Fertility Help

Importance of Vit D and Fertility

2012-02-08T11:21:00.000+10:00

Now on to the fertility info; two studies caught my eye this last week.

The first is on Vitamin D and its importance in dealing with fertility issues. Austrian scientists have shown that vitamin d deficiency is associated with both male and female fertility issues. So get your Vit D levels tested by your doctor and shoot for mid range to optimize your levels.

Optimising Vit D can be done with liquid drops or tablets and some experts are recommended trying to get at least 10 minutes of sun exposure per day on as much of your body area as possible (without getting arrested lol) and no sunscreen. If through either of these methods your vit D levels do not increase then also check thyroid and adrenal hormone levels; TSH, FT4, FT3, thyroid antibodies, am cortisol and dhea. These tests may give you a clue as to what may be effecting your vitamin D levels and also your fertility. I explain the importance of these organ systems and how they are often overlooked in the Fertility Bible; Your 5 Step Fertility Solution to Becoming Pregnant Naturally or with IVF. Available on Kindle from your smart phone or in hard copy from our clinic.

The second study that was interesting was done right here in Australia. But before I discuss it I want to be sure you understand that I am not against conventional fertility treatment and do refer couples to IVF doctors as needed. However whenever I write something about becoming pregnant naturally and comparing it to IVF I am accused of being anti IVF, which could not be further from the truth. I am an advocate for patients having all the information they need to make an informed decision about what they do on their fertility journey. So that being said, here is the study results:

A new study from Australia followed 7000 women since 1996 who filled in health surveys including questions about fertility and pregnancy. Approximately 1400 women aged 28-36 (20%) reported having difficulty conceiving after one year. 600 of those women had fertility treatment (IVF or other fertility hormones) and 53% of them became pregnant (approx 318 women). Of the other 800 who did not do IVF or have other fertility hormones approx 352 (or 44% of 800) became pregnant. Interestingly enough there were more pregnancies in the group who didnÃ¢ï¿½ï¿½t receive treatment! Unfortunately the survey didn't report what those women who became pregnant without IVF were doing, i.e. lifestyle changes, dietary changes, herbs, supplements etc. But I doubt that most of the women were doing nothing. IVF may be an option for you, and I do refer people to IVF and recommend they prepare they bodies to get the best results from the procedures, but the main thing I was hoping you gained from this
article is there is hope after 12 months of trying.

And the conclusion related to the study emphasizes that no pregnancy after 12 months does not necessarily mean you are infertile but instead they mention that this state should be described as subfertile or as some of my patients have said, "fertility challenged".

What is Your Focus On Fertility?

2011-11-14T04:58:00.002+10:00

Here is an excellent video to help you understand why you can feel so sad, depressed and disempowered when dealing with fertility issues. It's principles apply to life and is what many due to unknowingly sabotage their own happiness.

After watching think about how you can change your focus to what you have right now to take some of the pressure off regarding your fertility.

When we are dealing with difficult situations in our life (and fertility issues are one of the most difficult journeys someone can take) it is easy to lose focus on appreciating what we do have in life right now. This of course won't take away the issues you are dealing with regarding fertility but it will help you see find the pieces necessary to fill in the missing tile. But if your focus is only on what is missing, it is much more difficult to take action and move forward to create what you want.

So spend some time each day shifting your focus from what you apparently lack to appreciation of what you do have right now.

OAT Axis: What Most Doctors Do Not Explain To You When Discussing Fertility

2011-09-19T07:19:00.004+10:00

The following video is by a medical doctor Dr. Lam, who talks about information that we, at our clinic, Sharkeys Healing Centre, and natural fertility.com focus on, on a daily basis. Why? Because this axis directly relates to your fertility.

When going through convention fertility treatment this is completely ignored and likely why many times conventional treatment doesn't help you create a viable pregnancy.

Watch this video to help understand what has been missing in your fertility program (unless you are a patient of ours already). Dr. Lam doesn't specifically mention fertility but this information is applicable to someone who has had recurrent miscarriage, endometriosis, unexplained fertility issues, Pcos (polycystic ovaries), or fibroids.

Enjoy the video!

A couple things to keep in mind:
When Dr. Lam says oestrogen dominance it may not mean excess oestrogen or high oestrogen. He is talking about the balance between oestrogen and progesterone so oestrogen dominance can mean high oestrogen or normal oestrogen but low progesterone. You can also have high oestrogen normal progesterone or high oestrogen and low progesterone. All of these are related to oestrogen dominance.

The thyroid and adrenals work very closely together. If one is not regulating, for example if you are on hypothyroid medication if your adrenals aren't functioning optimally then the medication may not be effective.

For further explanation about how the OAT axis could be impacting your fertility consider having a consultation with us at Sharkeys Healing Centre (Fertility Bible comes with the consultation) or consider investing in the Fertility Bible, Your Five Step Fertility Solution to Becoming Pregnant Naturally or with IVF. Available in hard copy in Australia and New Zealand or out of Australia on your Kindle or Smart phone (iPhone or android) with your Kindle App

Altered gene likely to be associated with infertility in women‎

2011-05-24T08:19:00.003+10:00

Scientists from Johns Hopkins University in the USA have discovered a gene that when altered in mice and in humans is correlated with low progesterone levels and unexplained fertility issues in women.

A new study by investigators from Johns Hopkins now suggests that altering of a gene also meant for regulation of cholesterol in the bloodstream appears to affect the progesterone production in women making it a possible wrongdoer in a substantial number of cases of their infertility.

A simple blood test for this variation of the scavenger receptor class B type 1 gene (SCARB1) was also created by the group though it mentioned that there is no affirmed therapy yet to attend the problem in infertile women.

A common link was found between the studies conducted on female mice and the one conducted on women with a history of fertility. In both the cases the link between deficiency in these receptors for HDL i.e the real healthy cholesterol and infertility appeared to be clear. The Hopkins team seems to be positive in tracing the genetic clue to infertility and developing a treatment for it as well if the study moves ahead as expected. The treatment is known to have been effective in female mice.

The study:

As a part of their study Rodriguez and her colleagues collected and examined the ovarian cells and fluid collected from 274 women unable to become pregnant for various reasons and undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) between November 2007 and March 2010. Around 207 of them proceeded to have their eggs collected followed by the process of fertilization of the eggs and implantation in their wombs.

2 days after the embryo transfer the scientists had to see for any signs of gestation sac or fetal heartbeat that could be affirmed only by evidence. All the nine women in the group with mutated SCARB1 were devoid of this evidence .This implied that none of them were pregnant. According to Rodriguez the genetic variation could be present in 8 to 13 percent of the population.

Despite being supplemented with progesterone as part of the IVF process, the levels of the same were found to be less in the nine women with the altered gene. Progesterone is crucial for sustaining a pregnancy in the earliest stages.

STACEY'S COMMENTS

Firstly I think this is great that scientists are continuing to look for what is presumeably overlooked in many couples dealing with fertility issues. Instead of just shugging their shoulders and saying it is "unexplained" scientists are attempting to help couples go from unexplained to explained.

My job I believe is to help couples make the next step, go from Unexplained to pregnant.

So I think there are a few things that need to be highlighted here.

1) testing for SCARB1 (can be done thru a blood test so ask your doctor if the blood test has become available for you in your area) could give your fertility team more information to suggest what an underlying problem may be and then address areas associated with low progesterone levels, but also keep in mind that only 9 of the 207 subjects showed a mutation in this gene so it was present in less than 5% of the subjects.

2) If there is an altered gene which effects cholesterol and progesterone its important to ask why this might be the case instead of just address the specific components i.e. cholesterol and progesterone. Its important to look up the chain of hormone pathways to determine why this may be an issue and address it at the point where its a problem, not at the end game. For example a medication now banned because of its potentially life threatening effects of lowering the good cholesterol is being considered to use as a treatment.

3) its interesting that scientists are considering trying to alter or overcome an altered gene with medication. Hasn't it been drilled in our head that are genes are our genes and that can't be changed? In comes the field of epigenetics which I believe this study supports. Epigenetics is basically telling us that our future is not presupposed by our DNA and that something outside of the genes and DNA can be responsible for issues with our genes and when these issues are addressed it may improve the situation for the better

So let's talk about what could potentially naturally help improve this or atleast what should be investigated before using a life threatening drug on women who are desperate to try anything to become pregnant. Herbs such as Chaste Tree have been shown to optimise progesterone production. Fish oil may help to optimise HDL levels and subsequently have a positive effect on progesterone since progesterone comes from cholesterol. And since the thyroid and adrenals directly impact progesterone productions herbs such as withania, rhemania and other thyroid and adrenal support may be warranted.

See your health care professional who has experiencing dispensing herbs and looking for natural support of hormone levels to optimise hormone balance. And as discussed having the blood test for SCARB1 may be a good option for you if you have been diagnosed with unexplained fertility issues.

Placebo effect and Nocebo effect: how could this impact your fertility?

2011-04-03T22:20:00.002+10:00

Can what you believe about your treatment have an effect on its outcome? Sounds strange but more and more studies are showing this could be true. Your expectations may actually influence the result of your treatment.

You may have heard of the placebo response, where a person believes that something is good for them and it actually makes a difference physiologically in the body. For example someone is given a sugar pill instead of an antidepressant for example and they feel better because they believe the antidepressant is working for them (they weren't told they received the sugar pill). That is the placebo effect. But there is a less talked about response that I would also like to discuss. It is called the nocebo response.

The nocebo response is the exact opposite to the placebo response. And it could be significantly impacting your situation.

To understand the nocebo response and how it may impact your fertility let's first review a little bit more about the power of the placebo response, the opposite of the nocebo response. The placebo response refers to health benefits that are the result of something that should not have had any significant physiological response. It could be a pill or it could be a surgery, for example. One of the most amazing reports about the placebo response was referred to in a study on patients who had Parkinson's disease. The patients had brain surgery that was supposed to assist with decreasing the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. All of the patients had holes drilled in their skull, however some had the real treatment and some only had the hole drilled in their skull, no real treatment.

Based on perceived treatment, or treatment patients thought they received, there were numerous differences and changes over time. In all cases, those who thought they received the transplant reported better scores re symptoms whether they actually had the treatment or not. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2004 Jun;61(6):627.

In other words, if they thought they had the treatment, whether they actually had it or not, they noticed significant improvement for at least a year later. It was the belief that they had the actual treatment that seemed to affect the results, not the actual treatment. Amazing!

Now the nocebo effect is just the opposite. When patients truly believe something will go wrong, there is more likely a chance that it will. For example, in one study, women who believed that they were prone to heart disease were nearly four times as likely to die as women with similar risk factors who didn't hold such beliefs.

"They're convinced that something is going to go wrong, and it's a self-fulfilling prophecy" said Arthur Barsky, a psychiatrist at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital who published an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association beseeching his peers to pay closer attention to the nocebo effect. "From a clinical point of view, this is by no means peripheral or irrelevant."

Dr. Bruce Lipton (www.brucelipton.com) a research scientist and medical school lecturer has said this about the nocebo effect. "This is when a negative thought or belief is used to shape our biology. For example, if a professional person, a medical doctor or specialist, says you are going to die in three months and you believe him, then you may set this date into your perceptual clock, start to disentangle yourself from your life and actually die in three months.

Sound a bit crazy? Here's another example of the nocebo effect from an article written in the Washington Post in 2004.

Researchers at three medical centers undertook a study of aspirin and another blood thinner in heart patients and came up with an unexpected result that said little about the heart and much about the brain. At two locations, patients were warned of possible gastrointestinal problems, one of the most common side effects of repeated use of aspirin. At the other location, patients received no such caution.

When researchers reviewed the data, they found a striking result: Those warned about the gastrointestinal problems were almost three times as likely to have the side effect. Though the evidence of actual stomach damage such as ulcers was the same for all three groups, those with the most information about the prospect of minor problems were the most likely to experience the pain.

So what does this nocebo response have to do with your fertility?

Well what has the media, your doctor, your naturopath or anyone or anything you consult re your fertility issues say about your situation? What in the media have you heard that could be influencing your fertility? Or what have you heard from a prestigious person in your life that you have taken on as a belief for yourself about your fertility?

In my opinion this is such an important consideration for couples dealing with fertility issues because you are constantly bombarded by comments such as "your eggs are too old";"you don't have much time", "your only option is IVF", and many, many more. You are shown charts and graphs representing percentages that show a significant drop in fertility rates after 35. (which by the way are based on data more than 15 years old). You are told to hurry up or even asked why you waited so long.

Are you creating your own placebo or nocebo effect by taking on certain beliefs about your fertility?

Addressing these beliefs may significantly impact your fertility. For example, a small study of women who hadn't been ovulating received cognitive behavioral therapy and the results were that 80% of women in the study began to ovulate after receiving the therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy works on your beliefs, your thoughts, your values, which in turn can help to decrease the stress on your body. So by addressing the way they were thinking they were actually able to affect their reproductive cycle.

What are you thinking about that is effecting your fertility? Do you focus on the percentage of people not getting pregnant or the percentage of people that do? Which group do you see yourself in?

Our Fertile Mind Fertile Body workshops and CD set help individuals or couples figure out whether they are contributing to a placebo or nocebo effect. You learn techniques about how to get off the emotional rollercoaster that is causing more stress in your life and get rid of beliefs that are not supporting you.

What can you do to become more congruent with the current path that you are on regarding your fertility to initiate a move towards optimising your fertility?

Our creation story this week is short and sweet.

A couple who had been on our herbs for 6 months decided to attend our workshop. After doing so they decided to concentrate on their emotional wellbeing and their relationship. She felt she was letting him down because she was the one with the diagnosis. Her partner let her know that he married her because he loved her not due to whether or not she could have children. Children, he said, would be a bonus. She believed him, and started to let go of all of the destructive emotions and beliefs she held and within 6 months of the workshop they were pregnant, even though she had PCOS and was told she would likely never become pregnant naturally. Now, from a natural pregnancy, they have a beautiful baby girl and have defied the odds according to their doctors.

Lipiodol flush: May help you increase your chances to conceive

2011-01-03T22:18:00.002+10:00

The tip I am sending out today is very exciting for me to share because it has recently appeared to have helped couples who have dealt with unexplained fertility as well as endometriosis issues for several years. So if you or someone you know is dealing with this issue hopefully it will help you and or them create that life you long for

About 6 or 7 years ago I read about a study on a treatment that appeared to improve pregnancy rates in couples either naturally or with IVF. I read the study because a couple from New Zealand were my patients for a approximately six months when they had this procedure done and subsequently became pregnant naturally after trying for 5 or 6 years.

I was intrigued by the information in the study showing high pregnancy rates for those undergoing the procedure. But for the life of me, I could not find any physician in Australia doing the procedure consistently at that time and it seemed to fall out of favour despite the great results reported in several studies from 2002 -2007.

Recently however, a few physicians whose patients we regularly see have started using this procedure again and I am seeing great results. Pregnancies from couples who were "unexplained" and two women with a history of endometriosis have now become pregnant after years of trying.

What is the procedure? It is called the Lipiodol Flush. An iodised extract of poppyseed oil is put into the uterus and the tubes are flushed prior to a procedure or to enhance the endometrial receptivity for a natural pregnancy as well.

This procedure can be done through a hysteroscopy which would not require a patient to necessarily have a laparoscopy or go under anesthetic though each physicians protocols may vary. What is also interesting is that couples with endometriosis and unexplained fertility noted increased pregnancy rates even after the procedure. For example, within six months of receiving the treatment in comparison to couples who did not have the treatment at all there was a much higher pregnancy rate, 48% (pregnancies in couples that had the lipiodol flush) than those who did not have the treatment, 10% pregnancies. That is a very significant outcome.

Why would poppyseed extract work? No one knows really but it may make the uterus more receptive. Also I think the iodine present in the solution may help as well. Patients often have a aluggish thyroid that is overlooked because basic blood tests like TSH turn up normal even when many other symptoms show and objective finding show the thyroid may be sluggish. Iodine is an extremely important part of thyroid function so it is possible that the combination of iodine and the poppyseed oil holds the key to the great results for many after the procedure.

Whatever the reason this is definitely worth discussing with your fertility specialist. And if he or she is not doing it, you may want to ask why or find a doctor that will try it, especially if you have been diagnosed as unexplained or have had a previous history of endometriosis and the tubes are clear.

Please let me know your experience with this procedure should you have it done.

3mg of melatonin might just make the difference to improve egg quality

2010-10-04T05:46:00.002+10:00

I found this article about the possibility of a treatment to improve egg quality and I wanted to research this to get more information for you.

This may just be what you need to get the results you are looking for with your treatment.

Scientists in Japan have noted that oxidative stress appears to effect egg quality in females. I have written about this before and have discussed this same concept published in the medical journal Fertility and Sterility, from research at the Cleveland Clinic in the USA. Increased antioxidant capacity (decreased oxidative stress) in the follicular fluid is associated with improved pregnancy rates with IVF.

The scientists in Japan have supported this notion with a study using 3mg of melatonin and or 600mg (or approximately 800IU) of Vit E starting on day five of the preceding menstrual cycle before egg collection.

The women who received melatonin and a specific form of Vitamin E or melatonin alone showed improved fertilization rates, decreased oxidative stress and in the follicular fluid and doubled pregnancy rates from 10% to 20%. There unfortunately was no data available on live baby rates in the information I found.

Oxidative stress has been correlated with poor sp**erm health and continues to be correlated with egg health as well so this again supports why we are trying to decrease oxidative stress by using antioxidants for both the female and the male when they come to see us. Melatonin is one of your sleep hormones but is also a strong antioxidant.

In different countries you can find Melatonin either over the counter or by doctors prescription. In Australia you can only get 3mg from a physician. And in other countries I would recommend you ask your doctor about these studies and if they could provide a script if appropriate for you rather than relying on the over the counter brands simply because it is difficult to determine quality from one brand of over the counter supplement from another.

The Vitamin E that was used was alpha tocopherol. 600mg is equal to approximately 800IU which is more than what is in most multivitamins. This amount of this specific Vitamin E should be considered, but should also be reviewed by your health care professional to make sure you are not taking anything that would interfere with other medications being used in your cycle. For example if you take some sort of blood thinner with your cycle then you should review with your health care practitioner whether 800IU of Vitamin E is appropriate for you.

Also be aware that there are different forms of Vitamin E so read the label to make sure alpha (look for the alpha symbol) tocopherol is the Vitamin E you would take if appropriate.

This is a perfect example of how natural and conventional can work together to help you optimize your chances of creating a viable pregnancy.

Contact us at www.sharkeyshealingcentre.com to help us show you what else you can do to improve your situation

new discussion group re fertility

2010-08-19T13:19:00.002+10:00

Hi, just wanted to let you know I am starting a discussion group on google called yourbabymaker, have a look and subscribe for more fertility info and discussions.

