Posts Tagged ‘Fertility Problems’

The Myth of the Perpetually Fertile Male

Sunday, June 20th, 2010

“Of course HE can become a dad at any age!  But for a woman, it’s different!”

How many times have we heard that phrase repeated by people who are discussing the whole parenting issue of males versus females?  But it perpetuates a myth that male fertility is something that doesn’t change over time and isn’t a concern.

The truth of the matter is that between 30-40% of all fertility problems in couples is due to male infertility, not female infertility.  It’s a fact that surprises a lot of men… and women.

The next time you hear someone talking about the notion that men are somehow immune to fertility issues, you might want to interject the aforementioned statistic.  Hopefully, that will help educate people into realizing that fertility isn’t a one-gender concern.

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  • Genes Found for Testicular Cancer - May Affect Male Fertility in Future

    Thursday, June 17th, 2010

    Testicular cancer can be overcome, but it can have serious side effects, including male infertility.  That’s why a recent finding by British scientists studying testicular cancer is so exciting.

    The scientists have been able to isolate three genetic risk factors (the genes are called TERT, ATF7IP and DMRT1) for testicular cancer, findings that they hope will someday lead to early prevention (and cure) of a disease that’s been known to rob men of their fertility.

    Men between the ages of 15 and 45 are at the greatest risk for testicular cancer, which can be treated but often leaves the men with fertility problems.  If genes can tell early who is most likely to have testicular cancer, it opens the door for ways to keep male fertility intact.

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  • Infertility Isn’t Only a Woman’s Issue

    Monday, February 8th, 2010

    Too often, people tend to think of infertility as being a female issue.  Though this is probably due to the fact that women are the ones carrying the children, there’s as much of a likelihood that a couple’s inability to conceive is a male problem as that it is a female one.

    Statistics vary on how often couples’ conception problems are related to female issues as opposed to males — some sources say a third of fertility problems is due to the female’s infertility, a third is due to the male’s infertility and a third is due to unknown circumstances.  Other sources have the figures at 40%, 40% and 20%.  But the crux of the studies show that men have just as much chance of having infertility issues as do women.

    It’s time to stop thinking of infertility as something that’s primarily related to women.  Truly, it’s a condition that’s “equal opportunity”.

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  • Women Gets Pregnant with Cell Phone… Sort Of

    Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

    It’s been all around the Intrawebs and media sites have gobbled up the headline:  Women Gets Pregnant Using iPhone

    To be sure, it’s a great “hook”.  But when you actually read the report, you’ll discover that what she did was download an app that helped her chart her ovulation.  It’s actually not anything new — women have been using this method of natural fertility awareness for centuries.  However, it may give false hope to some individuals.

    To be sure, there is nothing wrong with measuring your temperature or charting your menstrual periods to determine your most “fertile” points of the month.  But there may be hidden factors to infertility that cannot be addressed or uncovered when using this method:

    1. The fertility issue may not be on the woman’s part.  Up to 40% of couples experiencing infertility discover that the male – not the female — is the one with the fertility concerns.
    2. The woman may not be ovulating or ovulating regularly despite the occurrence of menses.  This means that although she is having a period, she’s not really fertile or may be only fertile a small percentage of the time.
    3. The woman may have other medical problems of which she’s unaware.  Without a complete examination including tests, the source of the couple’s fertility problems may not be apparent if they only use a natural form of charting fertility.

    Our recommendation?  If, after using a non-medical method to chart fertility (like the i-Phone app) you are unable to get pregnant within 6 months, it’s time to see a reproductive science specialist.  That way, you’ll be wasting no time.

    By the same token, we congratulate the couple for achieving their goal!

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  • Could Your Workout Be Affecting Your Fertility?

    Friday, January 22nd, 2010

    There’s nothing wrong with working up a good sweat, eating healthy foods and taking care of your body.  But sometimes too much of a good thing can lead to fertility issues.

    If you’re a recreational athlete who has whittled her body fat down too far, you may be compromising your ability to conceive naturally.  Typically when a woman’s body fat percentage dips below approximately 18% (some sources go a little lower), periods typically cease or become highly irregular due to dropping estrogen levels.  And that, in turn, leads to fertility problems.

