Guide To Getting Pregnant

There is no doubt that smoking affects both female and male fertility. In women cigarette smoke is harmful to her ovaries and the longer that she has been a smoker the more harm is done. Smoking accelerates the loss of eggs and reproductive function and may cause menopause to advance by several years. The toxins in cigarette smoke interfere with the ability of the cells in the ovaries to create estrogen which causes the egg to be more likely to develop genetic abnormalities. There is also an increased risk of spontaneous miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy. If a smoker does manage to produce a baby it is more likely to have a low birth weight or be premature. And the likelihood of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is higher in a household where someone is a smoker.

Just as smoking has an impact on the general health of a man it also affects his reproductive  health as well. The sperm count of a smoker is on average between 13 and 17% lower than non-smokers. A man who smokes has more dead and malformed sperm and a lack of sperm motility. Smoking also stops the adhesion of the sperm to the egg which means fertilization cannot take place. What is equally worrying is that these affects are present whether the man is an occasional, periodic or even a passive smoker.

Cigarette smoke also damages the genetic makeup of the sperm – which cannot be repaired. This is now believed to be passing on permanent genetic ill health to any smoker’s child. Children of five years of age whose fathers smoked an average of a packet of cigarettes a day for five years prior to conception have a 70% higher risk of developing cancer than children born to a non smoking man.

Not only that but smoking can damage the veins necessary to gain an erection increasing the risk of erectile dysfunction by about 50% for men in their thirties and forties.

The good news is as soon as you stop smoking your body starts to repair itself. One day smoking is one day closer to restoring your fertility naturally and regaining general health and well being.

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Female infertility is fairly common nowadays. There are many causes of female infertility which are quite easily diagnosed. With the correct diagnosis of female infertility, it can be tackled successfully. If you suspect that you have female infertility, the first step is to understand the various causes of female infertility, so that you can determine whether to seek the appropriate treatment. Most doctors will recommend that if you are under the age of 39 and you have been trying to get conceive unsuccessfully for a year, it is time to consult a medical doctor.

The Causes of Female Infertility

There are many factors that contribute to female infertility. One is hormonal disorder that can affect the ovulation process. If hormonal problems are the cause of female infertility, the treatment options include taking hormones orally. There are numerous test kits available that can detect hormonal problems, including the basal body temperature chart, an ovulation predictor test and blood tests that can measure the hormone levels at different times during the monthly cycle.

Another cause of infertility is due damaged or blocked fallopian tubes. The fallopian tubes are the means through which an egg will descend from the ovaries to the uterus. If an egg cannot travel through the fallopian tubes, it will not be accessible by the sperms and hence, conception cannot take place. Infections, endometriosis and surgeries can cause damage to the fallopian tubes. This condition can usually be diagnosed with a variety of tools. Sometimes, surgery can remedy this situation. In other cases, the treatment may involve bypassing the fallopian tubes by extracting the egg directly from the ovary, fertilizing it in a lab and then transplanting it back into the uterus.

In rare cases, the cause of the female infertility cannot be determined. In such case, you and your doctor will need to decide on whether to proceed with any of the female infertility treatment options available. Failing everything, adoption will be the only means of having a child. However, with so many female infertility treatments available today, your chances of successfully conceiving a healthy baby are greater than ever before.

Common Female Infertility Treatments

New drugs are now available to enhance the success rate of many female infertility treatments. The potent combination of drugs, hormone therapy and various methods like artificial insemination are making conception much easier for many couples. The drugs are designed to induce the production of more eggs in the woman. Often, female infertility treatment drugs are used together with Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) and In vitro fertilization.

In Intrauterine insemination (IUI), the sperm is separated from the semen fluid. The sperm is then placed into the uterus by using a small plastic catheter. This female infertility treatment method is usually painless. It is almost always combined with the use of fertility drugs. These drugs will help the body to produce more healthy and strong eggs. This increases the chance of a successful conception. The correct timing is essential and careful monitoring is carried out so that ovulation occurs at the time of the IUI procedure. This treatment has a good success rate.

In Vitro Fertilization is another common female infertility treatment. In this female infertility treatment, fertilization occurs in a lab. This female infertility treatment entails the removal of mature eggs from the female and is fertilized with sperm collected from the male. The fertilized embryo is then placed back into the uterus of the mother. It is a popular form of female infertility treatment.

Endometrial Biopsy

When a woman is diagnosed with infertility, the doctor will usually perform a procedure called an endometrial biopsy.

An endometrial biopsy is basically gathering of a sample of the uterine lining. It is performed by inserting a catheter through the woman’s cervix and into the uterus. The doctor will then test to see the response of the uterine lining to progesterone. Infertility can be caused by a hormonal imbalance, which is why endometrial biopsy and infertility go hand in hand. An endometrial biopsy is also performed to check for abnormal uterine bleeding, which is also a result hormone imbalance.

If you are advised to go for an endometrial biopsy, make sure to take ibuprofen before the procedure. It will help to alleviate some of the discomfort. Just remember that an endometrial biopsy is necessary to determine the cause of certain infertility situation and in some cases the infertility can be reversed.

If the endometrial biopsy detects that the infertility is caused by a hormonal imbalance, the doctor will usually prescribe progesterone to relieve the situation.

Author: Cindy Heller

Cindy Heller is a professional writer. Visit Male Infertility Solutions to learn more about infertility immune testing and infertility caused by obesity.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cindy_Heller

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If you have been trying to conceive a baby for months without any success, you are probably looking for helpful information in order to understand the different causes involved. One of them has something to do with mineral requirements. Let’s see how zinc can significantly increase male and female fertility.

Why do testicles need so much zinc?

Several studies have demonstrated that for each ejaculation, a man loses an average of 5 mg of zinc. That represents an important percentage of the daily use of zinc in all body’s metabolic functions. Sperm does need a huge amount of zinc! Why? Zinc plays a major role in strengthening the structure of DNA material. As a result, zinc has a positive effect on sperm production. Additionally, it helps improve semen quality. High level of zinc in sperm would boost male gametes ability to speed up once moving in the uterus.

Why do female eggs need zinc too?

Zinc helps not only with the growth of seminal secretion in men but also with the production of healthy gametes in women (often called eggs). Zinc plays another crucial role in synthesizing the hormones (such as oestrogens and progesterone) necessary to get and remain pregnant. It appears that Zinc is the only mineral involved in infertility.

Use and Precaution

If you and your mate decide to take a supplement of zinc, make sure not to take more than 100 mg (it will depress the immune system). I recommend you to take a dosage between 30 and 60 mg of zinc gluconate or zinc sulfate per day. It’s enough! The other option would be to add foods rich in zinc to your daily diet.

Conclusion

Zinc (often coupled with folic acid) supplements intake could be one of the many solutions possible to treat fertility issues. It can help to improve fertility and get pregnant fast.

In order to really increase chances for conception, a couple would have to change a few things in its lifestyle. If you are ready to strictly follow a very comprehensive plan to get pregnant within 4 months click the Getting Pregnant Plan now!

Author: Alexis Roger

Alexis Roger is a French biochemist who loves investigating and teaching. He has studied various fields of science such as pharmacology, physiology, endocrinology, chemistry, bacteriology, anatomy and botanic. He displays a great interest in international alternative medicine therapies.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alexis_Roger

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