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Study Links Fertility Treatments to Autism

2010-05-21T22:07:00.002+10:00

Stacey Roberts: We have to keep in mind that women who used these medications i.e. Clomid or IVF drugs likely had less than optimal hormone balance, undiagnosed subclinical thyroid issues or even possibly nutrient depletion among other possible scenarios that contributed to the fertility issues they experienced in the first place. So taking Clomid or IVF is not likely the cause of autism, but the less than optimal balance which contributed to fertility issues in the first place that is often ignored by the medical system as they move women thru fertility treatments without bothering to FULLY investigate the possible variables like lifestyle/diet issues, coeliac disease, thyroid issues etc, and treat the cause of the fertility issues. I believe if more couples took time to get as healthy as possible before conceiving and more doctors encouraged this before putting women on meds that in many cases can put them and their children at greater risk, then maybe these associations would be less evident.
Read more: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1990567,00.html?xid=rss-topstories#ixzz0oZ5u58Yr

antibacterial soaps, toothpastes and mouthwashes contain endocrine disruptor

2010-04-25T16:25:00.002+10:00

from the la times:

The Food and Drug Administration announced April 8 that it will be taking a look at the safety of a widely used antibacterial chemical, triclosan.

Triclosan — as well as its cousin triclocarban — is found in liquid hand soaps, deodorant bar soaps, face washes, deodorants, toothpastes and mouthwashes, and as well as in germ-fighting cutting boards and socks.

A national health survey found triclosan in the urine of 75% of the 2,517 people who gave samples. The chemical can enter the body via absorption through the skin or the lining of the mouth.

What triclosan does once it enters the body is not clear. Research in animals has found hormonal effects of triclosan, including upsetting the normal balance of thyroid hormones, thereby impairing growth and brain development, and of the reproductive hormones estrogen and testosterone, leading to infertility. These effects are similar to other so-called endocrine disruptors, such as bisphenol A, dioxins and pesticides such as DDT. The FDA says it intends to evaluate this new research

Stacey's comment:

Even though the link to issues with fertility have not been established in humans yet, since you are trying to become pregnant, to play it safe, I would strongly recommend staying away from products like mouthwashes (if you have bad breath there are better ways to deal with this, try apple cider vinegar in water if no history of ulcers, stop coffee, and eliminate added sugar in your diet) , Colgate total Advanced Clean toothpaste (seems to be the only toothpaste that contains this chemical), antibacterials soaps (in the majority of studies antibacterial soaps haven't been shown to work any better than regular soap to addressing bacteria), and germ killing cutting boards.

This is one case that even if we don't know the exact effects on humans, we know this chemical effects thyroid hormone in animals and therefore their fertility, there is a chance that it could impact your fertility.

Essential fatty acids and Male fertility

2010-04-19T10:45:00.002+10:00

URBANA, Ill.—A new study from the University of Illinois suggests a link between low levels of the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and male infertility.
“In our experiment, we used ‘knockout’ mice that lacked the gene responsible for an enzyme important in making docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). In the absence of DHA, male mice are basically infertile, producing few if any misshaped sperm that can’t get where they need to go,” said Manabu Nakamura, a U of I associate professor of food science and human nutrition.
According to the findings published in the February issue of the Journal of Lipid Research, in the DHA-deficient knockout mice, sperm counts were extremely low. The sperm that were produced were round instead of elongated and unable to move well. When DHA was introduced into the diet, fertility was completely restored.

Stacey's Comment
this is important research which again supports a good healthy diet rich in good fats, not trans fats can help with fertility.
Remember eating lots of fish unfortunately can expose you to too much mercury so keeping the fish to small fish like whiting, once a week is a good idea. Unfortunately tuna and most farmed salmon will have elevated levels of mercury and should be eaten only once a week or once every two weeks.
Other ways to get the DHA is thru eating nuts, seeds, and avocado. If you can eat organic to minimise your risk to pesticides and other chemicals. And take a purified fish oil supplement. If the bottle says mercury tested, it doesn't necessarily mean they have removed as much mercury as possible. Contact us for a list of fish oils whose company has bothered to go thru the purification process. Info@naturalfertility.com And chances are if this is good for male fertility, the same would hold true for female fertility as well.

Anti Mullerian Hormone: (AMH)Fertility "Egg Timer" Test Not Valid for All

2010-02-23T07:50:00.003+10:00

Recently a few reports have shown that a test measuring the number of eggs a woman has left has been discovered. Some are calling it the Egg Timer Test. They are touted this as a new test but we have seen it around for the last 3-4 years.

The test measures Antimullerian hormone (AMH) which supposedly diminishes as women "run out of eggs" However there are several reasons why this test is not valid or accurate for all women trying to conceive.

1) At Sharkeys Healing Centre and naturalfertility.com we have had patients who were told based on their AMH, there was no chance they could conceive. They came to us and now have children either naturally or with IVF. One woman in particular who was told she definitely did not have any eggs left because of her AMH, went on to have children, one naturally and one with IVF. Other couples at our clinic have had the same experience.

2) The new studies out of Harvard University show that women may actually regenerate their eggs each month and not have millions hanging around over the years. Ask your doctor this, "When they open an ovary do the see any eggs? The answer will be no, they only see follicles growing on the ovaries and according to the journal Reproduction, The Journal of the Society for Reproduction and Fertility in the Netherlands states: Direct measurement of the primordial follicle pool is impossible.

The scientists are basically making assumptions based on the number of growing follicles that they can see on the ovaries or a based on a substance released by these follicles, AMH.

3) Other tests such as FSH when it is high have been touted as evidence that a women is not producing eggs any more. They have also used a combination of FSH and AMH many times. But high FSH does not always indicate menopause if estrogen levels are normal. We have had women with FSH as high as 150, bring these levels down to under 10 and become pregnant when they follow our program.

4) There are no long term studies to see if AMH levels are an indicator of fertility. This test is only based on theory, not fact. WHat I mean is, I have researched thru many journals and have not found any study that has looked at women and AMH levels in their 20's or 30's and then followed these women until menopause to determine who had children and who didn't. Until then, it can not be used as an indicator. However there was on study on cows that indicates that when a female cow has low AMH levels it will not respond well to "superovulation" treatments.

According to this study low AMH is not associated with reproductive function. In overweight and obese women with PCOS and reproductive dysfunction, a 20-week weight loss intervention resulted in improvements in reproductive function but no change in AMH levels. If reproductive function improved and AMH was associated with it, wouldn't you think those levels would improve as well???

I think AMH would be a good indicator of who will not respond to IVF or other artificial procedures but does NOT indicate whether a couple can conceive or not. Spread the word, that this test is NOT an accurate indicator for women to become pregnant. Some in Conventional medicine to say that using alternative methods such as herbs or supplements is not based in fact, however, when its suits them, conventional medicine uses only theory (not fact) to support their position.

Acupuncture and PCOS

2009-09-07T12:31:00.003+10:00

Acupuncture Improves Ovulation in PCOS Women

A study at Goteborg University in Sweden showed that acupuncture may help some PCOS women to ovulate. In this study, electro-acupuncture was used instead of traditional acupuncture. Electro-acupuncture, the application of a pulsating electrical current to acupuncture needles as a means of stimulating the acupuncture points, was developed in China as an extension of hand manipulation of acupuncture needles.

Twenty-four women with PCOS and infrequent or absent periods were included in this study. After 10-14 treatments for 2-3 months, nine women (38%) experienced regular ovulation. However, the electro-acupuncture was not effective in the more severe cases (obese, highest waist-to-hip ratio, and highest testosterone and insulin individuals).

For women with mild PCOS, acupuncture appears to help induce ovulation.

Source: Stener-Victorin E et al, Effects of electro-acupuncture on anovulation in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2000 Mar;79(3):180-8

Stacey's comment.

I think it is great that researchers are looking at how acupuncture and other therapies can be useful to optimize fertility. It is important to remember that PCOS is accompanied by insulin resistance whether you are overwt or lean with PCO. Therefore diet must be addressed to get the very best outcome. Insulin resistance can be reversed in many so this is the first area that needs to be addressed, short term for fertility but also long term for overall health. Our PCO ebook outlines what you need to do to accomplish this and some have gotten pregnant just by reading the book and applying the concepts. www.pcoebook.com

another good resource is: The Glucose Revolution: managing PCO

New Test to Determine Endometriosis Less Invasive

2009-08-25T08:40:00.002+10:00

Endometriosis can be a very painful condition effecting overall health and fertility. Some women but not all may experience very painful menstrual cycles, vomiting or severe nausea with their cycles and at ovulation, bowel disturbances or increased frequency of urination with their period, or unexplainable discharge at different times of the cycle.
Some women will have endometriosis but not experience any symptoms at all.

Endometriosis can impact fertility in two ways;
1) structurally: If endometriosis is in the tubes then this could cause a blockage and make it impossible for the sperm and egg to meet. If the endometriosis is in the tubes but not completely blocking the tube it may still impact the health of the egg by causing damage to the egg as it passes thru the tube. If endometriosis is on the ovary it can impact the function of the ovary and cause problems with egg health or release of the egg at ovulation.

2) Hormonally: If endometriosis is not present in the tubes or on the ovary but is present in other places, the actual endometrial lesions or cysts may not cause a structural issue but the probable causes of the endometriosis may be impacting fertility.

The difficulty with deteching endometriosis in the female has been that if there is no sign of endometriosis from an Ultrasound or pelvic exam then the only way to diagnose endometriosis was through a surgery called a laparoscopy. And sometimes these surgeries have been done and there has been no endometriosis present. The surgery can be a costly option if no treatment is needed and also cause scarring and bleeding that may impact fertility.

But now a new much less invasive and less expensive option has been discovered for deteching endometriosis nearly 100% of the time.
By removing endometrial lining from the uterus, researchers in Australia and Jordan have found that if there are an increased prescence of nerve fibers in this endometrial tissue the patient is highly likely to have endometriosis.

If endometriosis is present and removed through laparoscopy, keep in mind that if the probable causes are not addressed then it is likely to come back like many conventional doctors will say.

So addressing what likely contributed to the endometriosis in the first place is very important to keeping it at bay and optimising your fertility.

Can Probiotics Help You Increase Your Fertility and Get Pregnant?

2009-05-20T12:34:00.002+10:00

I have some interesting news to share with you today that are based on some recent findings in Melbourne Australia.

These findings emphasize a particular part of our program that I have been suggesting for some time now and hope that this email serves as a reminder to those of you who are already our patients and using these products and I hope this serves as information for those who aren’t addressing this very important part of your fertility. Also at the end of the tip I will share with our a creation story.

In a study performed in Melbourne Australia on the follicular fluid (the fluid that the egg grows up in, where nutrients, hormones, toxins etc are present) found that bacteria was present in the follicular fluid of women and it seems to be correlated with less than optimal results.

Some of this bacteria that was present appeared to be a result of the procedure itself, the bacteria normally found in the lower genital tract was transferred to the follicular fluid thru the process of egg pick up. However some of the bacteria was unique and not what is commonly known to be in the lower genital tract. This could be because not all bacteria in the genital tract has been identified yet, or it could be that it is a sign of bacterial overgrowth in the body.
Only 25% of women with the unique bacteria present in the follicular fluid created a pregnancy (no statistics were sited on how many of them actually gave birth because in IVF a successful pregnancy doesn’t always equal a live birth).

So hospitals need to find a better way of making sure they are not part of the cause of the problem by transferring “bad bacteria” to the follicular fluid during the procedure, but for the other unique bacteria, if this is the result of an overgrowth versus the procedure itself, then you may be able to have a huge influence on addressing this bacteria and hopefully stop it from influencing your fertility

How do you do this? It’s a four step process.
STEP 1 REMOVE ANY ADDED SUGAR (did I say that loud enough?) Glucose can effect the activity of neutrophils, one of your white blood cells that goes around the body attacking bacteria. Therefore the body’s defenses are weakened as a result of adding glucose/ sugar to the diet.
Eliminate high glycemic carbohydrates from your diet (ref: http://www.glycemicindex.com/) i.e white flour, hi gi white rice, white potatoe, etc, which cause significant increases in blood glucose levels that are difficult for the body to handle, eventually causing inflammation and suppressing immune system function.

STEP 2 Look at the rest of your diet
Does your diet consist of highly processed foods which do not support healthy good bacteria growth in the gut to address and outnumber the more damaging bacteria? Does most of your diet come from a wrapper, a box, a can or from a drive thru?
If so move more toward whole food diets where you are eating 70% fresh foods in your diet.
For example, have fruit instead of fruit juice.
Eat salads and vegetables with protein instead of sandwiches and packaged foods.
Give up sodas whether regular or diet. Drink mostly water.
Decrease alcohol consumption no more than 4 per week (another source of excess sugar)

Step 3:
Make sure in your diet you are getting enough foods that help you create healthy good bacteria. You can accomplish this by eating foods that contain prebiotics. Prebiotics help the body make good bacteria.
Examples of prebiotics include:
artichokes
chicory root
raw oats (if you are not gluten free)
unrefined wheat (if you are not gluten free)
unrefined barley (if you are not gluten free)
bananas
berries
asparagus
garlic
flaxseed
tomatoes
greens
legumes

Step 4
Top it off with a high quality multi strain probiotic (good bacteria) each day.
I recommend in Australia either Nourishing Flora or Polybac 8. (Synbac is another I recommend in certain circumstances). In the US, I recommend Primal Defense.
How do you take these? Ideally if you can remember to take a minimum of 30 min before food, this gives the probiotic time to settle into and support the flora of the gut.
If this is too hard for you to remember I do recommend to take it right before bed.
If you are just starting on a probiotic then take one before bed. But if you have been taking a good multi strain probiotic for a while now and have an IVF procedure coming up, I would double the dose you normally take for 6-8 weeks leading up to the procedure.
If you take a probiotic for the first time or for a short time and you have lower abdominal cramping, try another brand and if you still get the cramping, its not likely the probiotic but the fact that your digestive system needs some work. So see a naturopath or physician who understands and works with the gut and how to optimize its health.
If you are in Australia, you can order polybac 8 from our website at http://www.sharkeyshealingcentre.com/ in the Vitamins section once you log into the site with your email and password (contact us at info@sharkeyshealingcentre.com if you prefer powder instead of capsules).
Nourishing Flora is located in some health food shops but my patients have been reporting some difficulty finding this at times.
In the US, Primal Defense can be found at Whole Foods and some smaller health food chains.
In other countries as for a multi strain probiotic with a minimum of 8 strains if possible.
Now for our CREATION STORY:
Hi There,
Just wanted to give you a update on events here in Melbourne with us and thank you for all you have done for me in helping me achieve my dream.
This has been a long journey for us of eight years full of up's and downs! After 4yrs of seeing a fertility specialist for PCOS we tried clomid, sugery ect...our last resort was IVF. I saw your story on ACA and decided to try one last thing before going to IVF.
3mths later ON YOUR HERBS l was pregnant with our beautiful daughter Paige (she is nearlly 4yrs old) We decided to try again in 2007 and after 2 miscarriages we eventually concieved early 2008 again. On the 29th of December with gave birth to our second daughter whom we called Regan.
I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all that you have done for us and for our 2 little miracles. They are both healthy and beautiful little girls that bring us much joy and happiness.
RC

Weight Loss and Male or Female Fertility

2009-03-23T05:31:00.002+10:00

Will I increases my chances to conceive if I gain or lose weight?

Well, let's look at some studies. In a DAnish Study published in Fertility and Sterility in Oct 2004, after looking at the reproductive hormones and semen quality of 1558 Danish men, they found that high or low BMI (Body Mass Index) was associated with reduced semen quality.

In several studies including one from a place in Germany that I can't pronounce :) reports that high or low BMI in women can have a negative impact on IVF outcome leading to decreased chance of pregnancy.

Keeping these studies in mind then, we want to find our health weight range which according to the BMI is 18.5-24.9. You can calculate your own BMI by going to http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/bmi/calc-bmi.htmTherefore at our clinic I stress slow steady healthy weight loss or weight gain in some cases.

Think about it, rapid weight loss like that which is purported in some of the over the counter weight loss products or even some of the physician's assisted programs, won't accomplish what you are looking for. Losing weight quickly is also associated with diseases such as cancer.

Remember, you want to keep the body OUT of stress mode because when our body is in stress mode, reproduction goes on the back burner.Starting with a low glycemic index (www.glycemicindex.com) along with exercise is a good approach. Eliminating excess sugar from your diet and all the processed carbs is important. There are good carbs out there that burn slowly in your system (check out the GI database on www.glycemicindex.com) versus the convenience foods that have high amounts of sugar or burn quickly in our system shooting up glucose and insulin levels. These low gi carbs should always be accompanied by good protein and good fats.

Protein is important. And I recommend to stay away from soy products unless they are fermented such as tempeh, miso, natto, and some soy sauces. Soy has been shown to negatively effect fertility in some studies. Vegetable protein such as chickpeas, beans and lentils are great sources of protein. Other sources of course are animal proteins. Choose grass fed whenever possible to decrease saturated fat intake.

Protein powders can also be valuable. You can make them into shakes or sprinkle them on your low gi cereals in the morning. The popular whey protein powders are popular and effective for some people. Pay attention however to the back of the canister and if it says, "not suitable for pregnant or lactating (breastfeeding) women" then you know there are many artificial ingredients that could be hazardous to your health even if you aren't pregnant or breastfeeding.

And remember FAT does NOT make you FAT. Healthy fats from avocados and nuts are just a few examples of good fats you can increase in your diet. So the proper balance of proteins, slow burning carbs and essentials fats are so important for your overall and reproductive health.

Exercise is also very important and should be incorporated into your life 3-4 times per week to address weight loss. Cardiovascular exercise as well as resistance training is important to help you lose weight and optimise your fertility.

Speak to your practitioner about what type of eating plan is right for you as he/she may need to evaluate if you are having difficulty with your weight and your fertility because of a thyroid and or adrenal issue. Do not rely soley on blood tests to rule this out. Your symptoms are important to note as well.

Fibroids: What Can You Do About Them?

2009-03-23T05:10:00.002+10:00

Women who are dealing with fertility issues and issues of period pain or PMS could also be dealing with fibroids as well. Fibroids do also lead to heavy bleeding and possibly low iron stores as well as feeling very tired and, if fibroids become large, abdominal pain can be experienced.

Fibroids or growths in and/or outside the uterus, have been noted in literature to be due to high levels of oestrogen, but what is often missed is most fibroids can also be due to less than optimal progesterone production. When a woman has normal oestrogen levels but low progesterone levels, this is something called oestrogen dominance because low progesterone levels make the oestrogen appear to be excessive and this is associated with the growth of fibroids.

Your oestrogen is the hormone that can cause crankiness, irritability, discomfort, and mood swings, whereas progesterone is the more calming of the hormones and, when balanced nicely with oestrogen, helps to minimise and eliminate the symptoms surrounding a period and throughout the cycle. So it is very important that these hormones are in good balance, not just within normal limits. We tend to see issues with oestrogen at the higher end of the range and progesterone at the lower end of the range and patients can be told that the hormone levels are fine when in actuality this would be considered oestrogen dominance and potentially create problems with fertility issues, fibroids, and other issues such as PMS.

