Posts Tagged ‘Reproductive Science’
Friday, August 5th, 2011
As if women needed another reason to deal with eating disorders, a new British research study has concluded that females with eating disordered pasts tend to have trouble getting pregnant quickly… or at all. Thus, many women who had anorexia and/or bulimia may find themselves turning to fertility treatments later in life.
During the study, UK scientists tracked over 11,000 mothers and discovered that those who had experienced eating disorders lagged behind in conceiving by about six months. Mathematically, this led many to seek fertility treatments.
So what does this mean for you if you have a history of anorexia or bulimia and you want to have children now or in the future?
1. Get your eating disorder under control before attempting to conceive. This is healthy for you, your relationship with your partner and your future child(ren).
2. Seek fertility treatments sooner rather than later if you’re having trouble getting pregnant. And don’t assume “the worst”. Sometimes, a round of a drug like Clomid (which helps to regulate ovulation) can be all that’s needed to get your body on track.
3. Connect with a counselor when you do become pregnant, as the weight gain associated with pregnancy can be a trigger for someone with an eating disordered past.
Fortunately, former anorexics and bulimics have many choices when it comes to having kids of their own. Visit a fertility specialist such as the Philadelphia region’s Reproductive Science Institute (RSI) for more information on your options.
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Tags: Anorexia Bulimia, Anorexics, Bulimics, Child Ren, Clomid, Counselor, Dr. Munabi, Eating Disorder, Eating Disorders, Females, fertility specialist, Fertility Treatments, Future Child, Ovulation, PA Infertility, Pasts, Patient Appointment, Philadelphia Region, Reading, Reproductive Science, Reproductive Science Institute, Rsi, Track 3, Uk Scientists, Weight Gain, Wyomissing Infertility
Posted in Fertility Treatments | No Comments »
Friday, February 25th, 2011
It is understandable that individuals who fought cancer and are in remission want to go on and lead their normal lives. For those in the childbearing years, this could very likely include starting a family at some point. Unfortunately, though, the odds are high for female infertility in individuals who have undergone chemotherapy. Why do we only mention women, you may ask. Because women are born with their ovaries containing all the eggs they will ever have in their lives, where as men’s sperm is continually replenished throughout their reproductive lives. Thus, chemotherapy is much more likely to spread to and effect a woman’s ovaries than to have a long-lasting effect on a man’s sperm.
Luckily, there are so many options for a woman who wants to have children these days. If you have not yet undergone chemotherapy, but know that you will, talk to your doctor about the state of your health and whether a procedure of removing some of your eggs to have them frozen for future use would be something you could withstand prior to your chemotherapy treatments. If not, or if you have already undergone chemotherapy and now find that you are facing infertility, there are still plenty of options for you! You could look into egg donation and IVF or perhaps surrogacy. A study is also currently in the works in Melbourne, Australia, testing the effectiveness of goserelin in protecting the ovaries of the women to whom it has been administered prior to their chemotherapy treatments. Please feel free to contact us at RSI for a consultation or if you have any questions.
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Tags: Cancer, Chemotherapy, Chemotherapy Treatments, Childbearing Years, Consultation, Egg Donation, Eggs, female infertility, Goserelin, health, Infertility, IVF, Lead, Melbourne Australia, Odds, Ovaries, Reproductive Science, Rsi, sperm, surrogacy
Posted in Cancer, Infertility | No Comments »
Friday, January 28th, 2011
Secondary infertility is a topic about which we at RSI are often asked. So we thought we’d put together a handy FAQ guide to help you understand this area of reproductive science.
1. What is secondary infertility?
Secondary infertility occurs when a woman or couple has been able to have one (or more) child naturally but finds herself/themselves unable to conceive again. Thus, they experience fertility issues a “second” time around.
2. Who is at risk for secondary infertility?
Secondary infertility can happen at any time, although the older the woman, the stronger the chances are that she will experience it. For instance, women over 35 who have had regular, unprotected sex for 6-12 months and have not gotten pregnant are usually considered to have problems with fertility.
3. Are there any psychological side effects to secondary infertility?
Secondary infertility can be extremely frustrating for couples; thus, it can take a toll on the marriage or relationship. Though all fertility issues can be troubling, parents of children who wish to have more can become particularly angry, disheartened or depressed when going through secondary infertility.
4. What are the causes of secondary infertility?
There are no specific causes to secondary infertility; truly, there can be a whole host of issues at stake. That’s why it’s important for the couple to go to a place like RSI to discover what’s really going on.
5. How many people have had secondary infertility?
Though there aren’t any exact ways to measure the couples who experience secondary infertility (as some do not reach out for assistance and are therefore untracked), it is estimated that at least one million couples in the United States are currently going through the condition.
