Tag Archives: fertility

Do You Need To Gain Weight To Conceive?

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It’s rumored that Amy Winehouse is attempting to gain weight so she can conceive. In case you don’t know who this celebrity is, she is a British singer who is probably more famous for her drunken outbursts and drug habits than she is for her massive bee-hive and former hit song ironically titled “Rehab.” She is incredibly thin, and if this rumor is true, I think a few pounds would probably help quite a bit. There is a difference between being very thin and underweight. It all has to do with your percentage of body fat. Body fat is essential … Continue reading →

Returning Fertility While Breastfeeding

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When you’re trying to get pregnant, the sight of your menstrual period can be disappointing, even devastating sometimes. But for mothers who breastfeed and are beginning to think about getting pregnant again, a period is a welcome sign of returning fertility. A few women ovulate before their period returns, and that is why people will always warn you to use birth control while nursing if you don’t want to get pregnant, but for most the first period indicates that ovulation is on its way. It’s not very often a woman wishes for her period, but this is definitely one of … Continue reading →

Hollywood Moms and Fertility Treatments

Still no sign of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s twins, but to keep public interest high in the double spawn of Brangelina Us Weekly has the famous Hollywood parents front and center on the cover of this week’s magazine with the headline: “IT WAS IN VITRO!” According to the periodical, Jolie “conceived through in vitro fertilization” in order to conceive 2-week-old twins Knox and Vivienne. A well-placed source within the Jolie-Pitt camp tells Us, the handsome couple “desperately wanted babies quickly.” The magazine then has doctors weighing in on Jolie’s chances of conceiving twins naturally. According to one reproductive specialist, … Continue reading →

PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome)

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a common reproductive problem. As many as 1 in 20 women of child-bearing age may have PCOS. It appears that women with this problem do not experience normal monthly fluctuations in hormone levels. The ovaries may start to grow an egg, but all the hormones are not balanced correctly to let the egg mature. Instead it may stop growing, or become a cyst. Either way, ovulation stops. The ovaries of a woman with PCOS consistently fail to produce eggs. The cause of the problem is unknown. Researchers are looking for genetic links, since PCOS seems … Continue reading →

The Effect of Weight on Fertility

Your weight can have an impact on your fertility. Both overweight and underweight women suffer from irregular periods and a lack of ovulation. If you suspect this problem, see your doctor for an evaluation. The Body Mass Index (BMI) is used to calculate the individual woman’s weight and height to determine if she has a weight issue that may interfere with fertility. Being significantly overweight can have a negative impact on your menstrual cycle. Obesity is a factor in a common infertility problem known as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). Women with PCOS don’t ovulate regularly and tend to have very … Continue reading →

Cell Phones and Sperm Count

Planning to start a family? You might want to cut back on your cell phone time. A recent study from the Cleveland Clinic suspects that there might be a connection between a decline in male fertility and increased cell phone usage. The Cleveland Clinic study included 364 men who were evaluated for infertility between September 2004 and October 2005. Testing tracked sperm quantity and quality; participants were also asked about cell phone use and habits. The lowest average sperm counts (66 million per milliliter) seemed to come from men who used their cell phones for four hours or more per … Continue reading →

Help For Women Who Want Children Later In Life

In a previous blog I addressed the topic of conception and how “Procreation Vacations” are becoming increasingly popular with couples struggling to conceive a baby. Well, this blog highlights another segment of the population that also wants to conceive, but wants to do so on their own schedule… even if it means waiting until after the prime years for childbirth. Women who want children, but want to put off pregnancy until they are ready have a new option these days. A process called egg freezing allows women to put their biological clocks on hold. Doctors say that women in their … Continue reading →

Things That Make You Go Hmmm…

Advances in technology have given new hope to the seriously ill, the heartbroken, and now, the would-be mother. You may never look at your cellphone the same way again after reading what an ingenious Japanese tech-buff has created. Japan’s NTT DoCoMo used one woman’s idea to invent a new mobile phone that issues specific rings to let would-be mothers know when they’ve reach the most fertile part of their monthly reproductive cycles. What do you think about that? Here’s how it works. According the creators of the phone, all would-be mothers need to do is enter data on their menstruation … Continue reading →

In the News: Older Fathers and Fertility

When we think of fertility issues we typically think of women as being the ones with the problem, especially older women. But what about older men? We hear a lot about men fathering kids in their sixties and beyond (Tyler’s father was 57 when I conceived). A resent study says that as men age they also have diminished fertility. In the study, 1,938 couples from 59 in vitro fertilization clinics in France were studied. The researchers found that for women between the age of 35 and 37 who were trying to have a baby with a man older than 40, … Continue reading →

Methods for Detecting Ovulation

If you are trying to get pregnant, you need to pinpoint when you are ovulating. The sperm and the egg have a short time window to meet for conception. Knowing when you ovulate can help you time intercourse properly to help increase your chances of conceiving. There are a few different methods to help detect ovulation. Cervical Mucous Test your cervical mucous every day to help pinpoint ovulation. The cervical mucous changes throughout the month. It can be creamy, pasty, thick or thin and stretchy. The mucous becomes thin and stretchy just prior to ovulation. This helps the sperm move … Continue reading →