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

Exposure to Viagra…. caused a premature acrosome reaction. Acrosomes are structures that cover the head of the sperm and contain a variety of enzymes that help the sperm penetrate the outer membrane of the egg.”

Click here to read the full story at www.timesofindia.com

This article may be of no interest to a man of advancing years who trying to keep up with his midlife crisis girlfriend that he has no intention of bearing children with. If you are a young, healthy man however, who is using Viagra to spice things up a bit consider this a warning. Sperm are very delicate and any chemical you take intentionally or via your environment has the potential to damage your fertility. Some are more damaging than others and we simply do not know the potential damage caused by others.

The diagnosis of unexplained infertility is such a frustrating diagnosis because even the specialists cannot figure out why a couple cannot conceive. One of the easiest steps to take prior to invasive medical assistance is trying to get the chemicals out of your bodies.

• Stop taking any prescriptions (if you are able) and recreational drugs,
• Eat and drink as organically as possible and thoroughly soak the non-organic produce.
• Only use organic or food grade toiletries, cosmetics, skin and hair care products
• Get a great water and air filter

The intended effect of Viagra may seem like a great fertility booster but clearly hours of sex and optimal fertility are not the same thing. If you are trying to conceive then err on the side of caution and lay off the Viagra.

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

“Symptoms of endometriosis are now cropping up in girls as young as twelve, in some cases even younger. Up to 47% of adolescent females with pelvic pain are suffering from endometriosis. It can be hard to spot in an adult woman but it is even more difficult in a pre-adolescent because the pediatrician may not know the signs or be on the look out for the disease.”
Click here to read the full article at www.cbs5.com

It is absolutely tragic that this article is recommending surgery for these poor young girls when there are other effective and natural solutions. Surgery may ease the frustrating and painful symptoms of endometriosis but it will not get to the root cause of the disease. Endometriosis can be very responsive to changes in diet. Some basic changes (which all involve eliminating estrogen mimics from your diet) you can try before resorting to surgery are:

• Eliminate red meat
• Eliminate soy and all soy products
• Switch to organic (or eliminate) poultry & dairy (this is critical as the hormones in traditionally raised animal products can exacerbate your endometriosis)
• Never use plastic food containers or plastic wraps(especially in the microwave)
• Get plenty of Omega-3 from flaxseeds, flaxseed oil or walnuts

These dietary changes are just a start but they might make enough of a difference to get all thoughts of surgery out of your head. Some experts recommend simply following an anti-Candida diet because it closely resembles and anti-endometriosis diet. Other women have reported great success with acupuncture and chiropractic visits.

Visit the following links to learn more about the endometriosis - diet connection at:
www.endo-resolved.com
www.womens-health.com

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

This message keeps repeating itself. If you are trying to conceive please eat and drink as organic as possible, not just for successful conception but also for the health of your baby. You might just feel better too!

(PRWEB) — Reproductive Medicine Associates of Connecticut, Norwalk, CT, – There is little in the world of infertility quite as stressful for patients as recurrent miscarriage. So, with the release of a new study identifying stress itself as a possible cause of miscarriage, infertility specialists are now examining ways in which their patients can heighten their chances of a healthy pregnancy by reducing stress.

The study, reported in the November 17th issue of New Scientist, concluded that stress releases a “cascade of hormones” that can lead to spontaneous abortion. It followed 864 pregnant women – 55 of whom miscarried. Those who miscarried were more likely to have identified themselves as experiencing stress before or during pregnancy, and were also more likely to have lower levels of progesterone and progesterone-induced blocking factor (PIBF) in their blood, than those who did not miscarry.

Progesterone and PIBF are both critical to a healthy pregnancy, in that they prevent the immune system from attacking the placenta and the fetus as foreign substances. In another leg of the same study, pregnant mice that were exposed to high levels of noise responded with elevated serum levels of cortisol, a hormone liked to progesterone suppression.

Mark Leondires, M.D., a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist and Medical Director at the Reproductive Medicine Associates of Connecticut (RMACT) in Norwalk, agrees that stress can play a factor in recurrent miscarriage. “It can be a vicious cycle,” he explains, “wherein each subsequent loss can exacerbate feelings of hopelessness or anger. And these feelings can cause hormonal imbalances.” Dr. Leondires maintains, however, that stress reduction therapies such as counseling, support groups and even moderate physical activities must be incorporated in a full treatment plan for recurrent infertility.

“There are many other causes of recurrent miscarriage; indeed, there are many other causes of biochemical imbalances,” Dr. Spencer Richlin, reproductive endocrinologist at RMACT notes. For instance, a February, 2004 study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism determined that women who suffered from polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) – a common cause of infertility – were more likely to miscarry due to insufficient levels of two important proteins secreted by the endometrium during pregnancy. Women with PCOS are up to three times more likely to miscarry than those who do not have the condition, the study also found.

What’s more, structural abnormalities involving the uterus or the cervix can also play a part in recurrent miscarriage, as can maternal chronic disease or genetic defects. In fact, while approximately one percent of women experience recurrent miscarriage, it is estimated that a definitive cause can be found in only about 40% of cases. Dr. Leondires advises, “If a patient suffers from recurrent miscarriage – defined as the loss of three or more consecutive pregnancies – she should seek out an infertility specialist for a complete examination. It is important that we gather as much factual data as possible about each patient’s medical history and condition, before incorporating any aspects of a treatment regimen, be it a physical or emotional component.”

When stress is identified as a contributing factor in his patients’ history of recurrent miscarriage, Dr. Leondires refers them to qualified counselors who specialize in infertility issues, and to local support groups like RESOLVE or the American Fertility Association. “It’s important that patients have the opportunity to share their concerns with a professional who can provide positive strategies for de-stressing,” he says, “just as it is beneficial to patients when they find families going through the same difficulties they are, so they know they are not alone.” However, he encourages patients to be sure to choose a support group that is facilitated by a skilled professional who specializes in fertility issues. At RMA-CT, Dr. Leondires and his colleagues have established several support groups that meet regularly under the supervision of a certified infertility counselor.

More information about Reproductive Medicine Associates of Connecticut is available at www.rmact.com.

About Dr. Mark P. Leondires, M.D.
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 in Norwalk CT.

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.

Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/43263502@N00/601792607/

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)