If you would like to know more about secondary infertility for yourself, please schedule an appointment for a consultation with RSI.
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Tags: 12 Months, Appointment, Consultation, Couples, Disheartened, Fertility Issues, How Many People, Infertility, Marriage, One Million, Parents, Philadelphia Infertility, Psychological Side, Relationship Issues, Reproductive Science, Reproductive Science Institute, Risk, Rsi, Second Time, Secondary Infertility, Stake, United States, Unprotected Sex
Posted in Infertility | No Comments »
Monday, January 3rd, 2011
It’s not rare to hear of multiple births when discussing the subject of assisted reproductive techniques; however, it’s quite unusual for IVF triplets to be born 11 years apart from one another! But that’s exactly what happened last month…
This past December, 2010, twin sisters from Britain received a wonderful holiday surprise – another female sibling to round out their family. And best of all, this sibling was particularly special, as she was, in all essence, their biological “twin”, thus turning the girls into triplets.
All three were born using IVF whereby the embryos had been fertilized outside the womb and then medically implanted into the biological mother, Lisa Shepherd.
The Shepherds had originally given birth to their twins 11 years ago, but decided last year they wanted to use the remaining embryos (left from the original IVF treatment) to try to conceive one more time. As it was a success, they now have three girls who are essentially “triplets” of differing ages.
Again, this is an unusual story, but a joyful one. It also shows the viability of embryos that have been frozen for years and then used later for IVF. As reproductive science research advances farther, there’s little doubt that even more amazing “in the news” IVF stories will appear.
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Tags: 11 Years, 3 Words, Assisted Reproductive Techniques, Biological Mother, Decade, Embryos, Female Sibling, Holiday Surprise, IVF treatment, Lisa Shepherd, Mother Lisa, Multiple Births, Reproductive Science, Rsi, Science Research, Three Girls, Triplets, Twin Sisters, Unusual Story, Viability, womb
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Friday, July 16th, 2010
For good or bad, we live in a society that suggests we have to be “upbeat” all the time, putting on a “happy face” despite problems. When we’re asked, “How are you?”, we’re expected to say, “Fine, thank you!” No wonder so many people with infertility feel embarrassed because they go through periods of sadness and depression.
If you’re one of the many men or women dealing with infertility, it’s important to know that feeling unhappy or “down” is completely normal. It’s not a sign of weakness, nor is it something unusual. In fact, reputable reproductive science specialists will always consider your mental health throughout your fertility treatment journey.
But what can you do in the meantime if you’d rather not make a phone call every time you’re feeling blue? Why not try one of these methods of addressing your state of mind:
→ Acknowledge and accept your sadness.
→ Talk with someone who will listen without judging or trying to “solve” your emotions.
→ Do something that isn’t related to fertility issues, such as working out, going for a hike, taking a walk or reading a book.
→ Write down your feelings in a personal journal.
→ Ask yourself if you’re being too hard on yourself. (This is often the case.) Infertility isn’t something you can control.
Remember that infertility and unhappy moments can often go hand-in-hand. So allow yourself to have human moments of disappointment or even depression. And, of course, if your mental state turns into one you cannot easily control, please contact your physician to discuss other steps you can take.
RSI… helping miracles happen.
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Tags: Control, Disappointment, emotions, Feelings, Fertility Issues, Fertility Treatment, Happy Face, Infertility, Journey, Many Men, Many People, Mental Health, Miracles, Periods, Personal Journal, Reading A Book, Reproductive Science, Rsi, Sadness And Depression, Science Specialists
Posted in Mental Health | No Comments »
Monday, February 15th, 2010
Are you one of the numerous women whose periods don’t fall neatly into any kind of a 28-35 day cycle? If so, you may have difficulty becoming pregnant.
During a woman’s menstrual cycle, one (usually) egg is released from the ovaries. If the egg isn’t fertilized within 24 hours, it is no longer viable. Thus, within several days, menses occurs. However, if your period isn’t happening on a predictable basis, it can be tough to figure out when the best time of the month to conceive would be. (Remember — it’s a smaller window of opportunity than you might think!)
This is where a reproductive science specialist can help tremendously. Your physician can prescribe pharmaceuticals to help regulate your menses, thus increasing your chances of naturally getting pregnant.
If you’ve been trying to have a baby for over six months and haven’t been able to conceive (without using any kind of birth control), it might be worth a trip to a fertility specialist.
Don’t immediately assume that you’ll have to invest a lot of money, either. Many couples whose only problem is the woman’s irregular cycle have found great success for an extremely economical investment.
RSI… helping miracles happen.
