Trying to conceive archivos - IGENOMIX - With science on your side

Can I improve the quality of my eggs?

igenomixblog — Mon, 15 Feb 2021 22:00:00 +0000

La entrada Can I improve the quality of my eggs? se publicó primero en IGENOMIX - With science on your side.

5 Simple Tips for Getting Pregnant

igenomix — Wed, 12 Jun 2019 13:00:39 +0000

Sometimes, conception is frustrating. In schools, sex education makes many people think they will get pregnant at the drop of a hat; however, the reality is often quite different. For some women who are struggling to conceive, they may think to themselves, “please, please get me pregnant.” However, the best way to get pregnant is to know your body. To make the most of your fertility, it is very important to take care of your health; that said, there are other ways you can improve the odds. In this article, we list five simple tips for getting pregnant.

Tips for Getting Pregnant

1. Monitor your Menstrual Cycle

One of the most important tips for getting pregnant is to monitor your menstrual cycle. Primarily, you should establish if your periods are regular; this will help you to accurately identify when you ovulate. Generally, women with regular cycles will ovulate about two weeks before they menstruate. This is when a woman is most fertile, and although the egg will only survive for 12–24 hours, sperm can survive for up to five days – which increases the chance of conception.

However, if your periods are irregular ovulation is more difficult to predict. Therefore, you may find it useful to try out ovulation prediction kits. These kits test urine for luteinizing hormone, which increases when you ovulate. According to the American Pregnancy Association, the optimum time for conception is three days after a positive test.

2. Aim for a Healthy Body Weight

Being over or underweight can reduce your chances of conceiving. Studies have shown that overweight women can take twice as long to fall pregnant. Extra weight produces excess estrogen, which can interfere with ovulation. Meanwhile, a woman who is underweight can take as much as four times as long. This is because women with low BMI may have irregular periods and may not ovulate at all.

3. Take Prenatal Vitamins

It is recommended to take a daily multivitamin containing 400 micrograms of folic acid while attempting conception. For example, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises women to take folic acid daily at least a month before getting pregnant to reduce the chance of birth defects. Essential parts of the nervous system develop 3 to 4 weeks after conception, which is before many women realize they’re pregnant. There are, of course, many brands and types of prenatal vitamins and supplements available. You can even get them at the grocery store. It’s important, however, to do your research and read the labels. This article on the “Best Prenatal Vitamins Based on In-Depth Reviews” is a good place to start, but the best thing you can do is talk with your healthcare provider.

4. Eat Healthily

While trying to conceive, it is important to have a healthy diet. This means consuming plenty of fruit and vegetables, plant proteins, whole grains, full-fat dairy, and omega 3. Furthermore, women can obtain folic acid from dark green leafy vegetables, cereals, beans, and citrus fruits. However, it’s not only about what you do eat; it’s also what you don’t. For example, women who want to get pregnant should reduce their intake of mercury-rich fish, caffeine, and alcohol.

5. Know When to Consult a Specialist

If you are 35 or older, both you and your partner should consider undergoing a fertility evaluation if you have not fallen pregnant after six months of regular intercourse without birth control. This is because women’s fertility declines throughout their thirties, followed by a steep decline after 40. Furthermore, this also applies to women under 35 if they have failed to fall pregnant after a year. Often, with the help of a reproductive endocrinologist, couples can achieve their fertility hopes.

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Getting Pregnant Stories: Corinne’s IVF Journey

igenomix — Wed, 05 Jun 2019 13:00:47 +0000

Our fertility journey began in 2017 when, after two years of marriage, we were ready to start our family. As high school sweethearts, we had plenty of years to plan when and how we wanted to start our family, and we were excited and ready to be pregnant. We had prepared for our baby in all the ‘normal’ ways – starting our careers, renovating a house, working hard at being financially stable. We were prepared….or so we thought. Turned out, unlike many getting pregnant stories, ours wouldn’t be so simple.

The First Signs

After 10 years on the birth control pill, my period was MIA for weeks after stopping. I knew it could take time to go back to normal, but I was impatient, and there was a little voice whispering in my ear, “What if something is wrong?” I scheduled an appointment with my OBGYN, and she gave me the usual reassurances “this is totally normal,” “it takes time,” “don’t worry.” So we waited, but not passively. I researched, tracked my basal body temperature, joined fertility forums, and generally acted like any couple actively trying to conceive. Still, 4 months in, there was no sign of a period, no positive ovulation tests, nothing. Back to the doctor I went, anxious, impatient, and now certain that there was something going on with my body. They did blood work, asked more questions, and prescribed Provera to initiate a period. In two months, they would do an ultrasound.

My Diagnosis

As the days ticked away, after the bloodwork returned ‘normal,’ I was increasingly anxious. I was ready to be a mother, and not at all used to feeling so out of control. The ultrasound day finally came, and I lay on my back in that darkened room, naked from the waist down, the only sound the tapping of the ultrasound tech’s fingers on the keys of the machine. I felt alone, and scared. In the exam room after, I twisted my wedding ring around my finger, waiting for the results. I so desperately wanted an answer, something that could be ‘fixed,’ but when the diagnosis came, I felt everything slipping out from under me. PCOS. Though there was always a part of me insisting that there was something wrong, there must have been an equal part that was still unconvinced, unprepared to handle that little truth. I was prescribed Metformin, again promised that it should ‘fix’ me – within three months, she said, I should return to normal cycles. If not, I could see a specialist. When I left the doctor’s office that day, I sat in my car, called my mother, and cried. I felt broken, betrayed by my body. I didn’t know then that that feeling would become my new normal. That I would spend the next year and a half living my life in 30-day increments, carefully building up enough hope to sustain me, and then having it all slip away, again and again. Of all the getting pregnant stories, why did mine have to be like this?

