Posts Tagged ‘Fertility Treatments’
Friday, October 28th, 2011
Gay and lesbian couples who are seeking fertility treatments are often concerned with several issues, including but not limited to:
- How they will be treated by a fertility specialist.
- What their options are depending upon their infertility issues.
What the legal ramifications of fertility treatments will be, especially given that they may not be “legally” married in the eyes of the government.
That’s why it’s so critical for them to connect with a reproductive services team that understands the emotional, social and financial considerations for couples with “alternative lifestyles” who are looking into fertility treatments.
At suburban Philadelphia’s Reproductive Science Institute (RSI), we have a deep understanding of and consideration for all individuals and couples who come through our doors, no matter if they are in heterosexual or homosexual relationships. To us, that’s not important, nor should it be. What is important is that we help them achieve their goals in the most practical, pragmatic way that we can using our many years of expertise in assisted reproductive techniques.
If you’re involved in a stable gay or lesbian partnership and you’d like to discuss fertility treatments such as in-vitro fertility (IVF), donor egg/sperm, intrauterine insemination (IUI) and/or gestational surrogacy, please contact us at (610) 981-6000 for an appointment. We’re happy to help.
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Tags: Alternative Lifestyles, Assisted Reproductive Techniques, Couples Seeking, Donor Egg, Dr. Hearns, Dr. Munabi, fertility specialist, Fertility Treatment, Fertility Treatments, Financial Considerations, Gay And Lesbian Couples, Gay Couples, Gestational Surrogacy, Homosexual Relationships, Infertility, Infertility Issues, Intrauterine Insemination Iui, Legal Ramifications, Reproductive Science Institute, Reproductive Services, Suburban Philadelphia, Vitro
Posted in Alternative Lifestyles | 1 Comment »
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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Monday, October 24th, 2011
If you’re a woman and you’ve been having difficulty getting pregnant after trying for at least six months on a regular basis, you may want to consider the possibility that you could have polycystic ovary symptom (PCOS).
PCOS has been shown to affect fertility in women by interfering with hormones. Consequently, menstruation and ovulation may become irregular, leading to infertility or challenges in naturally conceiving a child without fertility treatments.
Ironically, many women with PCOS do not realize they have the condition. After all, PCOS symptoms can easily “mimic” ordinary experiences for many females. These may include menstruation changes, trouble with pregnancy, ovarian cysts (benign) and skin problems.
Because infertility or problems with fertility are often reasons for diagnosis, most women with PCOS are in their 20s and 30s. However, some teenagers have been known to discover that they have the condition.
For fertility specialists like the Philadelphia and Reading, Pennsylvania area’s Reproductive Science Institute (RSI), discovering PCOS can help greatly in deciding upon the best fertility treatments for a female patient and, if applicable, her partner. PCOS can be addressed with a number of medical interventions, including birth control pills, progesterone pills and medications.
The good news is that PCOS is quite treatable and can be overcome for women and couples who seek to become parents. If you’re interested in finding out more about PCOS and fertility treatments, contact RSI at your convenience to set up an appointment with one of our team.
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Tags: Birth Control, Birth Control Pills, conceiving a child, Cysts, Dr. Hearns, Dr. Munabi, Female Patient, Fertility Specialists, Fertility Treatment, Fertility Treatments, Hormones, Infertility, Medical Interventions, Menstruation And Ovulation, Ovary, PA Infertility, Pcos Symptoms, Pennsylvania Area, Philadelphia Infertility, Polycystic Ovary, Progesterone, Reading, Reading Pennsylvania, Reproductive Science Institute, Skin Problems
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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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Monday, October 3rd, 2011
For many women, irregular (or non-existent) ovulation is a contributing factor to their female infertility. But it’s interesting to note that not all ladies understand how the ovulation process works.
To help better understand this potential cause of female infertility, we’ve put together a quick timeline to help you become better informed on ovulation and its relationship to fertility issues.
What Is Ovulation? During ovulation, an egg (ovum) is released from one of a woman’s two ovaries. The egg is typically referred to as “mature”, meaning it’s ideally ready for fertilization.
The egg travels down the fallopian tube to the uterus, the lining of which has thickened enough to allow a fertilized egg to implant. If the egg becomes fertilized and implants, pregnancy results. If the egg is not fertilized, a menstrual period begins.
When Does Ovulation Occur? Ovulation generally occurs 12-16 days after the start of a woman’s last period. Thus, if a woman’s period began October 5, she would likely ovulate sometime between October 17 and 21.
During this window (and for a few days after), a woman is considered most fertile. This means if she has unprotected intercourse, she has the best chance of becoming pregnant for that menstrual cycle.
How Do You Know if Your Ovulation Is “Off”? Ironically, many women do not ovulate or ovulate infrequently and never realize it. Though they may skip periods or have a longer-than-average cycle between the times they menstruate, they may not associate their difficulties with ovulation.
