Archive for the ‘female infertility’ Category
Monday, May 30th, 2011
Even if you’re having difficulty getting pregnant, you still have to prepare your body for the possibility of carrying a baby. Because it is a desire of yours, whether you’re actively trying to get pregnant at this time or not, it’s always better to be ahead of your game. And if you’re looking into or you are already planning on IVF or IUI treatments, it is especially important to begin preparing your body for pregnancy, even if those treatments aren’t yet scheduled or are scheduled for a few months out.
Therefore, we’ve put together a few suggestions on how to make your physical health and wellness a part of your daily routine:
Nutrition
Don’t call it a “diet” because then you’re less likely to stick with it. Consider it a lifestyle change and plan on eating more fruits, veggies and whole grains. Your body will adjust to the tastes and you’ll find yourself craving less sugar, fats, etc.
The most important thing in your nutrition is balance. You want to include protein in your diet for energy (this doesn’t have to be meat, by the way – things like nuts and beans and eggs contain lots of protein, too). Whole grains are good for heart health and contribute to your fiber intake. Fruits and vegetables are the food group you need the most of for all of the vitamins and minerals and fiber that they provide. If you are eating plenty of protein, whole grains and fruits and vegetables, then it’s perfectly fine to eat a little bit of something you’re craving that might include fats and sugars. You just don’t want to overdo it on the less-than-nutritional types of foods, but you also don’t want to suppress your cravings altogether or they might show up stronger than ever. As mentioned earlier, if you’re filling up on healthier options, your cravings for the less healthy will more than likely begin to dwindle.
And if on a particular day you happen to fall off the nutritional bandwagon, so to speak, don’t stress out about it. Just resolve yourself to do your best again tomorrow. It’s really about your mindset and intentionally making the choices for healthier eating.
Continue reading our blog for another tip on how to prepare your body for a baby.
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Tags: Baby Ii, Baby Nutrition, Bandwagon, Cravings, Dr. Munabi, Fats, Few Suggestions, Fiber Intake, Food Group, Fruits And Vegetables, Health And Wellness, Heart Health, Infertility, IUI, IVF, Lifestyle Change, Little Bit Of Something, Most Important Thing, Physical Health, Preparing Your Body For Pregnancy, Protein Diet, Reproductive Science Institute, Rsi, Vitamins And Minerals, Whole Grains
Posted in female infertility, Health and Nutrition | No Comments »
Friday, May 27th, 2011
Even if you’re having difficulty getting pregnant, you still have to prepare your body for the possibility of carrying a baby. Because it is a desire of yours, whether you’re actively trying to get pregnant at this time or not, it’s always better to be ahead of your game. And if you’re looking into or you are already planning on IVF or IUI treatments, it is especially important to begin preparing your body for pregnancy, even if those treatments aren’t yet scheduled or are scheduled for a few months out.
Therefore, we’ve put together a few suggestions on how to make your physical health and wellness a part of your daily routine:
Exercise
Now, exercise doesn’t have to mean running a marathon, or even going to the gym or having a gym membership. Just adding long walks or bike rides to your day can increase your heart rate and improve your cardiovascular performance levels. Some days you will be so busy that you think you don’t have time to do any form of exercise, but you could walk up and down the stairs a few times, or take the stairs instead of the elevator if you are in a multi-floored building, or park at the back of the parking lot so you have to walk a further distance. The American Heart Association recommends raising your heart rate for 30 minutes each day, which can even be split up into 3 different slots of 10 minutes if that’s what works best for your schedule.
If you need help getting yourself motivated to fit exercise into your routine, two tips for making it easier and more enjoyable:
- Mix up your routine. Don’t do the exact same workout regimen every day or you’ll quickly get bored. And maybe sometimes you can throw in a dance lesson or a swim at your local community center.
- Have an exercise buddy. Women always enjoy something more when they have someone to partake in it with them. See if your significant other or a co-worker or friend or family member is interested in fitting more exercise into their schedules too and there you have your exercise partner. Or, just as with the exercise routine, you could switch up exercise buddies throughout the week or just on occasion if that’s what works best for everyone’s schedules. The key is to make it something you look forward to, not dread.
Continue reading our blog for 2 additional tips on how to prepare your body for a baby.
