Posts Tagged ‘Uterus’
Monday, November 14th, 2011
If you’ve ever seen TLC’s “The Little Couple, you know stars Bill Klein and Jen Arnold have been working with a surrogate to help them have a baby. In the season finale this spring, the couple found out the surrogate was pregnant.
Well last week the couple received bad news — the surrogate has had a miscarriage. It is a devastating turn of events for the couple, as they were using a surrogate to increase their chances for a healthy baby. Because of Arnold’s health issues, carrying a pregnancy is a serious health risk; in fact it could even threaten her life. Also, the use of IVF technology can help them avoid passing on the genetic cause of their skeletal dysplasia, a disease that can be deadly for their baby. Using pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, doctors are able to identify which embryos carry the genetic disease. Then, they can transfer healthy embryos to the surrogate’s uterus.
Time will tell if the couple opts to try again with their current fertility plan of using IVF technology and a surrogate. We certainly wish them well, and view them as an inspiration and an example of just what is possible with technological advancements in fertility treatments and surrogacy.
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Tags: Arnold, Bad News, Bill Klein, Dr. Hearns, Dr. Munabi, Embryos, Fertility Treatment, Fertility Treatments, Genetic Cause, Genetic Diagnosis, Genetic Disease, Health Issues, Health Risk, Implantation, IVF technology, Miscarriage, PA Infertility, Philadelphia Infertility, pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, Reading PA Infer, Reproductive Science Institute of Suburban Philadelphia, Rsi, Season Finale, Serious Health, Setback, Skeletal Dysplasia, Surrogacy Journey, Surrogate, Technological Advancements, Tlc, Uterus, Wyomissing
Posted in surrogacy | No Comments »
Wednesday, November 9th, 2011
With so many in the media and out in the world talking so openly about fertility treatments these days, some acronyms and catch phrases are becoming commonplace. In particular, many people recognize the acronym IVF and the procedure it stands for — in-vitro fertilization.
But IVF is not the only kind of with fertility treatments available — not by a long shot! There are other avenues for couples to take in their journey toward conceiving a child with medical assistance. One such procedure, called intrauterine insemination, helps scores of people who are having trouble conceiving. It is less expensive than IVF, though its success rate is lower. Here’s a little bit more about IUI:
- How does IUI work? In the IUI procedure, a catheter containing washed sperm is inserted through the cervix. The sperm is then pushed into the uterus in the hopes of fertilization with an ovum.
- When does IUI take place? IUI is typically scheduled within 6 hours (before or after) of a woman’s ovulation. (hCG injections may be used to ensure ovulation.) Timing is critical because sperm can only last 24-72 hours and are typically considered less viable after 24 hours.
- Does it hurt? Most women report very little discomfort during the procedure.
- Who is IUI most suited for? Since the IUI procedure manipulates the placement of sperm, IUI may be very effective in cases of male infertility. Also, since the IUI procedure accesses the uterus directly, it may be a good choice for women who suffer from cervical mucus problems.
- What is the success rate of IUI? Success rates vary quite a bit. Some studies report the success rate to be as little as 4-8%; others claim it is closer to 20%.
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Tags: Catch Phrases, Catheter, Cervical Mucus, Cervix, conceiving a child, Dr. Hearns, Dr. Munabi, Fertility Treatment, Fertility Treatments, Hcg Injections, in vitro fertilization, Intrauterine Insemination, IUI, Iui Procedure, Iui Success Rates, IVF, Male Infertility, Medical Assistance, mucus problems, Ovulation, Ovulation Timing, ovum, PA Infertility, Philadelphia Infertility, Reading, sperm, Success Rate, Twitter, Uterus, Vitro Fertilization, Wyomissing
Posted in IUI | 1 Comment »
Friday, October 21st, 2011
It’s long been known that women’s fertility dips as they get older (and especially after they are in their mid-30s), but the traditional belief has been that males didn’t have this issue.
This may not be the case, according to a Colorado study performed in conjunction with the National Foundation for Fertility Research (NFFR) that has concluded that sperm from middle- and older-aged male mice is not as viable as that from younger male mice.
In the mice, sperm quality began to decline in their middle years, which would be roughly 40 years of age in a human man. And if the findings translate from mice to men, it could shed some light on male infertility.
For instance, a couple who is having fertility issues may find that the problem lies with the sperm quality of the man if he is in or past middle age. Should this be the case, there are options that could help the partners conceive using the strongest of his sperm as determined in a laboratory setting.
Key results of the study showed that sperm from midlife and older mice produced embryos that:
- Were less likely to implant in the woman’s uterus than were those from younger male mice.