The Start of my Fertility Journey

Meanwhile, I dove headfirst into reading journal articles, published studies on PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), research and statistics from advocacy groups, testimonials from other women whose ovaries were also riddled with cysts, whose bodies had also failed them, and their getting pregnant stories. Still, I wanted more. The Metformin had done nothing, seemingly, and after a month and a half I was impatient. I was tired of waiting, tired of being told that it was ‘normal.’ I had been trying to have a baby for nearly 8 months and had not had a single real period. Had no indications of ovulating, not even once. I was exhausted, and yet I knew I had barely even begun. So, I made the appointment with a reproductive endocrinologist in the area who came highly recommended and waited three weeks for a consultation. I had my medical records sent to me first, so I could read the notes in my chart, see the ultrasound photos they had never shown me. That consultation became the first of many visits I would make to the practice, the first of many times I would sit in the chair across the desk from my doctor and feel as if someone was finally listening to me. As if I had a voice, and a little bit of control, in a time when I felt like infertility had taken over my life, left me powerless and heartbroken. Months passed, cycling through varying doses of Letrazole, then Clomid, then eventually combinations: Letrozole and Gonal-F, Clomid and Gonal-F. I had ultrasound after ultrasound, continuous bloodwork, and an HSG (Hysterosalpingogram) to check for blocked tubes (they were clear, thankfully). Finally, I was ovulating, but still, it wasn’t enough. A semen analysis cleared Kevin – his sperm count was excellent, and the morphology, while just slightly low, was still nothing to worry about. I was the broken one, it seemed, and each month drove that home a little bit more.

Trying IUI

On the first cycle with Gonal-F, my last ultrasound showed too many follicles growing in my ovaries. It was too risky, my doctor said, you could end up with multiples. We canceled the cycle, and started over, waiting for the cysts to shrink. Another failure. Another month wasted. My anxiety and depression were coming in waves now, my broken body failing me over and over again. I was barely keeping it together. After two more combination cycles with injectables, we were ready for an IUI. Maybe, I thought, this will be it, the conclusion which will make mine one of the happy getting pregnant stories. Kevin held my hand the day of the IUI, and it was over in just minutes. I was more optimistic than I had been in ages. I let myself hope again. Just over a week later, my period came again. I went back to my doctor, prepared for another baseline ultrasound, another cycle. He was gentle and calm as he said, “Corinne, it’s time to move on. We’ve tried everything, and if it were going to work…well, it probably would have worked already. I think it’s time for IVF.” I was stunned. When you’re going through infertility, you know that IVF is, for most, the end of the road, the last chapter in all the getting pregnant stories. You know it’s a possibility. But you never think it will be you. You think, “Surely I will be pregnant soon. Surely something will work.”

The IVF Route

The day after Christmas we had our official IVF consultation with my doctor. We discussed medications, injections, genetic testing, carrier screenings, retrieval, and transfer. We looked at the financial obligations and tried not to panic about the fact that trying this last ditch effort to have our baby would cost essentially all of our savings, and then some. We tiptoed around the reality of the statistics – at best, a 40% chance of success. There was no guarantee ours would be one of the successful getting pregnant stories. In January, we began our first round of IVF. Ten days of stims. Ultrasounds and bloodwork nearly every other day. A trigger shot. My body was exhausted, but holding tough with the flood of hormones and medications, the constant needles. By the time egg retrieval rolled around, my belly was swollen, the follicles that cluttered my ovaries so big that it hurt to walk, or sit. I woke up from anesthesia loopy and in pain, but happy. They had retrieved 24 eggs. The next day, 17 had fertilized. After a week, we were left with 13 embryos that were biopsied, sent for genetic testing, and frozen. In the end, 6 of our little embabies were genetically ‘normal,’ and recommended for the transfer – 5 girls, and just 1 boy. February began the process of prepping to transfer our strong, beautiful little girl embryo. I took estradiol 4 times a day, began progesterone injections 5 days before our scheduled transfer. February 25 we saw our perfect little embryo, watched on the screen as she was placed in my uterus, and began the hardest waiting we’d ever been through. I was PUPO (pregnant until proven otherwise), and I was desperately excited, and desperately scared. Each day brought more anxiety, more worry, and fading hope. By the last few days before my blood test, I was convinced it hadn’t worked, that mine wouldn’t be one of the happy getting pregnant stories. I refused to test at home, feeling a bit of infertility-induced PTSD when it came to pregnancy tests. I spent that final night in tears. All I wanted was to be a mom.

Getting Pregnant Stories: A Happy Ending

It was late afternoon by the time they called with the results from my beta test, and I was so anxious I nearly threw up. Then the nurse said those two words: “You’re pregnant!” I sobbed, full on ugly tears, makeup dripping off my face. I called Kevin, crying and laughing and still in disbelief. Our second beta test came back two days later, and my levels had tripled. As I write this, I am just shy of 9 weeks pregnant. I have seen my baby girl three times and listened to her heartbeat. I am ecstatic and terrified. I am trying to believe in my body again, to believe that come November we will hold her in my arms. Infertility will never leave me. I will never forget the pain and heartbreak and loss we experienced, or the fear and anxiety that still sneaks up on me. But I will also never forget the amazing women I have met through the infertility community or the way our journeys can break us, but still make us stronger, more resilient. And we will never, ever stop being grateful for our little IVF miracle, the happy ending to our getting pregnant stories.