Another area of oestrogen dominance that can contribute to fibroid growth is excessive oestrogen in comparison to normal progesterone. This is usually less of an issue than the low progesterone, but can contribute to fibroid formation.

In regards to fertility, the problem with fibroids if they are within the uterus is that they can create a barrier for the sperm to be able to get to the egg. Fibroids can also create a barrier to implantation depending on where they are within the uterus. Fibroids outside of the uterus many times are not a structural issue unless they are pushing on the fallopian tubes, but they do indicate that oestrogen dominance is likely and therefore the probable cause of the fibroids could be effecting fertility even if structurally the fibroids are not.

With women who experience fibroids but go into menopause which result in the oestrogen and progesterone levels lowering, it’s important to note that the fibroids will shrink. But unfortunately for some women the fibroids grow to be significant either while they’re trying to become pregnant, with pregnancy or prior to menopause and for the women who is pregnant, can cause significantly heavy periods, blood loss, and other issues.

So, to address fibroids, it is important to address the optimisation of oestrogen and progesterone balance, and to do this it is very important to look at thyroid health and adrenal health. One of the thyroid hormones, particularly T3, helps to create progesterone, so, if the thyroid is sluggish and T3 production is not optimal, then this can create a problem with fibroid formation.

In addition, iodine is very important for thyroid health, and it is found that some women who experience iodine deficiency can be susceptible to fibroid growth. So these areas should be assessed by having a blood test to look at free T4 and free T3 and thyroid antibodies as well as urinary iodine status.

Simply being in the normal range does not necessarily completely rule out thyroid issues, as some thyroid issues can be subclinical. In addition, many physicians will test only TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone), which really gives only an indication of what the brain needs for thyroid hormone but not what the rest of the body needs. If a TSH level is within normal limits, then physicians will say that the thyroid is functioning optimally when in fact it may not be, and therefore the presence of fibroids should indicate that further testing is needed.

The adrenals, as was mentioned, are also another area where the balance between oestrogen and progesterone can be affected. The adrenals sit on top of the kidneys and help to regulate stress response. If the body has been under stress for a period of time, progesterone can be converted into cortisol, with possibly less being available for reproductive purposes. If that’s the case and there’s less progesterone available to oppose oestrogen, then you have the perfect breeding ground for fibroid formation to occur.

So, if a person is dealing with fibroids, they should be having their thyroid and adrenals assessed to look at the situation fully.

A morning cortisol blood test can be done to assess adrenal function and cortisol output. Cortisol levels are normal in the morning for some women but decrease substantially before noon-time or throughout the rest of the day. Cortisol should be at its highest in the morning but then gradually decrease over time throughout the day and be at its lowest right before a person goes to sleep so they can sleep well through the night. If cortisol levels are good in the morning but drop off in the afternoon, a person may experience significant fatigue throughout the day and possibly mood swings and very low energy. Many will say this may be due to less than optimal iron, but in fact it is due to less than optimal adrenal function.

The blood test result in the morning is sometimes not as accurate because simply inserting a needle into the body to draw the blood can create a stress response, and therefore the morning cortisol test may not be as optimal as it should be. But in the case where there is a question, saliva tests can be done to assess cortisol levels throughout the day to see if they are in fact maintaining and only slowly decreasing throughout the day versus dropping significantly and leaving a person with an “empty tank”, i.e. feeling very tired throughout the day.

Adrenal function and thyroid function can be supported through natural means with herbs such as withania, rehmannia, rhodiola, licorice, bacopa, among others. However each person should have their situation assessed individually because not all herbs would be needed for each situation. Bladderwrack is an excellent herb that contains iodine and there are certainly natural iodine supplements such as kelp available if it is found that a person has mild or moderate or severe iodine deficiency.

Through the use of herbs to optimise oestrogen and progesterone balance it can be possible to shrink fibroids, but surgical removal is necessary in some cases.

Some doctors recommend a hysterectomy for those who are past child-bearing years, but oftentimes this can be avoided if the thyroid and adrenals are addressed, and the heavy blood flow will cease and the patients will be feeling much better.

If the fibroids are too big, they can be excised surgically by an experienced surgeon. If the thyroid and adrenals as well as the oestrogen and progesterone balance are addressed, then this can help the patient avoid a hysterectomy which has been correlated with the ovaries failing two years after the uterus is removed and improve fertility for those trying to become pregnant.

For fertility purposes, it’s controversial whether the excision of the fibroids will help. Really, it depends on the size of the fibroid and its placement, and an experienced surgeon should be able to give you good feedback on this.

Just know that if you are trying to become pregnant, fibroids do not mean you won’t be able to create a viable pregnancy. But fibroids do need to be investigated to see how they may be impacting your fertility. If you are not trying to become pregnant and have heavy flows, painful periods and anemic due to heavy blood loss, fibroids should be ruled out and addressed if present.

If you are simply looking at shrinking fibroids to optimise your overall health and decrease heavy flow of a period, there are some natural means to do this and some nice complementary natural methods that can be utilised with medical intervention if necessary.

Common Chemicals That Could be Impacting Your Fertility

2009-02-23T13:34:00.002+10:00

Your cookware and cleaning supplies could make it harder for you to have a baby.Researchers have found chemicals called perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) might be linked to delays in getting pregnant. PFCs are everywhere -- in Teflon cookware, shampoos, floor wax, food wrapping, carpet treatments and other cleaning products. PFCs are also present in air and water in the form of industrial waste from chemical plants.The new study looked at more than 1,200 women when they were six to 12 weeks pregnant. If they reported that it took them longer than 12 months to get pregnant or if they used drugs designed to increase their chances of conceiving, they were considered to have infertility -- this is a generally accepted definition of infertility by experts in the field.One kind of PFC, called PFOS, increased the odds of infertility anywhere from 70 to 134 percent. Another PFC called PFOA was linked to a 60 to 154 percent increase in the chance of infertility.
Sources:
ABC News January 29, 2009
Human Reproduction January 28, 2009

Stacey comments:
This information highlights one of our steps in our five step process to optimizing your fertility that you will find in our new book about how to optimize your fertility coming out in the next few months. Minimizing toxins in your system to maximise your fertility is the second step in our program. I have discussed the importance of this related to plastic and cooking (see fertility tip Safe plastics guide) and avoiding parabens in skin care products, using environmentally friendly cleaning products and avoiding things such as air fresheners in your home.
Since PCF’s can be found in the following

• Teflon and other non-stick cookware
• Microwave popcorn bags
• Packaging for greasy fast foods
• Stain-proof clothing
• Carpet and fabric protectors
• Flame retardants
(reference mercola.com)

It would be good to do your best and decrease your exposure by getting most of these items out of your home or atleast avoid their use in the future.

Keep in mind that you can never get rid of all the toxins in the environment but doing what you can to minimize your exposure may maximize your fertility.

And don’t let this information scare you or cause you to beat yourself up. Now that you have the information you can act on it, whereas before this, you didn’t know so there really wasn’t anything you could do about it. But now you have the information to take action and improve your fertility so spread the word, email this article to anyone you know who is experiencing fertility issues.

Think You are Running Out of Time re your Fertility

2009-02-23T12:46:00.001+10:00

As I read the health questionaires that are sent in and I see patients at our clinic one issue always seems to jump out at me. Because of the difficulty and emotional stress that comes hand in hand with fertility, society and the media's way of dealing with fertility issues, as well as the disempowering attitude of some medical professionals and unfortunately at times, relatives, friends and even strangers, many people that come to see me are either so worried that time is running out (even some of the 20 year olds that I deal with!) or they have decided at some level that they can't have a baby. In this issue I will discuss the "time is running out" issue. When a person takes on this belief and it comes up for them often, it can work directly against the enhancement of their fertility. Some people think I am crazy when I say this. How can thoughts effect your fertility? Well if you look at the simple example of butterflies in the stomach, it may help you understand.

What causes butterflies in the stomach? Is it something you eat? Of course not. When you experience butterflies in the stomach it is because of the thoughts you are thinking at the time which are based on what you are perceiving is happening right now or what you are imagining will happen in the future. Thoughts associated with anxiety, fear, anger, sadness or guilt create physiological reactions in the system.

These types of thoughts can throw your body into "stress mode". When the body is dealing with consistent overwhelming stress over time, reproduction may go to the back burner and does not become the body's main focus. The body's primary issue is to address the stress right now. Progesterone can be converted into cortisol to help the body cope with the increased demands of the stress hormone cortisol. Remember, that the old belief that "time is running out", i.e. "I am running out of eggs" is not necessarily true. In March of 2004 a Harvard study found that females may be able to regenerate their eggs like other mammals with similiar reproductive systems. As a matter of fact, as humans each day we regenerate over 24 billion cells. Old cells die off and are replaced by new cells. You lose and replace 600,000 skin cells per day! In a book called The Mind and The Brain, their is even evidence through new types of imaging that brain cells may be able to regenerate which was often thought not to be true. Science used to think that the brain didn't change that much after you were approximately 6 years old. Now recent imaging techniques show that the teen brain totally morphs itself, pruning different areas of the brain and going through a major renovation from 12 yo to the early 20's. (Explains a lot about adolescent behaviour, hey!!)The point is though that science is constantly showing that the world is not flat and that new discoveries are happening all the time. As a matter of fact the Harvard scientists that did the study on mice said that it was kind of naive of scientists to believe that only one kind of cell in the human body, exclusively to females (because sperm regenerates constantly as well), would be different than the other types of cells in our body that regenerate. It is already common knowledge that the egg starts out as an immature follicle and goes through a maturation process from the time that the ovary picks up a follicle and begins ripening the immature oocyte (egg cell). This oocyte is surrounded by follicular fluid and its development is related to the substances in this fluid including but not limited to nutrients such as antioxidants and minerals, etc and the hormone production of the body. Then it is the oocyte that has gone through the maturation process that is released as an egg at ovulation. Now it has not been shown definitively in the human female what happens for sure with the eggs. But what if it is true? What if egs could be regenerated just like the sp**erm? The fact remains that there is this possibility, so the belief that time is running out can be false and improving your health and balancing your hormones can actually improve your chances to conceive. This is what our natural treatment is based on.

So the next time you hear yourself saying "Time is running out" to yourself or from one of your well meaning relatives over dinner it is your responsibility to stop those thoughts going through your head and tell yourself that "I am doing everything I possibly can to become pregnant". Take a deep breath and know that you are doing everything you can to improve your fertility. You may have to say this to yourself 100 times a day, but it is worth it.Another excellent resource about how your thoughts effect your body is the movie, "What the Bleep Do We Know". You can find this at your local movie rental store.

Can Herbs Unblock Tubes?

2009-02-09T14:43:00.003+10:00

Here is a copy of an interview that I just did with a local interviewer:
Debbie: Stacey, What can you tell us about women with blocked tubes? Can
you help them?
Stacey : I do receive many questions about blocked tubes. I know this can be a
very disheartening diagnosis. Because if this diagnosis is true then
there is only one way you can become pregnant and that is thru IVF
invitrofertilisation.

However we find that many times when there has been a diagnosis of
blocked tubes, pregnancies still occur naturally while the women are on
our herbs.

Debbie How in the world does that happen?

Stacey : Well, if the test is actually giving an inaccurate diagnosis, or a false
positive, the tubes can actually be absolutely fine.
You see, there is one test to check the tubes by putting dye thru them
and seeing if the dye comes out the other end of the tube.
This can be done in two ways.
1) a laparoscopy where you are put under general anesthesia and they
check the tubes while you are under.
2) a hysterosalpingogram alone. This is essentially the same test
but they do it while you are awake and you avoid a surgery. It is
done in a radiology department where you would have an
ultrasound done.

In this test, as I said dye is put thru the tubes to see if they are
clear or patent. If they are, the physician or radiographer will see a
“spill” into the peritoneal cavity. This means they can see the dye
exiting the tube.

If they don’t see this spill, the diagnosis can be a blocked tube.

Debbie: So how can this end up being a “false positive” i.e. a diagnosis of
blocked but they are really not blocked?

Stacey: Sometimes when the dye goes thru the tube the tube can actually
spasm and make it very difficult or impossible to get the dye through
the tube. This can happen in both the laparoscopy while you are
under anesthetic or in the HSG while you are awake.

Some people will tell you that the tubes are less likely to spasm with
a Laparoscopy because you are under general anesthetic. But this
simply isn’t true. The movement of the egg through the tubes is
done by cilia which are are created through smooth muscle
contractions. This means its not voluntary, it happens
automatically. So whether you are awake or asleep shouldn’t impact
smooth muscle contraction, unless a person is extremely stressed or
trained by biofeedback to effect this type of muscular contraction.

Debbie: So sometimes due to either procedure the tubes can spasm and
then they might think the tubes are blocked but they really aren’t.

Stacey That’s right. And a good thing that can happen with either of
these procedures is, if the tubes are blocked the procedure may
actually unblock the tubes due to the pressure exerted on the
blockage while the dye is injected. This appears to be less likely to
occur if there is a history scarring or damage to the tubes by
Chlamydia infection Or even damage from a previous surgery. If
there is just a mucous plug for example, in the tubes then the dye
may help to unplug the tube so to speak.

Debbie: So scarring in the tubes be a problem. What is this caused from?

Stacey : Scarring can be caused by an infection in or around the uterus.
The sexually transmitted disease known as Chlamydia, if left
untreated could damage the tubes or endometriosis can also
cause damage to the tubes as well. It doesn’t mean though if you
have had an infection or endometriosis that your tubes will
definitely be blocked. As a matter of fact I know of women who
have had Chlamydia or endometriosis and they didn’t have
blocked tubes and had children naturally so it really depends
on the individuals case.

Debbie: What else could cause blocked tubes if they are truly blocked?

Stacey: Well, I have seen an increased incidence in some smokers. The tar
from the nicotine decreases the cilia’s ability (in the nose) to keep
the toxins out of the body. Since there is cilia in the fallopian
tubes that help move the egg and fluid thru the tubes, it is
possible that the toxins from cigarettes could impact this cilia as
well and keep them from functioning properly which in turn could
make the fluid more gluggly and mucous like in the tubes.

Debbie: Okay, got it. So if the tubes are blocked can herbs clear them?

Stacey: I am a herbalist and I know of no known herbs that can unblock
tubes. Ignore the marketing ploys out there to get you to buy
their herbs to unblock tubes. There are a few companies out
there claiming that their herbs can unblock tubes but when I have
contacted them for proof and told them I am a herbalist they
never got back to me. Hmmm. Makes me suspicious that they are
just preying on people who are in a desperate situation.

However there are a few ways that natural therapies
may be able to help.

1) If there was a false positive, or simply if you were diagnosed
with blocked tubes, before rushing in to a procedure, take some
time to prepare your body and mind. If the body is a bit out of
balance, the nformation that you receive from our program and
the herbs to help optimize hormone balance could help to
improve your situation and help the body create healthier eggs
and endometrial lining which is likely a good step toward
conceiving.

2) If the tubes are blocked and IVF is the only option then herbs
and supplements have been used to help couples prepare for IVF
to hopefully optimize their chances of conceiving. Best to give it
atleast 3-6 months before the procedure for it to work best.

3) There are some programs such as www.clearpassage.com that
Claim they may be able to unblock tubes with certain deep
tissue techniques, but there again is no way to know if they
treatment caused this or if the tubes weren’t blocked in the
first place.

4) Get yourself as health and fit as you can to become pregnant
which in turn can improve your cellular health. Your eggs,
ovaries, fallopian tubes, follicles and the semen and sperm
are all made up of cells so improving over all cellular health
and optimizing hormone balance is your best way forward to
becoming pregnant.

Debbie: So can you ever know for sure if the tubes are blocked?

Stacey : Well, you can’t know for sure, but if you have the procedure
done a second time, a few months apart (preferably not under
anesthesia again) and it is still comes up that your tubes
are blocked then you have to wonder. The body changes so
much though. Don’t give up hope, just do the best you can to
prepare to become pregnant either naturally or with IVF.

How to handle friends, relatives and even strangers pregnancy announcements

2009-01-26T19:52:00.005+10:00

When dealing with fertility issues it is quite common to find yourself upset or irritated, angrey or sad when you hear about someone close to you or even not so close, becoming pregnant. It is even worse when they say "and you know we weren't even trying..." Would it be beneficial to know how to handle friends, relatives, and even strangers around you who are having babies?

A couple came in our office at Sharkeys Healing Centre for their next fertility consultations and individualised herbal formulas. Both had always been strong in regards to the difficulty they had encountered conceiving a baby. But on this day their expressions, energy, body language or whatever you would like to call it, was different. The woman was definitely suffering after years of dealing with fertility issues and her husband looked unsure and depressed as well. The pain of not conceiving was so evident that even some of my staff asked if they were okay.

As we sat down to discuss how they had been over the last few weeks, before the words left the woman’s mouth, tears began to stream down her face. “I feel horrible” she said. It was clear that she was more than just a little upset, that finally she let her guard down and allowed herself to feel the feelings and recognise that she had been keeping these emotions pent up inside. Now let me make a note here that all women who are moving forward and empowering themselves and feeling strong despite not conceiving now don’t have to be holding on to negative emotions and repressing them, Many couples I have worked with in the clinic and our workshops have been able to let go of the negative emotions and limiting decisions that were holding them back from having a child but there are some who are trying to ignore their negative feelings and some that let it all out as well. Each person is unique in the way they deal with this situation. Remember, it is okay to feel negative emotions. Emotions make us human and they are important to acknowledge. The problem comes in when we continually repress these emotions, hang onto them and can’t let them go now.

Back in the treatment room the wife was crying and the husband was looking as he felt helpless, disempowered not knowing what to do. Clearly an event occurred that initiated the expression of these feelings so I asked, “What happened?” And they both went on to tell me that a close relative had become pregnant without even trying. They were invited over to a dinner party and at the dinner table it was announced that they had a little surprise for everyone. When the couple, my patient’s relatives, announced that they were pregnant, my patient described the feeling of someone taking a hot knife and driving it through her midsection. She felt immediate pain and while trying to put on a strong supportive face, eventually she had to remove herself from the table when the couple unknowningly made a point of saying how happy they were even though they weren’t trying for a baby. It just happened.

That was it, the straw that broke the camel’s back. How could they have this come to them so easy, she thought. They weren’t even trying!!! Quietly the husband added, we just want to know when its going to be our turn. What is wrong with us? Why are we having trouble conceiving? And finally she proceeded to say, “And to top it all off, I feel so guilty because I really want to be happy for her. I really do love her and want her to have children. I feel so miserable because I am not feeling happy for her.”