- Were less likely to develop in the womb if they were able to implant.
If you would like to learn more about male infertility or other fertility issues, please contact the Reproductive Science Institute (RSI) to schedule a consultation.
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Tags: Colorado Study, Dips, Dr. Hearns, Dr. Munabi, Fertility Issues, Fertility Research, Fertility Treatment, Human Man, Infertility, Male Fertility, Male Infertility, Male Mice, Mid 30s, Middle Age, Midlife, National Foundation, Nffr, PA Infertility, Philadelphia Infertility, Reproductive Science Institute, sperm, Traditional Belief, Uterus, womb, Wyomissing
Posted in Male Infertility | No Comments »
Monday, October 3rd, 2011
For many women, irregular (or non-existent) ovulation is a contributing factor to their female infertility. But it’s interesting to note that not all ladies understand how the ovulation process works.
To help better understand this potential cause of female infertility, we’ve put together a quick timeline to help you become better informed on ovulation and its relationship to fertility issues.
What Is Ovulation? During ovulation, an egg (ovum) is released from one of a woman’s two ovaries. The egg is typically referred to as “mature”, meaning it’s ideally ready for fertilization.
The egg travels down the fallopian tube to the uterus, the lining of which has thickened enough to allow a fertilized egg to implant. If the egg becomes fertilized and implants, pregnancy results. If the egg is not fertilized, a menstrual period begins.
When Does Ovulation Occur? Ovulation generally occurs 12-16 days after the start of a woman’s last period. Thus, if a woman’s period began October 5, she would likely ovulate sometime between October 17 and 21.
During this window (and for a few days after), a woman is considered most fertile. This means if she has unprotected intercourse, she has the best chance of becoming pregnant for that menstrual cycle.
How Do You Know if Your Ovulation Is “Off”? Ironically, many women do not ovulate or ovulate infrequently and never realize it. Though they may skip periods or have a longer-than-average cycle between the times they menstruate, they may not associate their difficulties with ovulation.
Tests to determine if you’re ovulating can be performed by a fertility specialist, which will enable you to decide how to best proceed with fertility treatments.
What Are My Fertility Treatment Options? If it’s discovered that you are not ovulating at all or are ovulating at irregular rates, medication can be given to either start ovulation or regulate it. Other fertility treatments like IVF and IUI can be used if your body is unresponsive to the medications or you have serious side effects.
Where Can I Get More Information? If you’d like further info on female infertility and you are within traveling distance to Philadelphia or Reading, Pennsylvania , please consider contacting the Reproductive Science Institute (RSI) for an appointment to discuss your options.
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Tags: Dr. Hearns, Dr. Munabi, Egg, Fallopian Tube, female infertility, Fertility Issues, fertility specialist, Fertility Treatment, Fertility Treatments, Fertilization, Implants, Infertility, Last Period, Medication, Menstrual Cycle, Menstrual Period, Ovulation Tests, ovum, Philadelphia Infertility, Reading PA Infertility, Reproductive Science Institute, Rsi, Timeline, Treatment Options, Unprotected Intercourse, Uterus, Wyomissing PA Infertility
Posted in female infertility | No Comments »
Friday, August 12th, 2011
If you’re accustomed to sipping a morning cup of coffee (or two… or more), you might not be happy to hear that some fertility specialists are suggesting that caffeine can be problematic for women undergoing fertility treatments.
This warning comes from a recent research study carried out in theUnited Statesat Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. During the study, it was noticed that caffeine appeared to reduce muscular activity in the fallopian tubes of mice. Unfortunately, the lessened muscular activity had an effect on the natural contractions that move ova (eggs). Thus, the ova could not make it to a prime location within the uterus in order to be fertilized.
Though the study hasn’t been conducted on humans, it’s having a huge impact thanks to the implications.
Of course, giving up that java isn’t easy, especially if you have a “Starbucks habit” like so many other Americans!
To assist you in your quest to prepare your body for fertility treatments by reducing or eliminating your caffeine intake, we’d like to share some tips that have worked for other females in your situation:
- If you’re accustomed to drinking a lot of caffeine, don’t stop “cold turkey”. Taper off gradually to avoid withdrawal.
- Don’t forget that more than a cup o’ joe contains caffeine! Soda, chocolate and coffee-flavored ice cream can pack a caffeinated wallop, too!
- If you find yourself missing your morning routine, switch to decaf. You’ll still get the benefit of having a mug of rich coffee.