    Though this doesn’t mean that you have to drastically change your exercise regimen, it may mean that you have to be more conscious of the types of foods you’re eating, especially if your body fat percentage is very low.  Even adding 100 calories per day and cutting back your intense exercise by an hour or more a week could make a significant difference over time.*

    * As always, it’s important to check with your family physician and/or reproductive science specialist before altering your routine. 

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  • Celiac Disease and Infertility

    Thursday, December 24th, 2009

    If you’ve been diagnosed with celiac disease (or if you have the disease and don’t realize it), you could be facing fertility problems.

    Celiac disease is a disease of the digestive tract.  Those who have it typically experience bouts of gastrointestinal distress, including bloating, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.  It’s estimated that there are over 2 million persons thought to have celiac disease in the U.S.; those who have been diagnosed must opt for a gluten-free diet to combat their problems.

    Two of the more intriguing (and sometimes overlooked) symptoms of celiac disease which may be overlooked are infertilityand frequent miscarriage.  Although it’s true that those symptoms can be associated with a wide range of medical concerns, it’s advisable to get checked for celiac disease if you’re having trouble conceiving and cannot pinpoint the reason.  If nothing else, you’ll rule out a potential source of infertility.

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  • Conception Myths

    Wednesday, October 28th, 2009

    The American Fertility Association conducted a 15 question survey concerning basic fertility facts.  One out of 12,382 respondents answered the questions correctly.

     

    Brenda stokes writes about the 10 Common Fertility Myths in an article published on www.babyzone.com .  We’ve compiled a few highlights:

     

     

    Myth #1:  The pill reduces fertility.

     

    No evidence shows that the consistent use of birth control pills affects future fertility.  Because they remain in a woman’s system for around 24 hours at a time, birth control pills never make much of an impact on the body’s ability to reproduce.  If anything, using the pill or one of its hormonal counterparts such as the patch or the ring can actually help fertility in some women.  “Birth control pills have to be used to treat and reduce symptoms of disorders such as endometriosis, which is a factor in infertility,” says Dr. Brasner.

     

     

    Myth #2:  Ovulation occurs on day 14.

     

    While the typical menstrual cycle is 28 days, not every woman is typical.  In fact, many women have a cycle that lasts from 21 days up to as many as 35 days, says Dr. Singh.  To calculate your day of ovulation, count backwards 14 days from the last day of your cycle.  It very well could be day 14, or day 12, or day 20.  You can also try more sophisticated methods for predicting your patterns and days of ovulation.  Try tracking your basal body temperature, watching for changes in your cervical fluid, or testing your saliva or urine for the presence of chemicals indicating ovulation is near.

     

     

    Myth #3:  Fertility problems begin at age 35.

     

    Facts show that fertility changes throughout a woman’s life and doesn’t suddenly decline when she turns 35.  Rather, many women reach their fertile peak in their early twenties, says Dr. Shari Brasner, MD, author of Advice From a Pregnant Obstetrician: An Inside Guide.  This is an age when most women aren’t even considering having children yet, says Dr. Brasner.  But just because you’re not thinking about children doesn’t mean your biological clock isn’t ticking.  Knowing and understanding this from early adulthood can prevent a lot of heartbreak later on and give you realistic expectations about your chances of conceiving.

     

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    In the News: Stress Can Be Major Cause of Fertility Problems

    Monday, June 22nd, 2009
    Tied in knots because of stress?

    Tied in knots because of stress?

    If you’re stressed out because you’re not able to conceive, that stress may actually be contributing to your fertility issues.

    So says a recent study from the University of California, Berkeley, as reported by MyFOX in Chattanooga, TN.

    A recently-released abstract from the study notes that:

    “The subjective experience of stress leads to reproductive dysfunction in many species, including rodents and humans. Stress effects on reproduction result from multilevel interactions between the hormonal stress response system, i.e., the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, and the hormonal reproductive system, i.e., the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal (HPG) axis.”

    Many individuals and couples who have experienced infertility are not strangers to the notion that stress that can contribute to infertility. 

    However, it’s important to remember that the majority of infertility issues cannot be solved by relaxation.  That’s why working with a knowledgeable team of reproductive science professionals is always recommended for men and women who have been unable to conceive naturally.

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