These are common questions and comments that I hear over and over. Most couples going through fertility issues will ask these questions, feel these feelings, or make these comments. You are not alone if you have found yourself experiencing any of the above scenario. So let’s talk about how you can prepare yourself for events like this one so that you can actually be happy for those you love who are pregnant and have children. This is also useful for those who become emotional or have a difficult time seeing babies or small children in the mall or other public places.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out where these thoughts, feelings, and emotions are coming from. You are focused on having a child and that can become all consuming. So every person, place, or thing that you probably never even noticed before you began the journey to parenthood becomes a symbol to you that up until now you have been having some difficulty conceiving. All of this brings up negative emotion within you because this is an unresolved issue in your life. This has become a major focus and at times the sole focus in your life.

If you are experiencing some of the thoughts, feelings and emotions described above this probably means that you are allowing these events, people, or even sometimes television shows, etc (really anything that has a baby on it or a represents a baby or parenthood) to reinforce a belief that you may have which might be “I can’t have a baby.” You may be looking at these experiences as reminding you of the problems you are having, so naturally we want to avoid pain and the negative emotion is then your signal to run away, turn inward, and protect yourself from these thoughts and feelings. Negative emotion such as sadness can tell you to pay attention to how much something or someone means to you and the sadness you experience may be telling you (though each person is different) to pay attention to how much you want a baby which reminds you of the challenges you have faced in this department.

What if however, you could feel joy each time you see a baby or small child? What if I told you that when you change your focus you can feel joy and happiness around babies and children, and it can actually enhance your fertility? Wouldn’t it be worth doing now?

How can this happen? Well, as you know from other tips, stress and depression has been shown to affect fertility, I can’t say that it causes fertility although women who are stressed and/or depressed show more fertility issues than those who are not stressed or depressed. So by letting go of the negative emotions that you may experience and letting it remind you to change your focus then you can improve your physiological state and therefore improve your fertility.

How can you change your focus? And to what can you change your focus too?

Well what would happen to your thoughts and feelings when I tell you that the more you see babies, the more you hear of friends and relatives becoming pregnant and the more advertisements and television shows you see talking about babies this means that new life is coming closer to you. The problem was, if you push these babies and these people away, its as if you are pushing away life. The more often you can change your focus to the fact that the more babies and pregnant women you see, especially if they are close to you such as a friend or relative, the more likely you are going to be able to welcome a beautiful new life in to yours. By changing your focus to this way of thinking, you will no longer be split in two, sad for yourself and feeling guilty that you are not happy for your friends or relatives, and even the stranger at the mall. With this new focus you are now able to let go of the negative emotion and remove some of the emotional barriers to receive life now. This will improve your overall health and improve your fertility by decreasing and in some cases eliminating stress or depressive thoughts. You will also be able to feel true happiness and joy for those who are pregnant and/or have had babies. You can now open a new channel to you for life to connect with you.

So the next time you see a baby or hear of someone close to you being pregnant, just let this be a reminder that your turn just very well may be closer than you had thought. And remember you don't have to feel sadness to remind you of how much you want a child. Letting go of the sadness doesn't mean you want a child any less. Letting go of the sadness can mean you are making more room in your heart for a child.

Fertility tips are (C) copyright of Stacey Roberts and Positive Image publishing. This material is not to be distributed or reproduced in any fashion without expressed written consent of Stacey Roberts

2008-11-16T16:14:00.002+10:00

TEsts for Unexplained and or Male Fertility issues

These simple and easy tests can rule out one issue that may be impacting your fertility.

In the last few weeks I have seen a few men that presented with low count, and issues with motility and morphology. I am always amazed at how many times when these issues come up, there are NO tests done to try to determine what may be causing the issue. I am equally surprised when I hear over and over again that there is an issue with the quantity or quality of the Se**men and sp**erm but medical professionals every thing is fine or perfect when areas are even outside the range that is suggested as Normal on the analysis.

Also in past tips I have talked about how inaccurate some analysis' are when done at a general lab versus a lab at a fertility clinic.
But today I want to discuss an area that the scientific literature supports as an issue for male fertility but again, I hardly see it tested.

The issue is hemachromatosis. This means that ferritin levels (which are the iron stores in our system) are too high. The result of this can be iron deposits in various organ systems in the body, including the reproductive organs. It is also an issue for cardiovascular health as well.

Most menstruating women will not have this issue because of the blood loss each month (however I have seen cases where menstruating women have excessive ferritin levels too so always have iron studies done).

There can be a familial tendency to excessive iron stores in the system so if there is anyone in the family that has had this it is worth getting it tested. The "normal" ranges may vary from lab to lab, but the latest research is showing that levels above 150-200 can be dangerous.

As discussed, this issue, i.e. excessive ferritin may be correlated with male fertility issues, so it is worth having it tested. There are some symptoms associated with this issues besides issues with the sp**erm. They are constantly flushed and reddish face, and aching in the joints of the fingers. If male or female and experiencing these symptoms then hemachromatosis could be an issue for you.

However I have see elevated levels of ferritin when these symptoms are not present. Sometimes this is the case for individuals who have an underlying thyroid issue that has been overlooked.

IN a few other tips, I discussed a test called lipoprotein (a) that can be associated with cardiovascular health as well as less than optimal levels of thyroid hormone, and in a few cases of patients with the hemachromatosis the Lp (a) (lipoprotein a) has been elevated as well. In my opinion these are two important tests to check out if you are dealing with male fertility issues because if elevated they can not only be an explanation for male fertility problems, but they can be addressed and potentially prevent cardiovascular issues such as heart attack or stroke by possibly decreasing these levels and therefore decreasing the risk.

There are a few ways the hemachromatosis can be addressed. One is thru diet:
!) eliminate refined sugars as well as other high glycemic carbohydrates
2) increase healthy fibre in your diet
3) support bowel function with a multistrain probiotic or other bowel support that you can discuss with you naturopath or herbalist.
4) eliminate red meat

Supplementation
1) Avoid any iron supplementation (check supplements, especially any that are supposed to help with energy to make sure there is no iron)
2) take an optimal amount of zinc to help release excess iron in the system. (consult your herbalist or naturopath as to how much zinc is the optimal amount for you)

Giving blood

Giving blood at regular intervals can be ordered by your physician can help decrease the excess levels of ferritin in your system.

Excess iron in the system can create more free radical damage in the body and decrease cellular health, therefore it is important to have an antioxidant rich diet and supplementation program to assist with this issue and optimise your gut health when trying to address this issue.

And remember get your lipoprotein (a) (Lp (a) ) levels checked as well. If you could improve the issue with the **sp**erm and possibly improve your long term health by possibly decreasing heart attack and stroke risk, don't you think it's worth a look?

I hope you have a great week.

All the best
Stacey

Are Clomid and IUI effective with Unexplained Infertility

2008-08-11T07:02:00.006+10:00

The following is an excerpt from an associated press report:

A third of the 580 couples in the study were simply counseled on the need to have regular sex and received no treatment. Another group got clomifene citrate, which stimulates the ovaries to release eggs. It is sold as Clomid, Serophene, and Milophene, among other names.

For the third group, doctors performed artificial insemination, injecting sperm into the womb using a syringe.

Women who were pregnant after six months were then monitored until they gave birth.

In the no treatment group, 32 couples had babies. That compares to 26 babies for the women who took fertility pills and 43 for those who had artificial insemination. Experts said the slight differences were not statistically significant.

"It's not in the realm that you would expect it to be if these interventions were really performing," said Allan Pacey, of the University of Sheffield and secretary of the British Fertility Society. He was not linked to the study.

Still, Pacey said that artificial insemination was still useful in certain situations, such as when donor sperm is used.

Fertility drugs like clomifene have long been shown to work in women who have difficulties ovulating. Side effects include nausea, headaches, and hot flashes. It also increases the chance of having twins.

Stacey's comment
There have been other studies supporting this outcome over the years, especially about Clomid but I keep hearing from patients who are ovulating that the reason the doctor has put them on Clomid is because if the produce 2 eggs they have double the chance of becoming pregnant. Unfortunately this comment by some doctors doesn't seem to be true if there is no ovulation disorder.

WE look at Unexplained Fertility Issues this way, if it's unexplained and there is no baby yet, then the cause has not been found. We oftentimes see couples with male factor infertility be diagnosed as unexplained. This is especially true if the count is above 20million but the sperm quality is low. We also see men and women experiencing insulin resistance being diagnosed as unexplained. Other issues we have seen not addressed in couples diagnosed with unexplained infertility are underlying thyroid issues which can be related to progesterone deficiency,coeliac disease or gluten intolerance, stress i.e. emotional and/or physiological. I realise this last one is difficult to diagnose but more and more is being written about stress and infertility. Prolonged stress can effect progesterone production so it should not be overlooked.

If your situation is "unexplained" you may want to consider our Natural Fertility Solutions ebook, Go from Unexplained to pregnant! this is available at www.naturalfertility.com in the books section.

Remember I am not against the use of medications, just the overuse of them. Herbs can work very well together with Clomid and/or to prepare for IUI, or IVF. Meds and herbs, in my opinion, should not be started at the same time because it's important to be able to monitor the changes of one before introducing something new. We do offer a free ebook about
HERBS and IVF (the only comprehensive ebook on the topic)
so if you are interested in how they can be used together, send us an email at info@sharkeyshealingcentre.com.au or info@naturalfertility.com

Is Aspirin Helpful when Trying To Conceive?

2007-10-24T09:32:00.000+10:00

Newswise — Although it is inexpensive, easy to obtain and poses little health risk, women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) cannot rely upon aspirin to help them become pregnant, according to a systematic review of nine studies.

Over-the-counter aspirin, or acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), is typically used as a pain reliever. When taken daily, aspirin might lower the risk of heart attack, clot-related strokes, and other blood flow problems. Although it has its benefits, aspirin might also cause serious side effects, such as kidney failure, bleeding problems and some kinds of strokes.

But how could it help couples conceive?

“It is thought by some that taking low-dose aspirin may improve blood flow to the uterus and therefore improve ovarian response to IVF treatment, so it may be of benefit to women who have previously responded poorly to IVF treatment,” said the review’s lead author Vanessa Poustie, Ph.D., at the Institute for Child Health at the University of Liverpool in England.

Previous research on the use of aspirin with assisted conception techniques such as IVF has been inconsistent. Some studies have shown that aspirin therapy improves pregnancy rates; others have indicated that it increases the risk of miscarriage.

In the current review, Poustie and colleagues examined data from 1,449 women undergoing in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) to treat infertility.

The studies compared the pregnancy and birth rates of women taking low-dose aspirin (150 milligrams or less taken once per day) to women taking a placebo or no treatment. Two of the studies took place in the United States; other studies were conducted in Hong Kong, Iran and Finland.

The review appears in the latest issue of The Cochrane Library, a publication of The Cochrane Collaboration, an international organization that evaluates medical research. Systematic reviews draw evidence-based conclusions about medical practice after considering both the content and quality of existing medical trials on a topic.

According to the review results, women taking aspirin while undergoing IVF or ICSI were not significantly more likely to become pregnant than women taking a placebo or no treatment.

In addition, no significant difference in live birth rates existed between the treatment and control groups, according to the two studies that examined this outcome.

“Despite a number of high-profile studies, there still remains insufficient evidence to be able to say whether low-dose aspirin can increase the chance of women undergoing IVF having a successful pregnancy,” Poustie said.

Poustie VJ, Dodd S, Drakeley AJ. Low-dose aspirin for in vitro fertilisation. (Review). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2007, Issue 4.

The Cochrane Collaboration is an international nonprofit, independent organization that produces and disseminates systematic reviews of health care interventions and promotes the search for evidence in the form of clinical trials and other studies of interventions. Visit http://www.cochrane.org for more information

Stacey's comment:

I have some questions with the use of aspirin and IVF especially when there is no evidence of clotting issues with the patients. The problems that can occur with long term aspirin use (and long term is realistic with how long some women go through IVF treatments) is it can lead to deadly gastrointestinal bleeding. Also one study where women took aspirin for 5 years or more were associated with a greater risk of breast cancer.

There are many natural supplements that can be used to assist with what aspirin is trying to do that are not assoicated with the possibly fatal side effects that aspirin can have.

In addition, the "success rate" in IVF does not appear to be improved at all with aspirin use. And when I say "success rate" (a phrase I think is detrimental to patients emotional well being, because if they are not "successful, then they think they are a "failure") I am referring to live birth rates. Pregnancy rates are often looked at with little mention of live birth rates. So if the very end result is not a healthy baby, should you take the chance of creating the potentially harmful side effects?

DHEA supplementation...helpful or detrimental to you fertility?

2007-09-10T10:16:00.000+10:00

To understand whether DHEA supplementation is right for you its important to have an understanding of what is happening with this hormone and how it relates to other hormones and reproductive health.

DHEA is converted into a hormone called androstenedione which is a precursor to testosterone. In other words androstenedione then gets converted into testosterone and testosterone gets converted into estradiol mainly in the ovaries of a premenopausal female. Estradiol is the estrogen closely associated with fertility.

Okay enough science out of the way. Here is what to consider when considering DHEA supplementation. Since DHEA is close to the top of the hormone chain as you can see in the chain below, it can effect many hormones down the line.
Cholesterol

Pregnenolone (this is only one of the pathways for the conversion of this hormone)
l
DHEA
l
Androstenedione - > Estrone (estrogen in fat tissue)
l
Testosterone
l
Estradiol (ovaries)
l
Estrone

So supplementation of DHEA could increase testosterone in some people which would be a good thing IF testosterone were low. 7 Keto DHEA is supposed to NOT increase testosterone but I have seen with saliva tests that testosterone did increase significantly in one patient who was taking the 7 Keto DHEA. Blood results did not reveal the high testosterone that was evident in the saliva tests. Normal for saliva results for testosterone would be 15-90 and this woman's was 1500.

If testosterone were already high supplementing with DHEA could be disastrous and account for some of the negative side effects of DHEA Supplementation. Therefore someone who has high levels of testosterone like in PCOS in my opinion is NOT likely to benefit from DHEA supplementation. You don't have to have PCO to have elevated testosterone in the tissues so its always good to get a baseline.

Also supplementing with DHEA may make no difference what so ever if DHEA is low because free cortisol is high. Cortisol is one of your stress hormones and it has an inverse relationship to DHEA. This means that if free cortisol is high, then DHEA is likely to be low. So getting cortisol down is the answer, not adding more DHEA. DHEA is not a nutrient, like a vitamin, its a hormone and therefore can be linked with the activity of other hormornes. When a vitamin or mineral is truly deficient in the body adding more in your diet or supplementation program could help. If you are deficient in Vit C taking more of it can help you, but if your body isn't utilising Vit C well enough because there is too much sugar in your diet, then you can take all the vitamin C you want, if your glucose levels aren't addressed, the supplement is not likely to help you.

Vitamins and minerals also effect the conversion of hormones from one to another and so does stress. These can range from the B vitamins, iron, folate, vitamin E, Vitamin A (in the form of betacarotene), zn, Vit C, Magnesium and others.

So until you know the levels of hormones present in the tissues (through saliva testing) I suggest to NOT take DHEA supplementation to try to improve your fertility. Saliva tests by the way, are accurate and used by governmental bodies and NASA in the United States to assess the health of the military and astronauts. Saliva tests look at not just what is floating around in the blood but what actually has gotten absorbed into the tissue. Conventional medicine does not use them often but these can be ordered by your naturopath or physician.

In my opinion before a person should start taking DHEA they should check the levels of DHEA, testosterone, estradiol, estrone, androstenedione and progesterone through saliva tests spread out over 2-4 weeks (1 day each of those weeks) to see if DHEA supplementation is going to hinder or help their situation. But keep in mind that supplementation with DHEA alone is unlikely the only factor that can improve your situation. A proper diet, a healthy gut along with supplementation program is essential as well. Addressing stress is also very important because stress can increase cortisol over time and actually accelerate the aging process of all your cells. Always remember that your eggs, ovaries, follicles, endometrial lining and semen and sperm are made up of cells.

This tip is under the copyright of Positive Image and Stacey Roberts. It cannot be duplicated, copied or reproduced in any way without the expressed written consent of Stacey Roberts or Positive Image Publishing.

Obesity Link to Fertility Issues in Some Women

2007-08-27T08:09:00.000+10:00

From Science News:
Report links obesity with infertility

Published: Aug. 24, 2007 at 12:05 AM
ADELAIDE, Australia, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- An Australian researcher says she has confirmed the link between obesity and infertility.

Cadence Minge from the Adelaide University Research Center for Reproductive Health said animal studies show that obese women whose eggs are damaged by high levels of fat and cholesterol have difficulty sustaining healthy embryos, The Age newspaper said Thursday.

"(Embryos) were much slower to divide and grow," Minge said. "And the way that the cells developed was also disturbed."

She found that some of the damage could be reversed using an anti-diabetic drug such as rosiglitazone, although the drug can have potentially serious side effects.

Minge said weight loss was a more effective way to restore fertility.

Stacey's comment:

It is great now that someone has confirmed why obesity can contribute to fertility issues. This protein is most likey effected secondary to the insulin resistance that a person who is obese is experiencing. Insulin resistance is also associated with leptin resistance and based on the book Mastering Leptin, leptin helps to regulate estrogen output in the ovary.

But please be caution regarding medication to control this. The medication that showed an improvement in mice (rosiglitazone otherwise known as Avandia), has been show to have serious side effects in humans increasing cardiovascular risk by up to 43% in people taking it to regulate diabetes. There have also been a few cases of liver failure.

Its important to remember that a quick fix usually isn't the best for your body and good old exercise and balanced eating plan are effective in improving fertility as well. A study by Dr. Anne Clarke, an IVF doctor in Australia showed this in women with PCO.

So if you find yourself experiencing fertility issues and are in the category of obese (Body Mass Index over 30) then it would be probably be beneficial to work with a naturopath, dietician, and or exercise specialist to addrss these issues.

We had one women who was on blood pressure medication and who had a BMI over 40, utilise our herbs and get on a regular exercise program and healthy eating plan. In one and a half years time she lost 80 pounds (37kilos), was able to get off her blood pressure medication, from which time her cycle improved drastically and 6 months later after a few missed conceptions (overdue cycles) she became pregnant naturally. Her husband experienced poor morphology as well and he improved this with a healthy eating plan and supplements.

Sperm Injection Method or ICSI is said to be Gouging Patients with Unnecesary Costs

2007-08-05T14:52:00.000+10:00

From the Associated Press:

08/02/2007
Fertility Clinics Gouging Patients With Costly Technique (Wired News)
A sperm-injection method that is effective for one type of infertility problem is being used across the board, doing little except bloating the bill.

The technique referred to in the above statement found on the Associated press is a technique called ICSI. This technique involves injecting the sperm into the egg and basically removes natural selection completely from the process of trying to create a healthy embryo artificially.

