they have sex each week or month.
According to a study, males who had sex every other day had a more substantial sperm count than those who did not. This seems to contradict the age-old notion that for men to boost their sperm count and quality, several days’ abstinence is needed.
Obviously, each couple’s fertility issues are unique; however, as the researchers of the study noted, having sex every other day probably isn’t going to harm sperm counts. Additionally, it could be a good way to release any built-up stress between partners struggling with infertility.
Tags: Abstinence, Fertility Issues, Having Sex, Infertility, Sperm Count, Sperm Counts, Stress, Times Of London
Posted in Male Infertility, Sex | No Comments »
