• Does acupuncture help boost fertility? Jennifer Aniston thinks so (and we do too). According to Kiddicare.com:
  
  “Hollywood actress Jennifer Aniston has reportedly turned to acupuncture in a bid to improve her chances of conceiving, according to new celebrity rumours.

  Acupuncture is said to stimulate the energy pathways of the body using very fine needles and is thought to help boost fertility levels in patients hoping to get pregnant.”

• Have a big brother? He could be unknowingly influencing your reproductive patterns. According to an article at thefrisky.com,
  
  “Sheffield University researchers, who poured over birth, marriage, and death records, discovered that anyone, male or female, with an older male sibling is 5% less likely to have children than people with female older siblings. They also have children later in life and space their babies out.”







• Considering assisted reproductive technology such as IVF or donor eggs? A new study has found that the use of ART (assisted reproductive technology) increases the risk of certain birth defects such as heart defects, cleft lip and/or palate and gastrointestinal defects. According to CNN.com,

  ” As part of the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, which gathers information on birth defects from 10 states, Reefhuis and her colleagues compared 281 births using ART with more than 14,000 naturally conceived births. The researchers looked at approximately 18 categories of birth defects, but only those four were found to be “statistically significantly associated with ART.”

  The study findings pertain only to single births; the researchers did not find a link between ART and birth defects among multiple births. ART increases the chances of having a multiple birth, and infants born as part of a multiple birth are more likely to have birth defects regardless of the method of conception.”

  Sounds like one more reason to boost your fertility naturally before resorting to medical technologies.

• On the subject of natural fertility, copulation for many couples used to be fun until infertility set in. Then timing, ovulation, BBT and other tracking becomes the norm and lovemaking becomes a means to and end rather than something to do for pleasures sake. For some tips on how to bring the love back to your lovemaking and still try to conceive at the same time, check out this article at chealth.com. From the article:
  
  “Another common cycle that reproduction-focused couples fall into is going straight for the finale without spending time on foreplay. Remember when your relationship first began, before baby-making was on your mind, and you would spend so much time just exploring each other’s bodies? Well, go back to that.

  Include foreplay in your sexual regime in order to avoid letting sex become simply a means to an end. Enjoy the process and enjoy being close to one another by remembering that you used to have sex for pleasure.

  In order to keep your sex life thriving, it is important to focus on pleasure. Just because the mission is to get the sperm to the egg doesn’t mean the experience can’t be orgasmic and pleasurable for both members of the partnership.”

Read more at:
Jennifer Aniston turns to acupuncture to boost fertility, Kiddicare.com
Researchers Watch Big Brothers, thefrisky.com
Fertility Treatments Linked to Certain Birth Defects, CNN.com
Fertility and Your Sex Life, Chealth.canoe.ca

So just what are the ingredients for the fertile soil in a woman’s body that supports healthy pregnancy and birth? This is an important question for a woman trying to conceive.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has some solid contribution on the topic…

First, a woman’s blood must be ample, nutritionally and hormonally healthy, and flowing unimpeded throughout the body and, in particular, the uterus.

Second, her Chi needs to be flowing smoothly in all her organs, muscles and channels (including the uterus).

Third, her mental and emotional energy system needs to be balanced in such a way that a woman trying to conceive, is enhancing her overall health versus burdening her overall health.

Whew, that’s a mouthful. And what does it all mean? Well, let’s look at each piece individually.

Ample, nutritionally and hormonally healthy as well as, flowing unimpeded throughout the body blood: In Chinese Medicine we refill our tank daily with energy or life force, via our food, drink and breath. We must sleep at night in order to repair, rebuild, regenerate and rejuvenate our entire system. This repair work requires a foundation of nourishment that we supply ourselves each day.

One of our energy systems in Chinese Medicine, The Earth System which includes the organs Spleen/Pancreas and Stomach, is responsible for receiving the food and drink we ingest, breaking it down into usable nourishment for the blood (called transformation in TCM), and then transporting nutrients, via the blood, to our entire body. Optimal function of our body can only be as good as the quality and quantity of the food we eat.

Quality refers to how healthy, vital and nutrient-rich the food we eat is. Quantity refers to the eating of food in proper portions. If we eat too little, we become deficient in nutrients. If we eat too much, our system becomes burdened in having to deal with the excess that cannot be transported or is unusable, for example excess sugar. If either deprivation of necessary nutrients, or over-burden becomes the norm, our system suffers greatly.