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Tags: American Heart Association, Baby Exercise, Bike Rides, Co Worker, Dance Lesson, Dr. Munabi, Elevator, Exercise Buddy, Family Member, Few Suggestions, Gym Membership, Health And Wellness, Heart Rate, Infertility, IUI, IVF, Local Community, Long Walks, Performance Levels, Physical Health, Preparing Your Body For Pregnancy, Reproductive Science Institute, Routine Exercise, Rsi, Workout Regimen
Posted in female infertility, Health and Nutrition | No Comments »
Wednesday, May 25th, 2011
As you prepare for an upcoming trip to your fertility specialist (and we hope that your preferred reproductive health specialist is one of the doctors at RSI!), it’s important to have a list of questions on hand should he or she suggest you or your partner take fertility drugs.
Some of the queries you’ll want to consider include the following:
- How often do you prescribe these fertility drugs to patients?
- What side effects are common with these types of fertility drugs? Have your patients reported any other side effects?
- What are the contraindications with these fertility drugs?
- How much will the fertility drugs cost? Are there generic versions to save money?
- What will the fertility drugs do?
- How long will I have to take the fertility drugs?
- Will taking these medications affect anything that I currently do?
- Are there foods or drinks I should avoid while taking these fertility drugs?
- If I do not take these drugs, what will happen? What would my other options be?
By being a smart, prepared patient, you’ll leave your reproductive health specialist’s office feeling better educated than when you came in. And it will also give your physician an opportunity to help you understand more about your unique situation.
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Tags: Contraindications, Doctors, Dr. Munabi, Drinks, Drugs Medications, Facebook, fertility specialist, Generic Versions, Health Specialist, Infertility, Money, Opportunity, Partner, Queries, Reproductive Health, Reproductive Science Institute, Rsi, Smart, Twitter, Types Of Fertility Drugs
Posted in Drug Use, female infertility, Infertility | No Comments »
Friday, May 13th, 2011
A miscarriage occurs when a pregnancy ends of its own accord somewhere before 20 weeks of gestation. Unless a miscarriage occurs very early along in a pregnancy, the woman typically experiences a number of recognizable symptoms, including cramping and bleeding. Where a miscarriage is suspected, a woman is typically taken immediately to a doctor or the ER.
Following a miscarriage, many women feel emotionally depleted. This is understandable; not only have they lost a child, but their bodies are forced into a sudden (and intense) hormonal change. A shift of this type can create a host of psychological outcomes, including depression, mania, anger and moodiness.
Miscarriages occur in about 10-25% of all pregnancies, according to national statistics. But are they indicators of female infertility?
The short answer is: not necessarily.
Because of the commonality of miscarriages, one (or even two in a row) does not mean a woman is incapable of carrying a child to term. It simply means she did not carry that pregnancy to term. A miscarriage occurs for many reasons; thus, there is no reason to immediately assume female infertility is the “culprit”.
With that being said, a miscarriage isn’t a medical experience to be ignored. If you have had a miscarriage and you continue to have difficulty becoming pregnant, you may want to connect with a reputable fertility clinic such as the Philadelphia area’s RSI.
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Tags: Commonality, Culprit, Early Pregnancy, Facebook, female infertility, fertility clinic, Infertility, Medical Experience, Miscarriages, Moodiness, National Statistics, Own Accord, Philadelphia Area, Pregnancies, Pregnancy Miscarriage, Psychological Outcomes, Recognizable Symptoms, Reproductive Science Institute of Suburban Philadelphia, Rsi, Short Answer, Twitter, Weeks Of Gestation
Posted in female infertility, Miscarriage | No Comments »
Wednesday, May 11th, 2011
This year, Mother’s Day falls on Sunday, May 8. Stores will be filled to the brim with cards, gifts and trinkets that celebrate moms of every age and stage. Unfortunately, for those who have dealt or are currently dealing with female infertility, Mother’s Day can seem a cold reminder of their situations.
Keeping this in mind, it’s important to approach this holiday with more than a modicum of thought and respect but without going overboard.
If you’re the friend or partner of someone who is going through female infertility:
- Don’t make a big deal out of Mother’s Day, but don’t avoid her, either.
- Don’t talk about her female infertility issues on Mother’s Day unless she wants to talk about them.
- Don’t worry about offending her every time you open your mouth. Women experiencing female infertility may be sensitive (after all, it is a sensitive subject), but that doesn’t mean they don’t want others to celebrate their other motherhood (or the motherhoods of their relatives.)
If you’re someone who is going through female infertility:
- Remind yourself that Mother’s Day is simply one moment on the calendar. Plan to spend the time doing something for yourself.
