Posts Tagged ‘Men And Women’
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
Posted in Fertility Treatments, Stress | No Comments »
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
Posted in Fertility Treatments | No Comments »
Wednesday, May 18th, 2011
Could the decisions you make as a teen or young adult affect your fertility in later years? Absolutely, especially if you contract one of the many sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) that are rampant in the United States and abroad.
STDs may not be discussed in everyday circles; in fact, they are often relegated to a health education class or two. However, they can be (often silent) contributing factors to fertility difficulties in both men and women.
“I’d know if I had an STD!” people regularly say, affronted by the notion that they could possibly be carrying a condition that causes them to be unable to conceive a child. Yet many STDs do not carry any (or many) symptoms. In plenty of cases, men and women have no idea that they’ve had an STD for years until they come to a fertility specialist (like those at the Philadelphia area’s RSI clinic) and are tested as a part of routine examination.
This is why it’s so important for you to face facts. If you OR your sexual partner have ever engaged in any type of sexual activity (oral sex included) with another individual, you owe it to yourselves to get tested for STDs. Even if you’ve been together for many years, it’s critical for you to know. After all, many STDs can be either controlled or eliminated, but if you don’t know you have the problem, you cannot solve it.
Certainly, it’s a difficult topic to bring up, but if you’re having fertility issues, it’s worth knowing the answer to the question.
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Tags: Abraham Munabi, ATS, Circles, Decisions, Diseases, Dr. Munabi, Education Class, Facebook, Fertility Issues, fertility specialist, Health Education, Inc., Men And Women, Notion, oral sex, Philadelphia Area, Routine Examination, Rsi, Sexual Activity, Sexual Partner, STDs, Twitter, United States, Young Adult
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Tuesday, January 25th, 2011
There are a lot of excuses that people who smoke use to justify continuing their habits:
It de-stresses me.
It’s a social thing.
I only smoke when I drink…
I’m addicted to nicotine and can’t quit.
I just like the feeling of it.
But no one ever says, “I smoke so I can get pregnant more easily.” That wouldn’t make sense… even to the most prolific smoker.
Smoking has long been known as a no-no during pregnancy, but it’s also been proven to negatively affect those going through fertility treatments. In males, smoking has been shown to lower testosterone and sperm count levels, two essential elements of fertilization. In females, smoking affects ova (eggs) and cervical mucus. Mix a smoking male and a smoking female together, and the implications for fertility issues are clear.
Even with the most up-to-date fertility treatments available, men and women who are smokers make it more difficult for them to have successful outcomes. Thus, it becomes important for them to stop smoking before fertility treatments begin.
How soon to begin a cessation program before fertility treatments start depends upon a number of factors. Consequently, you and your partner should converse with your fertility specialist to figure out when and how to quit. In the long run, it will not only help you increase your chances of becoming pregnant, but it will also give you a statistically better likelihood of living a longer, healthier life.
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Tags: Cervical Mucus, Cessation Program, Cigarette Habit, Eggs, Essential Elements, Female Fertility, Females, Fertility Issues, fertility rates, fertility specialist, Fertility Treatments, Fertilization, Likelihood, Men And Women, Nicotine, Pregnancy, RSI Infertility, Smoker, Smokers, Smoking Female, Sperm Count, Testosterone
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Monday, December 27th, 2010
Celine Dion. Giuliana Rancic. Neil Patrick Harris. They’ve made headlines the past year as they’ve openly discussed their experiences with assisted reproductive techniques (ART).
In Dion’s case, her fertility treatments may have been long and uncomfortable, but she recently gave birth to twins and is reported to be happier than ever.
For Rancic, fertility treatments haven’t provided her with a child yet, but she and her husband are hopeful that they can still conceive.
Harris and his male partner opted for surrogacy to fulfill their dreams of becoming dads.
Thanks to the openness shared by celebrities like Dion, Rancic and Harris (through their publicity managers, of course), men and women have a better understanding of what IVF, IUI, egg donation and surrogacy are all about.
Though no one who hasn’t been through the experience of infertility can truly appreciate the challenge of the journey, having Hollywood’s elite tell their stories does provide a much-needed opening for discussions about ART.
Our question to you is this:
Does reading about stars’ difficulties with their fertility help you in any way?
Tags: Assisted Reproductive Techniques, Celebrities, Celine Dion, Course Men, Dreams, Egg Donation, Elite, Experiences, Fertility Treatments, Giuliana, Hollywood, Infertility, Journey, Male Partner, Men And Women, Neil Patrick Harris, Openness, Publicity, surrogacy, Twins
Posted in Hollywood and Stars | No Comments »
Wednesday, December 8th, 2010
At RSI, we’re open to any forms of fertility treatment, even those that might not be considered “mainstream”. But sometimes, we see men and women who have tried homeopathic, so-called “natural” fertility treatments for years and years… only to realize that they’ve wasted their time — and dollars – on these methods.