If deprived or over-burdened, at night, during rebuilding and regenerating, our system is mostly trying to keep up with robbing “Peter to pay Paul,” or figuring out what to do with the excess and repairing the breakdown in our system from the excess. This is quite a wasteful expenditure of our energy when we need our energy available each day and night for the important job of keeping our organs, tissues, hormones, and cells operating healthfully.

If misuse of our energy goes on over time, our soil may become infertile. We absolutely need healthy blood on a regular basis and we need this rich, nourished blood flowing throughout the uterus. When our blood becomes tired, lacks oxygen, or is nutritionally deficient, it can become sluggish, slow down and even stagnate. This means our smooth flow of blood is compromised, thus compromising fertility.

Enough Chi flowing smoothly in all organs, muscles and channels (including the uterus): Chi is a Chinese word for life force, or energy, or molecular energy. It is what we are made of in that, if we have no Chi, we have no life force. Simple stated, when we are born we have a full tank of Chi, and when the tank is empty, we die. While alive and during the reproductive years, it makes sense that in order to create a new life inside of you, you must have a reasonable life force yourself. If you don’t have enough Chi or life force in your own system, where do you think the Chi will come from to create a new life for 9 mos.? Nature, and infinite wisdom, just knows that if a woman’s Chi tank is too low, then reproduction falls below the line of possibility. It’s a no-brainer, in that, for a fetus to grow it needs a certain amount of Chi and blood.

Mental and emotional energy systems need to be balanced in such a way that a woman trying to conceive, is enhancing her overall health versus burdening her overall health: Thoughts and emotions are as much Chi as your elbow or liver is. They are just a more subtle form of Chi. Much like the wind, in that, we don’t “see” wind, but it exists because we see the effects of wind even though it is invisible. This more subtle form of Chi, like our thoughts and emotions, are just as important as the food we eat. Every time we think a thought or have an emotion, there is literally a chemical reaction in our body. To put it in simple terms, the by-product of these chemical reactions are either toxic and thus, burdensome to our system; or the by-product of these chemical reactions align with optimal functioning of our system.

When I teach a woman to observe herself in this more subtle form of Chi, it is often surprising to her that she is much more plagued with thoughts of fear, worry, or depression, in relation to her fertility, than she realized consciously. Some of it she was aware of, but the extent of it is more the eye-opener. The chemical by-product of these thoughts and emotions over a prolonged period of time, become burdensome to the system, contributing to a decreased flow of Chi and Blood. It requires practice to become aware, and then become intentional about our choice of thoughts.

“Ingredients,” or choices, are either enhancing or inhibiting our fertile soil. Either our fertility switch is ‘on’ or ‘off.’ No woman purposely turns her fertility switch off, but, unknowingly, she could be making choices, day after day, that are preventing optimal and fertile soil. Start where you’re at and begin making the best choices you can in order to fertilize your soil in such a way that pregnancy and healthy birth are a natural outcome.

About the author:
Laurie Morse, L.Ac., author of the e-book “7 Strategies to Fertility Success,”
provides skills to help women turn their fertility switch on. For information go
to: www.MyFertilitySuccess.com

Click here to read the full article

Infertility causes and treatment can be quite complicated, due to the numerous factors that add up to the achievement of a successful pregnancy. More than 10% of couples do not achieve this much wanted pregnancy after 12 months of unprotected sex and trying very hard to conceive. This, in most cases is because one or more of the factors necessary for conception is absent or malfunctioning.

The factors vital for conception include:

- Adequate and viral sperm from the male partner

- Appropriate frequency of sexual intercourse around the woman’s ovulation time

- Optimally free passageway for the eggs to travel down the fallopian tube, meet with sperm coming up the tube and then fertilization

- Appropriate and timely transportation of the product of fertilization down to the uterus for implantation and development

- Adequately free passageway for the sperm to get through the cervix into the uterus, so they can swim up into the fallopian tube to meet and fertilize the female egg

- Healthy and sound uterine cavity with adequate uterine lining conducive to implantation and development of the pregnancy

In evaluating infertility, therefore, or in assessing a couple’s chances at conception, we can sub divide the factors vital for achieving conception as thus:

• Male Factor (Sperm count and quality)
• Ovarian factor (ovulation frequency and regularity)
• Tubal factor (free and clear passage to egg and sperm)
• Cervical factor (clear passage to sperm from the vagina)
• Uterine factor (adequate space and tissue for the fertilized egg to implant and grow)

Male Factor
The male factor accounts for 40-50% of infertility problems. Out of this amount only about 10-20% of men have no mature, motile sperm at all (azoospermia). The others only happen to have low counts or a fewer number of normal shaped, mature and motile sperm cells compared to other fertile men. In normal conditions, an absolute sperm count of 16 million is perfect, while a count of less than 5 million almost always result in sterility. Counts between 5 and 16 can in most cases be overcome with infertility treatments.

Ovarian Factor
Women who do not produce eggs each month or those who only produce eggs every 2-3 months will have problems getting pregnant. The most common causes of annovulation (menses without ovulation) or irregular menses are; Polycystic Ovarian syndrome (PCOS), a condition where follicles mature, but the eggs are arrested and not released and Hypothalamic Amenorrhea, which is like a stress or medication induced lack of ovulation. There are other medical conditions that can cause lack of ovulation, but these occur only in rare occasions. Ovarian factor problems are usually treated with fertility pills (e.g. clomiphene citrate) or medications like gonadotropins.

Intercourse around Ovulation Time
Women with a regular menstrual cycle can always predict their ovulation time. Ovulation occurs midway between the onset of the last menses and the beginning of the next one. Even for women with an irregular menstrual cycle, there are several ovulation predictions kits out there that can provide clues as to when your ovulation occurs. Intercourse should be more frequent around this period, with a frequency of at least, every other day. Therefore, for a 28 day cycle, ovulation will probably occur on day 14, days 11, 13, 15 and 17 should not be missed.

Tubal Factor
The fallopian tubes also constitute a vital actor in conception. The tubes must be free and clear to sweep up eggs that have been ovulated, free and no obstruction to the passage of egg and sperm. Fertilization takes place in the tubes and it is also important that the tubes transport the product of fertilization to the uterine cavity on time for implantation and growth. Pelvic surgery, past ruptured ovarian cyst, past pelvic infections and endometriosis are all conditions that can affect the ability of the tube to sweep up ovulated egg. PID can also produce scarring inside the tube that prevents passageway for ovum.

Uterine Factor
The uterus is the final home of the fertilized ovum and where implantation and growth to full term occurs. Any condition that affects or alters the amount of space or shape of the surface area inside the uterus or disturbs the hormonal sequence that prepares the lining of the uterus for conception may impair fertility. Conditions like fibroids, polyps, congenital anomalies of the uterus or past scarring due to surgery or infection will alter the shape and surface area of the endometrium and in turn fertility. Also, malfunctioning of the corpus luteum may hormonally retard the lining of the uterus and its readiness for implantation.

Cervical Factor
Under most conditions, the cervix does not constitute a factor in infertility, except when the cervical mucous glands have been destroyed during some procedures like Cervical Cryosurgery, conization LEEP etc. The cervical mucous glands act as a storage for sperm cells, so they can ’shower’ the uterus and the uterine tube with sperms in order not to miss ovulation. The frequency of intercourse may need to be increased to achieve conception if these glands have been destroyed.

Author: Michael Russell
About the author: Your Independent guide to Infertility

While it certainly sounds like discrimination, the point of not allowing obese women to receive the fertility treatment is that they would have more of a fertility boost by losing weight than by undergoing IVF while obese and will also have much higher success rates while using IVF if they are at an optimal body weight.

This underscores once again that if you are trying to conceive then you need to maintain an optimal BMI . Click here to calculate your BMI.

BMI Categories:

• Underweight = <18.5
• Normal weight = 18.5-24.9
• Overweight = 25-29.9
• Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater

Click here to read the full article at BBC News

According to the May 2003 issue of Epidemiology, researchers analyzed the urine of 168 men for eight different phthalate compounds and also tested their sperm for shape, motility and count. The results showed an association between phthalates (monobutyl and monobenzyl) in the urine and low sperm counts. Past research has shown that these chemicals may interfere with sex hormone production in animals and the current study suggests that, even in small amounts, they may affect fertility in human males.

Phthalates are found in cosmetics, deodorants, medical devices and toys.

