Infertility - Understanding Male Infertility : Sex Ed 101

Infertility has traditionally been thought of as a woman's problem. But as it turns out, we men don't get off that easily. About one out of every three cases of infertility is due to the man alone, and we're somehow involved in infertility about half the time.

A diagnosis of male infertility can be one of the hardest challenges a man can face. For some, it can be devastating. After all, the necessity of reproduction is one of the few things on which both Darwin and the Bible agree. Not being able to father a child can make a guy feel like he’s failing at one of his most primal responsibilities.

Lifestyle and Fertility

By Chris Woolston, M.S.

Humans are closely tuned to their surroundings - especially when it comes to making babies. Just as bears and elk wait for the right season to sire offspring, our bodies reach the peak of fertility only when conditions seem right for raising babies. If there's any sign of illness, malnourishment, or an unhealthy environment, our bodies may decide to put parenthood on hold.

The Father of Spirits

 "Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?" (Hebrews 12:9)

Human parents transmit physical characteristics to their offspring, but our spiritual attributes come from God, for He is "the Father of spirits." Paul recognized that all men are "the offspring of God" (Acts 17:29), and that each man is still "the image and glory of God" (1 Corinthians 11:7).

Thus our spirit/soul nature, as distinct from our body of physical/mental flesh, has come from God, who created it and united it with our body, evidently at the moment of physical conception in the womb. It is obvious that the "image of God," man's spirit/soul nature, could not be transmitted genetically via the "genetic code" and the DNA molecules, for these are simply complex chemicals programmed to transmit only the physical and mental attributes of the ancestors to the children. 

Do You Know A Woman With a Blue Menstruation?

The issue is bigger than blue dye in a tampon commercial.

by Pamela Madsen in Shameless Woman

If I ever checked my menstrual pad and saw something blue there instead of red, I think I would infarct! So, why do so many makers of "feminine sanitary supplies" feel the need to demonstrate menstruation with blue dye? Is the blue dye supposed to make us feel less ashamed of our monthly bleeding? Did someone - somewhere in the great marketing sky decide that women and the world at large would feel better if blue dye was used to demonstrate effective menstrual pads and tampons?

Why do they think we need to see any demonstration at all of how pads or tampons work or absorb menstrual blood? I am not really sure. But you can never be too careful with directions when it comes to menstruating females I suppose!

Frankly - I have been on a menstruation rant for a few days now. There is simply not enough real information out there for women about their menstrual flow. What is normal - and what is not normal. And what if our menstruation doesn't feel normal to us? What then? Talk about it?

Fertility Awareness – One Woman’s Success Story

By NEALEIGH MITCHELL , Author of BLISS 

Like most women, Kim Griffiths thought getting pregnant would be a breeze. Find the right man, get settled, and take the next step toward building a family.

According to a recent GfK Roper survey, 65% of couples didn’t consider fertility to be an issue when the time was right to conceive. Many couples are waiting longer to conceive for a variety of reasons, but of those that encounter difficulties getting pregnant, a whopping 91% say they wished they’d gone ahead and reached out to a fertility specialist sooner.

Griffiths knows exactly how these women feel. Here’s her story, what she believes is behind the delay in treatment, and the steps she’s taken to ensure more women can avoid similar circumstances.

How long did you “try” before you became concerned?
My husband and I started trying to conceive a little over a year after we were married. Almost immediately, I knew something was not right- I had one period, then none for about three months leading up to my annual OB/GYN visit. I addressed my initial concerns with my doctor and he prescribed a drug that induced my cycle. I took the drug, but wasn’t truly satisfied taking a “quick fix”, so I did some research of my own and began charting my Basal Body Temperature and reported back to my doctor a few months later armed with my charts as proof that I was not ovulating. At that point, my OB/GYN ran some tests and I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). My doctor assured me that this was a very treatable condition, but also wanted to test my husband’s fertility. He ordered a semen analysis, which revealed my husband has 2% Morphology, or 98% misshapen sperm. We were devastated by the news, but my doctor assured us he had a great professional relationship with a fertility specialist who could help us. We went with the referral, and opened the door to many more treatment options than we’d had on our own.

