Archive for the ‘Fertility Treatments’ Category
Friday, December 2nd, 2011
When couples show up at our clinic for their first appointment regarding fertility treatments, they bring a united front. They hold hands. They look at each other lovingly, excitedly. They are hopeful for the future they are working toward together.
Although undergoing fertility treatments is in itself a testament to the strength and future of a partnership, the actual process can emotionally wear down even the strongest couple. It is a strenuous process that can sometimes include setbacks, frustrations and fears. It’s difficult for partners to put into words their own fears because they don’t want to let down their partner.
It’s important to focus on this truth, that undergoing fertility treatments can bond you in ways you never dreamed possible. It has the ability to bolster your relationship and allow you to discover new strengths about each other. The key to making that happen is communication. Don’t be afraid to express to your partner your concerns, your doubts, your fears and most especially your hopes and dreams. Talk about what is happening to both of you, regardless of which one of you is undergoing the physical treatment at the moment. Remember that this is a journey you are both on together. Don’t lose sight of that!
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Tags: Appointment, Communication, Couples, Discover, Doubts, Dr. Hearns, Dr. Munabi, Dr. Munavi, Express, Fears, Fertility Treatment, Fertility Treatments, Focus, Frustrations, Hopes And Dreams, Journey, Nbsp, PA Infertility, Partnership, Reading, Relationship, Reproductive Science Institute of Suburban Philadelphia, Rsi, Setbacks, Testament, Truth, United Front, Wyomissing
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Wednesday, October 26th, 2011
It’s no secret or surprise that stress can rear its head when it comes to couples and individuals facing fertility treatments. In fact, a recent report from the UK suggests that more than three quarters of those experiencing infertility or fertility issues rate their stress level as the highest they’ve ever had in their lives.
Again, this isn’t a shocking revelation; however, it does give pause as to how men and women going through fertility treatments can better cope with their situations.
Beyond the usual suggestions to relax, put the issue into perspective and eat well, we at the Reproductive Science Institute (located in Wyomissing and Chesterbrook, PA) have some other ideas as to how you can minimize the stress that can be attributed to dealing with fertility concerns:
1. Talk about your feelings with a trained professional. It’s never a good idea to hold in your emotions, especially when you’re undergoing a potentially life-changing experience. Whether you speak with a counselor, member of the clergy or a psychiatrist, it’s essential that you discuss what you’re feeling inside rather than allowing it to build.
2. Gather information and understand what’s happening… but try not to obsess. It’s always good to understand what’s about to happen; but sometimes, too much information can be a very bad thing for couples and individuals entering into fertility treatments. If you become too engulfed in data, you may unnecessarily increase your stress levels.
3. Be open and honest with your fertility specialist. Finally, it’s essential for you (and your partner, if applicable) to be honest with your fertility specialist. If something feels amiss or you have concerns, speak up. You’ll get your questions answered, and that will seriously help you automatically lower your stress levels.
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Tags: Chesterbrook Pa, Clergy, Counselor, Couples, Dr. Hearns, Dr. Munabi, emotions, Feelings, Fertility Concerns, Fertility Issues, fertility specialist, Fertility Treatment, Fertility Treatments, Infertility, Men And Women, Perspective, Philadelphia Area, Psychiatrist, Reproductive Science Institute, Shocking Revelation, Stress Level, Stress Levels, Stress Reduction, Three Quarters, Wyomissing Pa
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Friday, October 14th, 2011
Some people call them fertility vacations. Others don’t give them names at all. But if you’re thinking of traveling out of the country to get fertility treatments, it’s important to remain cautious.
This isn’t to suggest that foreign doctors and hospitals cannot solve fertility issues. However, there are several concerns about going abroad for your fertility treatment needs. Consider the following:
- It may be difficult to find credible information about a fertility specialist, especially if he or she speaks a foreign language that you do not understand.
- If there are complications while you’re overseas, how will you deal with issues like needing to stay in that country longer than you anticipate?
- What kind of repercussions do you have legally if something goes wrong with the reproductive techniques they decide to use?
- How can you be assured that you’re getting the fertility treatments that you deserve?
- Many countries do not have the same medical hygiene standards as those in the United States. Will you risk your health?
- How long can you conceivably stay in a foreign country from a social, job-related or financial perspective if something goes amiss and you need to remain?
- How will you verify the credentials of your fertility specialist?
This is one of the reasons we highly recommended looking nationally for the best fertility specialist you can. That way, you can be less concerned with all the associated issues that traveling to another country can create.
Of course, if you’re located in or near the Philadelphia or Reading, Pennsylvania, areas, we welcome you to make an appointment with The Reproductive Health Institute (RSI).