Phthalates are proven to reduce both male and female infertility. If you are trying to conceive then please check out the cosmetics you use at the Skin Deep Database. If you are using drug store toiletries or grooming products then odds are good that you are absorbing phthalates through your skin.

You are the only one who can protect yourself, your fertility and your unborn child. Nobody else is monitoring the safety of cosmetics, hair care, skin care or other personal care products. Buy organic! Go a step further and make your own grooming products from food grade ingredients. It bears repeating. No one else is looking out for your fertility but you.

Click here to read full story at Health News Express

Dr Judy Ford has released a new E-Book “Making Love and Babies”. Her work with couples has shown that more than 50% of infertile couples have infrequent sex. Her book explores the reasons and helps couples to address the various issues.

Adelaide, South Australia (PRWEB) — An e-book “Making Love and Babies” written by infertility expert, geneticist Dr. Judy Ford, is available on theweb-site http://www.drjudyford.com/Making_Love.shtml.

Many people would think it obvious that couples need to make love in order to conceive naturally. Obvious perhaps, but Dr Ford’s work with hundreds of couples shows that more than 50% of infertile couples are intimate less than once a week. About 30% have sex only once a month in order to try to conceive. So she asked why is this so and what can be done about it?

In this helpful book, Dr Ford explores the reasons for the low level of intimacy. There are many reasons found including age, the length of the relationship before deciding to have children, stress, business pressures, several different types of emotional problems and poor sexual technique. There are also effects of reduced fertility itself and Dr Ford lists a number of simple lifestyle changes that can vastly increase fertility.

The book encourages couples to throw away the thermometer and ovulation monitors and learn how to make time for and enjoy great sexual encounters. It gets down to the nitty gritty as it explains the role of orgasm in fertility and shows how some common sexual practices could be inhibiting conceptual success.

This is a book about loving relationships. It has many words of wisdom that would benefit most couples, even those who have had their families or who don’t wish to conceive. It has lots of practical and helpful advice for many couples who have been having problems.

Counselling and Consulting services are also offered at http://www.drjudyford.com

When it comes to a discussion of human fertility, the saying “life is not fair” seems to have extraordinary significance. Couples who don’t want to get pregnant seem to be the ones that do and the ones that do–don’t. Nobody knows this better than the couples that desperately want children but fail to conceive, month-after-month. As the biological clock keeps on ticking, is there anything more that these couples can do? Absolutely!

Having interviewed hundreds of couples who have meticulously documented the woman’s fertile days and the days on which intercourse occurred, it has become crystal clear that: (a) most couples think that they are doing a good job of having intercourse on all the right days, while (b) the vast majority are completely missing the boat!

What is so difficult about Fertility Focused Intercourse?
Let’s start with the basics of female fertility cycles. First, women of normal fertility are not fertile very often. From a biologic perspective, the most fertile woman on the planet can only conceive between 5 and 6 days per menstrual cycle. A woman with reduced fertility might have significantly fewer days that are truly fertile, perhaps 2 or 3. According to simple mathematics, if there are only 3 days per month to conceive, that is only 36 days at the end of the year. Second, not all fertile days are created equal. Intercourse that occurs on “the day” of ovulation can be assumed to be the most fertile day of the menstrual cycle, but even then the probability of achieving a pregnancy is never 100%!

When does ovulation occur?
Frequently, ovulation occurs approximately 14 after the first day of the menstrual period. In a classic study by Vollman[1] of 14,848 menstrual cycles, ovulation as detected by a shift in basal body temperature occurred on exactly day 14 in only 1,591 cycles (10.7%). Thus the exception here is far more common then the rule. The 28-day normal menstrual cycle is simply a myth. The first step in fertility focused intercourse, therefore, is to do away with any notion of a calendar and to adopt a method of detecting when ovulation actually occurs.

There are many ways to “detect” the day of ovulation such as monitoring LH and estrogen in the urine or checking for cervical mucus and changes in the basal body temperature (just to ovulation actually occurs. No matter what method you are using, the margin of error is at least plus or minus 2 to 3 days (sometimes more). This means that if you rely on your favorite indicator of the day of ovulation to tell you when to have intercourse you may be missing the most important day to conceive on a regular basis.

