You’ve probably seen the frightening news reports of hundreds of babies born in Brazil with microcephaly, a serious birth defect characterized by abnormal smallness of the head and incomplete brain development. Infectious disease experts have attributed their condition to the Zika virus, carried by two species of mosquitoes as well as through sexual intercourse with...
Author: janef
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Endometriosis is Coming Out of the Closet
March is Endometriosis Awareness Month Endometriosis, shortened to #endo in Twitter slang, is coming out of the closet. Celebrities like Padma Lakshmi, Jillian Michaels, and Lena Dunham have spoken out about their endo diagnoses and are spreading awareness about this gynecological condition that affects approximately 176 million women worldwide, including five to six million in...
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New Year, New Ways to Manage Infertility Stress
It’s a new year and a new chance to get pregnant. For many of my patients, this can be a difficult time of year. It represents another mile marker in their fertility journey with no definite end in sight. Unfortunately, stress and fertility are often constant companions, making for a difficult journey for my patients...
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Jane Plus Two: How to Talk to Your 5-Year-Old Self
When thinking back about previous posts about my experience getting pregnant through in vitro fertilization, I realized that I took a tough-love approach in my fertility treatment advice. I thought there was a one-size-fits-all approach for infertility advice. But I now know tough love doesn’t fit anyone. My infertility was directly related to my advanced...
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New Year’s Fertility Resolutions You Can Keep
The new year approaches and with it the chance to make a fresh start. For couples trying to become pregnant through fertility treatment, it’s an excellent opportunity to make a New Year’s resolution that will help them get pregnant. A couple of years ago, Forbes reported that only 8 percent of people achieve their New...
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The Different Options for Same-Sex Couples
Love comes in many forms, and not all of them are traditional. There are more options than ever before for same-sex couples to conceive biological children together. While conception takes a different course in these cases, assisted reproductive technology treatments open the door for all the forms of love to start a family together. For...
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What to Do When Your Infertility Is Unexplained
There are many tests that your fertility specialist will perform to see what is causing your infertility and to find a fertility treatment option that will help you become pregnant. However, the tests don’t always reveal a clear answer, resulting in the dreaded diagnosis, unexplained infertility. This diagnosis can feel daunting, but it is important...
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What Is a Chemical Pregnancy?
A chemical pregnancy is a term used to describe an early miscarriage. Chemical pregnancies indicate while fertilization occurred, something went wrong before the embryo could thrive, and the body rejected the resulting fetus. Confirmation of the chemical pregnancy is achieved by elevated levels of the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) hormone levels in the woman’s blood....
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Ovulation: “In the Mood” and Other Clues
When it comes to getting pregnant, few things are more important than knowing when the woman experiences ovulation each month. There are many ways to know, including fairly accurate home ovulation kits (provided you follow the directions carefully). However, your body gives you several clues, which include: Changes in cervical mucus. Throughout your cycle, your...
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New Study Finds GMOs Made Rats Sterile
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are a part of our diet, finding their way into many of the foods we eat. This might not be good news for couples struggling with infertility. A new study finds that GMO corn made rats sterile. While rats are one thing and humans are another, it’s probably a safe bet...
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