Archive for May, 2010
Saturday, May 29th, 2010
Here’s a round-up of some of the latest fertility-related news from cyberspace:
LIGHT WAVES COULD IMPROVE SPERM PRODUCTION
In Israel, fertility specialists have been experimenting with visible light rays in an effort to increase the quality of sperm production. Oxygen is emitted from these visible light rays and would appear to make sperm more mobile. Hence, IVF treatment results have been improved.
Although this is a form of radiation, the sperm did not incur DNA damage. More studies have been planned.
ONCOFERTILITY HELPS PRESERVE FERTILITY FOR FEMALE CANCER PATIENTS
In women who experience cancer, part of the side effects of treatment can be infertility. Thus, oncofertility doctors and specialists have taken center stage recently to help females receive better options when it comes to preserving their fertility.
To tackle this topic, a nationwide group of clinicians and researchers have formed the Oncofertility Consortium. It’s a great step forward for those who become victims of cancer, especially at an early (i.e. child-bearing or pre-child-bearing) age.
FOOD NETWORK STAR MAY HAVE ARRANGED FOR WIFE’S WOULD-BE MURDER BECAUSE OF HER INFERTILITY
In a strange twist, Juan-Carlos Cruz, the Food Network chef who allegedly tried to arrange his wife’s murder using a “hit man”, may have done so because his wife was infertile.
The case against Cruz is still in preliminary phases, so time will tell if this rumor is true.
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Tags: Age Food, Bearing, Cancer Patients, Center Stage, Clinicians, Consortium, Dna Damage, Female Cancer, Females, Fertility Specialists, Food Network, Hit Man, Infertility, Interwebs, Juan Carlos Cruz, Light Rays, Light Waves, Miracles, Related News, Strange Twist
Posted in female infertility, Hollywood and Stars, In the News | No Comments »
Thursday, May 27th, 2010
Making sure misinformation about infertility isn’t spread isn’t easy, especially in the Internet era where anyone and everyone can throw a website into cyberspace. Recently, we came across a particularly glaring (and rather shockingly insensitive) error on a site (we won’t name it because we don’t want it to get traffic) that purports to deal with infertility.
Basically, the site claimed that infertility in couples is typically the woman’s “fault” and not the man’s “fault”.
What?
Anyone who has been reading this blog knows that we’re staunchly against two elements of this “claim”:
1. Infertility plays an equal role for men and women. It’s well-known in medical circles that there’s about a 40% chance of the infertility being a male issue, a 40% chance of infertility being a female issue and a 20% chance of it being a couple (or unknown) issue.
2. The term “fault” is really unnecessary. It almost implies deliberateness on the part of the person experiencing infertility.
The moral of the story? Be careful what you believe about infertility. Go to reputable sites for your information. Like this one.
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Tags: blog, Couples, Cyberspace, Era, Glaring Error, Infertility, Infertility Myths, Medical Circles, Men And Women, Miracles, Misinformation, Moral Of The Story, Plays, Rsi, Traffic, Two Elements, Woman
Posted in Facts and Figures | No Comments »
Wednesday, May 26th, 2010
More and more individuals who are dealing with infertility are looking into their work histories to determine an environmental cause for their problems… and some are discovering that past jobs may have contributed to their issues involving conception.
Namely, workers who were (or are) exposed to chemicals like toxins and pesticides over long periods of time may find that they can become infertile as a result of the exposure. (This seems to be especially true for males.)
Although there is little you can do after-the-fact, it’s a good reason to be very careful about the working environments you accept, especially if you have the choice to go elsewhere. Certain chemicals cause irreversible harm to sperm and other reproductive body systems.
And if you wish to go the legal route to receive compensation for infertility that has been potentially caused by toxic working conditions, know that there are lawyers who specialize in this kind of lawsuit. However, be aware that you may end up fighting your current or past employer for years, which could end up causing emotional problems, marital stress and financial issues.
Tags: Chemicals, Current, Emotional Problems, Environmental Cause, Good Reason, Infertility, Irreversible Harm, Job Source, Jobs, Lawyers, Long Periods Of Time, Marital Stress, Miracles, Pesticides, sperm, Toxins, Work Histories, Working Conditions, Working Environments
Posted in Infertility | No Comments »
Saturday, May 22nd, 2010
She would have been the oldest person ever to receive IVF treatment, but Britain’s Susan Tollefsen has decided that 59 is “too old”.
Tollefsen cites concerns about her health and age when asked about why she’s chosen not to undergo the procedure, even though she has been approved. She also worries about the future of her daughter, who was conceived by IVF three years ago.
Her suggestion to women her age? Tollefsen understands their desires to have a child, but cautions them not to “risk it”.
Most doctors and clinics in the United States will not perform IVF treatments on women over 50 (and some put this number lower) due to concerns for their safety and the safety of their babies.
Tags: Babies, British Woman, Desires, Doctors, health, IVF treatment, IVF treatments, Miracles, Oldest Person, Risk, Suggestion, United States
Posted in In the News, IVF treatments | No Comments »
Wednesday, May 19th, 2010
Canada has introduced a tax credit to help couples and individuals offset the costs of fertility treatments.
The tax credit is going to be up to $8,000 back on certain fertility treatments (some will be applicable, some will not.) The tax credit doesn’t take effect until later this year on October 1, 2010.
This type of tax credit comes as a relief for Canadians struggling with infertility but who are unsure of what they can afford in terms of fertility treatment options.