Normally with IVF eggs are taken from the female and put in a petri dish along with about 100,000 sperm that were obtained by the male. Then after a certain amount of time hopefully a fertilisation takes place. Hopefully it is the healthiest and strongest of the sperm then that has fertilised the egg. This would simulate what happens when the sperm meets the egg following intercourse.

With ICSI however the IVF specialists take the sperm that they think looks the best and inserts it directly in the egg. This has been done in the past when there has been certain issues with the sperm requiring ICSI.

It appears that "The percentage of IVF cycles that used ICSI increased dramatically during the 10 year time span from 11 % of procedures to 57.5 percent of procedures while the percentage of diagnosis for male factor infertility remained steady." This is reported by Dr. Tarun Jain assistant professor of reporductive endocrinology and infertility at the University of Chicago Illinois

He also adds "Further studies are needed to better understand the proper role of ICSI and and perhaps guidelines may be useful to determine what eh best indications are for the use of the technology in patients without male factor infertility".

It is also suggested that more studies need to be done regarding the possibility of assoicated risks such as genetic disorders and congenital anomalies when ICSI is used.

Stacey's comment:

I think the most important issue is that the patients involved should be explained what the procedures are and how they differ. Most patients that have had ICSI done without there being male factor fertility issues have said that their doctor told them the procedure was likely going to improve the chance for a fertilisation and have better pregnancy rates. Very few, if any, were given an explanation as to what the advantages and disadvantages were to the procedure and how it differed from a regular round of IVF.

This is especially important as patients are often having to pay out of pocket for their procedures (and complimentary programs) and adding ICSI in increases the bill.

Often times physicians will make the comment that taking herbs or supplements is just a waste of money but they don't often consider paying extra hundreds of dollars for a procedure that the patient is already paying thousands of dollars for as an issue.

At our clinic we strive to educate the patient so they can make decisions based on what they feel is best for their particular situation. It's important that they have all the facts to help them decide what procedures they feel comfortable with.

It isn't our place to make these decisions for the patient, but instead encourage them to do what they feel is best for themselves.

Can Plastics Negatively Impact Your Fertility?

2007-08-05T14:43:00.001+10:00

Headlines in the Los Angeles Times this weekend reported information from a recent study about certain chemical compounds in certain widely used plastics can have a negative impact on the male and female reproductive system.

The article says:

"In an unusual effort targeting a single chemical, several dozen scientists on Thursday issued a strongly worded consensus statement warning that an estrogen-like compound in plastic is likely causing an array of serious reproductive disorders in people.

The compound, bisphenol A or BPA, is one of the highest-volume chemicals in the world and has found its way into the bodies of most human beings.

Used to make hard plastic, BPA can seep from beverage containers and other materials. It is used in all polycarbonate plastic baby bottles as well as other items, including large water cooler containers, sports bottles and microwave oven dishes, along with canned food liners and some dental sealants for children."

I have talked about the importance of minimising the use of plastics in your life to help you address your fertility issues. And this information just reiterates the fact that this is an important issue that each couple experiencing fertility issues should address.

On our website www.naturalfertility.com I have reprinted a "Smart Plastics Guide" which has helped many people make smart decision regarding plastic use in their every day lives. This can be found in the fertility tips section of our site about halfway down the page, once you log in.

You might remember the study that also showed the very real possibility of women being exposed to a common plastic while they were pregnant was correlated with deformities of the genitals of their newborn sons.

This is an often overlooked but very important issue regarding fertility and could be key to those dealing with "unexplained" fertility issues.

Remember to check out our website about Safe Plastic Use. Also when we find that patients are at risk of having excess estrogens in their tissues we do recommend specific testing to help these patients assess their situation. Ask your practitioner what they can do to assess this with you.Because not only does excess estrogens in the system affect fertility, excess estrogens accumulating in the body due to thyroid issues, adrenal issues, chemical exposure, and a variety of other possibilities, can lead to cancers, growths, tumors etc in the long or short term.

Make sure you are working with someone knowledgeable in this information to help you address this situation which could potentially be effecting your fertility and long term health.

We have many couples report to us that they felt that minimising the use of toxins such as these discussed today along with a good program including herbs formulated by professionals, supplements, and lifestyle changes and of course managing their stress levels had helped them become pregnant (both naturally and with reproductive procedures) within months of becoming really serious about incorporating these changes in their life.

IRON Could be Key in Addressing Infertility or as we say Fertility issues

2007-07-29T07:16:00.000+10:00

A Study by Harvard University School of Public Health in Boston reported that your iron levels may significantly impact your fertility. "The study examined data provided by more than 18,000 nurses participating in the Nurses' Health Study, zeroing in on 438 who reported having ovulation problems. Those who ate the most free iron (found in supplements, fortified foods, legumes, and grains) had the greatest protection against infertility." Ovulation disorders were more common in women who did not have adequate iron.

The study found that benefits DID NOT apply to women who got most of their iron from animal sources such as red meat and pork.
"These were very striking differences, suggesting that women should focus on getting their iron from supplements" the lead researcher suggested.

It would be a good idea to have your iron levels including Ferittin (which measures the iron stores in your blood) checked. This can let you know if you should supplement with iron BEFORE you become pregnant. Keep in mind though that if you are supplementing with iron and your iron levels are still low then more investigations need to be done. Low iron when on supplements can be an indication that your digestion is less than optimal or that you may be gluten intolerant or atleast sensitive to gluten in your diet.

Issues with gluten (Coeliac Disease in particular) have been shown to impact fertility.

Also when supplementing with iron to avoid constipation you may want to utilise a liquid iron source from your naturopath but atleast an iron supplement that contains other ingredients such as Vit C to help it get absorbed and decrease the chance of constipation.

And when you get the results back make sure you have someone review the levels to see if they are OPTIMAL, not just normal. There can be different ranges of "normals" depending on which lab your test was analysed at, so you will want to discuss your results with a doctor (who doesn't just consider what is "normal") and/or a naturopath/herbalist who deal with fertility issues often to make sure you are at the optimal levels.

In our ebook and CD set Fertility Secrets Revealed available in the books section at www.naturalfertility.com, we discuss other tests that can also be done and what results and issues are often missed because they are overlooked or considered "normal" but oftentimes are far from optimal. For many couples we have worked with, these overlooked areas were crucial points that needed to be addressed for the couple to create a viable pregnancy.

A birth announcement I received recently is a good example of this.
Dear Stacey,
Thank you for everything you have done for us. This is my second baby with your clinic. That in itself is amazing because before my first child was born, the doctors told me I was infertile. If we try for number 3, we will definitely be back!"
JW

Can Herbs or other Complimentary Therapies actually decrease your fertility and your chances of becoming pregnant.

2007-07-08T08:10:00.000+10:00

You may have heard about the following study that discussed the possibility of herbs and other complimentary therapies as having a negative impact on IVF outcomes. So as you can imagine, I was very interested in this study because we have certainly found this not to be the case.

Here is the study results:

Danish "Researchers found women who used complementary and alternative therapies (CATs) while undergoing fertility treatment were 30 per cent less likely to become pregnant than those who did not."

But here's the catch. This study took didn't look at one particular complimentary therapy, or even a specific herb or group of herbs. Here's what they considered:

"Dr Boivin recruited 818 women having IVF treatment at five Danish fertility clinics, 261 of whom were CAT (complimentary/Alternative therapy) users and 557 who were not.

Among users, 55 per cent went to reflexologists, half took herbal medicines, 19 per cent had acupuncture and seven per cent used homeopathy." (the fact that this adds up to more than 100% tells me that some of the patients were using multiple therapies)

I find this interesting because this study just lumped all of these together instead of looking at each treatment individually. This would be like taking patients who have used prescription synthetic drugs, massage therapy, and over the counter synthetic medications and lumping them all together disregarding dosages or treatment plans or duration and saying that they are all ineffective. Therefore in my opinion it was a poorly constructed review and doesn't reflect the truth of which of these therapies may be effective or not.

Then Dr. Bovin went on to say, ""It could also be that if someone is mixing and matching conventional and complimentary medicine that they are less committed and accurate in complying with the self injections and precise timings involved in IVF." I am not sure how or why she would make this statement. I find in my work with thousands of couples going through IVF, they NEVER miss their injections. To say that this group may be less consistent with their IVF protocol and that this is somehow related to their use of CAM therapies in my opinion, is inappropriate and is a big leap, especially without any direct proof from the patients themselves.

Why do so many look for the cause of less than optimal "success rates" in what the patients are doing or not doing. Could it be that some IVF drugs or protocols are just not effective for some patients. Where are the studies to ascertain which protocol is the best for a certain presentation. In this study I am sure that all of these patients didn't follow the same IVF protocol either because the results were from 3 different IVF clinics. With so many variables, how can they really know what effected the outcome?

One thing Dr Bovin did admit was " the study may simply have shown that those resorting to using such therapies (CAM therapies) had been having seeking medical help for fertility problems for longer and had worse prognosis." There is also no indication of how long the CAM group was having their complimentary therapy.

If physicans are serious about finding out if complimentary medicines are effecting IVF results, its time that they follow their own protocols of how studies are done instead of lumping together programs for several hundred people and several hundred different treatments and protocol. Its time they get consistent and measure outcomes from one therapy administered by one or two practioners so the results can be measure and specific aspects of a person's situation be taken into consideration.

This would be the responsible way to handle the situation instead of publishing this information to scare people away from using natural remedies that have been around for 1000's of years that actually may be significantly improving their own patients situations.

If anyone knows a group of doctors that would be willing to work with us and create a reputable analysis of results with herbs, supplements and IVF, email me at info@sharkeyshealingcentre.com.au

Coconut oil... Can it help you get pregnant?

2007-07-03T01:05:00.000+10:00

Recently a member of our site www.naturalfertility.com sent along this question to me:

Member: I had recently read that coconut oil can help me get pregnant. Is this true?

Stacey's response:
Coconut oil is a good choice in oils as it is beneficial for your digestive system and some have reported it to have positive effects on thyroid function. (see mercola.com put coconut oil in the search engine on that site)

Indirectly coconut oil can help fertility by helping you improve your overall health. Cooking with coconut oil is a good choice over less stable oils that can break down into transfats when heated. Trans Fat as you probably know can have a negative impact on overall health and therefore could effect fertility (Harvard Study)

So will coconut oil help you get pregnant? Most likely not on its own, but it certainly is a good step to help keep you moving in the right direction towards optimal health and therefore optimal fertility.

Laptops on your lap, not good for male fertility?

2007-06-28T18:52:00.000+10:00

The study, released in December 2004, proposed that laptop computers can pose a long-term threat to the fertility of young men who use them by raising temperatures in the genital area that might slow or stop sperm formation.

Sources such as WebMD reported that researchers studied 29 healthy young men, 21 to 35, for two one-hour sessions in a climate-controlled room. After having their body temperatures taken and standing in the room for 15 minutes to adjust to the room's temperature, they sat down and were given working or nonworking laptop computers.

The researchers used two brands of computers, which weren't identified in the study. The men's scrotal temperature was recorded every three minutes. The temperature on the bottom of the working computers was also monitored. Scrotal temperature rose with the working and nonworking computers. However, the working laptops

produced a greater increase in scrotal temperature -- around a 5 degrees Fahrenheit increase. Participants without working laptops had a scrotal temperature increase of about 3 to 4 degrees Fahrenheit.
Some of the increase was attributed to the fact that thighs were held tightly together to balance the laptops. That can increase scrotal temperature, as well. While the researchers weren't concluding definitely that higher scrotal temperatures could cause reproductive problems, they did feel confident in concluding that putting the appropriately named "laptop" on a guy's lap can reduce sperm count. They coined a good expression for the condition: scrotal hyperthermia.

Stacey's comment:

This is one suggestion that we give men in our clinic, keep the laptops off your laps and its based on this and another study that showed a man actually burned his scrotum by keeping a lap top on his lap while it heated up. All I can say is "Ouch!"

The interesting thing also was that even in the non working laptops men's scrotal temperature increased by almost the same amount as in the working laptops.

Other things that have been shown to possibly effect motility are hot baths. However, the sperm's motility (its swimming ability) did return to its previous levels after a while. Certainly if you all ready have male fertility issues with sperm production and quality such as motility or abnormal forms of sperm, it would be good to avoid these activities all together.

Are these really Facts about your fertility?

2007-06-28T14:08:00.000+10:00

Stacey's comment: I came across this article below and was pleasantly surprised at one of the comments, but also wanted to point out what were necessarily this doctor's opinions and not necessarily the facts: See below

Addressing fertility: The fact and fiction

June 27, 2007

Myth: Infertility is a female problem:

Doctor's comment: Fact: Women and men share near equal responsibility when it comes to infertility. Infertility is either a female or male problem in two-thirds of cases and a combined problem of the couple in one-third of cases. That is why it is important for both members of the couple to undergo medical evaluation to determine the cause and reduce unexplained cases.

Stacey's comment: This is nice to see for a change. Most women are being blamed for fertility issues especially when an IVF procedure doesn't create a viable pregnancy. The usual excuse is that your eggs are too old. But clearly this is not always the case. There are many variables, it could be the sperm, the endometrial lining, the procedure itself or the drugs didn't agree with that person.

When a person goes to the doctors office with high blood pressure and they try a medication and this medication doesn't work, you usually don't hear that there is something wrong with the patient and that is why the drug didn't produce the desired result. You usually hear that this drug just isn't right for you and they try another.

Doc comment: Myth: You're too stressed. Relax and you'll get pregnant.

Fact: Infertility is a disease of the reproductive system. Although stress can sometimes affect hormone levels and quality of ovulation, emotions are not keeping you from getting pregnant. The stress and intense emotions you feel are the result of infertility, not its cause.

Stacey comment: At this point in time infertility is not officially classified as a disease, although drug companies would love it if it was because then no one else could touch it except doctors. And in a significant amount of cases there is no evidence that anything is wrong with the couple. This is called Unexplained Infertilty and there is no "disease" present, however there is certainly "dis-ease" in the body.

I think saying that emotions are not keeping a person from getting pregnant is a very vague statement. There are certain emotional states such as depression that have been linked with difficulty becoming pregnant. I agree that it is not about relaxing and you will become pregnant but I do think that even if stress did not contribute to fertility issues for some, it certainly can perpetuate it. This has been shown in clinical studies to be a strong possibility via studies done by Dr. Alice Domar at Boston IVF.

DOc comment: Myth: Be patient, you will get pregnant with time.

Fact: Infertility is a medical problem that usually requires treatment. If you are concerned for any reason about your ability to conceive, you should be evaluated by a reproductive endocrinologist as soon as possible especially if you, as a woman have one of more of the following factors present:

• Over the age of 35

• Have irregular cycles

• Experience painful menstrual periods

• Suffered several pregnancy losses

• Had a pelvic infection or abdominal surgery

Stacey's comment: I do think that if you are experiencing any of the above issues that you should seek assistance. However I do not believe that any of the above INCLUDING not being pregnant after 12 months of unprotected sex should result in the diagnosis of infertility. If the woman is still creating eggs, and has a uterus, and the man is still making sperm no matter how long they have been trying there is still the potential to create an embryo and therefore in my mind they are still fertile. The term infertility in my opinion is inaccurate and in my opinion, shouldn't be utilised unless there are clearly no eggs or no sperm. Many times just receiving this diagnosis is a source a significant and unnecessary stress for the couple.

Doc comment: Myth: If you are over 35, you are more likely to be infertile.

Fact: Fertility does decrease over time, but if you and your partner are healthy, don't have any of the risks and if you are have regular periods, you don't need an infertility evaluation just because you are 35. A couple is considered to be infertile if they have not conceived after 12 months of unprotected intercourse if the female is under the age of 35, the couple has not conceived after six months of unprotected intercourse if the female is over the age of 35 or the female is incapable of carrying a pregnancy to term.

Stacey's comment: Hallelujah! It is great to hear this from a doctor. Over 35 is not a death sentence like many believe!

Doctor who commented: Zvi Binor, M.D. is a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist with Rush-Copley Center for Reproductive Health.

PCOS new finding!

2007-06-12T23:08:00.001+10:00

Well, not really.

A recent article in the weekend paper touted a new discovery about PCOS. The article stated that it appears that Metformin and addressing your lifestyle can actually improve fertility in women with PCOS.

This isn't quite earth shattering news. Most doctors have been using Metformin, a drug commonly prescribed for diabetes to treat PCOS for years. It appears to help women with PCOS by helping to regulate glucose metabolism in these women. When this is address this helps regulate insulin levels in the body.

What they don't mention is that a natural remedy has been shown to be just as effective as Metformin. Ironically both studies have appeared in the same journal, Diabetes Care.

The natural remedy is vinegar. When subjects took apple cidar vinegar before meals showed the effects on glucose were just as good as antidiabetic medications such as metformin. And since metformin has been shown to cause digestive upset, nausea, and depletion of folic acid, the vinegar is a welcome substitute. Some people do not like the taste of vinegar straight so using this in salads would be an excellent choice as well, OR look for apple cider vinegar tablets which are available at some health food shops.

Our PCOS ebook has many other tips to help you address the issues of PCOS and in some women even reverse PCO completely to improve their fertility. This is available in the books section of www.naturalfertility.com

Do Men's supplements Cause Prostate Cancer and What does the Prostate have to do with Male Fertility

2007-06-12T22:52:00.000+10:00

In a recent article printed in Australia and New Zealand, it was inferred that taking too many multi vitmins may lead to problems with the prostate. You might be asking why do I include this information in a blog about fertility? Well the prostate contributes significantly to fertility.

Consider the following: Prostate gland
The prostate contributes about 60% of the seminal fluid. The fluid is discharged into the urethra during ejaculation to help neutralise the acidic fluids in the male urethra and the female vagina. This function is important because acids can have an adverse effect on sperm and, at higher concentrations, can kill them.

Therefore prostate health is important in not just male fertility but the couples fertility.

Back to the article on multi vitamins and prostate health. After reading more information on this "study" it seems as though there was no mention of lifestyle factors including diet, smoking, alcohol consumption, what multivitamins the men were taking and when they started taking them. For example if the men started taking the multivitamins after they were diagnosed with cancer but didn't address lifestyle changes the data simply goes to show what we always say, supplements are only that "supplements" to a healthy diet and lifestyle. The fact that the study didn't show a link with localised prostate cancer or early prostate cancer is what raises a red flag.

There are studies that show for example that selenium could have the prospensity to prevent prostate issues, but if cancer was already an issue, starting to take selenium didn't necessarily contribute to improving the situation after the cancer was discovered.

So always be cautious reading the headlines so you don't let information that can be misinterpreted in the media effect the health benefits that you are creating by following a healthy balanced diet and appropriate supplementation program using high quality pharmaceutical grade supplements. We have seen male fertility improve when addressing these issues.