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Tags: Appointment, Credentials, Doctors, Dr. Hearns, Dr. Munabi, Fertility Issues, fertility specialist, Fertility Treatment, Fertility Treatments, Foreign Language, Health Institute, Hospitals, Hygiene Standards, Nbsp, PA Infertility, Pennsylvania Areas, Perspective, Philadelphia, Reading Pennsylvania, Repercussions, Reproductive Health, Reproductive Science Institute, Rsi, Vacations
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Friday, October 7th, 2011
If you’re a celebrity, telling everyone about your impending fertility treatments may garner you some great press. However, chances are that you’re an “ordinary” Jane or Jack who isn’t looking to have your face splashed in every magazine available at the grocery store!
With this in mind, it’s important to consider who needs to know about your fertility treatments. It’s also critical to figure out the best ways to tell them. Here are some suggestions:
Telling Your Employer
- If you’re undergoing mild fertility treatments that won’t require much time out of the office, you may not have to say a word to your employer. Simply use your personal or sick days for office visits.
- If you expect to need significant time off due to fertility treatments, it is recommended that you speak with your human resources representative to determine the best path of action. They are trained to deal with such matters and can give you pointed suggestions based on your line of work, company culture, etc.
Telling Your Coworkers
- Again, this is a need-to-know item that may or may not apply. If you’re a manager and you know you’ll be gone often, you may need to assign a “point person” to handle projects. But unless your human resources contact strongly advises you to tell your subordinates what’s happening, you’re under no obligation to reveal your medical issues.
- Remember that if you do confide in someone with whom you work, the story may eventually get around.
Telling Your Children or Step-Children
- Men and women who are undergoing fertility treatments aren’t always childless. Many already have kids of their own or through a marriage situation. Depending upon how old those children are, you may want to broach the subject of fertility treatments. Just make sure what you say is age appropriate… and be prepared for them to share with the people in their lives.
Telling Your Friends and Family
- For some couples, having friends and family know about their fertility treatments is a no-brainer; for others, it’s a potential emotional strain. Only you can decide which is the case for you.
- Be prepared to answer questions. Many friends and family members may find the need to “grill” you. Just don’t feel pressured to reveal anything more than what you’re comfortable revealing.
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Tags: Celebrity, Company Culture, Couples, Coworkers, Dr. Hearns, Dr. Munabi, Fertility Treatments, Friends And Family, Grocery Store, Human Resources, Marriage, Medical Issues, Men And Women, Obligation, PA Infertility, Personal, Philadelphia Infertility, Point Person, Reading, Reproductive Science Institute, Sick Days, Significant Time, Subordinates, Telling Your Friends, Time Off, Time Out, Wyomissing
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Wednesday, October 5th, 2011
It’s no secret that fertility treatments can elicit a host of emotional responses from the individuals and couples involved. That’s why it’s such a smart idea to really plan for the ways to deal with your feelings ahead of time.
Even if you are the most optimistic person in the world, it can be challenging to stay positive, especially if fertility treatments are proceeding slower than you’d like or if the options presented to you are not what you expected.
As you proceed with your investigation into the right fertility treatments for your situation, why not take the following factors into consideration?
1. Set up an appointment with a counselor.
Many therapists and counselors specialize in helping those who are undergoing fertility treatments. They can give you feedback on your (very normal) emotions as well as providing you with ways to get through difficult times.
2. Don’t define yourself by your infertility.
Many people fall into the emotional trap of thinking of themselves only in terms of their infertility. Remember that you are someone who has a lot to offer, and are not simply a man or woman who is having issues conceiving.
3. Be open about the way you feel.
Females and males who are undergoing fertility treatments can sometimes “shut down”, essentially pretending that their emotions aren’t happening or, alternatively, aren’t important. But they most certainly are!
4. Plan fun activities.
Don’t worry about fertility treatments 24/7! Start planning some fun activities to do alone and with your partner. Go out to eat, head for a hike in the woods, take a walk along the water… and reconnect with yourself and your relationship in a way that doesn’t have to do with pregnancy.
5. Stay on top of your emotions.
Finally, it’s critical to remain “on top” of your emotions. You may even want to start a journal so you can track how you’re feeling on a daily or weekly basis. This will help you achieve a stronger sense of confidence and poise throughout your fertility treatments.
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Tags: Appointment, Counselor, Counselors, Couples, Difficult Times, Dr. Hearns, Dr. Munabi, Emotional Responses, emotions, Feelings, Females, Fertility Treatments, Fun Activities, Infertility, Many People, Optimistic Person, Partner, Philadelphia Infertility, Pregnancy, Reading PA Infertility, Relationship, Reproductive Science Institute, Rsi, Smart Idea, Stay On Top, Worry, Wyomissing PA Infertility
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Friday, September 23rd, 2011
Medicine is always looking for newer, smarter ways to help patients overcome their conditions. And when it comes to helping men and women overcome infertility, there is no exception to this rule!
