Fertility Software

How can women over 35 reduce the time to conceive or identify fertility problems early? Using Ovusoft Fertility Planning software, which will assist you in fully understanding your body and its natural cycles.

Had I known or cared at 20 or even 30 that one day my hormones would one day rage and I would actually want a child in my 40's, would I have done anything differently?

Actually no. I never wanted children, so I planned my life and my career without them, even now with a loud ticking clock and 41 years old I am still not rushing to get pregnant. Despite the all of the recent news about fertility and age I will do this on my terms or not all.

Recent books (i.e. Creating a Life by Sylvia Hewlett) have created a huge controversy about this "career vs. family" issue and the latest studies note this alarming trend but paradoxically don't offer any suggestions for increasing the chances of those of us who are already "older". They simply suggested that women start earlier.

I know that with advancing age my fertility is declining, you only have to look in the mirror to see that you are not as lovely as you were in your 20's or 30's, so it stands to reason that in your 40's our eggs will be equally as old. Unlike men who reproduce fresh sperm approximately every 3 months, my eggs were with me at birth, and have lived my life.

Additionally fertile cervical fluid declines with age and sperm survival will depend upon the state of the cervical fluid and how close a woman is to ovulation.

Should I look to the past to gain an idea of my fertile future? My mother and her mother both had children in their early 20's with no difficulty and went through the menopause in their 50's. On my fathers side going back 7 generations, nearly all of them had their first child during their 20's, and with the exception of one, all went on to have children into their 40's.

Despite the trend for women to have children later, figures published by the ONS for 2000 shows that of the 766,000 conceptions, the highest percentage was 25-29 age group (27%) followed by the 30-34 age group (25%). The data shows that women were still most likely to conceive in their twenties, with 748.8 conceptions for every 1,000 women, compared to 421.4 for women in their 30's.

The statistics published by the ONS are equally interesting. The number of live births per 1000 women, from 1981 to 1998 for women:-

Under 20 rose by 11%
20-24 dropped by 31%
25 – 29 dropped by 22%
30-34 rose by 29%
35-39 rose by 82%
40 + rose by 60%

Like me, everyone knows someone who has had a baby in her 40s. There is the constant stream of celebrities who have had babies later on, Madonna had Lourdes at 38 and Rocco at 42, Emma Thompson was 40 with Gaia, Kim Basinger 42 with Ireland and Geena Davis 46 with her first child.

Is it that we are simply so much healthier than our grandmothers' generation, or that, we have forgotten that our reproductive life is just the same as it was all those years ago.

Many infertile couples are prepared to undergo enormous sacrifices, to produce a child, when nature has made it almost impossible. For me, should I be unable to get pregnant 'normally'
I will not even consider Assisted Reproductive Technologies. This is because as women grow older, the success rates of IVF procedures drop with each ensuing month along with the high
cost and stress.

Luckily, there is something for couples like me, which can cut the time to conceive in half and identify possible fertility problems early in the process of trying to get pregnant. We can practice the Fertility Awareness Method (FAM) – a scientifically validated, natural form of pregnancy achievement and/or contraception.

Fertility Awareness is the charting and interpretation (either manually, or using an FDA-approved software application) of body signs, like waking temperature and cervical fluid.

Toni Weschler, M.P.H., a nationally recognised women's health educator, popularises this method in her best-selling book, TAKING CHARGE OF YOUR FERTILITY and in Ovusoft Fertility Planning Software the first FDA-approved software to automate the Fertility Awareness Method, which was developed by Weschler in conjunction with Ovusoft, LLC.

How Ovusoft software works:
Ovusoft puts couples in charge by providing the tools for pregnancy achievement without the use of drugs or hormones. By simply taking her daily waking temperature (basal body temperature) and checking her cervical fluid, a woman can use Ovusoft software to determine her short window of fertility during which she can conceive. In addition, the results of other fertility products, such as BabyStart Home Fertility Test kit for couples, (comprising a ovulation test kit for her and a home sperm count test for him) can be incorporated into the Ovusoft analysis. The program's "Fertility Advisor" feature tells a woman, in plain language, exactly what is happening in her body each day of her cycle and advises her on what she should be doing to monitor her fertility. And in this way you can let nature takes its course or try
to select the sex of your baby.

Common Fertility Questions

NORWALK and Danbury, CT (PRWEB)
November 29, 2005 --
Couples facing infertility typically have a million questions.Although the vast majority of them – from which drugs and therapies work best to what kind of undergarments the "dad-to-be" should be wearing – are asked and answered with compassion and professionalism, here are also questions that often don't get answered. Either no one can work up the courage to ask them, or because they just don't seem relevant to conception.