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La entrada Getting Pregnant Stories: Corinne’s IVF Journey se publicó primero en IGENOMIX - With science on your side.

IVF Success Stories: Alvena & Victoria’s Journeys

igenomix — Fri, 31 May 2019 13:00:51 +0000

Two Women’s Unique IVF Success Stories

Alvena’s IVF Journey to a Second Child

Fifteen agonizing months of trying to give our daughter a sibling, we were finally told that we only have a 3% chance of ever conceiving naturally. So either our daughter is a miracle child and we didn’t know it, or she had closed my fallopian tube on her way out – a running joke between my husband and I because humor is necessary to survive infertility, especially as it felt like ours might not be one of the IVF success stories. The HSG (Hysterosalpingogram*) x-ray was the last exam left after the months of panels of bloodwork and tests from both my husband and I revealed nothing was wrong. This exam was optional and almost unnecessary as I had gotten pregnant naturally before. I vividly remember laying under the huge x-ray machine, feet in the stirrup, uterus pumped with dye, ready to be told all was normal. But my right fallopian tube refused to spill. There was a blockage. We had conceived so naturally with our first, with an easy pregnancy and an uncomplicated vaginal delivery that nobody expected a physical issue.

The Start of the Journey

With this diagnosis, we were given a 9% success with medicated IUI (Intrauterine Insemination**) and 60% with In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). We knew IVF was the way to go if we were serious about growing our family. Coming to terms with IVF was difficult. None of our friends seemed to have trouble conceiving, and if they were, nobody talked about it. It was isolating and I withdrew. I felt guilty having to spend thousands of dollars of our savings. I was ashamed of my body for failing us. I grieved for the loss of creating a child with my husband intimately. I grieved for the loss of “meant to be”. I felt like doing IVF was defying destiny, like maybe we weren’t supposed to have a second child, like ours would never be one of the IVF success stories. That very notion cut deep. My husband reminded me that we still wouldn’t have a second child if that was the case. But the fact that this was an option for us meant we still had a fighting chance to become one of the IVF success stories out there, and maybe we were meant to go down this road. I hadn’t quite processed all those feelings when I started the birth control pills – the first step in IVF marking the official handover of my body to science. Once we began, I learned that a lot could go wrong and a lot still had to line up to make this happen. For something as scientific and calculated as IVF, a great deal of it was out of our control and we found ourselves holding onto faith. If it’s meant to be, it will be.

The Challenging Times Ahead

As we dove head first into trying to be one of these IVF success stories, we knew that the thousands of dollars, emotional investment, and time does not guarantee a live birth pregnancy. But it meant a chance, a chance that not many people have. Overcoming my fear of needles, I became an amateur chemist; mixing and jabbing myself with 2–3 hormone-filled injections in the abdomen every day for 10 days to grow as many eggs as possible. I had blood drawn and ultrasound scans every other day to monitor their growth; it was a delicate balance of growing as many at the same rate without triggering ovulation. I watched as my belly got bruised and bloated from the shots and thought of the days where baby-making was fun and free. When the majority of the eggs were at the optimal size, I was put under anesthesia and 17 eggs were retrieved. By the grace of the universe, all of them were fertilized via ICSI (Intracytoplasmic sperm injection***). Eight embryos made it to Day 5 blastocyst stage and were biopsied then sent for preimplantation genetic screening (PGS). Two long weeks later, we found out 5 were genetically normal. I underwent another surgery to prepare my uterus for transfer and waited to heal. Once I was given the all clear, I started the oral estrogen pills, followed by daily progesterone suppositories, and the infamous progesterone in oil shots – 22 gauge needle to my buttocks every other night for 12 weeks, if the pregnancy is viable. Two weeks of monitoring later, my uterus was considered ready and receptive for a frozen embryo transfer (FET). On the day of transfer, after months of treatment, we knew that there was still a 30-40% chance that this “perfectly thawed” and hatched embryo won’t implant and become one of the clinic’s IVF success stories.

A Healthy Pregnancy

We are so fortunate that it worked on the first try for us. There wasn’t a moment I thought it would work and took it for granted. I no longer question if the way we got our second baby defied destiny. A million things could have gone wrong, but by the grace of the universe, it worked and here we are today. We took a detour, but this child is meant to be – one of the world’s IVF success stories. Our daughter is finally going to be a big sister this June! *Hysterosalpingogram: a procedure that uses an X-ray to look at your fallopian tubes and uterus **Intrauterine Insemination: a fertility treatment that involves placing sperm inside a woman’s uterus to facilitate fertilization ***Intracytoplasmic sperm injection: involves the direct injection of sperm into eggs obtained from in vitro fertilization

Victoria’s Experience with Donor Eggs

Hi, I’m Victoria, and I’m infertile. After 3 years of “trying but not trying” we realized something might be wrong. We started seeing a fertility specialist when I was about 33 years old and my levels were, as my doctor put it, “that of a 48-year-old.” Lovely! We started with IUI, and did about five rounds, with the full throttle of stimulation, etc. I really only got a few follicles to fully grow after all the shots and meds my body could consume. After a laparoscopic procedure, I was finally diagnosed with endometriosis and low ovarian reserve. More delightful news! I took injections and meds for a few more months in preparation for IVF and when I finally got 2 mature follicles, we decided to seize the day. “All you need is one”, they say! Most people would never even consider doing IVF with only 2 eggs, but it was the best we had ever gotten and I needed to try. I needed to know, I wanted to mine to be one of the IVF success stories. I woke up from my retrieval procedure to a grim look on my husband’s face. I knew it. This was it. The moment I was “expecting” (no pun intended). One egg was actually black in color – I officially had rotten eggs. Neither egg ended up fertilizing. Shocker. Years of poking myself with needles and crying in my car at baby showers and this is what I get? This was the death of my DNA, but where was the funeral? I laid there on a cold table with tears streaming down my face. So empty. So hopeless. So broken. So alone.

