INFERTILITY FACTS, NEWS AND VIEWS -"Freezing Sperm taken directly from testicles is effective for Infertile Couples"

It is now common knowledge that a woman’s egg can be frozen to be later used for conception via Invitro-Fertilization. In the same way, according to a recent study, sperm taken by way of a biopsy, directly from a man’s testicles, can be frozen to be later used for conception for infertile couples.

This procedure known as intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) may be beneficial to men who have little or no sperm in their semen as a result of genetics, cancer or testicular failure.

These men would not be able to achieve pregnancy because there is not enough sperm in their semen and so a biopsy of the testicles would be the best option for them.

Read more by following the link below

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130806165928.htm

Keepsakes and Letting Go

What I find for the past 4 years that I have been blogging, is that, many times I have no idea what my post will be up to the very day of posting, then something happens, something comes to mind, and just like that I have a post. Oh the joys of blogging!!!

I am not a pack rat as I like getting rid of stuff I have no use for. I like space to breathe, space for air to circulate and so I have a limit for the time that I keep stuff for, just in case I might need them for something. When that time elapses and I have not yet find use for the items, I bid them farewell.

With this said, this morning while my husband and the kids were still sleeping, I decided to do a little cleaning up. The thing with kids is that there is no order with them around, things are just generally chaotic and out of place, and as someone who likes order, I have to be making special effort to embrace and appreciate this chaos. I have to find it beautiful too, because, after all, would I be writing such a post without having my beautiful chaotic children around.

Oops, I strayed a bit here, so here I go back on track. While cleaning up this morning, I stumbled across my pregnancy tests, each still baring the signs which herald news of the conception of our three miracles. I took  them out and looked at them, still remembering how we reacted when we saw the positive sign on each test. I looked over at the children in their beds sleeping and I felt an overwhelming sense of being highly favoured by The Almighty once again.

These tests are going nowhere I thought, I will never throw them out. One of the reasons I kept them in the first place, is to incorporate them in the memories we want to soon set up for each child.

I know there are other reasons why I kept them. It might not be as easy to put into words as the first, but I am thinking that I have held on to them because I do not want to let go of any part of my struggles with infertility. I kept them because I also do not want to let go of any part of my triumph over this life altering condition.

http://www.readscreations.co.uk/products-page/example-category/white-wooden-storage-box-with-keepsakes-in-black/

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Unexplained Infertility?? - Could this be the reason?

A defective gene in men could make conception more difficult. This could be the reason for some couples' unexplained infertility diagnosis, because this problem could be present even when everything seems all right.

Read more:-

http://infertility-fertility.blogspot.com/2012/01/defective-gene-in-men-makes-conception.html











image by: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/photo/7319890.cms

“WHAT HE CAN EXPECT WHEN SHE IS NOT EXPECTING”

image by: http://www.natural-fertility-prescription.com

In my years of struggling with infertility, many times I felt very alone because my husband did not seem to be emotionally invested in this struggle. I was largely the cause of our infertility and so I thought that it was normal that I was the only one suffering emotionally.

After a while, it got to me because I was no longer able to cope all by myself. I became overwhelmed and sadly began to resent my husband and also started wondering if he even wanted children.

As a result of all that I was going through with my infertility struggles, I really did not want my marriage to deteriorate, because I did not have the energy to deal with any other struggle and so I sat my husband down one day and asked him how he really felt about our struggles to have children. I was in no way prepared for what he later said to me. He said he was indeed hurting but he did not want to show it, for fear that it would make me feel worst. I honour him for this response and was very upset with myself that I had judged him without ever giving him the chance to talk about his feelings. I accepted his response, but deep down I was thinking that there had to be more reasons for this disconnect.

Infertility is largely viewed as a woman’s issue and so because of this, men feel that they have no part in this struggle and especially if they are not a contributor to these struggles. Many men feel that their duty is just to be there physically to aid their wife in the conception process and so do not see themselves as part of the solution and emotional process at all.

 It is with this in mind, that the book, “What he can expect when she is not expecting” was written. Authored by Marc Sedaka, with input from his fertility doctor, Dr. Gregory Rosen. This book is a guide for men, on supporting their wives, saving their marriage and conquering infertility. Marc, along with his wife had very intense struggles with infertility, suffering through 16 artificial inseminations, 10 invitro-fertilizations, 3 miscarriages and finally welcomed twin girls as a result of gestational surrogacy.

Marc shares with us three ways that men can confront their infertility issues head on:-

Communicate – Deal with feelings, find out exactly how your wife is feeling without being confrontational.

Educate – If even after admitting that you both need professional intervention, your wife does not make any attempt to do anything, take matters in your hands, educate both yourselves, surf the internet, get books on infertility.

Support – Encourage your wife to seek support. She might refuse at first because she might not be ready to let anyone else into her painful world as yet, but continue to encourage her, when she is finally ready, she will find out that she really needed this support.

