Posts Tagged ‘Infertility Issues’
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 female infertility, Fertility Issues In the News, Health and Nutrition, Stress | 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 »
Friday, June 26th, 2009
The news was announced earlier this week — Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick’s surrogate gave birth to the couple’s twins. It brought surrogacy in the news, but what many people don’t realize is that having a surrogate give birth to their children isn’t just for Hollywood’s elite.
In fact, surrogacy can be an effective solution for couples struggling with infertility problems. In some cases, it greatly minimizes the stress of continuing with fertility treatments that might not be working. Consequently, surrogacy shouldn’t be ignored; it’s been and continues to be a viable way to have a baby for numerous men and women.
Our congratulations to SJP and MB!
Tags: Couples, Effective Solution, Elite, Fertility Treatments, have a baby, Hollywood, Infertility, Infertility Issues, Infertility Problems, Infertility Treatment Options, Matthew Broderick, Men And Women, minimize stress, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sarah Jessica Parker And Matthew Broderick, Sjp, Stress, surrogacy, Surrogate, Tweet, Twins
Posted in surrogacy | No Comments »
Monday, June 22nd, 2009
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.
Tags: Chattanooga Tn, Fertility Issues, Fertility Problems, Hpa Axis, Infertility, Infertility Issues, Knots, Knowledgeable Team, Myfox, Relaxation, Reproductive Dysfunction, Reproductive Science, Reproductive System, Response System, Rodents, Science Professionals, Stress Effects, Stress Response, Subjective Experience, University Berkeley, University Of California, University Of California Berkeley
Posted in Stress | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009
During the past twenty years, the subject of infertility has absolutely become less taboo in American culture, yet it’s still one that’s fraught with misunderstandings and misinformation.
As a launching-point for the RSI Infertility blog, we’ve accumulated some of the most up-to-date information on infertility available, including some facts and figures that may surprise you.
- 7.3 million women between the ages of 15 and 44 have impaired fecundity. This translates to 11.8% of that population who will likely experience infertility issues.
- A female’s chances of conceiving and carrying a baby drop every year after she turns 30.
- About 10-15% of couples are considered infertile.
- In about 50% of the cases of couples with infertility, male infertility plays a significant role.
- Approximately 67% of all couples who are treated for infertility are able to have children.
Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Women’s Health Information Center, MayoClinic.com
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Tags: American Culture, Baby Drop, Centers For Disease Control, Centers For Disease Control And Prevention, Consultation, Couples, Disease Control And Prevention, Fecundity, female infertility, Health Information Center, infertile couples, infertile men, infertile women, Infertility, Infertility Issues, Infertility Male, infertility statistics, Launching Point, Male Infertility, Misinformation, Misunderstandings, National Women, Population, RSI Infertility, Staff Experts, Twenty Years
Posted in Facts and Figures, Statistics | No Comments »
