Causes

I did not go into IVF with the intent of conceiving twins. When it happened, though, I initially gave no thought to the risks associated with multiple births. Nor did I consider why my doctor was less than thrilled. I assumed that he intended to help me conceive and helping me get pregnant with two babies was even better. Now I know that he may have been acknowledging pressure on many fertility specialitists to limit conception of mulitples. One of the primary concerns with multiple pregnancies is the likelihood that women carrying more than one child will give birth prematurely. More than 50% of twins are born early, and that percentage increases drastically with… [more]

A good rule of thumb for women struggling with infertility is to behave pre-conception as you would in the early stages of pregnancy. That means a lot of people abstain from alcohol, caffeine, and certain foods when undergoing fertility treatments. When it comes to your hair, though, opting to let your grays or roots show is to some akin to leaving the house in your underwear. I had the worst of both problems - gray roots - and was appalled when I heard that coloring my hair was something else that I needed to give up when trying to conceive. Along with my questions of whether a glass of wine was ok when we were taking… [more]

I am lucky to have a good group of girl friends who unabashedly share all when it comes to conversations about sex, fertility woes, and relationship challenges. So, when one of the more outspoken women in the group proclaimed that she had found the key to improving your sex life the discussion was lively and entertaining as well as good insight into a relationship that we all learned was very physically fulfilling. She told each of us to go out and purchase lubricant and use it often. Fertility experts, however, disagree. Research has found that some lubricants on the market are detrimental to sperm, and that some products can even act as a spermicide… [more]

I was told time and time again that my fibroids were not causing issues with fertility. In fact, most research seems to indicate that fibroids do not reduce fertility and that the removal of them does not improve chances of pregnancy. I, however, disagree and so did my reproductive endocrinologist. I found it hard to believe that growths that were described as the size of tennis balls and grapefruits had no effect. I suffered miscarriages and many, many months of not conceiving and I have to think that the fibroids were the problem in at least a few of those months. Studies have even shown that women with fibroids do seem to have lesser implantation… [more]

I remember all to well the time when I excitedly, and with much anxiety and trepidation, began clomid treatment. I soon learned that I had very little to get excited about though, because as mentioned in another posting, clomid ended up being the worst medication for me in terms of side effects and that it never resulted in a viable pregnancy. At the time, however, I was naive about just how difficult it actually can be to conceive and thought that it was sure to work. When it was finally prescribed I had already spent many, many months searching out stories of its success or failure and was wondering why in the world my doctor had not yet… [more]

When I was younger I had a pretty detailed picture of my life in my mind. Needless to say, almost nothing looks the same as I imagined it would when I was fifteen. I envisioned getting married relatively young, having children before I was thirty (at least two), and becoming a top-notch attorney living in a well-appointed house on the beach. Well, I got one right - I was 24 when I married. I am not, however, a lawyer or even remotely involved in the industry and I live 7+ hours from the closest beach. Despite my best efforts, I also did not have children until well after my 31st birthday. I… [more]

Sometimes couples are not on the same page when it comes to fertility treatments. In my relationship, my husband was much more willing to wait and give it time than I was. He didn't feel the same sense of urgency that I did, nor the overwhelming feeling as though in quicksand with no control over anything that I wanted to do. As if the inability to conceive was not frustrating enough, dealing with a lack of understanding from the man I wanted to have children with as well almost sent me over the edge. There were times that I actually thought long and hard about the question of whether I wanted the baby or the husband more… [more]

Whenever weight is mentioned as a factor in infertility, I automatically think of being overweight. This is definitely not surprising to me since in the last ten years being underweight was not a personal danger. I gained after college, gained even more with fertility treatments, and had trouble losing for a myriad of reasons - though I choose to mostly blame my extra 15 (or 20 or more) on infertility. Anyway, I realize that not talking about the hazard of being underweight is short-sighted since there are many women who may unwittingly be struggling because they weigh too little. Whereas women who have excess body weight can be faced with an overproduction of hormones that disrupt… [more]

Men get off relatively easy when it comes to infertility. The woman is advised to do all sorts of things to improve her chances of conception, but the man is often let off the hook when it comes to making lifestyle changes. Often the female partner is told to watch what she eats and drinks while the male partner (even if male factor plays a role) is rarely similarly inundated with advice revolving around not eating certain foods, drinking caffeine or alcohol, smoking, exercising or not, etc. Most couples undergoing fertility treatments do know the "rule" that the male should not ejaculate 2-3 days prior to providing a sample, but many don't know that the sperm that… [more]

It is never a bad idea to eat well. It can definitely be difficult, though, to concentrate on being healthy and eating good for you foods in the midst of the turmoil and disappointment that infertility brings. Researchers and doctors suggest that noshing on comfort foods or pick-me-up sweets can actually be detrimental to not only your waist line, but also fertility. I am a stress eater and I know that there are many others who also turn to carbs or chocolate when they are feeling low. In order to boost fertility, it is suggested that people trying to conceive seek out certain kinds of foods that will have a fertility benefit. It's really all… [more]