"Despite the fact that infertility treatment is so closely linked to sexuality, this aspect of a couple's life is often very uncomfortable for them to discuss," explains Dr. Mark Leondires, M.D., Medical Director at Reproductive Medicine Associates of CT, and a leading authority on reproductive medicine. "We find that it's the more personal questions involving a couple's unique sexual practices or other habits that are more likely to go unasked…and unanswered," Dr. Leondires adds. The most embarrassing questions can be the most important ones.

According to Dr. Leondires, some of these uncomfortable questions need to be asked, because the answers can hold the key to helping couples achieve a healthy pregnancy more quickly. "Sometimes it's the activity in question itself that should be modified or stopped in order to better the couple's chances for pregnancy," Dr. Leondires notes. His list of straight answers
to infertility's most uncomfortable questions includes:

1.QUESTION: Does having an orgasm help you to get pregnant?

ANSWER: "Not necessarily. During normal intercourse, the ejaculate fluid in which the sperm travel through the uterus and into the fallopian tubes is usually effective at doing its job. However, the uterine contractions that occur during orgasm may help or hinder the process, depending upon the direction of those contractions while the sperm is en route."

2.QUESTION: Do we have to have sex every day while I'm trying to get pregnant?

ANSWER: "No. It can take up to 48-72 hours for a man's sperm count to replenish after an ejaculation, having intercourse every day can actually decrease your chance of pregnancy. It is only important to have intercourse around your ovulatory phase for you to achieve pregnancy. For most women this occurs during the middle of the menstrual cycle, but you can confirm this using an over-the-counter ovulation predictor kit, or by charting your basal body temperature (BBT)."

3. QUESTION: I get my period regularly, so I must be ovulating and fertile…right?

ANSWER: "if you are in the 90+% of women who have regular, ovulatory cycles. However, having a regular period that is anovulatory – meaning no ovulation occurs – is not completely uncommon. Again, to confirm ovulation you can use an OTC ovulation prediction kit or by tracking your BBT."

4.QUESTION: Should I try to stop the sperm from leaking out after sex? If so, for how long?

ANSWER: "It may provide some benefit. What you are feeling is actually the ejaculate fluid. This fluid contains protective agents that support the sperm's survival as it travels through the vagina. The ejaculate will break down and release the sperm in about 30 minutes after ejaculation. For this reason, it may be a good idea to remain reclined on your back with a pillow under your hips if it's comfortable, for 30-45 minutes following intercourse."

5.QUESTION: I think my husband masturbates sometimes. Should he stop while we're trying to conceive?

ANSWER: "He should certainly try to modify the practice. While it is very normal for men to masturbate, a man's sperm count will decrease with each ejaculation. In general, an optimal sperm count usually is achieved after about three days of abstinence. So, masturbation is not recommended for the three days prior to the beginning of your ovulatory phase. Also, if you are having fertility concerns, your partner should have a semen analysis."

6.QUESTION: Is it okay to diet while trying to get pregnant? Is it safe to cut out Carbs?

ANSWER: "Some women have difficulty discussing dietary habits with their infertility doctors, sometimes because they fear that their weight is a contributing factor to their difficulty conceiving. Women of all shapes and sizes can achieve pregnancy. Of course, if your 'biological clock' permits, it is a better bet to attain a healthy weight prior to pregnancy. But in general, it's
safe to try to lose weight at the same time you are trying to achieve pregnancy . However, it is unsafe to diet while trying to conceive or while pregnant if you are already underweight and have abnormal menstrual cycles. Remember, it is recommended that most women attempting pregnancy eat a healthy diet, which includes consuming at least 20% carbohydrates. Pregnant women should also consume adequate amounts of folic acid, calcium and iron. While you can increase your dietary intake of these crucial vitamins and minerals, the easiest way to ensure you're getting enough of them is to take a daily prenatal supplement."

THE IMPORTANCE OF ASKING
According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), about 10% of Americans of childbearing age experience infertility – defined as the inability to achieve and maintain a full-term pregnancy after one year of trying. The diagnosis is often devastating and stressful for both partners, Dr. Leondires notes. "The process of coping with – and receiving treatment for
– infertility is a sensitive and intimate one." He adds, "However, because patients and practitioners are on the same team, and share the same goal of achieving a healthy, full-term pregnancy, it's critical that patients find a doctor with whom they can frankly discuss issues and ask questions.