Smoking and Fertility issues

2007-06-02T16:58:00.000+10:00

Most people understand that smoking can effect their fertility. I just wanted to add a bit of information discussed by IVF specialist Dr. David Carnovale MD who said when a woman smokes this can decrease the chances of an IVF procedure working by 50%. Now most times the odds that IVF will work aren't the best anyway, so to further decrease this by 50% is really an issue.

Also keep in mind Dr. Carnovale MD says that men who smoke are likely to be effecting the quality, shape and production of sperm as well.

With the cost of IVF being what it is, it's very important that a couple addresses all issues that could impact the results.

However it is important that if you are going to plan to quit smoking that you make sure you have a good look at your eating plan right now. Adjust your eating plan to be as healthy as you can be to decrease your chances of significant weight gain when you do quit.

Sex Drug Linked to Infertility

2007-06-02T16:53:00.000+10:00

Sex drug link to infertility

June 02, 2007 12:00

Article from: ReutersFont size: + -
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VIAGRA may be championed by men who have had their sex lives improved, but the downside is it may harm male fertility, a new study has found.

Laboratory studies conducted at Queen's University Belfast, UK suggest that taking the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra may adversely affect sperm function and possibly male fertility.

Recreational users of Viagra need to be informed of the drug's potentially harmful effects on sperm function, the investigators say.

From Fertility and Sterility, May 2007.

Stacey's comment:
This isn't really a shock to me as I have been talking to my patients utilising these types of drugs to help them create an erection about this possibility for many years.

What I usually talk to these gentlemen about is that what is important is finding out why there may be a problem in the first place. This is about trying to identify and address the probable causes of what may be causing the difficulty in the first place.

Keep in mind, any medications have the potential to effect the health of the sperm including over the counter medications as well so its important to review medications with your doctor and work with them to help create the best health possible to improve your fertility. Regarding over the counter medications, there is usually a natural choice so discuss this with your naturopath and/or herbalist for the best choices.

Vitamin B linked to improved fertility

2007-05-20T14:29:00.000+10:00

Research has found the eating foods rich in vitamin B6 can more than doulbe the chances of becoming pregnant.

Women who have plenty of B6 in their diet are half as likely to miscarry in early pregnancy.

It is though that B6 levels found in high levels in foods such as

yellow fin tuna
turkey breast
salmon
beef tenderloin
kidney beans
sunflower seeds
brown rice
cauliflower
beans
peas
and more...

US researchers looked at how levels of B6 affected the reproductive health of more than 300 young chinese women trying to have a baby. Scientists measured levels of vitamins in the women's blood and checked hormone levels daily for a year.

Those with the highest B6 levels were 2.2 times more likely to conceived than those with the lowest levels.

The women were also half as likely to miscarry in the first six weeks of pregnancy. This was reported in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Stacey's comment,

Keep in mind that if you are feeling very tired, experiencing anemia, have low moods frequently and having difficulty conceiving increasing your B6 level intake through the foods mentioned above may help to improve the levels in the system. The health of your stomach and digestive system is extremely important in order for these nutrients to be absorbed.

So if you are taking any over the counter medication, any prescribed medications, drinking alcohol, smoking, utilising any recreational drugs, or under a lot of stress, its important to also work to improve your digestion. Make sure you talk to your naturopath about the use of digestive enzymes or probiotics to help ensure the the absorption of nutrients including supplements that contain B6.

Not all supplements are created equal so if you are taking supplements then make sure they are pharmaceutical grade, i.e. there is a guarantee that they have been tested to ensure absorption and Good Manufacturing Practices. Otherwise there is no way of knowing whether the quality is good enough and whether the supplement is actually getting absorbed by the body.

Treatment for Recurrent Miscarriage

2007-04-18T11:40:00.000+10:00

Case study in Sydney Australia leads to birth of healthy baby girl after 19 miscarriages. Dr. Gavin Sacks (who has an excellent reputation from the patients that I have spoken to about him) in Sydney Australia at IVF Australia used a treatment utilising steroid treatment to reduce the high level of natural killer cells that had been found in her system. After 11 years the patient gave birth to a baby girl.

Tests can be done to determine if you have high levels of natural killer cells. I suggest speaking to your physician regarding this if you have had 3 miscarriages or more.

More studies however do need to be done to confirm that it was indeed the treatment that helped create the viable pregnancy or if she and her husband would have created a viable pregnancy without the treatment.

To learn more about what you can do naturally to address recurrent miscarriages you can see our ebook on Recurrent Miscarriage title, When Pregnancy Means Pain and Devastation: Your Guide to Creating a Viable Pregnancy at www.naturalfertility.com in the books section.

Also keep in mind that studies are showing that even the belief in a treatment and the person administering the treatment can improve your chances that it will that the treatment will be effective. This doesn't just have to do with miscarriages, but with any treatment for any condition. So make sure that you are working with practitioners that you are comfortable and confident with. And always remember to trust and believe in the amazing capabilities of your body as well.

Natural Vaginal Lubricant

2007-03-28T09:13:00.000+10:00

Lately in the news there has been some talk about how vaginal lubricants used during intercourse could possibly be killing the sperm and thereby limiting chances of a conception. After reading and researching some of the more popular lubricants I can see why.

So I wanted to share a gentle vaginal lubricant recipe with you. This is from an author who I find to be quite exceptional in her life's work. Aviva Romm has been a midwife and herbalist for 20 years, homeschooled her four children and is now a 2nd year medical student at Yale University school of medicine. She has a series of books on www.amazon.com that I would recommend you have a look at.

In one of her books she describes this recipe for a gentle vaginal lubricant:

4 tablespoons cocoa butter
4 tablespoons coconut oil (if you don't know where to find this, and you have checked with your health food shop, email me at
info@sharkeyshealingcentre.com.au and I can give you a few places in the US and Australia)
2 tablespoons almond oil
10 drops of Sandalwood essential oil
10 drops of vanilla essential oil

the Sandalwood and vanilla are highly aphrodisiac scents but are not absolutely necessary for this formula to be used

Combine ingredients, store in a glass jar, and apply as needed.

HOpe this helps

Are organic foods any better than "normal" foods?

2007-03-22T09:19:00.000+10:00

REcently a few doctors in an article printed in the Gold Coast bulletin made the bold statement that organic foods are no better than regular store bought foods and are more expensive. In essence they were saying there was no evidence to support paying extra for the organic food. They said there was no research that said organic was more nutritious.

Well, they should have said no research that we know of because this 2004 study is an eye opener.

Researchers at Rutgers University, intrigued by the idea that organic foods are "better", decided to shop
around for some answers. From the supermarket shelves, they purchased snap beans, cabbage, lettuce,
tomatoes and spinach. Then they bought equivalent organically grown vegetables at a health food store.
The research team analyzed the mineral content of their purchases. In every case, organic products were
superior to the non-organic produce, often by huge percentages.
Variations in Mineral Content in Vegetables Firman E. Baer Report, Rutgers University

So there you have it, this study clearly shows the increased nutrient value of organic foods. If you can buy them, I would say go for it.

Keep in mind though that unfortunately organic produce isn't completely free of pesticides and of course the nutrient value is likely to vary from soil to soil, so its still good to wash your fruits and vegetables even if they are organic and buy from a store that gets their supply from a variety of different suppliers.

PCOS Study and tips

2007-03-13T08:50:00.000+10:00

Imperial College London

New project to analyze why Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and insulin resistance are so closely linked
Understanding the link between Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and insulin resistance is the aim of a new project announced today, funded by the charity WellBeing of Women.

It is known that women with PCOS have a 3-fold increase in their risk of developing type-2 diabetes, where the body does not produce enough insulin or cannot use insulin properly. Insulin resistance is an important factor in the condition, which is the most common female hormone disorder. PCOS affects between 5 and 10 per cent of women and is a major cause of infertility.

The new £97K project aims to identify a defective point on the insulin signalling pathway in women with PCOS. The researchers, from Imperial College London, hope this will enable the development of new therapies which target this part of the pathway, to counter the insulin resistance and the fertility problems that PCOS can cause.

Insulin is released from cells in the pancreas after eating and it signals insulin-sensitive tissues (such as fat and muscle) to take up glucose, keeping glucose levels in the bloodstream normal. In people with insulin resistance, normal amounts of insulin are not adequate to produce a normal glucose response, meaning that levels of insulin in the bloodstream need to be higher to achieve normal blood sugar levels.

Insulin resistance (and/or the compensatory excess of insulin in the bloodstream), may contribute to abnormalities in function of the ovaries that lead to many of the symptoms of PCOS. These include irregular periods, or no periods at all; fertility problems; weight gain; acne; and excessive hair growth (hirsutism).

A longer term concern is that insulin resistance also predisposes people to diabetes. In some patients the pancreas is unable, in the long-term, to produce enough insulin to compensate for the resistance of the tissues to insulin action. Consequently, blood sugar levels rise. What is not known is why PCOS and insulin resistance are so closely related.

Stacey's comment

I am glad they are looking into the mechanisms that the insulin resistance that women with polycystic ovaries experience effects the ovary and its production of hormones. And I also hope that they look at and investigate the actual cause of the insulin resistance which in most cases of polycystic ovaries is diet. Now there are a small number of women that do not seem to have a poor diet when it comes to dealing with PCO but the majority of women that we see, whether lean or overweight with PCO really need to focus on their diet.

Eliminating high glycemic foods is the first step and adding in foods that are rich in antioxidants and minerals is very important as well. Eliminating trans fat from fried foods, processed foods, biscuits, muffins, and other processed foods is also very important to help regulate ovulation.

Adding good healthy fats such as nuts and seeds, avocadoes and an appropriate amount of low mercury fish is also helpful. Keep in mind that ALL carbohydrates eaten turn into glucose (sugar) in the body. This doesn't mean that all carbohydrates have to be eliminated, but it does mean that making sure you are eating low glycemic carbs is extremely important.

Some women may have to eliminate carbs for a short period of time to improve their situation but the natural therapist that you are working with should give you some excellent guidelines regarding diet.

Balancing proteins, low glycemic carbs and good fats is very important to improve PCO and we have even had women who have eliminated the mulitiple follicles on the ovaries and improve ovulation by following our program. OUr PCO ebook at www.sharkeyshealingcentre.com.au (books section) has helped many women become pregnant even without utilising our herbs.

A nice health glucose balancing drink that many of our patients diagnosed with PCO enjoy is green tea with a cinnamon stick and a drop of licorice. And recently spearmint tea has been linked with helping to address excessive hair growth as well.

Proof of the importance of the Mind Body connection regarding fertility

2007-03-09T16:01:00.000+10:00

Mind Body Institute Treatment of 'Unexplained Infertility' Focuses on Stress Reduction With Impressive Results

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Feb. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Debra Sussman tried to
have a baby for years. After trying on their own, she and her husband
sought medical intervention. They went through several years of advanced
fertility treatments including in vitro fertilization (IVF) and countless
surgeries.
"It was heartbreaking," says Sussman. "It affected my entire life -- my
work, my relationships, finances and identity ... I felt completely
isolated and broken."
Sussman learned of the program at the Mind Body Institute at UCLA
Medical Plaza. The program is dedicated to helping women deal with
infertility by teaching relaxation techniques, positive reinforcement, and
cognitive restructuring to alleviate stress associated with infertility.
Today Sussman has a healthy baby girl and is the Executive Director of
the Mind Body Institute where she helps many other women through the
challenge of infertility. The Institute has served infertile patients in
Los Angeles since 1999 at UCLA Medical Plaza in Westwood and at its new
clinic in Newport Beach since January.
The 10-week program meets for 2-1/2 hours once a week, blending lecture
and hands-on experience through group support and yoga by alleviating the
psychological and physical symptoms of stress associated with infertility.
The program is modeled after The Harvard Medical School's infertility
program and is medically endorsed by doctors dedicated to encouraging a
more comprehensive approach to women's fertility issues. According to
research studies, infertility patients who attend a Mind Body program
decrease anxiety, depression and achieve a 55 percent increase in
conception rates.

Stacey's Comment
For the last 2 years I have been sending tips to those seeking support while dealing with their fertility issues. Many of these tips deal with the the emotional aspects of fertility issues. We receive countless emails from both our patients and those who are not our patients but have read the tips thanking me for supporting them through a difficult time.

Our Fertile Mind Fertile Body workshops boast a similiar "success rate" to what is listed in the above article. 60% of the participants of our lst year workshops have gone on to have a viable pregnancy within 3 to 7 months of attending. I utilise different techniques than the ones described above but my aim is the same, giving couples the support they need to improve their emotional health and subsequently their physiological health as well.

THe one on one counseling sessions I have conducted with individuals have also yielded fantastic results when all recommendations are followed.

So it is great to hear that in the US there are other clinics that are conducting workshops and have support groups for couples dealing with fertility issues. If you would like more information about our programs here in Australia (soon to be in America as well) please contact jodie@sharkeyshealingcentre.com for more information. This could be the one piece of the puzzle not yet addressed that may make the difference.

Alternative deep tissue massage to aid fertility

2007-03-08T09:31:00.000+10:00

San Rafael, CA (PRWEB) March 5, 2007 -- When Marin County Maya Abdominal Massage therapist Lina Erwin lays her hands on a client's abdomen and feels for the position of the uterus, she is carrying on a healing tradition that has been handed down from mentor to student in Central America for hundreds of years.
Long before Western medicine became the norm, the women of Central America utilized this form of massage to help with infertility, menstruation, and menopause. For women who wish to avoid surgery or drugs, Maya Abdominal Massage is a viable and safe alternative

This non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical healing alternative has been used in what are now Guatemala and Belize to help women's health challenges as widespread as infertility, chronic miscarriages, difficult menopause, prolapsed uterus, varicose veins of the legs, recurrent vaginal infections, and depression linked to PMS. Her new clinic, Traditional Maya Massage (http://www.traditionalmaya.com), just opened in downtown San Rafael.

When Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Massage are practiced by trained practitioners such as Erwin, who has lived in Costa Rica and studied in Belize, it has been estimated that approximately 30 percent of woman who have been unsuccessful in getting pregnant eventually conceive after a succession of Maya Abdominal Massage treatments. This compares favorably with in-vitro fertilization success rates, which are 37% among women younger than 35 years and 28% for those aged 36-39 years.

"Long before Western medicine became the norm, the women of Central America utilized this form of massage to help with infertility, menstruation, and menopause. For women who wish to avoid surgery or drugs, Maya Abdominal Massage is a viable and safe alternative," said Erwin. "My clients also feel heartened that I teach them self care so they can maintain their health without having to continue seeing me."

Stacey's comment
I would recommend this type of treatment for anyone who has had an abdominal surgery such as laparoscopy, C-Section, appendectomy, etc to help address scar tissue that may be impeding the function of the ovaries.

Also if you are older and FSH levels are higher there is a possibility that this type of technique could stimulate improved blood flow to areas such as the ovaries.

There is also a company called Clear Passage located in various clinics throughout the US that has correlated similiar deep tissue techniques to unblocking tubes and increased fertility in a certain percentage of individuals that they see. YOu can contact them at www.clearpassage.com

Can Ice Cream/Dairy really help you get pregnant?

2007-03-02T08:41:00.000+10:00

Recently data from the famous Nurse's Health Study has revealed that women who ate more low fat dairy foods per day were twice as likely to have trouble conceiving due to problems with ovulation. And women who ate at least one fatty dairy food per day were 27% less likely to have ovulation problems which effect fertility.

This lead the press to jump to the conclusion that ice cream can help to improve your fertility. Well, this is a big jump, and though I am a fan of the occasional ice cream myself, its very important to realise a few things before loading your diet up with high fat dairy on a regular basis to improve your fertility.

I suggest that you consider:

1) Dairy is really irrelevant in this situation. The real pertinent information is high fat versus low fat. Low fat foods, because they are low fat and also because they tend to have more sugar added to them for taste, tend to be high glycemic. Eating high glycemic foods on a regular basis can effect your glucose levels, insulin levels and subsequently your reproductive hormone levels as well. So it is likely the increased consumption of high glycemic foods is effecting ovulation. This is typical in the person who has the diagnosis, Polycystic ovaries. Both lean and overweight women with polycystic ovaries tend to have difficulties with ovulation and also tend to have insulin resistance which is usually the result of eating foods that are high glycemic over a long period of time.

So have 1-3 servings of foods that have good fats in them like avocados, nuts, seeds, fish (though be aware of mercury levels here) and good natural yogurts that are normally higher in fat will keep the glycemic load down and lessen the chance of developing insulin resistance or excess insulin in your system, which again can effect your reproductive health.

2) Statistics say that only 1/3 or women with fertility issues have problems relating to ovulation. The finding in this review related to ovulation issues.

3)This is not about increasing dairy. Most dairy has little health benefits due to the way that it is processed. Many nutrients are taken out and only some are added back in to make the foods more "healthy". Milk is not the best source of calcium either because calcium needs other nutrients not all found in milk to help it get absorbed. Green leafy vegetables are your best source of calcium. And supplements taken to help with Calcium should include magnesium, Vitamin D and boron to help ensure absorption of Calcium into the body. Also remember that calcium CITRATE is the most absorbable form of calcium and this should be most of the calcium in any calcium supplement (along with the other nutrients mentioned) for optimal absorption, if the stomach and gut health is good.

4) Remember to stay away from "diet food" that tout low fat because most will have added sugar and low fat tends to mean high glycemic unless you are talking about meats which are more lean with less fat. All protein is low glycemic.

Antioxidant Study

2007-03-01T15:56:00.000+10:00

I am always amazed at what negative topics come out in the press about supplements. You and I both know I think that the media is not often 100% reliable (this is clearly shown in our FERTILITY SECRETS CD SET now available from our website), but unfortunately the media is where most people get their information about supplements, foods, and really anything these days.

A recent report spoke of Antioxidants not prolonging life and in some cases may even be related to increased mortality. This is simply more propaganda to keep the public from purchasing something that can be very good for them.

The reasons this review may have come up with this conclusion are many.

1) when reviewing studies it is never clear what type of supplements are used. Were they pharmaceutical grade? This guarantees that the supplements have been tested to make sure they get absorbed in the body. Most supplement companies do not do this testing because it is expensive. So if the antioxidants were not pharmaceutical grade it is no wonder that results would be mixed.

2) The supplements studied were too diverse. They were looking at antioxidants across the board and this is like looking at how effective IVF is around the world, instead of at each centre. There are too many variables at each centre to give an effective measure. I know just from seeing out patients that each centre and each doctor in the centre uses different protocols.

One thing I do agree with in the article I read was that antioxidants should be taken in from your food sources first and "supplements" should do just that..."supplement" a healthy diet. And when you consider that some organic foods will have up to 88% more nutrients than their regular store bought counterparts, it is very important to consider buying organic whenever you possibly can.

3) I have never read a study where people's digestion was considered before they take the supplements, and participants with poor digestion as far as I can tell are not ruled out of these studies. If you aren't digesting your foods properly, they are less likely to get absorbed into the system and less likely to make any difference. So purchasing supplements that are pharmaceutical grade (guaranteed to be tested to ensure they get absorbed) is your best investment regarding supplements. Store bought supplements rarely have this guarantee.

