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NO EVIDENCE THAT ACUPUNCTURE HELPS IVF

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  NO EVIDENCE THAT ACUPUNCTURE HELPS IVF Experts have announced that there is no evidence either acupuncture or Chinese herbal medicine improve the likelihood of getting pregnant through IVF. Many couples now turn to acupuncture in a bid to get pregnant but the British Fertility Society says this may be a waste of time and money. The researchers looked at 14 trials involving 2,670 people to come up with their new guidance. They found that it did not matter what stage of the IVF process acupuncture took place – it still had no effect on the pregnancy or live birth rate. However they also found it didn’t actually do any harm as there was no difference in miscarriage rates either. The team said there were no rigorous trials published on the use of Chinese herbs, so they decided there was currently no evidence to support the use of these in fertility treatments either. The theory behind acupuncture is that it will improve blood flow and an embryo will be more likely to implant successf...
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ARE PRETERM BABIES TRYING TO ESCAPE MOM’S ‘HOSTILE’ WOMB?

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  ARE PRETERM BABIES TRYING TO ESCAPE MOM’S ‘HOSTILE’ WOMB? In a scenario ripe for a sci-fi plot, an alien-looking fetus is jolted awake only to find out it’s been floating in a dark sac with a continuously pumping tube of blood as its only lifeline. Alarms go off, and the fetus’ immune system sends out all its troops to fight off this foreign entity and escape. This strange-sounding scenario may seem far-fetched, but it could be similar to what happens when a baby is born too soon. In many cases, doctors don’t know exactly what triggers a mother’s premature labor. But a new study suggests that, sometimes, it may happen because the baby’s immune system essentially “rejects” the mother, like a person’s body rejects a transplanted organ. The findings go against the traditional view of the baby’s immune system, which was thought to be too young, or immature, to cause such a problem. But the new study suggests that in some cases, “the fetal immune system ‘awakens’ prematurely and may t...
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THE NEW ICE AGE

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  THE NEW ICE AGE 7 things every woman should know before freezing her eggs As women age, the likelihood of chromosomal abnormalities climbs, and with it, the risk of miscarriage, birth defects or disorders that makes conceiving more difficult. Egg freezing is seen by some as a way to stop the biological clock, expand reproductive options and preserve the younger, possibly healthier eggs. And for many women looking to extend their childbearing years, it has become an increasingly attractive option. What does egg freezing mean, exactly? The process of egg-freezing, or in medical speak, oocyte cryopreservation, involves stimulating the ovaries with hormones to produce multiple eggs, retrieving the eggs from the ovaries and taking them to the lab, where they’re cooled to subzero temperatures to be thawed at a later date. Why might a woman opt to freeze? Reasons vary. Some women choose to freeze their eggs for medical reasons. Cancer treatment, for example, can be toxic to the ovaries ...
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MALE FERTILITY

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  MALE FERTILITY It’s a fact that forty percent of infertility cases are caused by the male. One of many symptoms of infertility is the fact that one’s partner has failed to bear a child in the course of one year of having regular intercourse. There are various reasons for infertility, the most common being low sperm count. The average count is from 120 to 350 million sperm cells for every cubic centimeter. Low sperm counts are those that are lower than 40 million for every cubic cm. Sometimes sperm count is alright but the sperm cells aren’t healthy as in the case of those with poor motility and abnormal morphology. Reasons for Male Infertility Other reasons for male infertility are poor sperm motility, dilated veins in the scrotum, undescended testes and excessive exposure to substances called xenoestrogens such as chemicals with PCBs and DDT, as well as pesticides and other industrial pollutants that imitate estrogen effects. Congenital abnormalities, nutritional (especially pro...
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BEST IMMUNITY BOOSTERS

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  BEST IMMUNITY BOOSTERS Ginger Maybe you love ginger for the spicy kick it gives food. Or because when you drink it in tea, it can ease nausea and vomiting. This knobby root is also a good source of antioxidants. Add ginger to stir fries or steep it in hot water to make tea. Antioxidants work best in your body when you get them straight from fruits and veggies. Button Mushrooms They give you the mineral selenium and the B vitamins riboflavin and niacin. That helps you in several ways. If you’re low on selenium, you may be more likely to get a more severe flu. Riboflavin and niacin play a role in a healthy immune system. Oysters They’ve got zinc in them, which appears to have some virus-fighting powers. That’s probably because zinc helps create and activate white blood cells involved in the immune response. It also assists your immune system with tasks such as healing wounds. Watermelon It’s not only refreshing. When it’s ripe, it’s also got plenty of an antioxidant called glutathi...
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BPA MAY BE LINKED TO INFERTILITY IN WOMEN

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  BPA MAY BE LINKED TO INFERTILITY IN WOMEN A study from USA’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) recently analyzed the effects of Bisphenol-A (BPA) on human eggs, and it may reveal why some couples are unable to conceive. The study, published online in the Journal Human Reproduction, is the first of its kind to show the direct effects of BPA on egg maturation in humans. BPA is a chemical used to make certain plastics and resins, and it can be found in some water bottles, food cans, bottle tops or water supply lines. The experiment was led by Dr. Catherine Racowsky, director of the Assisted Reproductive Technologies Laboratory at BWH. She and her team conducted a randomized trial using 352 discarded eggs from 121 patients, who were undergoing in-vitro fertilization (IVF) at the hospital from 2011 to 2012. Subjects’ eggs were exposed to varying levels of BPA in the laboratory, but an egg from each patient was held aside and not exposed to BPA to serve as the control. After being exp...
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IVF STRESS BUSTERS

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  IVF STRESS BUSTERS Infertility treatment can be physically uncomfortable, time-consuming, exhausting, and costly- all without a guarantee of success. The infertility experience for many can range from multiple diagnostic procedures through progressively more aggressive treatment options, all of which impose demands upon the emotional and physical self. It‘s no wonder that many women experience severe stress, depression, or anxiety during treatment for infertility. It is possible, although difficult to relieve some of the stress and pressure of infertility treatment. Some tried-and-true stress control suggestions from former infertility patients and counsellors include the following: Accept that you are experiencing a time of heightened stress and don‘t try to downplay or deny its effects. You may find that you need to cut back on some or all of your nonessential obligations or activities for a while. Give yourself permission to say ‘no‘ to nonessential commitments and demands on ...
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