Making the Decision

Our doctor suggested that we move on to donor eggs if we wanted a baby. It took a lot of time to understand and process what it would mean for our family. What it would mean for me. What would be my role exactly? I took the time I needed to grieve my eggs. My DNA. It’s a process, and you have to go through it, for everyone’s sake, especially for the child. But I couldn’t wait too long. I wanted a baby and I wasn’t getting any younger. I was tired of losing, I was tired of grieving. I wanted to be a mom. To someone. Anyone. Anyone who would take me and call me mom. Right before our last IVF cycle with my own eggs, I started thinking about what I would do if it didn’t work. I was mentally preparing for this. My egg quality and quantity were low, I knew it was our last go even before it started. I secretly started doing research, I didn’t even tell my husband. I learned that donor eggs often ended in IVF success stories and allowed me a chance to be someone’s biological mother. It was time. Time for me to let go of my DNA. It took a lot of kicking and screaming and crying my eyes out to get to this point, and I can’t say I was 100% past the sadness when I finally decided to move forward. But I did feel a smile creeping in. I wanted to experience pregnancy, breastfeeding and giving birth. Was that too much to ask for? Donor eggs were my best chance at doing that. I didn’t care what it would take, I didn’t care what I had to put my body through, or my finances, I just wanted to be a mom. I had already been through so much; I could handle it. It would be worth it in the end, they said.

Trying to Find the Right Person

After taking the time to grieve my eggs and the chance of passing on my DNA, we moved on to donor eggs to improve our chances of being one of the IVF success stories. When we started down the route of using an egg donor, everyone made it sound like it was a shoo-in. I remember our doctor saying our chances of success were around 90%. When you select an egg donor, you’re basically saying, okay, let’s just get pregnant already. You don’t really consider that it won’t work. It’s simple, you choose a young girl with a ton of healthy eggs, and then you get pregnant. No brainer. We chose our donor and she looked just like me, twinsies! She had a similar background, family history, and overall vibe. I couldn’t believe it. We never met, but the agency provided a ton of info. Our doctor even commented, “wow, Victoria, she’s your perfect match”. It felt like this could be the one, the key to being one of the IVF success stories.

Bumps in the Road

She started her appointments, meds, and shots and our doctor gave us the play by play. It was strange to be watching all of this from the sidelines, but my doctor made me feel important and connected in the process. It was the day before her IVF egg retrieval and I’ll never forget the phone call from our doctor. She said, “I’m so sorry Victoria, your donor really is like you, even her eggs are like yours.” She had lost more than half of her follicles overnight and only had four that matured. Four was not enough. I immediately felt an overwhelming feeling of sadness. But this time, my sadness wasn’t about me. My tears started to fall. All I kept thinking was – this poor, sweet, young girl. At 28 years old, she is now facing a real-life game changer. My heart hurt for her. My connection with her was so strong, I felt her pain like it was my own. And I don’t even know her real name. We didn’t know what to do next, but we knew we needed a break. We had avoided planning trips for so long – “just in case” I needed to be local for a procedure or so my husband could be “on call” to unload the swimming soldiers. We put other dreams on hold because our fertility treatments took all of our money. We missed out on life, and we needed to live. So, we decided to take a year off, to travel the world and focus on us for the first time in a while.

Staying Strong

I had been grieving for a very long time. I had tried EVERYTHING. Podcasts, yoga, writing, writing, lots of writing. Therapy. Drinking, oh the drinking. I ugly cried – A LOT. I created a shrine in my closet where I would go sit on the floor and pray, and I’m not a religious person. I don’t even know who I was praying to, but I prayed. With infertility, every day is a new battle. A battle against yourself. To stay strong, when all you want to do is cry. My strength has been tested to unimaginable depths. I wanted to give up so many times. I wanted to quit it ALL. The needles, the pills, the probing and prodding, the constant doctor visits. The procedures. The surgeries. The egg donors. I constantly asked myself – is it all worth it, the fight to be one of the IVF success stories? The financial stress? Marital stress? I would often think: I just can’t do this anymore. But somehow, I did. Somehow, I could. I just kept going. It’s easy to dwell on how unfair and hard it is. But at some point, enough is enough. I knew I couldn’t be sad and angry forever. I needed to find the good to carry on. And that’s exactly what I did. Infertility showed me a new version of myself – a woman who survived tragedy and became stronger from it. I realized that if this is the only curveball I’m thrown in life, I’d consider myself pretty darn lucky. I have so much other stuff in my life to be grateful for. I have fallen in love with my husband in a deeper more intense way. He has my back in a way I can’t explain. After all of this, he stills chooses me – an infertile woman.

Light at the End of the Tunnel

And yep, I FINALLY got pregnant – we were meant to be one of the IVF success stories. After a long break, a lot of healing, a new doctor and a new donor, our miracle was made. She came to me when she knew I was strong and ready. My beautiful rainbow after an ugly storm – Miss Florence Viola, born on our 9 year wedding anniversary, the perfect love story. And I know now, it was ALWAYS meant to be her. Had I gotten pregnant years ago, the easy way, or even with my own eggs, it wouldn’t be her. And without her, I wouldn’t be me. I used to ask myself – why me? But, now I know why. She is why. She was always meant for us.

