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Posts Tagged ‘Infertility Issues’
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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Tags: female infertility, Fertility Problems, Infertility, Infertility Issues, Male Infertility, Rsi, Statistics, Woman Issue
Posted in Male Infertility, female infertility | No Comments »
Saturday, January 9th, 2010
For many individuals and couples going through infertility issues and the stressors often associated with fertility treatments, the answer is clear — join a support group. Whether it’s online or in person, this kind of community often becomes a “safe haven” of sorts for men and women dealing with infertility matters.
However, that doesn’t mean that a support group — OR that every support group — is going to fit the bill for you. If you’re not sure if you want to join a group, ask yourself these questions:
- Do you feel comfortable talking about your (or a partner’s) infertility matters or — even if you don’t discuss your own personal issues — hearing about others’ fertility concerns? If the answer is “no”, a support group might be extremely uncomfortable for you. However, you may find one-on-one therapy to be valuable.
- Are you willing to devote time to a support group? Maybe a support group sounds great theoretically, but you honestly know that you’ll spend a fraction of the time you should on attending meetings, whether in person or virtually. Though that isn’t a definite reason not to join, it may hinder your experiences as a support group member.
- Are you willing to allow yourself to be open to a group setting? Some people simply do not wish to be around those they do not know while discussing their personal issues. Of course, if you can bring a trusted friend or family member with you to your group, you may be able to alleviate some of those worries.
Remember that regardless of whether or not you’re currently ready for an infertility support group, you can always change your mind in the future. After all, it’s your experience to share… or not.
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Tags: Couples, Definite Reason, Experiences, Family Member, Fertility Concerns, Fertility Treatments, Fraction, Group Member, Infertility, Infertility Issues, Infertility Support Group, Men And Women, Miracles, People, Personal Issues, Safe Haven, Sorts, Sounds, Stressors, Worries
Posted in Support | 1 Comment »
Friday, December 4th, 2009
Infertility is stressful no matter what the calendar says, but it can be particularly difficult during the holidays. For many couples, this time of year becomes a reminder of their pain rather than a celebration of their lives together.
If you are dealing with infertility, here are 10 ways to handle uncomfortable feelings and situations:
- Don’t tell yourself you must be happy all the time. Allow yourself to feel sorrow, joy and any other emotion. Bottling it up will only make it worse.
- Don’t give up on the holidays. If you’ve had a particularly rough year (e.g., IVF that didn’t work, a miscarriage), you can still celebrate the good things about your past 12 months.
- Don’t blame your partner for your holiday-related stress. It’s easy to point fingers, but remember that words can hurt. Instead, be supportive of one another.
- If you want to talk about your infertility issues with a friend, go ahead. But if your friend wants to talk about your infertility and you don’t, feel free to tell him or her that you’re uncomfortable.
- Don’t turn infertility into the “elephant in the room” that everyone tiptoes around. You don’t have to make a big deal out of it, but if you want to discuss it or acknowledge it, that’s fine, too.
- Know that some people may be unsure how to approach you during the holidays, especially those with babies. You may have to reach out to them.
- Speaking of reaching out, it can be amazingly comforting to volunteer at holiday time. Not only will it take your mind off your own issues, but it will enable you to do something good for others.
- Set a steady pace leading up to (and out of) the holidays. Don’t rush around and make yourself crazy. It will only make you more likely to experience stress.
- If you feel unhappy around maternity or baby items, avoid certain stores and store departments when shopping for the holidays.
- Exercise during this season. It’s good for your body, mind and soul.
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Tags: 12 Months, Babies, Baby Items, Celebration, Couples, Digg, Elephant, Emotion, Happy All The Time, Holiday Time, Holidays, Infertility, Infertility Issues, Maternity, Point Fingers, Reminder, Sorrow, Steady Pace, Store Departments, T Rush, Time Of Year, Tiptoes, Uncomfortable Feelings
Posted in Holidays | No Comments »
Saturday, November 14th, 2009
If you’re a man who’s experiencing infertility issues, you might want to drop the bottled water habit or at least switch to drinking only from BPA-free bottles.
BPA (Bisphenol A) is a chemical often used in the manufacture of plastic bottles. When people are exposed to high levels of BPA, they may suffer from a host of medical problems, including infertility. This appears to especially be true in the area of male infertility.
Of course, if you can’t be certain whether or not your bottled water has been contaminated with BPA, it may be wise to go the old-fashioned route: Buy a BPA-free container and enjoy a cool sip of tap water as your drink of choice.
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Tags: Bisphenol A, Bottled Water, Bpa Free Bottles, Fall Newsletter, Free Container, Habit, Infertility, Infertility Issues, Male Infertility, Medical Problems, Miracles, Plastic Bottles, Plastic People, Sip, Tap Water
Posted in Male Infertility | No Comments »
Monday, October 12th, 2009
In the October 12th edition of LA Times, Shari Roan writes about how stress or worrying can affect IVF success. The article states: ”A study in the October issue of the journal Fertility and Sterility found that women who “let go” of their worries about becoming pregnant during in vitro fertilization treatment were more likely to become pregnant.
