Trying To Have A Baby | RSI Infertility Blog

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Posts Tagged ‘Trying To Have A Baby’

Is There a Fertility “Switch” in a Woman’s Body?

Monday, October 17th, 2011

Could there really be a switch that turns fertility on and off in women’s bodies? The answer is “maybe” according to an Imperial College London study that linked a protein to infertility.

The study, which appeared in the journal Nature Medical Sunday, found that SGK1 at extreme levels seems to negatively affect female fertility. Women with low SGK1 are at higher risk of having a miscarriage, whereas women with high levels of SGK1 are more likely to be infertile.

This protein enzyme may provide a way for fertility specialists and scientific researchers to be able to essentially turn some women’s fertility “on” if it’s been “off” due to very low or high SGK1.

The study’s leaders are suggesting that perhaps blocking SGK1 altogether could help some women who are having fertility issues. Alternatively, for couples who wish to have no children, SGK1 could even be considered for a different contraception method than, say, the pill or IUD.

While only time will tell how far this finding will go, it’s promising for many reasons, including the hope that fertility specialists will have more options to provide women and their partners who are trying to have a baby.

If you’ve had fertility concerns, we invite you to contact the Reproductive Science Institute (RSI) for an initial consultation.

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Tags: Contraception, Contraception Method, Couples, Dr. Hearns, Dr. Munabi, Extreme Levels, Female Fertility, Fertility Concerns, Fertility Issues, Fertility Specialists, Fertility Treatment, Imperial College London, Infertility, Initial Consultation, Iud, Journal Nature, London Study, Nature Medical, PA Infertility, Philadelphia Infertility, Protein Enzyme, Reading, Reproductive Science Institute, Rsi, Trying To Have A Baby, Wyomissing
Posted in Fertility Issues In the News | No Comments »

Give up Tobacco for Improved Fertility Treatment Results

Friday, June 17th, 2011

No smoker will say, “Smoking cessation is easy!” However, most will admit that it’s a habit they wish they’d never adopted.

For individuals (especially females) who are trying to have a baby and are finding it difficult, smoking may actually be a significant part of their problems. That’s because tobacco can contribute to infertility; thus, fertility treatments may not work as they would normally be expected to.

According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, almost without fail, smoking has an adverse affect on a person’s fertility:

- In smokers, the prevalence of infertility is higher than in non-smokers.

- It takes smokers longer to conceive than it does for non-smokers.

- “Second hand” smoke exposure can be almost as bad for fertility treatment success as smoking itself.

- Smoking seems to increase loss of eggs and may even advance menopause.

- Smoking can make a woman’s eggs more prone to abnormalities.

- Smoking has been associated with spontaneous miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies.

- Smokers tend to undergone twice as many cycles of IVF (in vitro fertilization) as non-smokers.

If you’re serious about fertility treatments, it’s a great time (and reason) to stop smoking. There are plenty of smoking cessation programs available, and if you haven’t tried any lately, you may be pleasantly surprised by the abundance of options. Of course, you’ll want to address your smoking concerns and cessation desires with both your primary physician(s) and fertility specialist for maximum outcomes.

Good luck with your journey and stay strong along the way. Tobacco is an addictive drug, but it can be overcome.

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Tags: Abraham Munabi, Addictive Drug, American Society For Reproductive Medicine, Dr. Munabi, Facebook, fertility specialist, Fertility Treatment, Fertility Treatments, Infertility Treatments, IVF, Miscarriages, Reproductive Science Institute, Rsi, Second Hand Smoke, Smoke Exposure, Smokers, Smoking Cessation, Smoking Cessation Programs, Smoking Concerns, Treatment Success, Trying To Have A Baby, Twitter, Vitro Fertilization
Posted in Fertility Info 101, Infertility | No Comments »

Rod Stewart, Penny Lancaster and IVF Treatments

Friday, November 5th, 2010

The rich and famous aren’t any less likely to need fertility treatments than everyday individuals and couples. That’s one of the reasons that it comes as no surprise to learn that Rod Stewart and his wife spent over two years investing in IVF treatments to conceive.

In August, the couple (Stewart is married to Penny Lancaster) announced that they were pregnant; however, what the world didn’t realize is that it took so long for them to have a child together.

Stewart, 65, and Lancaster, 39, have begun to discuss their IVF treatmentjourney publicly, including the struggles they experienced in their relationship while trying to have a baby. As Stewart has said, it was an “emotional rollercoaster” ride the couple endured as they waited.

Stewart and Lancaster went through three rounds of IVF treatments before hearing the good news. Though that sounds like many, various sources indicate that the average number of IVF treatment cycles needed before conception hovers closer to four.

As with all couples who have taken the fertility walk together, we wish Stewart and Lancaster all the happiness in the world.

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If you or someone you care about is interested in learning more about IVF treatments, please contact RSI. Our team is more than happy to help you as you investigate the best fertility treatment course(s) for your situation.

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Tags: Couples, Fertility Treatment, Fertility Treatments, Happiness, Investing, IVF treatment, IVF treatments, Journey, Miracles, Penny Lancaster, Relationship, Rod Stewart, Rollercoaster Ride, Rsi, Surprise, Treatment Cycles, Trying To Have A Baby
Posted in Hollywood and Stars | No Comments »

Irregular Menstruation Makes Conception Difficult

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.

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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 »

A Healthy BMI is Fertility Friendly

Friday, February 12th, 2010

Do you know your BMI (body mass index)? If not, it might be a good idea to find out if you’re trying to have a baby.BMI is a method of determining whether you’re at a weight that is healthy for your frame (judging by height). Though it can be somewhat skewed if you are very short or excessively tall, it’s typically a decent indicator for people of average height, which is the majority of the population.

In terms of fertility, your BMI should fall in the normal weight category, which is 18.5-24.9, to give you the best chances of success. So the closer you can get to that range, the better off you’ll be. (For a quick BMI calculator, check here.)

So how does BMI affect fertility? In a nutshell, if you’re underweight, your body may not be producing enough hormones to create an internal environment that’s conducive to regular ovulation and menses.

On the other end of the scale, if your BMI shows you to be overweight or obese, additional health problems (like early onset of diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc.) can make conception difficult.

Though having a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 won’t assure that you’ll be able to conceive naturally or with fertility treatments, you’ll be at a much better starting point weight-wise.