La entrada IVF Success Stories: Alvena & Victoria’s Journeys se publicó primero en IGENOMIX - With science on your side.

Trying to Conceive Blog: Creating Online Support

igenomix — Wed, 29 May 2019 13:00:07 +0000

Whether you’re reading someone else’s trying to conceive blog or creating one of your own, reaching out to the online fertility community can be an opportunity to connect with others who may have been diagnosed with a similar condition as yours, to lend each other support, share resources, advice or simply vent as you go through infertility treatment. In this blog, we review healthy and responsible ways to make a trying to conceive blog a tool to not only help others but find some guidance along your path to parenthood and use as a virtual journal in a way that you feel comfortable.

What Trying to Conceive Blog Resonate with You?

If you to Google, “Trying to Conceive Blog”, you will find a wide array of blogs that range from clinical, to humorous, to emotional. Are there two or three you find yourself going back to weekly and if so, why? Do you like the style of writing? The content? The way the writer shares his or her fertility journey? Some blogs offer links to research that might help inform your fertility journey while others may post funny memes that allow you a moment to NOT think about how stressed you may be about your upcoming cycle. If you’re considering starting your own trying to conceive blog, you may want to consider incorporating some of the elements that you enjoy reading on someone’s blog and offering it to your own readers. On this note though, it’s important to mention that if you tend to like medical or clinical trying to conceive blogs and you’re not in the medical field, you should always be mindful on offering any advice when it comes to treatment. You can share links to sites from a doctor you like, hyperlink to PDF’s or studies you think may be compelling but be clear to whoever is reading that they should always discuss whatever they read on your trying to conceive blog with their doctor.

Who Do You Want Reading Your Trying to Conceive Blog?

Now that you’ve decided what the tone of your trying to conceive blog is going to be, you need to decide how personal and open you want it to be. Are you ok with the online world knowing your fertility business? Your Co-Workers? Your In-Laws? If you’re going through IVF or if you’ve endured recurrent pregnancy losses, you may not want everyone in your life knowing. This is also you should discuss with your partner as well to see if they are comfortable with you sharing your fertility journey online. If you decide that you’d like your trying to conceive blog to be private, some blogs have the option to make it password protected. You can also not use your real name, photo or provide specific details so no one will be able to trace the trying to conceive blog will be able to specific to trace it back to you. Some prefer this as they feel fully empowered to express themselves without fear of offending anyone as no one knows it’s them.

A Trying to Conceive Blog Can’t Replace a Doctor

A trying to conceive blog can be an online support group, a coping mechanism and an outlet where you can share the ups and downs of trying to conceive, especially when it comes to fertility treatment. It can also be a place where you provide advice, resources and insight on each other’s journey but as we mentioned earlier, it’s so important to do this responsibly. A common trend that’s both good and bad is patients sharing on their trying to conceive blogs what worked for them on their IVF cycles. On one hand, it’s good because you can then consider them for your own upcoming treatment. On the other hand, it might not be right for your diagnosis, so it’s encouraged that you always speak to your doctor about anything you may have read about on a trying to conceive blog. For example, if you read on a trying to conceive blog that the writer’s IVF cycle was unsuccessful, and their doctor was concerned that it due to an implantation issue. Therefore, before her next cycle, her doctor is going to do an ERA Test, (Endometrial Receptivity Analysis) which evaluate a woman’s endometrial lining. This doesn’t necessarily mean your last IVF wasn’t successful because of the same exact reason. Every patient’s protocol and recommended treatment is tailored to them, so the best course of action is to speak with their reproductive endocrinologist. On the flip side, you might share on your trying to conceive blog that your doctor is recommending IVF with Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Aneuploidy (PGT-A) also known as PGS. You might explain that PGT-A increases your chances of implantation and decreases your chances of a miscarriage by identifying chromosomally normal embryos for transfer. It would also be beneficial to recommend that your blog readers speak to their doctor about the test to learn more. If you have had a history of miscarriages, this may be why your doctor recommended this specifically for you but again, it may not be the right fit for everyone. You could also provide a link to Resolve: the National Infertility Association information on genetic testing in general for them to see if it would even fit their situation. The online world can be a powerful place to connect with others, especially with the amount of trying to conceive blogs there are out there! It reminds you just how many people are dealing with trying to conceive concerns, infertility, fertility treatment and trying to figure out what would be the best way to have a family for them. With the right attitude, resources and tools, you can make your blog help both you and others as they get closer to be a parent… one click at a time!

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Conception Stories: Ashley & Alex’s IVF Journey

igenomix — Tue, 28 May 2019 13:00:41 +0000

I remember watching the test happen live. I remember hearing the doctor speak to me. I remember my eyes welling up. I remember being escorted to the bathroom to change. I remember the piercing scream that came out of my mouth and collapsing on the floor. I remember the nurse rushing in to pick me up. I remember yelling for my husband. I remember Alex practically carrying me outside the hospital as anxiety attacked and I gasped for air. Like many conception stories, ours hasn’t been without its challenges.