Marc also shares with us the "10 things not to say to your ‘fertility-challenged’ wife," some of which are:-

1.      

•   Thats Ok, I did not want you to get fat anyway.
•  No more condoms, cool.
•  Don’t worry, you are still relatively young etc. 

If you are interested in reading this book, it can be purchased directly below, from Amazon.com

FOR BETTER OR WORSE - Suporting your spouse during infertility

Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.

Children born to a young man are like sharp arrows in a warrior’s hand

Psalm 127: 3 and 4

“HOPE MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE"

Guest Post by Brittany 

Infertility primarily refers to the biological inability of a person to contribute to conception. Worldwide it is estimated that one in seven couples have problems conceiving, and in America about 5.3 million people suffer from infertility, which tends to affect men and women equally. 

Infertility can be a huge obstacle for a couple to cope with, and it is absolutely critical for two partners to support and rely on each other during this trying time.

This post was written to offer suggestions for supporting your partner during infertility. Whilst every couple is different and your partner may respond to different approaches with varying emotions, these tips will help you be more responsive and sensitive to your partner's needs during an all-too-often disheartening time.  

Be Respectful of Your Partner's Feelings

Be respectful of your partner's feelings about infertility, even if they are different from your own. Both of you must recognize that you''ll have different feelings and different reactions at different times. If you expect your partner to behave in a certain way, you may create additional stress. Do not become angry, disappointed, or turned off to your partner's response to the situation. Rather, talk through your emotions and reactions together in a calm and supportive manner. Together, you should become informed about infertility and its treatment.

Worry About What's In and NOT What's Out of Your Control

Learn to focus on those factors which are within your control (for example, stop smoking) rather than those over which you have no control (for example, your age). Certain infertility causes are related to age, genetic inheritance, or anatomical abnormality--all conditions that you nor your partner can contain. If you spend your time and energy focusing on these things, you may devote less time and effort to constructive planning and coping. Furthermore, do not pressure or make your spouse feel guilty about a condition that they cannot control. 

Learn to Share Your Feelings

Sharing your feelings is essential when dealing with the emotional aspect of infertility. Don't assume that your partner knows exactly what you're going through unless you tell them. If your partner makes discouraging comments, try not to close them out. You may want to attempt to let them know how you feel and how they can help you. Your partner can't always predict your needs or what you are thinking at any particular moment. Try to identify your feelings before sharing them. Putting your thoughts down on paper is often a helpful exercise.

Be a Sensitive Listener

When your partner is ready to share their feelings with you, be a sensitive and compassionate listener. Be mindful of what you say to them, and do not make insulting or discouraging remarks. Your partner is already in a world of pain, and the two of you must channel support and sympathy for one another. Be aware of the fact that your partner may say mean, hurtful, or unusual things as a result of their shock and pain. Do not greet their animosity with more animosity--try to be gentle, compassionate, patient, and understanding.  

Become aware of your own anger directed towards your body and your partner. It is important to recognize its effect on you and your ability to communicate. Do not assume that you have to be a doctor or therapist to exchange effective dialogue with your grieving partner. Your gentle presence is often times what your lonely and afraid spouse needs most. 

Don't Be Afraid to Look to Others For Help

Many times infertile couples feel as if no one else in the world understands their pain. Infertility can feel very lonely and isolating, but it doesn’t have to. Support is available in many forms, online through message boards and chat rooms, through individual counseling, or group support such as peer-led or professionally-led support groups.

If you are experiencing signs of depression such as problems sleeping, eating, or concentrating, see a mental health professional. If the experience feels like a spiritual crisis see your rabbi, priest, or minister for emotional support.

Brittany Johnson is a guest blogger for An Apple a Day and a writer on medical transcriptionist training for Guide to Healthcare Schools.

 

Preparing your body for conception – A reminder

“Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.
Children born to a young man are like sharp arrows in a warrior’s hand.”
Psalm 127: 3 & 4

image by: http://www.healthjockey.com/2008/04/08/maternal-care-during-pregnancy-the-ayurveda-way/

Fighting infertility can consume us to the point where other important things in our lives get forgotten or neglected, and this includes preparing our bodies for pregnancy. This preparation is vital for the health of your pregnancy and your baby.

When I was battling primary infertility, I don’t remember it being stressed to me that I also need to prepare my body for pregnancy. Maybe it was said, but somewhere along the line got forgotten. After a while, I remember hearing that I must take folic acid, at least 400 micrograms per day, which I did for some time. Sadly though, before I became pregnant with our daughter, I was not on any folic acid and still cannot shake the feeling that maybe, if I was on them, my pregnancy would have turned out differently.

Preparing your body for pregnancy also includes a proper diet. This includes avoiding beverages with caffeine and alcohol and eat whole grain cereal, bread and crackers, dark green leafy vegetables e.g. spinach and kale.