So before you believe everything you read in the media about antioxidants or other supplements be skeptical and ask your natural healthcare practitioner for more information or to do the research from reliable sources for you.

Should you take Fish Oil in preconception and while pregnant

2007-03-01T15:41:00.000+10:00

There has been a few controversial articles about how fish oil does not improve moods and shouldn't not be taken during pregnancy or preconception secondary to the Vit A content in fish oil.

There are many studies that show fish oil works well with antidepressants and on its own to help regulate moods. It can also be used in children to help with symptoms consistent with ADD/ADHD and others. So why would this study review come up with these results. My opinion is most likely because the large number of studies varied in the type of fish oil that they used. Off the shelf fish oil is likely cheaper but may not be quite as effective as brands that are processed to assure the quality of the fish oil. Its also very important to make sure the fish oil that you use is free of all mercury. IF it says Mercury tested then it is unlikely that this company will have removed all the toxins like mercury from the fish oil. It will have what the government considers "safe levels" of mercury in it.
When dealing with trying to create a healthy pregnancy, you do not want to expose yourself to any more mercury than you have to, since elevated mercury can be related to miscarriage.

In addition the "warning" about Vitamin A would only be for Cod Liver Oils but even then according to research about Vitamin A reported by the Weston A Price Foundation in Washington DC it is only the Cod Liver oil that contains SYNTHETIC vitamin A that could potentially cause a problem. So make sure that you speak to your natural health practitioner about the best brands of Fish oil for you.

And with Fish Oil, you get what you pay for. Our fish oil retails at $29.30 today. These are guaranteed to have all toxins removed and do not contain Vitamin A. www.sharkeyshealingcentre.com.au

Male Fertility Issues Linked to Cancer

2005-11-19T15:52:00.000+10:00

Male infertility linked to cancer

NEW YORK, Nov. 18 (UPI) -- U.S. men with infertility and abnormal sperm counts have a twenty-fold greater risk of testicular cancer compared to the general population, a study found.

Department of Urology at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center researchers did a retrospective review of the charts of 3,847 men presenting with infertility and abnormal semen analysis during a 10-year period.

Comparing the incidence of the infertile group to the control group, the standardized incidence ratio was 22.9 -- meaning that infertile men were more than 20 times more likely to have a testis tumor than other men, said study leader Dr. Marc Goldstein.

"Patients and physicians should be aware that one cause of male infertility is cancer, particularly testicular cancer. Screening for testicular cancer could now become a standard part of all male infertility treatment," said Goldstein.

An early diagnosis of testis cancer may increase the chance of long-term survival, according to Goldstein.

The study is published in the Journal of Urology.

Stacey's comment:

I don't want to cause unnecessary alarm by placing this post in the blog, however I think its very important for people to be aware of this information. So many couples come to me where they tell me the husband's semen analysis is fine but when I look it over there are issues that could be addressed. If you have a male fertility issue and have had abnormal semen analysis' please consult your doctor about screening for testicular cancer.

They may not be many outward signs of this issue unless there is a semen analysis so this is important to investigate. Sperm are cells and if there are high abnormals particularly, there must be a reason for this. For most men it probably won't be cancer, but if it were my family I would want to rule it out.

Interesting stats re couples and fertility issues

2005-09-01T16:20:00.000+10:00

A poll of 2000 women in the UK showed:

Two thirds of couples who fail to conceive think their past lifestyle has contributed to their fertility problems.

But the most common causes of problems are not ovulating (39 per cent of women), polycystic ovary syndrome (20 per cent), blocked fallopian tubes (18 per cent) and low sperm count (19 per cent of men).

An estimated one in seven couples have fertility problems.

The average couple who failed to conceive said their GP only acknowledged their fertility problem after 17 months of trying for a baby.

Stacey's comment:

The last statistic is really sad I think. Medical professionals are missing the boat here. When a couple comes in with concern in regards to their fertility and they have been trying for less than 12 months, usually they are told "not to worry" come and see me if it is longer than a year. Then these are the same professionals who if you come to see them again think, "they should have started sooner. Time is running out" and other beliefs that don't help the couple. When a patient walks in to a doctor's office and is concerned about their fertility this is the perfect opportunity to start the education process and help the patient become empowered to take charge of their health and their fertility. Too many times if a medical professional doesn't prescribe a medication or if they feel its too early to prescribe one since the couple hasn't been trying for too long this is the perfect the couple not only leaves the office empty handed but none of their fears, destructive beliefs, poor diet choices, poor lifestyle choices or problems in their relationship go away. All that happens is they continue to go through life and most don't make any changes.

Medical professionals have such an opportunity here to put down their perscription pads and connect with the patient. Educate the patient. They can help the patient empower themselves. I realise the average doctor is extremely short on time but referring them for nutritional advice and prenatal education would make such a huge constructive impact on the couple.

I really hope that some day physicians will realise they have this opportunity to really make a difference in someone's life. There are many physicians that do take this approach but unfortunately they are in the minority. So keep your eyes and ears peeled for a GP that will work with you to improve your health and fertility and work in conjunction with your naturopath as well. The best results for you come from a team effort.

Health should be your main focus when trying to conceive

2005-09-01T15:02:00.000+10:00

Fertility problems linked to health

Fertility problems are soaring in the UK because couples are too unfit for pregnancy, according to new research.

One in seven couples in the UK will have problems having a baby, but experts predict this could increase in the next decade.

Alcohol, smoking and poor diet could be helping fuel the rising rates of infertility, according to the survey.

DAily news London

Stacey's comment:

It is so important to educate patients on the importance of improving their health when they are trying to conceive. Poor cellular health means that the body is not getting enough nutrients to sustain the health of the cells and remember the females eggs and the males sperm are cells. Poor health of the cells can either be the result of a poor diet or poor digestion. Poor digestion may be due to stress, taking over the counter medications or prescribed medications, smoking, alcohol consumption and also the result of a poor diet. A person can have a good diet and poor digestion if they are stressed, if they take any synthetic medications either over the counter or prescribed, and if they smoke and/or drink alcohol.

At our clinic we are constantly educating patients on how they can improve their diet and improve the absorption of nutrients into their system which will improve the health of their eggs, sperm, and endometrial lining.

Starting with a low glycemic eating plan is a great beginning. Cutting out trans fats, sugary drinks, soft drinks, and high glycemic carbohydrates will go a long way to improving your health.

I recommend staying away from Unfermented soy secondary to the controversy that surrounds unfermented soy and fertility. Also work with your naturopath to help improve your gut health to make sure you are absorbing the nutrients from your good diet.

And whenever possbile eat organic as studies have shown that organic foods can have up to 88% more nutrients when compared to regular store bought foods.

Post Natal Depression more common in IVF moms

2005-08-24T17:17:00.000+10:00

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Mothers who conceive through in vitro fertilization, or other so-called assisted reproductive technologies, are at increased risk for post-natal mood disorder and early parenting difficulties, Australian researchers report.

"These data would suggest that obstetricians, pediatricians, and other clinicians caring for pregnant women and mothers and infants after childbirth should be conscious that a previous history of fertility difficulties, advanced maternal age, assisted conception, operative delivery, and multiple birth may heighten the risk for postpartum mood disturbance and early parenting difficulties," the authors write.

The findings, which appear in the journal Fertility and Sterility, stem from a study of all mother-infant pairs admitted over a 3-year period to a hospital unit that specializes in the care of mothers with mood disorders or exhaustion, and infants with sleeping or feeding problems.

Stacey's comment:

The possible culprit for the higher incidence of PND in women who have undergone IVF may be due to several factors.
Two definitely come to mind;
One: The use of IVF medication can disturb the gut health of the mother and therefore decrease her ability to absorb nutrients appropriately from her food. If the mother is not educated about this it could be dangerous to both hers and babies health.

Also because it has already been shown the women with elevated thyroid antibodies are 3 times more likely to experience PND, and depression is often a symptom of thyroid involvement, then this could be the mechanism as well. Unfortunately most physicians do not test for thyroid antibodies in women especially if they have normal TSH values. But it is well documented that women can have a problem with elevated antibodies even if their TSH is normal.

What is the solution? Be persistent with your physician and request these tests and prevent the occurence of PND by increasing omega 3 essential fatty acids in your diet.

This article brings up the importance of supplementing with enough omega 3 essential fatty acids before, during and after pregnancy. SInce omega 3 essential fatty acids found in fish oil can help prevent PND and help regulate moods, its important that all perspective mother's know about the importance of this. Fish is high in omega 3 EFA but unfortunately fish should be limited because of mercury exposure. I personally do not recommend eating any fish during pregnancy to not take any chances, but some say small fish up to one time per week is okay. If you can't or don't eat fish, then what? Avocadoes are a great source of good fat. Nuts and seeds also have good amounts of essential fats.

If you choose to take a fish oil supplement make sure the company guarantees that all impurities are removed. No fish oil sold over the counter, that I know of, can guarantee this so if you don't know where you can get fish oil that has all the impurities removed email us at info@sharkeyshealingcentre.com.au and we will point you in the right direction.

New Vitamin for Infertility

2005-08-19T15:51:00.000+10:00

Japanese scientists have discovered a new vitamin that plays an important role in fertility in mice and may have a similar function in humans.
The Tokyo-based Institute of Physical and Chemical Research confirmed that pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ), a substance discovered in 1979, can be categorized as a vitamin.
Mice deprived of PQQ suffer reduced fertility and roughened fur. Vitamins that have an important effect on mice usually act in the same way in humans, the researchers said.
PQQ is the first new vitamin to be discovered since 1948. It is thought to belong the to B-vitamin group. Vitamins are defined as organic substances needed in small quantities for health and growth. They must be obtained from food because they cannot be produced by the body.
PQQ is not usually found in multi-vitamin tablets. The best source of PQQ discovered so far is "natto," a pungent Japanese dish of fermented soybeans. Other foods rich in PQQ are parsley, green tea, green peppers, kiwi fruit and papaya.
Source: Reuters Health News, March 24, 2003

Stacey's comment,

There is so much that we have not discovered in regards to fertility and there is new information that comes up all the time. But the one constant through it all is that nutrition can enhance your fertility. As long as you are absorbing nutrients appropriately a good diet of balanced low glycemic carbs, proteins and healthy fats is so important.

Instead of buying the supplements above make it your goal to increase the natural sources of PQQ in your diet. Natto is definitely an "acquired taste" but this wonderful vitamin can also be found in parsley, green tea, green peppers, kiwi fruit and papaya. So make sure you have these in your diet over the course of the week and as long as your digestion is good, you will be absorbing some powerful nutrients to improve your fertility.

Natural Treatments for Men

2005-08-13T09:06:00.000+10:00

Ayurvedic treatment for men
R. Sittamparam

JOHOR BARU, Aug 11:
More men suffering from erectile dysfunction and infertility are opting for Ayurvedic treatment.
The treatment for those aged between 35 and 70 involves detoxification, oil massage and herbal medicines.

Dr C. Vinod, an Ayurvedic physician from the Ayur Centre here, said clients included those from Singapore.

"Men are generally shy when its comes to seeking treatment for problems like erectile dysfunction and infertility.

"However, of late, many have been coming to us with such problems and we have managed to help them."

Stacey's Comment

More and more people are turning to natural health treatments to improve their fertility. It is less expensive, little to no side effects, and creates results. At Sharkeys Healing Centre we specialise in the natural treatment for men and women with fertility issues. We utilise Western herbals, Chinese, and Ayurvedic herbs to assist couples in improving reproduction. Come visit us at www.sharkeyshealingcentre.com.au where we have online consultations and receive a free Report entitled Fertility Secrets Revealed. Based on Ruth Sharkey's successful system for over 20 years our natural fertility treatment has helped men and women improve their fertility by addressing unexplained infertility, endometriosis, Polycystic ovaries, fibroids, male infertility, and more.

High tech society creates high tech ovulation reminder

2005-08-11T21:09:00.000+10:00

August 8, 2005 -- A new text messaging service, called EggAlert, allows men to get notified on their cell phone of their wives or girlfriends ovulation, fertility, and menstrual periods each month. The menstrual period notifications are received five days prior to the onset of menstruation, typically before premenstrual symptoms start.

EggAlert is an innovative program that will notify men when their wives or girlfriends are ovulating, fertile, and likely to start their menstrual period. Men just need to do a little math. They need to remember when their partners started their last menstrual period, and how long it took between menstrual periods. On average 28 days is the normal. It can be adjusted each month if it's a few days longer or shorter.

www.eggalert.com
Contact: Amarish Dave 815-276-7050

Stacey's comment:

Well, it may not be that high tech, but it is innovative and shows a growing awareness of what used to be "secret women's business". It will be interesting to see how many men actually take part in this service OR how many women sign up their partners for the service!!

Important prepregnancy diet information

2005-08-11T20:58:00.000+10:00

Key Nutrients Reduce Birth-Defect Risk

Eating a diet rich in choline and betaine before pregnancy can lower a womanâ€™s risk of delivering a baby with a neural tube defect (NTD), reports the American Journal of Epidemiology (2004;160:102)

NTDs are serious birth defects that occur early in pregnancy. They include malformation of the brain (anencephaly), malformation of the lower spinal cord (spina bifida), and several others. Between 30 and 50% of NTDs are caused by maternal folic acid deficiency during the first few weeks of pregnancy, the time when the neural tube develops.

Other factors that have been shown to increase the risk of NTDs include high intake of sugar before and during the first trimester of pregnancy, maternal obesity, and maternal diabetes. NTDs occur in about 1 to 5 births per 1,000 worldwide; approximately 3,000 pregnancies in the US are affected by NTDs each year. Over the past decade, increased awareness, folic acid fortified cereals and grain products, and routine folic acid supplement recommendations have led to a decline in the number of cases of NTDs in the US.

In addition to folic acid, high intake of methionine (an amino acid), zinc, vitamin C, vitamin B12, and dairy foods have all been associated with a lower risk of NTDs.Choline, a nutrient used by the body in some of the same biochemical pathways as folic acid, is also used to produce acetylcholine, a major chemical messenger (neurotransmitter). Eggs, whole grains, wheat germ, and lecithin supplements are rich in choline.

In the body, betaine is made from choline; it is also found in high amounts in certain foods such as whole grains, spinach, and beets. Some animal studies have found that a choline deficiency can increase the risk of NTDs, but others have not. The effect of choline and betaine intake on NTD risk in humans has not previously been studied.In the current study, the pre-pregnancy diets of 424 mothers of babies with NTDs were compared with the diets of 460 mothers of babies without NTDs. Choline and betaine intake were estimated based on answers to questionnaires that the women completed about their habits and diet during the three months before their pregnancies. Babies of women with the highest choline intake had a 49% lower risk of NTDs than babies of women who had the lowest choline intake. Furthermore, babies of women with high intake of both choline and betaine were 72% less likely to have NTDs than were babies of women with the lowest intakes of both of these nutrients. Betaine intake alone did not significantly influence the risk of NTDs.

The results of this study are the first to show that eating foods rich in choline and betaine before pregnancy might reduce the risk of NTDs. More studies are needed to confirm these observations, and the effect of taking choline, betaine, or lecithin supplements on NTD risk should also be a focus of future research.

Stacey's comment

This is another study showing the importance of nutrition for the baby BEFORE conception to help ensure the health of the baby. Many women think they can just stop their "bad habits" when they find out they are pregnant and this will be okay. The truth is, what a women consumes before becoming pregnant can influence the health of the baby. Give your baby the best start in life by preparing your body for pregnancy with a diet high in vegetables, some fruit, low glycemic carbohydrates, balanced hormone free protein, and good essential fats. The Rosedale Diet by Dr. Ron Rosedale and the Total Health Cookbook and Program by Dr. Joseph Mercola are both excellent books for your reference. These books will help you obtain optimal health before pregnancy.

Supplement with the highest grade of supplements along with your diet to hopegfully create the healthiest eggs possible.

new home test for male fertility

2005-08-07T22:05:00.000+10:00

World's first male fertility test for the home

Given a choice, many men would prefer to bury their heads in sand than see their doctor to determine their fertility. Thankfully, help is on the way with the release of the Element, the first medical test kit for determining male fertility which can be administered in the privacy of the home.
For couples who are trying to conceive, the issue of infertility is one that men can get rather sensitive about. Even though the rate of infertility actually affects men and women equally, women generally do not have a problem seeing their GPs, as opposed to men who have a general reluctance to seek a physical diagnosis.
In order to address the social stigmas associated with male infertility, American company Pria Diagnostics has developed Element, an easily administered, over-the-counter fertility test kit specifically for men.
Element is capable of quickly and easily evaluating sperm count, motility and forward progression, which make up the primary criteria set by the World Health Organization for determining male fertility.
For men, the convenience and privacy of using this device is an attractive alternative to an appointment with a doctor or at a clinic. Furthermore, as many insurance companies do not reimburse fertility diagnosis, the Element is also an affordable option.
This male fertility package takes away any discomfort by permitting men to check their fertility with a single use device. The test is quick to administer and the results are easily understood taking about thirty minutes.
Element can accurately verify as little as one million sperm cells per milliliter and yield results with over 90% sensitivity in regards to test conditions making it equivalent to a clinical test.
The company expects the Element to be as appealing to women as it is to men, as many women may end up buying it for their partners.

STacey's comment:

From the reports this fertility test for men may not be out on the market for another 12-18 months, but it is cost effective at just $40. The issue to remember here is that it test for count and motility including forward progression but I didn't see any measurement of abnormals versus normals. And remember these parameters don't really tell you the health of the sperm only how many, if they are good swimmers, and if they are the right shape. A relatively new test, Sperm Chromatin Structure Assay can reveal the health of the sperm by looking at the DNA. So its important to discuss this with your doctor if you have unexplained infertility and the normal semen and sperm parameters appear to be normal.

US CLinic Elminates Ovarian Hyperstimulation

2005-08-06T07:34:00.000+10:00

Thu Aug 4, 8:00 AM ET
(PRWEB) - Las Vegas, NV (PRWEB) Aug. 4, 2005 -- The most well-known risk from fertility treatment undertaken by over one million American females annually is a multiple pregnancy, but a more sinister risk is ovarian hyper stimulation syndrome (OHSS), states a

According to the
World Health Organization OHSS manifests with a broad spectrum of symptoms ranging from mild illness to severe disease and affects 1 percent to 5 percent of women. OHSS results from an overproduction of eggs in the ovary that can result in ovarian cyst rupture, internal bleeding, respiratory difficulties, blood clots, and can be fatal if untreated. While OHSS can happen in a natural pregnancy, it most often happens with fertility treatments because of the hormone medications used to prompt multiple egg production (AKA super ovulation). Fortunately, researchers at The Fertility Center of Las Vegas have found a way to prevent OHSS altogether. The doctors' findings were published in July's issue of "Fertility and Sterility" and have worldwide implications in how the fertility industry is able to increase patient safety.
"Even after meticulous monitoring a patient can hyper stimulate which occasionally requires hospitalization for more intensive monitoring of kidney and liver function along with IV fluid support," says Dr. Said Daneshmand, a UCLA trained reproductive endocrinologist and researcher at The Fertility Center of Las Vegas. "Women with OHSS or ruptured ovarian cysts can hemorrhage which may require surgical intervention." The doctor further indicates that OHSS risk increases with rising blood estrogen levels, the number of developing eggs, and when supplemental doses of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) are administered in the fertility treatment cycle.