If you’ve been wooed by the “go natural to get pregnant” headlines touting fertility treatments made up of everything from herbs to mild dietary changes, there’s usually not anything innately wrong with trying such methods to conceive. In fact, many of our patients try or have tried alternative methods to have a child.
The real issue comes into play when patients have spent copious amounts of time and money investing in practices that have not produced any well-documented results.
Our recommendation is to bring all your thoughts and questions, including those involving “alternative” remedies, to a trained, reputable fertility specialist for a consultation. That way, you can be assured that you’re not wasting any time on methods that are unlikely to work while simultaneously discussing all the choices that are available to you, including those that are homeopathic.
Tags: Alternative Methods, Alternative Remedies, Choices, Consultation, Copious Amounts, Dietary Changes, fertility specialist, Fertility Treatment, Fertility Treatments, Headlines, Herbs, Homeopathic, Mainstream, Men And Women, Natural Fertility, Pregnant, Rsi, Time And Money
Posted in Health and Nutrition | No Comments »
Saturday, July 31st, 2010
If you’re experiencing infertility, you’re likely to get a lot of advice. And sooner or later the topic is going to turn to diet. But can what you eat really improve the chances of your fertility treatments working?
All signs point to “yes” as the answer to that question.
Consider these points:
- If you currently follow a diet that’s deficient in certain vitamins and you make a point of incorporating those missing elements into your food plan, you’ll be naturally healthier. Therefore, you’ll be straining your body less from an internal perspective.
- If you are seriously overweight or obese, starting a structured eating plan can indeed improve your fertility treatment results, mainly because your weight will be in a healthy range for your height, age, etc. As long as you don’t go on a “crash diet” or start losing too much weight, you’ll have a better chance with whatever fertility treatments you try.
- A lot of people — men and women — who struggle with infertility experience mood swings. A healthier diet can assist in alleviating or minimizing the “ups and downs”.
Again, there’s no way to tell if an alteration in what you eat will mean a child; however, it’s unlikely to hurt and can only make you feel and look healthier than ever. And that’s not such a bad thing!
RSI… helping miracles happen.
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Tags: Alteration, Better Chance, Crash Diet, Elements, Fertility Treatment, Fertility Treatments, Food Plan, Infertility, Infertility Experience, Internal Perspective, Lot, Men And Women, Miracles, Mood Swings, Signs, Ups, ups and downs, Vitamins
Posted in Health and Nutrition | No Comments »
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.
RSI… helping miracles happen.
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Tags: Couples, Dad, female infertility, Females, Fertility Issues, Fertility Problems, Infertility, Lot, Male Fertility, Male Infertility, Men And Women, Men Women, Miracles, Myth, Notion, Parenting Issue, Phrase, Statistic, Surprises, Truth Of The Matter
Posted in Male Infertility | No Comments »
Thursday, May 27th, 2010
Making sure misinformation about infertility isn’t spread isn’t easy, especially in the Internet era where anyone and everyone can throw a website into cyberspace. Recently, we came across a particularly glaring (and rather shockingly insensitive) error on a site (we won’t name it because we don’t want it to get traffic) that purports to deal with infertility.
Basically, the site claimed that infertility in couples is typically the woman’s “fault” and not the man’s “fault”.
What?
Anyone who has been reading this blog knows that we’re staunchly against two elements of this “claim”:
1. Infertility plays an equal role for men and women. It’s well-known in medical circles that there’s about a 40% chance of the infertility being a male issue, a 40% chance of infertility being a female issue and a 20% chance of it being a couple (or unknown) issue.
2. The term “fault” is really unnecessary. It almost implies deliberateness on the part of the person experiencing infertility.
The moral of the story? Be careful what you believe about infertility. Go to reputable sites for your information. Like this one.
RSI… helping miracles happen.
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Tags: blog, Couples, Cyberspace, Era, Glaring Error, Infertility, Infertility Myths, Medical Circles, Men And Women, Miracles, Misinformation, Moral Of The Story, Plays, Rsi, Traffic, Two Elements, Woman
Posted in Facts and Figures | No Comments »
Monday, April 26th, 2010
If you’re tired of hearing you just need to “relax” or “take a vacation” to get pregnant, you’re not alone.
Millions of men and women throughout the United States each year deal with infertility and it’s very rarely a case of them being too “stressed out” to conceive. That’s why it’s so important for males and females struggling with fertility issues to go to a physician who’s been trained in the area of reproductive health.
Remember: If it were as easy to get pregnant as going on a trip or taking a day off to get to the spa, we’d all know it and do it. But it’s not that simple.
RSI… helping miracles happen.
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Tags: Day Spa, Fertility Issues, Going On A Trip, Infertility, Males And Females, Men And Women, Men Women, Miracles, Myth, Pregnant, Relax, Reproductive Health, United States
Posted in Myths & Misconceptions | No Comments »