What is the best way to time intercourse?
So what is the best advice? Unfortunately, healthcare providers frequently offer some of the worst information. For example, “we were told to have intercourse ‘every other day’ in order to ’save sperm.’” “Have intercourse every month starting on day 6 for 12 consecutive days.” Or even worse, “because you do not know when t he most fertile day is you would have to have intercourse every day to maximize your chances.” - nonsense!

From this brief discussion, the best advice is: (a) choose a method of fertility monitoring that will give you a few days notice that ovulation is going to occur. This means monitoring estrogen levels directly or the effect of estrogen on saliva or cervical mucus. (b) When fertility begins, intercourse should occur daily until at least 2 days after ovulation is detected. Once released, the egg can only be fertilized during a narrow window of approximately 24-hours. You want to make sure that intercourse occurs on “the day” of ovulation in order to maximize your chances.

Intercourse Patterns
By now you have figured correctly that fertility focused intercourse is truly a “labor of love.” It is not easy! It might mean having intercourse as many as nine days in a row. Even among couples with the strongest convictions for attempting to achieve pregnancy a few fertile days always seem to be missed.

Here are some helpful suggestions:
1. Plan in advance. If you were going to go on a fancy date with your spouse you would give a few days notice. If you know the fertile days are coming, then you likewise will have time to prepare for them.

2. Get your priorities straight. If the doctor scheduled a procedure to test some aspect of your fertility you might take a day off work. Furthermore, you would probably follow through even if you had a headache! Should you not subject yourself to similar inconveniences when your most fertile days arrive!?

3. Get professional help. Believe it or not, there are professionals who can help you make sense of all this and give you real good advice. The American Academy of Fertility Care Professionals is an excellent place to start.

If you and your spouse have been having difficulty achieving a pregnancy, then just remember –knowledge is power. In this case, the right knowledge may even give you the power to procreate! You may as well consider the question of when to have sex to be the single most important issue. Why? Because there is no diagnostic medical procedure, test, or surgery that is going to make you pregnant. If you just had surgery to correct a fertility problem, for example, and you are not following these instructions you could very well be making out badly on your investment. Fertility focused intercourse may not be easy, but it is not mission impossible–it is mission responsible–and the responsibility falls upon both you and your spouse.

Have fun!

1. Vollman, R.F., The Menstrual Cycle. 1977, Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders.

Article:
Copyright 2006 Majella.us

Author: David Picella
About the author: David Picella helps couples who are trying to conceive naturally without the use of expensive artificial reproductive techniques. You can read more articles by him and by other experts in Natural Procreative Techniques (NPT) and NaProTechnology or NaProSurgery at: http://www.majella.us

Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/71502646@N00/1309409634/

Reproductive medicine author and expert simplifies five steps in navigating the maze of infertility.

Norwalk and Danbury, CT (PRWEB) — For couples that have tried in vain for months — sometimes years — to conceive a child, the diagnosis of infertility is usually met with a barrage of emotions. The most intense of all is often confusion, as a maze of possible problems and potential solutions spurs more questions than answers. “Is it me, or is it him, or is it both of us? Will I have to take drugs, or have surgery? Do I need a specialist? Is in vitro fertilization (IVF) our only choice? Where do we start?”

“The field of reproductive medicine has made rapid and incredible advances over the past decade in the area of infertility treatment options, and now the vast majority of infertile couples can achieve a successful pregnancy,” says Dr. John J. Stangel, Westchester County Medical Director of Reproductive Medicine Associates of Connecticut. Dr. Stangel, co-author of the new book, The Unofficial Guide to Getting Pregnant, adds, “But a huge amount of new information has left many couples to navigate a maze that seems to be intimidating.” This can lead to emotional frustration from not knowing which path to choose, physical discomfort from unnecessary or inappropriate treatments, and even financial troubles from the cost of treatment and the confusion over insurance coverage, Dr. Stangel notes.

“Fortunately, although the sea of infertility solutions is vast and deep, there is a step-by-step system that simplifies the process of determining which path is right for each individual couple,” Dr. Stangel assures. “The first step, of course, is to consult a reproductive specialist — a medical doctor, often an obstetrician, trained and board certified in Reproductive Medicine and infertility,” Dr. Stangel explains. Then, after the following five steps, an infertile couple is usually on their way to a healthy, successful pregnancy:

Step 1: The Fertility Workup -
This exam is the crucial first step for couples requiring treatment for infertility. Both mom-to-be and dad-to-be participate, and the questions range from the mundane (”How old are you?” and “Have you ever had a child?”) to the complex (”Did your mother take Diethylstilbestrol [DES] when she was pregnant with you?” and “Have you ever had chemotherapy or radiation to treat cancer, and if so, what specific drugs were used?”). Dr.Stangel adds, “A physical examination, along with discussion of medical histories, lifestyle histories, timing of intercourse and even choices of undergarments for dad-to-be are fair game during the workup.” This is also a good time to ask specific questions, or to tell your doctor about anything you suspect might pertain to your infertility.