Tests to determine if you’re ovulating can be performed by a fertility specialist, which will enable you to decide how to best proceed with fertility treatments.
What Are My Fertility Treatment Options? If it’s discovered that you are not ovulating at all or are ovulating at irregular rates, medication can be given to either start ovulation or regulate it. Other fertility treatments like IVF and IUI can be used if your body is unresponsive to the medications or you have serious side effects.
Where Can I Get More Information? If you’d like further info on female infertility and you are within traveling distance to Philadelphia or Reading, Pennsylvania , please consider contacting the Reproductive Science Institute (RSI) for an appointment to discuss your options.
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Tags: Dr. Hearns, Dr. Munabi, Egg, Fallopian Tube, female infertility, Fertility Issues, fertility specialist, Fertility Treatment, Fertility Treatments, Fertilization, Implants, Infertility, Last Period, Medication, Menstrual Cycle, Menstrual Period, Ovulation Tests, ovum, Philadelphia Infertility, Reading PA Infertility, Reproductive Science Institute, Rsi, Timeline, Treatment Options, Unprotected Intercourse, Uterus, Wyomissing PA Infertility
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Friday, September 30th, 2011
It’s called CoQ-10, and it’s heralded as an anti-aging vitamin/enzyme. Whether or not this veritable fountain of youth works is up for debate; however, Canadian scientists conducting research using the vitamin have discovered that it seems to be able to make “old” human ova (eggs) youthful. And this could be useful for females over 35 with fertility issues or who have simply delayed starting a family for personal reasons.
The Toronto research team has tried using CoQ-10 on animals (mice) and has had excellent success. In fact, team members are quite certain that this vitamin (which can be found over-the-counter) may one day help women in their late 30s and 40s have children using their own eggs. Even if they have to undergo IVF and/or IUI, they may be able to avoid getting donor eggs or using a gestational carrier.
The mice in the Canadian research project produced healthy offspring well into their midlife years. (In human years, they bred until about age 50.) Plus, the mice not only were able to conceive, but they looked healthier and younger than mice who were not injected with CoQ-10.
Noted study leader Robert Casper, senior scientist, Sinai’s Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute: “I don’t think it will delay the onset of menopause, but I do think it will improve the quality of eggs.”
If you’re a female and you’re interested in learning more about fertility treatments and techniques, contact a reputable fertility specialist like the Pennsylvania based Reproductive Science Institute.
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Tags: 40s, Canadian Scientists, Casper, Conducting Research, Coq 10, Donor Eggs, Dr. Hearns, Dr. Munabi, Fertility Issues, fertility specialist, Fertility Treatment, Fertility Treatments, Fountain Of Youth, Gestational Carrier, IVF, Onset Of Menopause, PA Infertility, Personal Reasons, Philadelphia Infertility, Reading, Reproductive Science Institute, Reproductive Science Institute of Suburban Philadelphia, Rsi, Samuel Lunenfeld Research, Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Study Leader, Veritable Fountain, Wyomissing
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Wednesday, September 28th, 2011
News from India has many men who work in the IT industry asking themselves if their chosen careers may contribute to their male infertility. A recent survey of those in the software industry has discovered that many men who attempt fertility treatments with their wives discover that they are the cause of the reproduction issues.
Though the survey doesn’t explain exactly why a higher-than-normal finding seems to exist in the IT world, there could be many sociological and environmental factors, including:
1. A stressful environment.
The IT industry is highly competitive, requiring long hours. As with any job where intensity and drive are the standard expectations, an IT professional may be living such a hectic lifestyle that he is unable to find time to have a regular sexual relationship with his female partner.
2. Obesity.
IT professionals often work in offices in front of computers day-in, day-out. This leads to a more sedentary than normal existence, which can contribute to weight issues. Obese men are known to have more fertility issues than are those of average weight.
3. Poor habits.
Long hours may lead some men to drink or smoke. Both lifestyle choices can be contributors to male infertility. Additionally, any kind of drug use (even some over-the-counter medications) can become problematic for men seeking to father children.
4. Radiation from technology equipment.
Though some scientists have felt that the notion of radiation from technological items is too minimal to have an impact on male infertility, others are cautious about dismissing the notion out of hand. After all, some cases have shown that being around such items can have effects on health.
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Tags: Drug Use, Environmental Factors, Female Partner, Fertility Issues, Fertility Treatment, Fertility Treatments, Hectic Lifestyle, Infertility, Intensity, Lifestyle Choices, Male Infertility, Many Men, News From India, Obese Men, obesity, PA Infertility, Philadelphia Infertility, Poor Habits, Reading, Reproducive Science Institute of Suburban Philadelphia, Reproduction Issues, Rsi, Sexual Relationship, Software Industry, Stressful Environment, Technology Equipment, Wyomissing
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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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