Ashley’s battle with ulcerative colitis

It was at that moment our lives took a hard detour. Our backstory: At 18 I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, which is a chronic, inflammatory bowel disease of the digestive tract. In simple terms, ulcers grew in my colon and as they got too wide and too deep, they would burst causing excessive blood loss from the rectum. I had advanced and aggressive UC, and no amount of medication or treatments could get it into remission. After a 5 year battle, and at age 23, I was told it was urgent for me to have my entire large intestine/colon/rectum removed. I underwent multiple, major surgeries and am now colon free.

Trying to start a family

Fast forward to Alex and I trying to start a family. After trying for a long time the fun way with no luck, we knew we needed to seek help. In January 2018, I was diagnosed with infertility. We learned at that time:

The inflammation from my UC spread into my fallopian tubes
The scar tissue from my surgeries collapsed around both tubes causing 100% blockage
I had developed severe Hydrosalpinx due to A and B.

We were told IVF is our only option to conceive on our own. I think I always knew something wasn’t right. I think I always knew becoming a mother wasn’t going to be an easy journey. What in my life has been? But to hear multiple doctors tell you getting pregnant naturally is not an option, that your body is too damaged from the past to form new life, that you have a 0% chance to conceive on your own; it was absolutely devastating. There has been grief, and guilt, and anger, and deep sorrow, and disappointment; all of these feelings at the same time, it’s overwhelming. There have been gut-wrenching tears, copious amounts of research and educating ourselves on IVF, and many difficult conversations. But our days have also been filled with an abundance of love, unwavering support, and a lot of hope.

Not all conception stories are easy – but Ashley & Alex are ready to fight

Since our diagnosis, we have gone through 3 IVF Cycles and have had 7 losses. Our fourth IVF cycle starts soon and we will be adding PGS testing, additional medications and steroids to our protocol, and completing a Hysteroscopy prior to our embryo transfer. Alex and I refuse to settle for a 0% chance; we will not allow this diagnosis to derail us from our dream of building a family. We have a lot of love to give and will turn every stone to find a way. Alex and I are ready to fight, we are embracing this hardship, and like so many conception stories, we are mixing love and science. Infertility better be ready for a battle. We wish you loads of luck and are sending you tons of positive energy on your journey ahead. You can follow their journey on Instagram: @some_assembly_required

La entrada Conception Stories: Ashley & Alex’s IVF Journey se publicó primero en IGENOMIX - With science on your side.

Smoking and Infertility (And Other Toxic Habits)

igenomix — Fri, 17 May 2019 13:00:12 +0000

Your lifestyle, among other things, includes your diet, fitness, hygiene, toxic habits, and their mental health. It is very important to follow a healthy lifestyle and this is even more important if you want to get pregnant – because your health directly impacts your baby’s. As such, the consumption of toxic substances is directly related to a decrease in fertility and an increased risk of complications during pregnancy (if it even happens). In this article, we discuss the link between toxic habits and conception, including smoking and infertility.

Alcohol Consumption and Infertility

It is common, widespread knowledge that pregnant women should not drink alcohol, as there is no safe dose during pregnancy. However, there is not as much common knowledge about how preconception consumption affects both men and women.

Alcohol and female fertility

A woman’s metabolism absorbs and metabolizes alcohol faster than a man’s. Because of this, the consequences alcohol produces in women are more serious. The consumption of alcohol can alter the production of hormones and cause problems in ovulation and menstrual cycles. Women who do not drink are more likely to get pregnant. Furthermore, they are also more likely to avoid complications with their baby when they get pregnant.

Alcohol and male fertility

In men, the consumption of alcohol decreases testosterone production and increases estrogen; this leads to a reduction in the number and quality of sperm. In addition, it decreases the absorption of zinc (an essential mineral for semen formation) and affects libido, which may cause impotency.

Smoking and infertility

There is an important connection between smoking and infertility. Tobacco decreases the chances of achieving pregnancy both with and without assisted reproduction techniques. Avoiding tobacco and exposure is recommended and directed for both men and women.

Tobacco and female fertility

Smoking and infertility in women have an important link. Nicotine is toxic and affects female fertility, producing an accelerated loss of ovules and the advancement of menopause.

Tobacco and male fertility

In men, reproductive capacity decreases with tobacco use, causing changes in the motility, concentration, and shape of sperm.

Why your Health is Important to your Fertility

Fertility is determined by a series of conditions that depends on both male and female factors. Some of them are uncontrollable due to genetics, communicable diseases, or unknown causes. The remaining factors, on the other hand, can be controlled by making small lifestyle changes: Food, physical exercise, toxic habits, etc. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle increases the chances of getting pregnant and also minimizes the possibility of complications. There is no miracle solution to become pregnant. Unfortunately, we don’t have all the answers. But the more information becomes known about our body’s functioning, the more resources we have at our disposal to increase the chances to experience motherhood. If you are considering starting to try and have a baby, it’s best to make an appointment with your physician, establish a prenatal consultation, and make sure that you are in optimal health to have a baby. Always follow expert guidelines, and avoid following advice from unreliable sources that could put your health at risk.

La entrada Smoking and Infertility (And Other Toxic Habits) se publicó primero en IGENOMIX - With science on your side.

Dietary Changes and Vitamins to Increase Fertility

igenomix — Tue, 14 May 2019 13:00:34 +0000

Age is a very important factor when it comes to having a child. Biologically, the best age to get pregnant is between 20 and 30 years, the perfect time being age 25. However, it’s your decision to have a baby and also to decide when is the best time to have it. A person’s lifestyle (among other things) includes their diet, physical exercise, hygiene, toxic habits, and mental health. It is very important to follow a healthy lifestyle, but even more so if you intend to get pregnant – because your health directly impacts your baby’s. In this article, we discuss the importance of a healthy diet and vitamins to increase fertility.