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Tags: Best Time, Birth Control, Couples, Economical Investment, Egg, fertility specialist, Irregular Menstruation, Menstrual Cycle, Miracles, Ovaries, Periods, Pharmaceuticals, Reproductive Science, Science Specialist, Time Of The Month, Trying To Have A Baby, Window Of Opportunity, Woman
Posted in Menstruation | No Comments »
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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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!
RSI… helping miracles happen.
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Tags: cell phone, Centuries, Complete Examination, False Hope, Fertility Issue, Fertility Problems, Hidden Factors, Hook, Infertility, Iphone, Medical Method, Medical Problems, Menstrual Periods, Miracles, Natural Fertility Awareness, Occurrence, Ovulation, Pregnant, Reproductive Science, Science Specialist, Token
Posted in In the News | No Comments »
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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Tags: Back Exercise, Body Fat Percentage, Calories Per Day, Dips, Eating Healthy Foods, Estrogen Levels, Exercise Regimen, Family Physician, Fertility Issues, Fertility Problems, Intense Exercise, Lead, Miracles, Periods, Recreational Athlete, Reproductive Science, Science Specialist, Sweat, Woman Body, Workout
Posted in Health and Nutrition | 1 Comment »
Friday, January 15th, 2010
Have you hesitated to consider investigating fertility treatments because you’re worried about the potential cost? Then you’re not alone. Many individuals and couples assume they “can’t afford it” and decide not to pursue their dreams of having a child.
Fortunately, there are numerous ways to pay for fertility treatments that won’t render you penniless. Consider these methods that others have successfully tried:
- Buy special infertility insurance. There are some insurance companies that now offer insurance packages for fertility treatments. In fact, yours might have an option that you don’t know about.
- Don’t start with the most expensive treatment. When considering fertility treatments, don’t assume you’ll need the most costly treatment. Ask your doctor for choices.
- See if your fertility treatments are tax deductible. Check with your accountant and see if you can deduct fertility treatment costs off your taxes. This can be a great help.
- Take out a special loan for fertility treatments. There are loans available to individuals and couples who intend to undergo fertility procedures. This can help tremendously if you qualify.
- Ask for help from family members. Though you probably don’t want to rely too heavily on your family, if you have a close-knit relationship with your parents and they’ve offered assistance, you might want to consider taking it.
- Talk with your reproductive science specialist’s office about payment options and alternatives. At a clinic like RSI, we often handle inquiries about payment options and we’re happy to explain the different routes people have taken. You never know until you ask.
RSI… helping miracles happen.
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Tags: Accountant, Choices, Couples, Dreams, Family Members, Fertility Procedures, Fertility Treatment, Fertility Treatments, Infertility, Infertility Insurance, Inquiries, Insurance Companies, Insurance Packages, Loans, Miracles, Payment Options, Reproductive Science, Rsi, Science Specialist, Special Loan
Posted in Financial Issues | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, January 13th, 2010
Egg donation is a very personal choice many individuals and couples make when seeking assistance in conceiving a child. Because every egg donor program varies from clinic to clinic, it’s important to make certain that yours gives you the most options.
What are some of the options you’ll want to investigate? Consider these, for starters:
- Diversified Egg Donor Listing. You deserve as many options as you need, so it’s critical to pick an egg donor program that offers you choices such as the ethnic diversity of the egg donor (including African-American, Jewish heritage, etc.)
- Experienced Medical Team. Believe it or not, all reproductive science specialists are not quite as “specialized” as you might think. Thus, it’s critical to find a team that has plenty of expertise in this area.
- Young Egg Donors. Many clinics will allow donors up to 35+; at RSI, we consider age 32 the “cap” for our egg donors.
- Extensive Egg Donor Profiles. You should be able to find out quite a bit about your egg donor at your reproductive science clinic. If you feel you’re not getting enough information, it’s probably an indication that you’re at the wrong place.
- No Waiting List. Better clinics have no egg donor waiting list. That means you have fewer delays in reaching your goal of a healthy baby.
- Couples/Individuals Choose Egg Donor. You should be able to choose the egg donor you prefer, and RSI supports that wish. However, it’s important to note that some clinics will want to choose for you.
- Competitive Price. As always, you need to work with a reproductive science specialist who understands that fertility treatments should be priced competitively.
RSI… helping miracles happen.
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Tags: American Heritage, American Jewish, Cap, Choices, conceiving a child, Couples, Couples Seeking, Donor Egg, Donor Profiles, Egg Donation, Egg Donor Program, Egg Donors, Ethnic Diversity, Fertility Treatments, Jewish Heritage, Medical Team, Miracles, Reproductive Science, Rsi, Science Specialist, Science Specialists, Starters, Waiting List
Posted in Egg Donation | 1 Comment »