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Tags: Caffeine Intake, Cold Turkey, Contractions, Cup Of Coffee, Dr. Hearns, Dr. Munabi, Fallopian Tubes, Females, Fertility Specialists, Fertility Treatment, Fertility Treatments, Habit, Johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins University School, Johns Hopkins University School Of Medicine, Mice, Muscular Activity, PA Infertility, Patient Appointment, Philadelphia Infertility, Prime Location, Reading, Rich Coffee, School Of Medicine, Starbucks, Uterus, Wallop, Wyomissing, Wyomissing Infertility
Posted in Fertility Treatments, Health and Nutrition | No Comments »
Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011
Perhaps you can relate to this scenario: After a year or two or maybe more of trying to get pregnant, your doctor breaks the news that your most likely options for having a child are egg donation or surrogacy. You and your partner are devastated that your dream of raising a child has been dashed. It is perfectly normal and appropriate to grieve over this news.
However, you are not alone. First of all, there are counselors and fertility specialists who can help you walk through your decision. At RSI we treat every patient with compassion and carefully help them consider their options. It is our #1 priority to help you successfully become parents. Secondly, there are millions of other couples out there who have found themselves in your shoes and are now parents. Look through websites and agencies to read some testimonials of people who have started their families by way of egg donation, surrogacy and gestational carrier. You may appreciate knowing that the Reproductive Science Institute of Suburban Philadelphia, P.C. has excellent egg donor and surrogate programs.
If you are new to all of this, some things to think about before your first appointment with your chosen infertility doctor:
Egg Donation: A donated egg will often be fertilized by the male partner’s sperm and the resulting embryo will then be implanted via IVF either into the female partner’s uterus or that of a surrogate. Many egg donors choose to remain anonymous but every once in awhile you will have the option to know more about your egg donor. In rare, but not unusual, cases, an egg donor might be a family member or friend of the couple.
Surrogacy: A surrogate always is impregnated via IVF, either with an embryo created by the male partner’s sperm and a donor egg or by an embryo created by the sperm and egg of both partners in the couple hoping to be parents (in this case, the surrogate is referred to as a gestational carrier). Again, it is typical to choose a surrogate carrier by way of an agency or often through your fertility clinic but every once in awhile, a couple will have a known family member or friend carry their baby.
After you’ve taken some time to process your situation, schedule a consultation as a couple with a fertility clinic that you have found based on recommendations or based on its reputation. From that point on, the health professionals at your clinic will: see to it that each and every one of your questions is answered; help you assess all the options available to you based on your unique situation; carefully guide you through the screening and selection process of choosing either an egg donor or surrogate if that is the route you choose to take. We wish you the very best of luck!
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Tags: Counselors, Donor Egg, Dr. Munabi, Egg Donation, Egg Donor, Egg Donors, embryo, Family Member, Female Partner, fertility clinic, Fertility Specialists, Gestational Carrier, Infertility, Infertility Doctor, IVF, Male Partner, Reproductive Science Institute, Reproductive Science Institute of Suburban Philadelphia, Rsi, sperm donor, Suburban Philadelphia, surrogacy, Surrogate Programs, Uterus
Posted in Egg Donation, surrogacy | No Comments »
Wednesday, February 9th, 2011
While reading up on fertility issues, causes of infertility and female infertility, you may have come across the topic of hostile cervical mucus or you may have even been told by a doctor that you have hostile cervical mucus yourself. But what does that mean and how does it play a role in infertility?
Cervical mucus is crucial in guiding sperm into the uterus where it will meet the egg for fertilization. It protects sperm from the typically acidic environment of the vagina, as well as being able to determine and slow sperm that are abnormal and keep them from reaching the egg. If cervical mucus not the right consistency or completely lacking then any sperm entering the vagina will not have the right environment to help it get to the uterus and reaching its ultimate destination of fertilizing an egg. It’s normal for cervical mucus to change in consistency throughout a woman’s menstrual cycle, but in a typical cycle the cervical mucus will reach an ideal state around the middle of the cycle, when ovulation occurs. Cervical mucus can be considered hostile due to: ineffective or low levels of estrogen, presence of anti-sperm antibodies, thick and sticky consistency and in some cases it has occurred in women who are taking Clomid.
The positive in all of this is that hostile cervical mucus is a condition that can fairly easily be corrected by your fertility doctor. Set up a consultation today!