Step 2: The Hormone Check -
While In Vitro Fertilization and other Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ARTs) tend to get most of the attention, the fact is that only 3% of infertile couples require IVF or other ARTs to conceive. “The great majority of female infertility can be attributed to hormone imbalances,” Dr. Stangel notes. “When this is the case, there are a number of drug and hormone therapies available to normalize the hormone levels, and even some lifestyle options like weight loss or weight gain that may help regulate a woman’s cycle to help conception along,” he adds.

Step 3: The Sperm Check -
Motility, viscosity, quantity, quality — the possible problems with sperm are a contributing factor in nearly half of all infertile couples’ inability to conceive. “A lab experienced at doing semen analysis should evaluate the sperm. The lab results should be interpreted by a urologist, andrologist or reproductive endocrinologist – each experienced with this type of study,” Dr. Stangel urges. Again, there are a number of lifestyle-related fixes for sperm issues, as well as several drug and hormone therapies available.

Step 4: The Structural Inspection –
Along with the above studies, specialists move to the structure of both the male and female reproductive systems. Troubles in this area include blocked fallopian tubes, uterine malformations and even problems with the penile and seminal structures. “Most of the time, if there is a structural problem surgery is needed to correct these issues in order to achieve a pregnancy,” Dr. Stangel explains.

Step 5: Exploring the ARTs -
In the event that the first four steps don’t result in pregnancy, Assisted Reproductive Technology can help. From In Vitro Fertilization, ZIFT, GIFT and TET procedures to promising new techniques for maturing eggs outside the womb and cryopreservation of human eggs, the ARTs are helping tens of thousands of couples each year to achieve a healthy, successful pregnancy. Originally designed for women with damaged fallopian tubes, ART is now used to address every conceivable fertility issue, with an average success rate of about 30% per attempt.

“While it can be overwhelming at times, with the right guidance, the maze of infertility can be a journey of hope and, ultimately, happiness for couples wishing to have a child,” Dr. Stangel concludes.

Bio:
Dr. John J. Stangel is Westchester County Medical Director and a lead physician with Reproductive Medicine Associates of Connecticut, Dr. Stangel is board certified in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. He has been in private practice since 1976 with his office located in Rye, NY.

Some of Dr. Stangel’s former positions include: Medical Director of the Westchester Affiliate of the Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Science of Saint Barnabas; Clinical Director of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Women’s Health Montefiore Medical Center at The University Hospital for the Albert Einstein College of Medicine; Medical Director of IVF America Program Westchester in Port Chester, NY; and Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at New York Medical College at Metropolitan Hospital in NY and at Westchester County Medical Center in Valhalla, NY.

Upon graduating from NY Medical College, Dr. Stangel completed his internship at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City and his residency in Obstetrics & Gynecology at Mount Sinai Medical Center. He returned to NY Medical College for a fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology. Dr. Stangel is a charter member of both the Society of Reproductive Endocrinologists and the Society of Reproductive Surgeons.

Dr. Stangel is the editor and contributing author of the textbook, ‘Infertility Surgery’. He has published numerous scientific papers and articles and has contributed to many textbooks. Dr. Stangel has also authored a laymen guide to infertility entitled, ‘The New Fertility and Conception‘. His most recent book, co-authored with Joan Liebman-Smith, Ph.D., and Jacqueline Nardi Egan, is ‘The Unofficial Guide to Getting Pregnant’. He has also lectured widely in the United States and abroad.

Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/stevemonty/203052584/

Few Americans can count themselves “viceless.” Whether it’s having a glass or two of wine with dinner, or a midday cigarette break, or even a couple of cups of coffee to get going in the morning, the majority of us indulge in at least one less-than-healthy pleasure. And for the most part, the effects of that occasional indulgence are of little consequence. But for couples trying to achieve pregnancy, many of these lifestyle choices can make getting pregnant much more difficult.

