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Posts Tagged ‘Reproductive System’

Survey finds many women don’t understand age and fertility decline

Monday, November 21st, 2011

How much do women know about common fertility issues? Perhaps not as much as you might think.

In a recent survey sponsored by biopharmaceutical firm EMD Serono Inc., with investigators from RESOLVE, the National Infertility Association, more than 50 percent of the 1,000 women questioned failed to correctly answer at least seven out of 10 basic fertility questions.

The questions that stumped many of them had to do with infertility as it relates to age and how long it may take to get pregnant at ages 20, 30, and 40. That’s not surprising, given the boon of health and beauty products that purport to keep a woman looking and feeling young as she ages. The problem is, there’s no magic anti-aging tonic for a woman’s reproductive system, which does continue to decline with time, making it considerably harder for a woman to conceive at 40 than at 20.

Researchers found that women think they can easily conceive into their late 30s and early 40s because celebrities make it look so easy. What they don’t realize, however, is that celebrities often call on fertility treatments, including in-vitro fertilization, donor eggs and surrogacy, to increase their chances of having a baby later in life.

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Adhesions and Fertility Concerns

Monday, October 10th, 2011

If you’ve ever had surgery or trauma (as in tearing) in or on any part of your reproductive system or (sometimes) in areas surrounding your reproductive system, you may end up with pelvic, abdominal or other adhesions.

In essence, adhesions are a form of scarring that can occur. Sometimes, the adhesions are quite small and unnoticeable. In other cases, however, adhesions can pose problems, especially when it comes to fertility concerns. Many women even experience secondary infertility as a result of adhesions from their first or last childbearing occurrence.

So how do you know if adhesions could be a contributing cause of your fertility issues? For many women, adhesions accompany pain. Or they’ve been having unprotected sex regularly for six or more months without getting pregnant. Obviously, only a trained medical specialist can help you determine if adhesions exist. And if they are, you can proceed to either look for alternatives to natural conception or try surgical methods to reduce or remove adhesions.

Obviously, you need to examine the possibilities thoroughly. And that’s where a reproductive specialist who has an exemplary background can help you make the right choices for your fertility needs.

If you are within driving distance of Philadelphia or Reading, Pennsylvania, we suggest you consider setting up an appointment with The Reproductive Science Institute (RSI) of Suburban Philadelphia to talk about adhesions, fertility and other similar medical concerns.

 

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Fertility Question – Is 35 the “Magic” Number?

Friday, September 9th, 2011

For women who want to have a child, the number “35” seems to be almost magical. After all, it’s the age that people anecdotally agree upon as the point where a woman’s fertility begins to decrease. Yet that’s really not the “whole story”.

While female fertility does tend to wane faster after 35, there are many women who have trouble conceiving in their late 20s and early 30s. So for a woman, waiting until the “magic number” may not be the best idea.

Why are some women infertile before 35? There are a whole host of reasons, including:

  • A pre-existing condition of the reproductive system, such as PCOS or endometriosis.
  • A bout of cancer as a child, teen or young adult.
  • An undiagnosed or diagnosed sexually transmitted disease (STD) like chlamydia.
  • A problem with regular ovulation.
  • The medications the woman is taking.

This is why most fertility specialists, like those at the Philadelphia area’s Reproductive Science Institute (RSI), recommend that women of any childbearing age not adopt a “wait for years” mentality. Typically, women should be able to become pregnant within six months of trying (e.g., having regular sex without protection.)

Whether you’re in your late 20s or your late 30s, you need to be aware of the facts. Will your fertility lessen as you age? Absolutely. But the numbers indicate that up to 7% of females are infertile by the time they reach their 30th birthdays. That’s why it’s critical to get assistance and medical advice sooner rather than later.

 

Is Fertility Treatment Right For You?

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In the News: Stress Can Be Major Cause of Fertility Problems

Monday, June 22nd, 2009
Tied in knots because of stress?

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.

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