Nutrients and Vitamins to Increase Fertility

The decrease in female fertility begins at age 30 and gradually accelerates over the next several years. At age 40, the possibility of pregnancy is half that of younger women, and the incidence of spontaneous miscarriage is doubled or tripled. For this reason, the sooner you start trying to get pregnant, the greater your chances. However, there are things you can do to promote your reproductive health, no matter your age. Your diet is a key factor both to achieve pregnancy and to maintain its proper development throughout the 40-week term. You must eat a healthy, varied, and balanced diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, and legumes, and moderate in fats of animal origin. With a balanced diet and vitamins to increase fertility, your chances of conception will improve. The proportion of nutrients and vitamins to increase fertility are as follows:

Carbohydrates. These are the main source of energy, representing 55-60% of the total caloric intake. Only 10% should be simple or fast absorption carbohydrates (sugars), the rest should be complex or slowly absorbed, such as the starches found in cereals, legumes, and tubers.

Proteins. These should represent 12-15% of total calories. Proteins of animal origin ensure the inclusion of all essential amino acids.

Fats. These should represent 30-35% of the daily intake (<10% saturated fats, 15-20% monounsaturated fats, and 5% polyunsaturated fats). Foods rich in high-quality fats such as olive oil, nuts, or bluefish are recommended.

The Elements of a Balanced Diet

A healthy diet for adults according to the World Health Organization includes the following:

Fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains.
At least five portions of fruit and vegetables per day.
Less than 10% of total energy intake from free sugars. Free sugars are all sugars the manufacturer, cook or consumer add to food and drink, as well as sugars naturally present in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit juice concentrates.
Less than 30% of total energy intake from fats. Unsaturated fats (found in fish, avocado and nuts) are preferable to saturated fats (found in fatty meat, butter, palm and coconut oil, cheese and lard) and trans-fats of all kinds (found in baked and fried foods, and pre-packaged snacks and foods).
Less than 5 g of salt (equivalent to about one teaspoon) per day.

Physical Exercise and Weight

Your weight influences your chances of conception. If you have a normal weight with respect to your height (BMI 18.5-24.9), you are more likely to have good health, and your chance of getting pregnant is greater. If your weight is too high (or too low), your chances of getting pregnant decrease. For instance, obesity (BMI> 30) has a negative influence at the time of conception. Excess weight implies excess body fat, which is stored in the body’s adipose cells. These cells produce estrogen, which is normal and necessary for the functioning of the menstrual cycle – but too much estrogen interferes with the cycle. In addition, it increases the possibility of developing endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome. Too low a weight (BMI <18.5) often leads to a low level of estrogen, irregular menstrual cycles, or even the absence of menstruation. Physical exercise has many health benefits among which are: Weight control, blood sugar level regulation, reduced risk of heart disease, improved mental health, and mood, improved sleep, stronger bones, and muscles, etc. The WHO recommends a total of 150 minutes of physical activity per week divided into several brief sessions: e.g. 30 minutes of moderate exercise, 5 times per week. The best cardiovascular exercises are walking, dancing, and swimming. To achieve positive effects for muscle tone and flexibility, experts recommend yoga, stretching, and low-impact exercises with weights.

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How to Use an Accurate Ovulation Calculator to Have a Family

igenomix — Mon, 13 May 2019 13:00:28 +0000

When you’re trying to conceive, knowing when you’re most fertile is key. That’s why understanding how to use an accurate ovulation calculator so you know when you’re ovulating can make the difference between achieving a pregnancy or not. Below, we review what ovulation is, when you’re at your most fertile and what the most reliable methods are to pinpoint ovulation time.

Why Learning How to Use an Accurate Ovulation Calculator is Important

Your fertile window is the best time to conceive. This is when a woman is ovulating. Depending on how long your menstrual cycle is, you may ovulate anywhere from day 11 to day 21 of your cycle (cycle day 1 is considered the first day of your period). When you ovulate, an egg is released from your ovary and remains in the body waiting to be fertilized for a span of 12 to 24 hours. At most, sperm can live in a woman’s reproductive tract for 5 days. This means that ideally, if a woman has intercourse around the time of ovulation (two days before and up to the day she ovulates), her chance of pregnancy increases. This is why how to use an accurate ovulation calculator become so important. You want to determine the timing of your ovulation because that is the time you are most likely to get pregnant.

How to Use an Accurate Ovulation Calculator to Determine When You’re Ovulating

Here are some ways on how to use an accurate ovulation calculator at home without the help of a doctor:

Ovulation Prediction Kits. These can be purchased at your local drug store and are not expensive. Directions are included in the kit, but in general, they detect levels of your luteinizing hormone (LH) in your urine. When you get close to ovulation time, your LH increases, which lets you know that it would be an ideal time to have sex.
Basal Body Thermometer (BBT). You can also buy these at your local drug store. You would record your BBT every morning throughout your cycle and document it. It’s important that you do this at the same time each morning before getting out of bed to ensure accuracy. When you track a slight increase in your body temperature, this would indicate you are likely ovulating.
Documenting Cervical Mucus. This entails tracking your vaginal secretions, which is something that some individuals may not be comfortable with. Cervical mucus can provide insight into your overall vaginal health, ovulation and more. When you’re trying for a baby, you need to look for mucus that looks similar to egg whites, is stretchy and almost clear. This not only indicates you are likely ovulating but also that the consistency is ideal for the sperm to swim in.
Fertility/Ovulation Apps. It’s important to note that when it comes to using fertility tracking apps, while you can enter the first day of your period, track your cervical mucus, or even when you’ve had sex but an app can’t pick up when you, for example, have had an LH surge. Most ovulation tracking apps tend to give you an approximation of when they think you’ll be ovulating, so they aren’t the most reliable forms of information to depend on when you’re trying to conceive.