Women at highest risk include those with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), a common but difficult to diagnose endocrine condition that affects women as young as 18 and usually results in excessive hair, obesity, and impaired fertility.
"We've now developed a protocol so that the highest risk patients are placed on a different medication regimen that altogether eliminating OHSS," says Dr. Daneshmand.
Included in the study was Beverly T., now a new mother and also a registered nurse who appreciated the research more than the average patient given her medical background and the fact she suffers from PCOS. She has indicated that the fertility issue was heart-wrenching enough but she also didn't want to risk complications either. Other women in the study are currently in various stages of pregnancy.

The newly elucidated medication regimen treats surging estrogen levels that are thought to contribute to the condition and the research has worldwide implications in how fertility patients are treated. The research was conducted in partnership with the University of Nevada School of Medicine for which Drs. Daneshmand and Shapiro are also faculty.
The work of Dr. Daneshmand and his partner, The Fertility Center's founder and Yale educated reproductive endocrinologist, Dr. Bruce Shapiro, were also presented at the Pacific Coast Reproductive Society in May. Their practice was the first fertility practice in southern Nevada, and is responsible for over 2,300 births. The doctors are ardent community supporters — who with their patients have donated over $30,000 to charity — and have earned consistent ratings by their peers internationally as top docs. They have also elucidated fertility treatments including blastocyst transfer, a proprietary cell medium used in IVF, and pre-implantation genetic screening.

Stacey's Comment

It is so important that your fertility specialist stay up on the latest techniques used throughout the world to decrease your chance of hyperstimulation and increase your chance for a positive outcome with your fertility treatment. The study below illustrates some excellent finds, even though its a small scale study. I encourage you to discuss with your doctor about finding out more about this protocol if you are involved in the IVF process. As you can see by the high percentage of pregnancies in the conclusion (again remember it is a low number of participants so far) that its worth a mention to see if it would benefit you for your physician to look in to this method of treatment. Though some physicians may be a bit surprised that you have brought this up or wanted to discuss this study, remember it is your right. You are paying a significant amount of money and therefore you must be educated and be assertive when it comes to being an active participant in this process. If a patient brings in reliable information for me, I will investigate it and discuss my thoughts with my patient. No medical professional or naturopath can know everyone as hard as they may try to stay on top of the info, so beginning a discussion about different options for you is an important step in you taking charge of your fertility.

Abstract - "Fertility & Sterility," July 2005
Eliminating Severe Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome By Using Gnrh Agonist Instead Of Hcg
BS Shapiro,a,b ST Daneshmand, a,b FC Garner,a,b M Aguirre,a R Rossa Fertility Center of Las Vegas and University of Nevada School of Medicine, Las Vegas, Nevada. a Fertility Center of Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada b Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Las Vegas, Nevada
Background: Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is a significant risk of controlled ovarian stimulation for IVF. Exogenous human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a factor in the development of OHSS. One measure to reduce OHSS incidence includes using GnRH agonist (GnRHa) for ovulation.
Objective: This retrospective study evaluates the efficacy of GnRHa for oocyte maturation.
Materials and Methods: Patients underwent routine controlled ovarian stimulation with gonadotropins, while pituitary suppression was achieved with GnRH antagonist. Patients at significant risk for OHSS received 4 or 8 mg of leuprolide acetate when an optimal cohort of follicles was observed via ultrasound. Oocytes were retrieved 34-36h later and fertilized conventionally or by ICSI. Blastocysts were transferred after 5 or 6 days.
Results: Thirty non-donor IVF patients with at least 20 mature follicles received ovulatory GnRHa between January 1 and October 31, 2004. From these, 889 oocytes were recovered (29.6 oocytes per stimulation), and 615 (69.2 percent) were successfully fertilized. One cycle was canceled because no viable blastocysts developed. The remaining 29 patients received 64 transferred blastocysts (mean 2.2 per transfer), and 12 intrauterine gestational sacs were subsequently observed in 9 patients, for an implantation rate of 18.8 percent and a clinical pregnancy rate of 30.0 percent.

Nineteen of these patients had supernumerary embryos frozen, seven underwent frozen embryo transfer (FET) by November 3, 2004, and six (86 percent) of these achieved clinical pregnancy.

Despite young age (mean 31.4 years, minimum 24.5 years), ample mature follicles (mean 31.2, maximum 49), and high serum estradiol (mean 4,947 pg/mL, maximum 9,977 pg/mL) on the day of ovulatory GnRHa, no patients experienced OHSS requiring aspiration of ascites.
During this period, there were seven egg-donor cycles in which the donor received ovulatory GnRHa. The donors averaged 28.3 years of age and produced a mean of 29.6 oocytes, of which 76.4 percent successfully fertilized and 35.3 percent blastulated. The donor recipients averaged 42.4 years of age. Five (71.4 percent) of these seven cycles achieved clinical pregnancy. All seven cycles had frozen supernumerary embryos. Both non-pregnant donor recipients elected FET within the study period, and one of these achieved clinical pregnancy, for a cumulative pregnancy rate of 86 percent in these donor cycles. No donors experienced OHSS requiring aspiration of ascites.
Conclusion: The use of GnRHa is a viable means of inducing oocyte maturation while avoiding OHSS in high-risk patients.

THe Importance of Evaluating the Thyroid with regards to Fertility

2005-08-02T12:02:00.000+10:00

Importance of Tests for Reproductive Health and Thyroid Disorders During Peak Reproductive Years01 Aug 2005
Medical News

Detecting, treating and monitoring the health of women during their peak reproductive years will take center stage at the "Trends in Women's Health Workshop" sponsored by Abbott at the American Association of Clinical Chemistry (AACC) annual meeting in Orlando. For some women who experience difficulty becoming pregnant, an endocrine disorder may be to blame. Common endocrine disorders necessitate testing for diagnosis and treatment monitoring related to a wide variety of hormonal conditions in women.

Thyroid disorders, for example, can affect a woman's ability to become pregnant as well as the health of the mother and developing child both during and after pregnancy. "Women with a family history of thyroid disease or other certain autoimmune disorders should have their thyroid health evaluated before planning pregnancy and again shortly after becoming pregnant," said Paul W. Ladenson, M.D., Professor of Medicine and Director of Endocrinology and Metabolism at Johns Hopkins. "Undetected thyroid disorders can present a number of problems for a mother and child, including an increased risk for premature delivery as well as the risk of impairment in the child's intellectual function." Exhaustion, fatigue and weight gain are a rite of passage to motherhood for many pregnant women. These symptoms, while common, can be signals of thyroid disorders and are often overlooked or misdiagnosed among pregnant women. Additionally, in the weeks and months after pregnancy, symptoms such as insomnia, irritability, anxiety, depression or difficulty losing weight can also indicate a thyroid disorder.

Stacey's comment:
The thyroid is so important with regards to fertility issues. THere are so many couples that come through our clinic and haven't even had their thyroid investigated yet. So if you have not had your thyroid tested these are the blood tests you can speak to your physician about to rule out thyroid issues. These tests are
TSH
free T3
Free T4
thyroid peroxidase autoantibodies (Anti-TPO)
thyroglobulin autoantibodies (Anti-Tg)
(a woman with elevated antibodies in pregnancy is 3 times more likely to develop postnatal depression)

Some physicians may refuse to do these tests and in this case if you are experiencing weight gain, depression, miscarriage, low basal body temperatures (on your temperature chart), insomnia, irritability, anxiety, depression, difficulty getting pregnant, or difficulty losing weight, its likely that your thyroid is involved so I would suggest seeing a different doctor who is more willing to help you investigate this issue and/or find a naturopath that works with thyroid issues frequently and start a natural approach to balancing your thyroid.

This can all be a bit confusing especially since people can have a thyroid issue and the normal tests of TSH or FT3 and FT4 show up within the normal range. Our guideline is that if TSH is not between 1.5 and 2.0 we support that thyroid. Normal levels of TSH in the States have been changed to .3-3.0 which seems to vary depending on where you have the blood test results reported. Another excellent source for thyroid information is www.about.com and search for Mary Solomon or thyroid.

Acupuncture improves health of sperm

2005-08-01T06:23:00.000+10:00

Acupuncture may improve sperm quality
Wed Jul 27, 2:37 PM ET
Acupuncture may have a role as a treatment for certain types of male infertility, researchers suggest.
They report, in the medical journal Fertility and Sterility, an improvement in sperm quality following acupuncture, especially the structural integrity of sperm.
Dr. Jian Pei, from Christian-Lauritzen-Institut in Ulm, Germany, and colleagues assessed the benefits of acupuncture therapy in 28 men with unexplained sperm abnormalities, including malformed and motionless sperm, and low numbers of sperm. A variety of standard acupuncture points throughout the body were used.
Acupuncture led to a significant increase in the percentage and number of sperm without structural defects, the investigators report.
Still, certain specific sperm abnormalities, such as immaturity, did not resolve or change with acupuncture, the report indicates.
The results suggest that acupuncture could be a useful treatment for infertility in men, but further research is needed to confirm the findings and to shed light on the mechanisms involved, the authors conclude.
SOURCE: Fertility and Sterility, July 2005.

Stacey's comment:

Here is another source that supports how natural methods can improve male fertility. This study suggests that acupuncture may be able to produce sperm with less defects therefore creating healthier sperm. But remember, its important to note that making lifestyle changes is extremely important, such as stop smoking, mimimise or eliminate drinking alcohol, eliminate coffee, ask your natural therapist for a natural alternative to over the counter medication, eat low glycemic foods, decrease acidic foods in your diet, improve the nutrients in your system through diet and supplementation, and many other tips. Please stay tuned for our teleconference on improving male fertility in September.

And my suggestion for finding an acupuncturist is talking to others who have had acupuncture. Asking the acupuncturist if you can speak to his/her former patients who have improved their sperm count or does he or she have any testimonials from these patients. Make sure the acupuncturist is trained appropriately by asking for their credentials and how long they have been treating patients and how much experience do they have treating male fertility issues. All of this will help you make the decision as to whether they are the right person for you.

more evidence to suggest women may be able to regenerate their eggs!

2005-08-01T06:17:00.000+10:00

Bone marrow stem cells may produce eggs
Finding supports new theory of mammalian reproduction and suggests new treatments for female infertility

07.28.2005 @09:25 AM Contributed by Simon Edited by Simon
Bone marrow stem cells may be the source of egg-cell generation in mammals, according to research that supports a new theory of mammalian reproduction and suggests new treatments for female infertility.
Last year, Massachusetts General Hospital researchers announced surprising findings that female mice—contrary to longstanding theories of mammalian reproductive physiology—retained the ability to make new egg cells or oocytes into adulthood.
The same investigators now report data identifying a potential source for the production of these cells: stem cells in bone marrow.
"We may be ushering in a new era in the clinical management of female infertility and menopause," says research leader Jonathan Tilly. "This could lead to new treatment approaches based not on drugs but on regenerative medicine through adult stem cells."
A news release describes the research as follows:
The group's 2004 report in Nature contradicted what had been regarded as a dogma of mammalian biology: that females are born with a limited, non-renewable supply of oocytes that are depleted throughout life. Instead the MGH team found evidence that adult female mice are constantly turning over their oocyte supply and producing new oocytes and follicles, the tiny sacs in which eggs grow. The current study was designed to reinforce the earlier findings and also to identify the source of the new oocytes.

Stacey's comment:
I have been saying this since last year and those of you who have registered with our website at www.sharkeyshealingcentre.com.au have known it too from the report Fertility Secrets REvealed which is free when you register with our website. Science is getting closer to proving the old theory of having only a certain amount of eggs as wrong and this opens up all sorts of possibility for you!! This means you are not running out of eggs necessarily, but instead may still have time to prepare you body to become pregnant and produce the healthiest eggs possible. Knowing this can significantly reduce your stress levels when trying to have a baby. And it has been shown the stress and depression can effect fertility.

IVF and Baby Blues

2005-05-31T10:38:00.000+10:00

Moms of IVF-induced multiples often have the blues
Mon May 30,10:22 AM ET
Having twins or triplets following assisted reproductive therapy (ART) increases the risk of depression among new moms, study findings suggest.
Assisted reproductive technology has been the key contributing factor in the 49% increase in twin birth rates, and the 423% increase in higher order multiples in the U.S. over the past 30 years, Dr. Marcia A. Ellison and colleagues note in their paper, published in the May issue of Fertility and Sterility.
And while the medical risks associated with ART and multiple births have been well documented, there have been few studies looking at the psychosocial risk associated with ART that results in multiple birth children.
To investigate, Ellison's group surveyed 249 mothers whose children had been conceived by ART. The study population consisted of 128 mothers of single infants, 111 mothers of twins and 10 mothers of triplets.
The investigators found that each additional multiple birth child increased the odds of having difficulty meeting basic material needs more than 4-fold. Moreover, the risks of reduced quality of life and increased sense of social stigma, were both more than doubled.
A multiple birth, the authors say, may expose women to unwanted public speculations and intrusive questions about their fertility status and their children's conception status.
The likelihood of depression also increased significantly with each additional child.
The identification of these risks may be helpful to doctors when talking with women seeking fertility treatment, Ellison's group writes, "as patients may underestimate the difficulties involved in raising multiple birth children, or may understand the risks associated with triplets but be naive with respect to twins."
SOURCE: Fertility and Sterility May 2005.

Stacey's Comment;
With the amount of synthetic medication being administered in IVF and the lack of education for patients about how they can build their body back up, it doesn't surprise me that post natal depression would be common after IVF induced births in general. This article however points out that when there is a multiple birth, this makes for an increased risk factor for depression. Instead of simply being put on antidepressants for this situation it important to assess what the nutritional needs of the mother are after undergoing IVF and how this can predispose the mothers to depression. For example, a decrease in omega 3 essential fatty acids has been correlated with sadness and depression in many studies. Could it be that between the stress of IVF, the stress of being a new parent or adding multiples to the family, or the stress of what the articles point out as "intrusive" comments or questions from others impede the absorption of nutrients, absolutely. So make sure you are eating a proper diet and supplementing appropriately (since most of society is depleted of omega 3 essential fatty acids) before you become pregnant, keep it up through your pregnancy and after to help you cope with the increased stress that occurs inevitably after birth.

New Research re implantation, fish oil may assist secondary to prostaglandins present read article

2005-05-26T00:34:00.000+10:00

Scientists find molecule linked to infertility

Last Updated: 2005-05-04 15:20:40 -0400 (Reuters Health)

LONDON (Reuters) - An infertility molecule found in mice may help to improve the success rate of millions of women who have fertility treatments each year, an international team of scientists said on Wednesday.

As many as one in six couples may have an infertility problem. Although the causes are varied, the failure of an embryo to implant in the woman's womb is thought to be an important cause of unexplained infertility.

But scientists in the United States and Japan have identified a receptor molecule called LPA in mice that is linked to implantation and which could lead to new treatments for infertile couples.

"This is a receptor that wasn't on anyone's radar screen from a fertility standpoint," said Jerold Chun, of The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California.

If the molecule works the same way in humans, it could be a new target for treatments to improve implantation rates in women having fertility treatment.

Most couples having treatment are able to produce embryos thanks to advances in technology and an improved understanding of human reproduction. But only about 20 percent of them successfully implant in the womb. Chun and colleagues at the University of Tokyo in Japan and other U.S. centres who worked on the research said the LPA receptor has "a clear effect on the ability of embryos to implant and position normally."

In research reported in the science journal Nature, the scientists genetically engineered mice that lacked the LPA molecules, which normally appear on the surface of cells in the animal's womb.

The mice were able to produce normal, healthy embryos but they would not implant and grow in the womb. The loss of the LPA receptors also affected the rodents' level of prostaglandin, a fatty acid essential for normal implantation.

"Low implantation rates are common in women undergoing assisted reproduction, posing a challenge to both patients and doctors, so researchers are striving towards a deeper understanding of this process," said S.K. Dey, of Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, in a commentary.

A healthy couple in their mid-20s having regular sex has about a one-in-four chance of conceiving in a given month. Infertility is defined as the inability to achieve a pregnancy after a year of trying.

SOURCE: Nature May 4, 2005.
Stacey's comment:
This is excellent that they are beginning to indentify the possible cause of the poor implantation rates in assisted procedures. And based on the information in this article couples dealing with infertilty secondary to difficulty with implantation have a healthy supplement to turn to:
In reference to the title of this post, fish oil contains essential omega 3 essential fatty acids that contribute to prostaglandins in our system. This article shows that prostaglandins as well as the LPA discussed above may contribute to implantation. This could explain why fish oil is so good to utilise before pregnancy and there are many positive effects such as decreased chance of having high blood pressure during pregnancy, decreased chance of Post Natal depression, decreased chance of the child developing asthma or ADD/ADHD and an increase in the intelligence of the child whose mother supplements with fish oil during pregnancy. Be careful to make sure this fish oil is pure and all the impurities such as mercury are removed. Most over the counter fish oil cannot guarantee this but the fish oil that we sell at Sharkeys Healing centre can and is available in 11 different countries. You can email us at info@sharkeyshealingcentre.com.au to ask us how you can obtain our fish oil to improve your health and fertility.

2005-05-25T21:21:00.000+10:00

May 25th, 2005
Call me superstitious but yesterday was a full moon and it seems that during the week of a full moon our clinic is bombarded with news of pregnancies among our patients. This happens every month and it always blows me a way. I think it has to be more than a coincidence!! As of this week we are up to over 3300 little miracles since Ruth Sharkey began counting her successes with fertility in 1996. What a pioneer she was and how lucky am I to have been chosen to continue her legacy in the natural fertility, see www.sharkeyshealingcentre.com.au for more information.

I look forward to each day when I see the pregnancy count rising and I receive letters like the one I received today, saying, "Thank you so much for the herbs you made up for my husband and I. We now have a beautiful healthy baby boy. After 3 years of trying we are extremely happy to have a baby we can call our son. We love him dearly and can't thank you enough for helping us create this beautiful little being. R & S LePage

Last week we had a patient call in to the clinic that hadn't had a period in 12 months, this is called amenorrhea and anovulation, who wanted to let us know she thought a period was coming on and when she faxed us her temperature chart, low and behold she was pregnant. These herbs are powerful natural remedies to improve your fertility!