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Tags: Acidic Environment, Causes Of Infertility, Clomid, Consistency, Consultation, Egg, Entering The Vagina, female infertility, Fertility Doctor, Fertility Issues, Fertilization, Hostile Cervical Mucus, Infertility, Low Estrogen, Low Levels Of Estrogen, Menstrual Cycle, Ovulation, Sperm Antibodies, Typical Cycle, Uterus
Posted in Hostile Cervical Mucus | No Comments »
Monday, February 7th, 2011
A couple in Plano, Texas just celebrated the 1st birthday of their twin daughters. After years of facing infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss, they finally achieved their dream of becoming parents through a somewhat unique method. They used a gestational carrier, which is like surrogacy in the sense that another woman carries a couple’s baby for the term of pregnancy for them. Gestational carriers differ from surrogacy in that the pregnant woman and the baby or babies she is carrying do not share any biological connection. A surrogate mother’s own eggs are contributed to the baby she carries. When a couple opts to use a gestational carrier, an embryo is created of his own sperm and her own egg(s) and the embryo(s) are then placed into the uterus of the gestational carrier by way of IVF.
This couple’s journey included five miscarriages of pregnancies achieved through intrauterine insemination (IUI). At the recommendation of their fertility doctor, they took the route of using a gestational carrier and have been overjoyed with the results! They took advantage of the laws in Texas that allowed them to utilize this method of assisted reproductive technology. The laws vary in every state regarding surrogacy and are even more strict when it comes to gestational carriers. We congratulate this Texas couple on their success and joy over their one-year-old daughters!
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Tags: Assisted Reproductive Technology, Becoming Parents, Biological Connection, embryo, Fertility Doctor, First Birthday, Gestational Carrier, Gestational Carriers, Infertility, Intrauterine Insemination Iui, IUI, IVF, Miscarriages, Plano Texas, Pregnancies, Pregnant Woman, recurrent pregnancy loss, surrogacy, Surrogate Mother, Texas Couple, Twin Daughters, Uterus
Posted in In the News, surrogacy | No Comments »
Friday, February 4th, 2011
Maybe you’ve known that you have endometriosis ever since you started menstruating as a girl and have always dealt with painful periods. Or maybe you didn’t realize that you have endometriosis until you began trying to get pregnant and found that it could be the cause for your struggles with fertility. Whatever your experience, it is never pleasant to deal with, but there are options for endometriosis treatment or infertility treatment.
If you’re reading this and you don’t really know what we’re talking about, endometriosis is a condition in which the tissue that normally lines the uterus (the endometrial tissue) grows around other organs where it isn’t meant to be. Most often, these include the ovaries, fallopian tubes, outer surface of the uterus and other abdominal organs. The extra growth of this tissue can bleed during menstruation, which is the reason for painful periods. Scar tissue can also develop, causing disruption in the way that that organ functions. This is the most typical reason for cause of infertility with women who have endometriosis.
The most common treatment for endometriosis is through hormone therapy and, morse specifically, birth control in many cases. If you are a woman who is wanting to get pregnant in the near future or has already been trying to get pregnant, this type of treatment is obviously not a good choice for you. There is a laparoscopic surgery you could opt for, or many women with endometriosis and fertility issues have been helped by way of IVF. If you have struggled with infertility and are just beginning to explore your options, or if you have further questions about endometriosis, don’t hesitate to contact us!
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Tags: Abdominal Organs, Birth Control, cause for infertility, cause of infertility, Disruption, Endometrial Tissue, Endometriosis, endometriosis treatment, Fallopian Tubes, Fertility, Fertility Issues, Fertility Treatment, Hormone Therapy, Infertility, Infertility Treatment, IVF, Laparoscopic Surgery, Morse, Organ Functions, Outer Surface, Painful Periods, Pregnant, Scar Tissue, Uterus
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Monday, July 19th, 2010
Reuters has reported that a new test promises to predict how successful an IVF (in vitro fertilization) procedure is likely to be.
Using a special formula, researchers from America have determined a way to determine if IVF is likely to work for a female. This could be a huge breakthrough for women whose success is currently being predicted based on their chronological ages rather than including other factors.
As the article notes:
“[the team] decided to look at dozens of factors, including age but also looking at how well and how fast the embryos grow, a woman’s hormonal response to the treatment and the condition of her uterus when the embryo is implanted.”
Though the test isn’t available, one of the researchers, Dr. Yao, and his co-workers have started Univfy, a company that hopes to distribute a commercial version of the test.
If all goes well, couples and their reproductive health science professionals could have access to the test later in 2010.
Our question to you is whether you would pay for a test to determine how likely it was that IVF would work for you?
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Tags: Breakthrough, Co Workers, Couples, Dozens, embryo, Health Science Professionals, Hormonal Response, IVF, Miracles, New Test, Reproductive Health, Reuters, Success, Uterus, Vitro Fertilization Procedure, Yao
Posted in In the News, IVF treatments | No Comments »