How to Use an Ovulation Calculator if You Have a Fertility Issue or Concern

According to the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, you may want to considering making an appointment if the female partner is under the age of 35, and the couple has been actively trying to conceive for at least one year; or if the female partner is over the age of 35 and the couple has been actively trying to conceive for at least six months without success or if any of the below describes your situation:

Have missed periods or experience irregular periods
Are concerned that you may not be ovulating
Have had treatment or suspect you have endometriosis
Have been diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
Have a history of pelvic infection, such as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) pelvic pain
Have had two or more miscarriages (also known as Recurrent Pregnancy Loss)

While ovulation calculators can help provide an idea of when you are close to ovulating, they simply can’t replace a doctor if you’re having difficulty figuring out when you’re ovulating, if you know you may have a fertility issue or if you have any medical concerns.

How A Doctor Can Help You Conceive

As a woman’s age increases, her egg quality decreases and the likelihood of having an embryo with a chromosome abnormality increases. A higher rate of chromosome abnormalities in embryos means a lower chance of getting pregnant and a higher chance of experiencing a miscarriage. Meeting with a reproductive endocrinologist and undergoing a fertility workup can be helpful. Your physician will be able to determine whether undergoing IVF with Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Aneuploidy (PGT-A or PGS) will help increase the chance of a successful pregnancy. If there’s a need for medical intervention, specifically IVF, there’s also a higher level reproductive technology that can be used to determine your fertility window that’s called Endometrial Receptivity Analysis (ERA) that can determine your personalized implantation window. An endometrial biopsy will be taken by your doctor in a mock embryo transfer cycle, which entails taking a small sample of your endometrial lining. This sample would then be carefully analyzed to find when your specific window of implantation would be. That way, your doctor will know the ideal time to transfer the embryo to give it the best chance of implanting in the uterus, thus giving you the best chances of achieving a pregnancy. What’s comforting is there is support for every part of your trying to conceive journey. Whether you’re just starting out, been trying for a few months, a year, or it’s been a while. Sometimes, it may be a matter of getting the right diagnosis, some genetic testing or simply, some reproductive assistance but know that you have resources and options!

La entrada How to Use an Accurate Ovulation Calculator to Have a Family se publicó primero en IGENOMIX - With science on your side.

When to Try for a Baby: The Menstrual Cycle

igenomix — Fri, 03 May 2019 13:00:36 +0000

Female factors that influence fertility are directly related to the menstrual cycle. The menstrual cycle is how the female reproductive system prepares for pregnancy. If there is any deviation from the normal process of the cycle or its phases, fertility problems appear. Reproductive theory says the menstrual cycle lasts approximately 28 days and that ovulation takes place around day 14. However, only 15% of women have cycles of 28 days, and cycles between 21 and 35 days are considered normal. In this article, we look at how the menstrual cycle affects fertility in more detail, including when to try for a baby.

The Two Processes of your Menstrual Cycle

The menstrual cycle is a hormonally-controlled process that consists of two simultaneous cycles: The ovarian cycle and the endometrial cycle.

The Ovarian Cycle

The ovarian cycle aims at the maturation of the oocytes and hormone production so that if fertilization occurs, the embryo can be implanted. Therefore, the ovulation cycle is important if you’re considering when to try for a baby. The ovarian cycle consists of 2 phases:

Follicular phase. This is responsible for the maturation of follicles. Only one follicle will ultimately mature and become a Graafian follicle; the rest will be transformed into fibrous bodies. The main hormone that acts in this phase is FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone).

Ovulation takes place on the 14th day of the cycle, coinciding with the increase in LH (luteinizing hormone). A mature ovum is expelled into the fallopian tube, inside which it can be fertilized.

Luteal phase. LH produces transformations in the follicle and turns it into a corpus luteum. The corpus luteum is able to secrete estrogen, progesterone, and produce changes in a woman’s body.

The endometrial cycle

The endometrial cycle’s function is to prepare the endometrium (the mucous layer of the uterus) so that it can nourish the fertilized egg in case of implantation. It is divided into 3 phases:

Menstruation. This is the shedding of the endometrium along with the inactivation of the corpus luteum. It lasts between 2 and 7 days, depending on the woman. It is the first phase of the cycle and begins the count at day one, marking the beginning of the current cycle and the end of the previous.
Proliferative phase. The endometrium has been shed during menstruation, has a thickness of 1 or 2 mm, and will begin to thicken again. Estrogen acts by converting the endometrial glands: Before they were straight, narrow and short; now they become long and twisted.
Secretory phase. Progesterone further increases the thickness, the number, and the size of the blood vessels that nourish it. The endometrial glands gain the ability to accumulate glycogen, a carbohydrate energy reserve that can be transformed into glucose when the body requires it.

When to Try for a Baby: Your Fertile Window

The fertile period occurs from day 7 to day 20 of the cycle. These days are when to try for a baby. You should also know that while sperm has a half-life of 3 to 5 days, the ovum (once released), only lives from 4 to 12 hours. This means that even if you have intercourse 2 days before ovulation, the sperm will still be alive and have reproductive capacity.

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