Every year, advances are made, and as they become available, fertility clinics like the Philadelphia and Reading PA area’s Reproductive Science Institute (RSI) try to learn the techniques and absorb them into their practices. (Obviously, this is done after ensuring the methods are likely to produce positive results and have been scientifically proven to help women and men seeking fertility treatments.)
One of the latest techniques is a video test that’s being touted as a way for fertility specialists to choose which embryos will be the most viable for IVF. Spearheaded by Cambridge University’s Professor Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz, the method uses time-lapse videography and photography mixed with velocitometry to pick the best embryos for in vitro.
Though Zernicka-Goetz’s research was conducted solely on mice, it is scheduled to be attempted in a few British fertility clinics. From there, if it’s successful and safe, it will be made available to other fertility specialists around the world.
In a press release, Zernicka-Goetz noted that she wanted to discover a stronger technique to help cut down on the heartache often associated with failed IVF attempts. In her eyes, the video advancement could increase IVF success rates considerably, thus shortening the time that couples have to spend going through in-vitro.
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Tags: British Fertility, Cambridge University, Dr. Hearns, Dr. Munabi, Embryos, Fertility Clinics, fertility rates, Fertility Specialists, Fertility Treatment, Fertility Treatments, Heartache, Increase Fertility, Ivf Success Rates, Magdalena, Medical Advances, Philadelphia PA Infertility, Reading Pa, Reading PA Infertility, Reproductive Science Institute, Time Lapse, Treatment Success, Video Test, Vitro, Women And Men, Wyomissing PA Infertility
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Wednesday, September 21st, 2011
Giuliana and Bill Rancic haven’t been shy about seeking fertility treatments. In fact, after two rounds of IVF, they declared not quite a year ago that they would wait to attempt a third. However, it seems that they made the choice to try sooner than they thought.
The couple has now announced that they’ll be going to their fertility specialist for another IVF fertility treatment in the coming weeks. As they’ve noted to the press, the impetus for their decision was a statement by their physician that Giuliana was in a good position egg-wise for another attempt.
Though we don’t always talk about Hollywood duos who are undergoing fertility treatments, we have kept up with the Rancics. As a team, they are a positive force for getting a true picture out about what it’s like to go through the process of working with trained reproductive specialists to attempt to conceive.
The Rancics also seem to be excellent at putting the experience in perspective and focusing on the end goal – having a child. In fact, despite Giuliana’s good-natured grumbling, she’s incredibly optimistic. She’s even noted that if she had twins, she’d still go for more fertility treatments if it were a possibility, just to have additional babies.
In the end, the Rancics seem to have chosen a fertility specialist they trust, which is probably one of the reasons they have remained so upbeat. If you’re interested in finding out about whether or not fertility treatments are right for you, contact the Reproductive Science Institute with locations in Chesterbrook and Wyomissing PA to set up a consultation.
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Tags: Babies, Bill Rancic, Chesterbrook, Consultation, Dr. Hearns, Dr. Munabi, Duos, Egg, fertility specialist, Fertility Treatment, Fertility Treatments, Giuliana, Giuliana Rancic IVF, Hollywood, Hollywood News, Impetus, IVF treatment, Nbsp, Perspective, Philadelphia Infertility, Reading PA Infertility, Reproductive Science Institute, Reproductive Specialists, Twins, Wyomissing Pa, Wyomissing PA Infertility
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Friday, September 16th, 2011
For couples undergoing fertility treatments, deciding when, whether and/or with whom to share their journey can be difficult. Yet an interesting study from the University of Iowa has revealed that it may end in a socially, scientifically predictable decision.
The study looked at couples who had been through fertility treatments and evaluated the people with whom they talked about their experiences. The findings, published in the Journal of Applied Communication Research as well as the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships were definitely interesting:
When the woman was the person with the fertility issue, the couple tended to tell a great deal of people, including their family and friends. However, when the man had the fertility problems, the couple was less likely to talk about it.
The study’s authors used their data to make a conclusion that social mores surrounding expectations of males and females in western culture may have something to do with their reactions and actions. For instance, they suggested that women might be under pressure to explain why they didn’t have children by a certain age; consequently, they would be justifying their childless statuses. For men, this stigma wasn’t quite as strong; in fact, they might be hesitant to say they were undergoing fertility treatments for fear of it adversely affecting the way they were perceived by those around them.