- Don’t assume that when people talk about their Mother’s Day plans that you are being deliberately excluded. Most probably won’t realize that you have mixed feelings about the topic.
- If your mother (or another female in your life who is a mom) deserves a “Happy Mother’s Day” greeting, feel free to give it to her. After all, it can often help you to reach out to another person.
- If you know of another person going through female infertility, give her a call. You can talk with one another about the day and perhaps use the opportunity as a springboard to discuss your emotions.
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Tags: Abraham Munabi, Brim, Cards Gifts, Cold Reminder, Dr. Munabi, emotions, Facebook, female infertility, Greeting Free, Infertility, Infertility Issues, Mixed Feelings, Modicum, Mom, Mother Day, Mother S Day, Motherhood, Relatives, Reproductive Science Institute of Suburban Philadelphia, Rsi, Sensitive Subject, Springboard, Trinkets, Twitter
Posted in female infertility, Holidays | No Comments »
Friday, May 6th, 2011
You may not have heard of the syndrome commonly called “Fragile X” (also known as Escalante’s syndrome or Martin-Bell syndrome), but one of its manifestations can be infertility in females with the condition.
Fragile X typically causes inherited mental impairment, sometimes obvious and sometimes not. Everything from severe mental disabilities to mild autism can fall under the Fragile X umbrella. Thus, some who are afflicted with Fragile X may be unaware they have the condition.
Physical features of those with Fragile X or FXPOI vary; some have long faces, double-jointed thumbs and/or flat feet. But there are plenty of others who have the syndrome but show no such attributes.
Women in particular may have few of the typical Fragile X symptoms or characteristics, mainly because of their second X chromosome. In essence, their other X chromosome (ostensibly healthy and strong) keeps them from having signs.
It’s the same case for females who have FXPOI, or Fragile X-Associated Primary Ovarian Insufficiency, although some iteration of FXPOI usually raises its head sooner or later. Generally, FXPOI leads to menstrual and ovarian concerns which, in turn, create fertility issues if the individual later tries to have children.
If you’ve been having difficulty becoming pregnant and suspect that Fragile X or FXPOI may run in your family, it’s best to get a physician’s viewpoint. Then, you can proceed with more knowledge about the ideal ways for you to go about growing your family.
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Tags: Attributes, Escalante, Facebook, Females, Fertility Issues, Flat Feet, Fragile X, Infertility, Iteration, Long Faces, Manifestations, Martin Bell, Mental Disabilities, Mental Impairment, Mild Autism, Physical Features, Reproductive Science Institute, Rsi, Twitter, Umbrella, Viewpoint, X Chromosome
Posted in female infertility, In the News | No Comments »
Wednesday, May 4th, 2011
It was once believed that a woman who had a tubal ligation (commonly referred to as “getting your tubes tied”) was essentially “infertile” in the sense of being unable to conceive for the rest of her life. Now, though, doctors are often able to perform “reversals”, which is opening the door for women who have changed their minds about getting pregnant again.
In the United States, almost three-quarter of a million tubal ligations occur each year. And when left alone, they are approximately 99.5% effective as a method of birth control. In fact, about a third of married people using contraceptives choose tubal ligation as a means of ceasing to have any (or more) children.
However, as was mentioned before, years go by and partners’ desires as to how large of a family they want can change. In that case, it’s wise to look into either a tubal reversal, if possible, or in-vitro fertilization (IVF).
Surprised to hear that IVF would be used by someone who chose tubal ligation? It’s really not a huge surprise. IVF bypasses the risks associated with a tubal reversal (which is a surgical procedure) and also addresses additional fertility issues that may be of concern to the woman or her partner.
If you’ve had a tubal ligation and would like to have a child (or additional children), contact RSI, the Philadelphia area’s premiere fertility clinic, for a consultation.
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Tags: Birth Control, Consultation, Contraceptives, Desires, Doctors, Dr. Munabi, Facebook, fertility clinic, Fertility Issues, Infertility, IVF, Philadelphia Area, Reproductive Science Institute, Reversals, Rsi, Surprise, Tubal Ligation, Tubal Reversal, Tubes, Twitter, United States, Vitro Fertilization, Woman
Posted in female infertility | 1 Comment »
Friday, April 15th, 2011
“I felt like I wasn’t a ‘real’ woman.”
That type of comment is repeated over and over on fertility-related blogs around the Internet. Without a doubt, it illustrates just how much of a toll female infertility can take on a woman’s self-image.