Please visit the following site or any other relevant sites on the right side of this page for more tips on pre pregnancy preparations for your body:-

http://www.parents.com/getting-pregnant/health/nutrition/health-update-are-you-getting-enough-folic-acid/?page=2

Hope this information helps.

Until next time, all the best in your efforts and keep clinging to hope

Boxer or brief????

“Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.
Children born to a young man are like sharp arrows in a warrior’s hand.”
Psalm 127: 3 & 4

Infertility has largely been seen as a female problem and so less focus has been given to male infertility.

“Male infertility occurs as a result of hormone disorders, illness, reproductive anatomy trauma and obstruction, and sexual dysfunction can temporarily or permanently affect sperm and prevent conception. Some disorders become more difficult to treat the longer they persist without treatment.”

For more information on male infertility, please visit:-
http://www.urologychannel.com/maleinfertility/index.shtml

For many couple who are struggling with infertility, sometimes it is a male factor infertility or sometimes both because when we were struggling with primary infertility, apart from my Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) condition, my husband was also diagnosed with sperm motility problems (The forward swimming motion of each sperm). This seem to have cleared up on its own because he was never treated. I guess his little guys realized that they had work to do and so they cleared up their act.

My reason for doing this post, apart from it being a reminder because many of you might know this information already, I was reading one of my fellow bloggers blog and I saw where she did a post advising that anti-depressants affects male fertility. I did see while researching that medication taken for high blood pressure and arthritis also affects male infertility.

Fom article
"study of 35 healthy men given paroxetine -- sold as Paxil or Seroxat by GlaxoSmithKline -- found that, on average, the proportion of sperm cells with fragmented DNA rose from 13.8 percent before treatment to 30.3 percent after just four weeks.Similar levels of sperm DNA damage have been linked to problems with embryo viability in couples trying to have children.
The research by Peter Schlegel and Cigdem Tanrikut of the Cornell Medical Center in New York was reported in New Scientist magazine and is due to be presented in November at a meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.A copy of the study abstract was made available to Reuters."The fertility potential of a substantial proportion of men on paroxetine may be adversely affected by these changes in sperm DNA integrity," the experts concluded.

The study adds to concerns voiced by the same doctors in 2006, after finding that two men had developed low counts of healthy sperm following treatment with two different selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).SSRIs like Paxil/Seroxat and Eli Lilly's Prozac, both of which are now available generically, are the most commonly prescribed class of antidepressant.

Glaxo said it was reviewing the investigators' findings, since the study was not conducted by the company."These medicines remain an important option, in addition to counseling and lifestyle changes, for treatment of depression and this study should not be used to cause unnecessary concern for patients," a spokeswoman said."

Please follow the link to continue reading
http://infertility-fertility.blogspot.com/2009/04/antidepressents-ssris-hurt-sperm.

She also did a post advising that Vitamins C and E can help male infertility.

From article
"New research published in Cleveland Clinic's Urology News shows that abnormal amounts of free radicals, naturally occurring but sometimes dangerous molecules that can damage cells, may be responsible for infertility in some men. Vitamins C and E, which are called antioxidants, may have the power to neutralize sperm-busting free radicals......Looking at the sperm of men with unexplained infertility, Agarwal has found that levels of a certain type of free radical, which he calls reactive oxygen species, are especially high in these men.

While low levels of these free radicals are necessary for the production of normal sperm, levels that are too high have been linked to the destruction of sperm"

Please follow the link to continue reading
http://infertility-fertility.blogspot.com/2007/04/vitamins-c-and-e-for-mens-fertility.html

I have often heard it said that men should stop wearing briefs and wear boxers instead to decrease the heat that goes to the scrotum area because this heat can interfere with their fertility. In the same way, they should not stand in front of a microwave when it is in use, I guess this has to do with radiation. These seem to be myths for now as throughout my research I did not find any information to substantiate these claims.

I did find however that men who use laptops on their laps a whole lot could be interfering with their fertility also because of excess heat going to the scrotum.

From the article

"Balancing laptop computers on the lap raises the scrotum's temperature, say researchers including Yefim Sheynkin, MD, FACS, of the urology department at the State University of New York at Stony Brook.

About 15%-20% of couples that want to get pregnant aren't able to conceive. Many of those cases trace back to issues relating to the male. Gradually declining sperm production has been noted in recent decades, say the researchers.

Elevated scrotal temperatures have been linked to male infertility. Many factors can raise scrotal temperature, including hot baths, saunas, and tight jockey shorts.

Laptop computers may also belong on that list, say Sheynkin's team. They studied 29 healthy young men ages 21 to 35 for two, one-hour sessions in a climate-controlled room."

Please follow the link to continue reading:-

http://www.webmd.com/infertility-and-reproduction/news/20041208/laptop-computers-may-affect-male-fertility

Hope this information helps if part of your struggles with infertility happens to be male factor infertility.

Until next time, keep clinging to hope