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Tags: Canada Credit, Canada Tax, Canadians, Couples, Credit Canada, Credit Help, Fertility Treatment, Fertility Treatments, Infertility, Miracles, Rsi, Tax Canada, Tax credit, Tax Help, Treatment Options
Posted in Canada, Tax credit | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 18th, 2010
It’s good news for women who are diagnosed with certain cancers — their medical conditions don’t have to lead to infertility.
Many times, depending upon the treatments available to tackle cancer (including chemotherapy and radiation), women can become partially or entirely infertile. Though their cancer may be gone, they are left with a difficult realization that naturally conceiving and giving birth may be difficult or impossible.
Now, though, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has released positive news about revolutionary new ways oncofertility specialists are preserving fertility (or fertility options) for women and girls (even those who are pre-pubescent) who must undergo cancer treatments.
As reported by the ACOG, Teresa K. Woodruff, Ph.D., Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, recently lectured that there is…:
“A promising new technique for preserving ovarian tissue [that] has the potential to safeguard the future fertility even of very young girls…”
This is a heartening suggestion, especially for women who potentially want to have children who are given a cancer diagnosis.
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Tags: Acog, American College Of Obstetricians, American College Of Obstetricians And Gynecologists, Cancer Chemotherapy, Cancer Diagnosis, Cancer In Women, Cancer Treatments, Chemotherapy, Feinberg School Of Medicine, Fertility, Giving Birth, Infertility, Medical Conditions, New Ways, Northwestern University Feinberg School Of Medicine, Obstetricians And Gynecologists, oncofertility, Positive News, School Of Medicine, Woodruff, Young Girls
Posted in Cancer | No Comments »
Saturday, May 15th, 2010
Straight from the latest in reproductive health science come stories that say ultrasound may someday be the key to contraception for men.
Tests have been performed at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and have preliminarily shown that a single treatment of ultrasound (focused on a man’s testicles) could provide up to six months of contraception.
Thus far, it would also appear that the contraception is easily reversible, meaning the effect wouldn’t be long-term in terms of affecting male fertility. (Of course, it’s always important to know that in the early stages of any study, a claim like this is only a hypothesis.)
To find out more about this innovative (and low cost) method of potential birth control for men around the globe, you can read the official press release from UNC here.
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Tags: Birth Control, Birth Control For Men, Carolina Chapel Hill, Contraception, Globe, Health Science, Hypothesis, Male Fertility, Miracles, North Carolina Chapel, North Carolina Chapel Hill, Press Release, Reproductive Health, Six Months, Testicles, Ultrasound, Unc, University Of North Carolina, University Of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Posted in Birth Control, Male Infertility | No Comments »
Thursday, May 13th, 2010
Could the very air you breathe day-in, day-out be contributing to your level of fertility? Some researchers are convinced that pollution can cause infertility, especially for females, and they’re doing studies to prove it.
According to The Daily Telegraph, a 7-year study of U.S. women who underwent IVF were tracked. Each person’s zip code was evaluated for the daily levels of pollution, as determined by the nitrogen dioxide concentrations in the air.
The conclusion? For every extra (over and beyond the norm) unit of nitrogen dioxide the women took in during the 7 years, their fertility rates were cut by up to 24%.
So does this mean that women who want to conceive a child through fertility treatments have to move to a more suburban or rural area? The study’s findings would lean in that direction; however, it’s not a realistic solution for most people. Besides, there are many other potential reasons for infertility, and although the pollution connection is strong, it is still only hypothetical.
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Tags: Conclusion, Daily Telegraph, Extra, Females, fertility rates, Fertility Treatments, Infertility, Miracles, Nitrogen Dioxide, Norm, Pollution, Realistic Solution, Rural Area, Zipcode
Posted in Infertility, Research and Studies | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 11th, 2010
Due to the high rise in the rate of male infertility, there’s been a wave of interest in the source of the problem. And some researchers are taking a unique approach, turning their sights on testicular development in utero.
A growing number of scientists are convinced that a male’s infertility could partially (or entirely) be determined based on what’s occurring during his fetal development stages. For instance, if his mother is repeatedly exposed to smoke (even secondhand smoke), excessive pollution, toxins (like certain plastics) and other substances, some say his chances of having a child of his own will decrease.
Though studies haven’t conclusively “yea-ed” or “nay-ed” this theory, it’s definitely one worth pursuing. It also echoes the sentiment that all pregnant women should be careful about the environments to which they are exposed, lest their environment lead to future concerns for their children.
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Tags: Echoes, Environments, Excessive Pollution, Fetal Development Stages, Infertility, Male Infertility, Miracles, Plastics, Pregnant Women, Scientists, Secondhand Smoke, Sentiment, Toxins
Posted in Male Infertility | No Comments »
Friday, May 7th, 2010
Every individual or couple’s fertility journey is unique. Some eventually turn to surrogacy; others are able to naturally conceive after one round of Clomid. That’s why it’s important to remember that there’s no upshot to comparing yourself to someone else.
Many people become convinced that they know what will “work” for them before they ever even step foot in a fertility specialist’s office. They’ve done their research (which is great!), they’ve talked to plenty of folks, and they’re sure they know the best route to take.
But without a careful and comprehensive analysis (both physical and emotional) of their individual conditions, no fertility treatment can be pinpointed as “the one”.
In the end, it’s best to do your homework and investigate different types of fertility treatments. That way, you can come to your appointments with knowledge. Yet it’s equally as critical to have an open mind. Depending upon what your physician tells you, your ideal fertility treatment may not be what you originally expected.
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Tags: Appointments, Best Route, Clomid, fertility specialist, Fertility Treatment, Fertility Treatments, Homework, Ideal, Journey, Miracles, Rsi, Step Foot, Upshot
Posted in Infertility | No Comments »