The study examined 88 women as they went through IVF treatment. The women’s emotional coping strategies were measured. For example, researchers tried to determine how much the women thought about or worried about the outcome of their treatments and how much they felt they needed to persevere. “Letting go” was defined as being emotionally disengaged from the process and distracting oneself from the treatment.
Of the 88 women, 21 became pregnant. But those who had the highest scores reflecting a “letting go” attitude were 88% more likely to become pregnant compared with women who tended to worry and ruminate about the treatment.” You can read the entire article by clicking here.
It is estimated that one out of every six couples in the United States is coping with infertility issues. At RSI, we understand that the mere thought of not being able to have children can be emotionally taxing and may even make many people feel something is wrong with them.
That’s why we’ve developed this free report: Emotional Effects of Infertility. When you discover ways to cope with the emotional effects of infertility, you will reduce feelings of anxiety and stress. Download your copy of this report http://www.rsiinfertility.com/freereports.html
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Tags: anxiety, Attitude, Coping Strategies, Coping With Infertility, Couples, Emotional Effects, Fall Newsletter, Feelings, Fertility And Sterility, Infertility, Infertility Issues, La Times, Miracles, Pregnant, Pregnant Women, Reduce Stress, Rsi, Shari Roan, Stress, United States, Vitro Fertilization, Worries
Posted in Fertility Issues In the News, Health and Nutrition, Stress, female infertility | No Comments »
Tuesday, September 15th, 2009
According to Marie Claire, there’s a new problem facing couples trying to conceive — super sperm.
Researchers are now investigating what they deem to be sperm which are so aggressive and eager that they essentially over-fertilize each ovum. Consequently, the egg never fully develops and conception is thwarted.
Though this isn’t necessarily a mainstream theory on why so many men and women deal with infertility issues, it’s likely to be one that will carry weight if future evidence backs up these “super sperm” claims.
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Tags: fertilize, Infertility Issues, ovum, super sperm
Posted in Fertility Issues In the News | No Comments »
Tuesday, July 28th, 2009
 Reading this article brought home a really important point — when you’re dealing with infertility issues, sex can often become more drudgery than anything else.
Big surprise, right? But it’s worth mentioning.
We’ve already established that couples who have difficulty conceiving can easily become stressed out. And high stress levels can lead to problems in the bedroom. Erectile dysfunction. Lubrication issues. Ejaculation problems. Those perfectly-understandable physiological responses to anxiety only exacerbate the underlying concern.
If you and your partner are to the point where sex is a chore, it’s time to seek out the help of a counselor. A therapist who is trained in the area of reproductive health issues can get you back on track. After all, there’s no reason that intercourse should cease to be pleasurable. You deserve to enjoy your time together.
(If any couples or individuals have any suggestions on de-stressing and keeping sex exciting during infertility, feel free to comment. We’d love to hear your thoughts.)
Tags: bedroom, difficulty conceiving, ED, ejaculation, erectile dysfunction, high stress levels, Infertility, Infertility Issues, lubrication, reproductive health issues, Sex, sex during infertility, stressed out
Posted in Sex | No Comments »
Friday, July 24th, 2009
Couples dealing with infertility issues often underestimate the effects of stress on their relationships. Even partners with a strong, “we’re in it together” attitude can experience periods of anxiety as a result of their inability to conceive.
If you’re in a relationship and you’ve been unable to get pregnant, it’s critical not to allow infertility to ruin your bond.
(As an interesting side note, some studies have suggested that the stress of infertility can be an enormous contributing factor to the infertility itself, a kind of “Catch-22″ scenario.)
Below are three ways for you and your significant other to get through your infertility issues:
1. Don’t make infertility the “elephant under the rug” no one talks about. Some couples tiptoe around the issue of infertility, all the while boiling below the surface. Instead, acknowledge the problem and move forward as a team.
2. Don’t accuse one another. Infertility isn’t anyone’s fault; consequently, if your partner is infertile, it is unacceptable to treat him or her badly. Period.
3. Don’t define yourselves by your infertility. The fact that you are having difficulty conceiving does not mean you are any less of a couple or any less of individuals. Infertility is only one aspect of your relationship, not your entire relationship.
Tags: inability to conceive, infertile, Infertility, Infertility Issues, Stress, unable to get pregnant
Posted in Stress | No Comments »
Tuesday, June 30th, 2009
 From the BBC comes a report that links male elite cyclists and infertility issues.
According to the article, the overall sperm quality of elite cyclists drop radically, mainly because of their vigorous training regimens. In fact, the Spanish researchers who conducted the survey of male elite cyclists even recommended those cyclists consider freezing their sperm before beginning their cycling careers.
However, this isn’t a cause for you to pitch your ten speed. In the study, the men who were examined cycled more than 186 miles per week, much more than your average Joe.
Because the same drop in sperm quality wasn’t seen in long-distance swimmers or runners, the problem may lie with a number of factors, including the heat generated from the cyclists’ clothing or the pressure of the seat against the groin area of the cyclist.
Though this may not affect you or your partner, it’s worth considering the possibility that certain types of high intensity exercise routines could lead to fertility issues.
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Tags: Average Joe, cycling careers, elite cyclist, Fertility Issues, freezing sperm, Infertility Issues, male elite cyclists, running, Sperm Quality, swimming, ten speed bike, training regimens, triathlete
Posted in Male Infertility | No Comments »
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