"A knowledgeable, well-trained, expert physician is most important, but so is a compassionate, caring advocate. The best infertility specialists are both," Dr. Leondires adds."We find that it's the more personal questions involving a couple's unique sexual practices or other habits that are more likely to go unasked…and unanswered,"

Bio:
Dr. Mark P. Leondires, M.D., FACOG, is a leading authority on reproductive medicine. Dr. Leondires is board certified in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. He is a member of the Society of Reproductive Endocrinologists, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Dr. Leondires earned his medical degree from the University of Vermont College of Medicine and completed his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine. Dr. Leondires completed a fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

After completion of his training, he fulfilled his military obligation by serving as the ART Director for the largest and most successful program in the military health care system at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. During this time he was an Assistant Professor at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences and clinical faculty for the Combined Fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology. Dr. Leondires is currently Medical Director and lead physician with Reproductive Medicine Associates of Connecticut (RMA-CT) in Norwalk.

Along with numerous teaching and research activities, Dr. Leondires has published articles in professional medical journals, national consumer magazines and newspapers, as well as abstracts and book chapters. More information about Reproductive Medicine Associates of Connecticut is available at www.rmact.com.

The Fibroid Myth

Source: www.PRWeb.com

Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) August 3, 2006 -- "Too many women of childbearing age are led to believe by their gynecologists or internists that the presence of uterine fibroids will prevent pregnancy," said world-renowned gynecologic surgery pioneer Thomas L. Lyons, MD, of the Center for Women's Care & Reproductive Surgery in Atlanta. "That's a myth. If they're not bothering you, you don't need to bother with them."

Numerous patients inquire about whether they should have fibroids removed in order to "clean themselves up" to enhance their chances of pregnancy, Dr. Lyons explained.

"Unfortunately, many surgeons will go along with a patient's wishes to have fibroids removed, even though evidence shows that fibroids do not really prevent pregnancy, and that women with fibroids do not have a higher risk of a bad pregnancy," he said.

"The obvious corollary to this is that their physicians want to perform the surgery or the procedure whether it's really necessary for the patient or not," said Dr. Lyons. "With in-office diagnostics like ultrasound, an accurate and relatively inexpensive method of ruling out ovarian abnormalities, and hysteroscopy, which can also be a treatment, we can tell what's happening with fibroids and whether they might present any problems."

In addition to offering leading therapies and procedures for fibroid detection and removal, Dr. Lyons developed the Laparoscopic Supracervical Hysterectomy (LSH) in 1990 and has performed thousands of them successfully.

Renowned as the global "go-to guy" on LSH, he has donated his time over nearly two decades to train hundreds of surgeons on this and other minimally invasive procedures he has developed.

Debunking the Myth
According to statistics cited on eHealthMD, only about six percent of women who are infertile have fibroids, and these are usually not the source of the infertility. Fibroids cause the problem in only 2- 3% of cases.

The real, but rare issue of fibroids causing infertility may include fibroids blocking sperm passage into one or both fallopian tubes, which may prevent the egg's fertilization.

Additionally, if fibroids fill the uterine cavity, they may block implantation of the fertilized egg.

Other rare issues include the possibility of premature labor or miscarriage due to fibroids in the uterine cavity, or an increased chance that the baby is not positioned to be born headfirst, necessitating cesarean section.

Since all these possibilities are so minimal, Dr. Lyons is shocked at the prevalent notion among women who want to bear children that they must be "fibroid-free" in order to conceive.

"Their own gynecologists often will not debunk this notion. It's up to the patient now to research her options," he said.

Do research and know your options. Discerning patients who aren't willing to settle for one opinion or "the way it's always been done" find Dr. Lyons on the Internet and come from as far as Tokyo, Rome, Madrid, Australia and Buenos Aires, seeking him as a second or third opinion.

They discuss numerous options including laparoscopic myomectomy,removal of the fibroids only, or drug therapy. Often, where other physicians will recommend a major surgery, Lyons suggests either a 'wait and see' approach or an easy, in-office procedure such as hysteroscopy.

"It's especially important that patients choose a surgeon who is experienced in working with lasers and laparoscopy. The minimally invasive procedures we perform require more skill than open abdominal procedures. They're easier on the patient, but more challenging for the surgeon," explained Dr. Lyons.

Many surgeons will attempt a laparoscopic procedure and feel it necessary to convert to an open surgery with a long incision during the procedure. Make sure to ask your surgeon about his or her conversion ratio. Dr. Lyons' conversion ratio is less than one percent. www.thomasllyons.com