Of course, these results are based on conjecture and every partnership is unique. Plus, there are many factors involved in the “to tell or not to tell” decision. However, the University of Iowa research has given way for further dialogue and investigation to be held on the topic.
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Tags: Certain Age, Conjecture, Couples, Dialogue, Dr. Hearns, Dr. Munabi, Family And Friends, Fertility Issue, Fertility Problems, Fertility Treatment, Fertility Treatments, Iowa Research, Journal Of Applied Communication Research, Journey, Males And Females, Nbsp, Personal Relationships, Philadelphia PA Infertility, Reproductive Science Institute of Suburban Philadelphia, Rsi, Social Mores, Statuses, Stigma, University Of Iowa, Western Culture, Wyomissing PA Infertility
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Friday, September 9th, 2011
For women who want to have a child, the number “35” seems to be almost magical. After all, it’s the age that people anecdotally agree upon as the point where a woman’s fertility begins to decrease. Yet that’s really not the “whole story”.
While female fertility does tend to wane faster after 35, there are many women who have trouble conceiving in their late 20s and early 30s. So for a woman, waiting until the “magic number” may not be the best idea.
Why are some women infertile before 35? There are a whole host of reasons, including:
- A pre-existing condition of the reproductive system, such as PCOS or endometriosis.
- A bout of cancer as a child, teen or young adult.
- An undiagnosed or diagnosed sexually transmitted disease (STD) like chlamydia.
- A problem with regular ovulation.
- The medications the woman is taking.
This is why most fertility specialists, like those at the Philadelphia area’s Reproductive Science Institute (RSI), recommend that women of any childbearing age not adopt a “wait for years” mentality. Typically, women should be able to become pregnant within six months of trying (e.g., having regular sex without protection.)
Whether you’re in your late 20s or your late 30s, you need to be aware of the facts. Will your fertility lessen as you age? Absolutely. But the numbers indicate that up to 7% of females are infertile by the time they reach their 30th birthdays. That’s why it’s critical to get assistance and medical advice sooner rather than later.
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Tags: 30th Birthdays, Childbearing Age, Chlamydia, Dr. Hearns, Dr. Munabi, Endometriosis, Female Fertility, Females, Fertility Specialists, Fertility Treatment, Magic Number, Medical Advice, medications, Mentality, Number 35, Ovulation, Pcos, Philadelphia Area, Philadelphia PA Infertility, Reading PA Infertility, Reproductive Science Institute, Reproductive Science Institute of Suburban Philadelphia, Reproductive System, Rsi, Six Months, Wyomissing PA Infertility, Young Adult
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Wednesday, September 7th, 2011
For couples undergoing fertility treatments, stressors can sometimes seem quite overwhelming. On one hand, any change in a partnership can be challenging, but on the other, infertility shouldn’t lead to the dissolution of a relationship.
To help you keep your commitment strong throughout fertility treatments, we’ve come up with seven suggestions. Feel free to leave a comment if you have others that have worked for you!
1. Don’t make infertility the “center stage” of your relationship. If all you do is talk about not being able to conceive, it will overtake your time together.
2. Make plenty of time to be together as a couple. Go to the movies, take a walk in the park, stay overnight in a nice hotel… doing so will strengthen your bond and help rejuvenate you both.
3. Spend time apart with friends. Everyone needs and deserves some space. Making plans to hang out with people other than your significant other will help you recharge.
4. Talk about your emotions as you’re undergoing fertility treatments. It’s important not to make fertility treatments the “elephant in the room”. Be open about your feelings and you’ll reap the rewards.
5. Go to a counselor if the strain becomes too great. Don’t allow your relationship to simply become more and more strained. If it’s gotten to a serious point, seek out help. (Often, your fertility specialist can assist you in getting a referral.)
6. Eat well and exercise, even if you don’t feel like it. The healthier you are inside and out, the easier it will be to handle anything that comes your way. (And working out can be yet another “to do” item you can enjoy together!)
7. Take it day by day. When times are a bit challenging, it’s sometimes helpful to remember that “this too shall pass”. Each day is another opportunity to learn, grow and love.
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Tags: Center Stage, Counselor, Couples, Dissolution, Dr. Hearns, Dr. Munabi, Elephant, emotions, Feelings, fertility specialist, Fertility Treatment, Fertility Treatments, Great Don, Infertility, Nice Hotel, Partnership, Philadelphia Infertility, Plenty Of Time, Reading PA Infertility, Referral, Relationship Help, Reproductive Science Institute of Suburban Philadelphia, Rewards, Rsi, Stressors, Walk In The Park, Wyomissing Infertility
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