Never mind the fact that women are talking more openly about the issue of their female infertility problems than ever before; there’s still a sense that a woman who wants to have a child should be able to without any issues.
It all can add up to incredible amounts of stress… which only perpetuates and amplifies the issue at hand.
In our experience, women with female infertility often come to our clinic with feelings of embarrassment, anger and/or shame. But what we try to get them to realize is that:
- It’s not their fault. Female infertility happens… and it can even happen among women who have already had a child. (In that case, it’s called secondary infertility.)
- It’s not “selfish” to ask for help. Some women feel concerned that asking for medical attention somehow is selfish, but it’s not. It’s actually reasonable, especially if the tests for female infertility uncover other conditions that need to be addressed (like endometriosis or an STD.)
- We are not here to pass judgment. As reproductive health specialists, we’re not looking at women as somehow “less than they should be” because of their infertility. Instead, we’re helping them solve a problem with care, understanding and expertise.
If you’ve been feeling depressed or ashamed because of your female infertility, we encourage you to come to RSI for a no-obligation consultation. You’ll find our clinic warm and inviting… and that just might be the catalyst for helping you move forward.
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Tags: Anger, Blogs, Catalyst, Doubt, Embarrassment, Endometriosis, Feelings, Female Infertility Problems, Infertility, Issue At Hand, Judgment, Medical Attention, Obligation Consultation, Psyche, Real Woman, Reproductive Health Specialists, Reproductive Science Institute, Rsi, Secondary Infertility, Self Image, Shame, Stress
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Tuesday, December 28th, 2010
If you have an appointment lined up with a fertility specialist, it’s important for you to prepare in advance.
Often, by the time you get in front of the fertility specialist, your emotions begin to overwhelm your thought process. Though this is totally natural, it can also lead to forgetfulness.
To combat this possibility, always come to your fertility appointments prepared with a list of questions. To help you get started, we’ve put together the following queries:
- How long have you been a fertility specialist?
- What types of assisted reproductive techniques do you handle?
- Can you explain each type of assisted reproductive technique you offer to patients?
- What are the pros and cons of each type of assisted reproductive technique?
- What if I want to discontinue treatment at some point?
- What kind of a time commitment should I expect with each assisted reproductive technique?
- What lifestyle changes will I have to make with each assisted reproductive technique?
- Are there any fertility treatment related clinical trials that I might be a candidate to join?
- What if I have a problem and need to contact you or a member of your team?
- How many rounds of assisted reproductive techniques do most women in my situation undergo?
- What is your clinic’s success rate?
- Can I speak with some of your former/current patients?
Remember that this is your opportunity to gather all the information you want and need. Take a pen and paper with you and be assertive. You’ll be glad you did.
Tags: Appointment, Appointments, Assisted Reproductive Technique, Assisted Reproductive Techniques, Clinical Trials, Contact, emotions, fertility specialist, Fertility Treatment, Forgetfulness, Lead, Lifestyle Changes, Opportunity, Pen And Paper, Pros And Cons, Queries, Success Rate, Thought Process, Time Commitment
Posted in female infertility, Fertility Info 101 | No Comments »
Thursday, November 18th, 2010
Many women have been taught to believe that as long as they menstruate, they should be able to become pregnant. But in reality, nothing could be further from the truth, as fertility and menstruation do not necessarily go hand-in-hand.
What’s the problem? Well, there could be several that would affect fertility, such as:
- Irregular Periods. This can be caused by any number of issues, including not ovulating on a regular cycle. No or infrequent ovulation makes getting pregnant incredibly difficult, especially if couples are trying to “time” the conception.
- Periods That Aren’t Periods. Sometimes, what looks like a period really isn’t one at all and could actually be “spotting”. And frequent spotting should always be investigated by an OB/GYN to ensure that there isn’t a serious problem.
- Ovulation at Unusual Times. For some women, ovulation doesn’t take place when it’s “supposed” to (e.g., midway through a menstrual cycle.) This makes it tough to predict the most fertile time of the month for a female.
If you have been having difficulty getting pregnant, it’s time to see a fertility specialist. Even if you’re getting a period, it’s not an indicator that you “should” be able to get pregnant without any concerns.
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Tags: Couples, Fertile Time Of The Month, fertility specialist, Irregular Periods, Menstrual Cycle, Menstruation, Midway, Miracles, Ob Gyn, Ovulation, Time Of The Month, Truth
Posted in female infertility, Menstruation | No Comments »