“Achieving a healthy pregnancy is one of the most natural processes the human body goes through,” says Dr. Mark Leondires, M.D., Medical Director at Reproductive Medicine Associates of CT, and a leading authority on reproductive medicine. “Yet, it is also one of the most complex and, at times, elusive. It’s precisely because of the intricacy of the process, and the delicate balance of hormones and timing involved, that we need to take a hard look at lifestyle as a key factor in infertility,” Dr. Leondires adds.

The common denominator for all of these vices is that each one has some kind of effect on the reproductive system, whether at the glandular or organic levels. “Much research has been done in this area over the past decade and the news can be quite sobering,” Dr. Leondires notes. He offers this information and advice on the “Big Four” vices that can contribute to infertility:

RECREATIONAL DRUGS:
Recreational drug use should be stopped for men or for women while attempting pregnancy. In men, cocaine use has been found to lower sperm counts and reduce the sperms’ motility, while increasing the number of abnormal sperm. Also for men, a chemical called THC in marijuana has been shown to lower sperm counts and reduce the amount of seminal fluid, both of which are detrimental to achieving pregnancy. In women, marijuana may arrest the ovulation process and suppress the hypothalamus gland, which regulates hormone function. And cocaine use prior to conception may be linked to a higher risk of birth defects. Dr. Leondires adds, “What’s more, it can take the body months to fully rid itself of residual drugs, so the best thing to do for fertility is to stop recreational drug use as soon as a couple has decided to become pregnant.”

SMOKING CIGARETTES:
Women who want to become pregnant should quit smoking, because the compounds in cigarette smoke have been linked to primary infertility. A recent study found that the compounds in cigarette smoke affect the ovaries, disrupt endocrine function and proper pituitary hormone release, and may contribute to irregular periods, infertility and early menopause. Earlier research identified cigarette smoke as a risk factor for primary fallopian tube infertility. “Cigarette smoking is a vice that can affect not only a patient’s ability to achieve a healthy pregnancy, but also to carry that pregnancy to term. And, it can have long-term health consequences for mother and baby. The best advice is to talk with your doctor about how best to quit prior to attempting conception,” Dr. Leondires urges.

COFFEE:
Caffeine makes conception more difficult, even for fertile women, and studies now suggest that even one cup of coffee per day can reduce a woman’s chances of getting pregnant within a 12-month period by more than 50%. Three cups of day, and the odds drop by more than 175%. In addition, there is evidence that caffeine consumption among smokers is even more detrimental for fertility. “Although the caffeine debate is far from settled, I encourage patients to stay on the safe side and drink plenty of water and other decaffeinated beverages while trying to get pregnant,” Dr. Leondires says.

ALCOHOL:
Alcohol is a depressant that works on sperm as well as on eggs. “From low sperm counts and temporary impotence in men, to disruption of the ovulatory and menstrual cycles in women, to an overall depression of libido for both sexes, alcohol has a suppressive effect on fertility,” Dr. Leondires notes. And the effects are noted for moderate as well as heavy drinkers. Best bet: Abstain until delivery.

It is estimated by the National Institutes of Health that infertility affects approximately 10% of all couples of childbearing age. Dr. Leondires encourages couples who have tried for at least 12 months to achieve pregnancy without success — or six months if the woman is over age 35 — to contact a reproductive medicine specialist for assistance.

Bio:
Dr. Mark P. Leondires, M.D., FACOG, is a leading authority on reproductive medicine. Dr. Leondires is board certified in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. He is a member of the Society of Reproductive Endocrinologists, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Dr. Leondires earned his medical degree from the University of Vermont College of Medicine and completed his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine. Dr. Leondires completed a fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. After completion of his training, he fulfilled his military obligation by serving as the ART Director for the largest and most successful program in the military health care system at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. During this time he was an Assistant Professor at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences and clinical faculty for the Combined Fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology. Dr. Leondires is currently Medical Director and lead physician with Reproductive Medicine Associates of Connecticut (RMA-CT) in Norwalk. Along with numerous teaching and research activities, Dr. Leondires has published articles in professional medical journals, national consumer magazines and newspapers, as well as abstracts and book chapters. More information about Reproductive Medicine Associates of Connecticut is available at www.rmact.com.

Source: www.PRWeb.com Norwalk and Danbury, CT (PRWEB)