Were you and your husband doing everything typically recommended to conceive? Did you know what steps you should take?
It is important to distinguish between “trying” and “trying with well-timed intercourse” which is recommended prior to seeking the assistance of a fertility specialist. The current guidelines are if you are over 35 years of age and trying for 6 months (with well-timed intercourse) or under 35 and trying for one year, it may be time to see the specialist. The exception to that is if you are having irregular cycles. Once I started charting my Basal Body Temperature and saw that I was not ovulating, it was very difficult for me to have well-timed intercourse as there was nothing for me to time! We did try, though. We were hopeful. Luckily, I had a great relationship with my OB/GYN and still do to this day! I trusted him whole-heartedly and knew he was giving me a referral to someone he knew and trusted.

Do you think women are properly educated about the symptoms of infertility? 
It is so unfortunate, but many women think of infertility as something that only affects older women. The truth is, 1 in 8 couples are struggling with infertility, regardless of their age or race, it is a real problem. Even if you are not ready to start building your family, you should absolutely keep these things in mind and be mindful of your cycles. You are your own best advocate when it comes to your health. If something just doesn’t seem right, it is better to ask questions than to prolong getting answers. There are more of us out there than you think and we are asking our doctors the same questions you are!

Did you feel your OB/GYN was receptive to your initial concerns?
I really feel my OB/GYN was as hopeful as I was that the drug he prescribed would sort of jump start my cycle. He could sense my devastation when I came in with those irregular ovulation charts.

Did he recommend a fertility specialist soon enough?
I am so grateful that my doctor took a proactive approach and ran the tests even though the news broke my heart. We began seeing the fertility specialist just short of one year of trying on our own with my irregular cycles.

What were your initial feelings about needing to see a fertility specialist? 
Like so many other women, I never thought I would have to see a fertility specialist! Once I was diagnosed, I felt like my dreams of becoming a mom would never come true. You map out your life in your head and envision the house and the white picket fence and a family…I was devastated. I felt like I was being robbed of this right every other woman seems to have, like I was being punished, but I couldn’t figure out what I did to deserve this.

I have to stress, though, that once I made the call and had my initial consult with the fertility specialist, my entire outlook changed. Here was this amazing doctor that showed me not one, but several different paths we could take to build our family. He understood my diagnosis and I now had options! I went from dark to light almost instantly. He was so helpful, knowledgeable, and really made both of us feel comfortable about the journey ahead.

Why do you think so many women see fertility specialists as a last resort?
Many women associate seeing a fertility specialist with In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). They think that just by making that phone call, they will be scheduled to visit a cold, sterile lab where they will be told IVF is the only solution. It is quite the opposite. IVF is not for everyone and makes up only a small percentage of those treated. There are various treatment protocols that are customized to your specific diagnosis. It is your specialists’ job to make sure you are comfortable with the treatment, and it is their goal to help you achieve your goal- a family.

What other treatments did you try before IVF?
We started out with an ovulation induction pill along with Intra Uterine Insemination (IUI) where the sperm sample is washed and the strongest candidates are used in the insemination. The pill was not successful, so we moved on to injectible medications and IUI. Ultimately, I conceived my boy/girl twins via my first IVF cycle in April 2010. We just celebrated their first birthday in December 2011.

Did you have a strong support system?
At the time we were diagnosed, I didn’t know anyone in real life who was experiencing infertility. I turned to online resources and found a wonderful community of women going through their cycles at the same time I was. We have built some tremendous friendships and still keep in touch.

Were you hesitant to share your plans with friends and family members?
At first, we were hesitant to talk about it. It is so sad that infertility is still such a taboo topic when 1 in 8 couples are suffering. Once we opened up to our family and friends, they were amazingly supportive.

Share some of the advice you give your support group.
The best advice I can give and always tell my group members is that you have to be comfortable with your treatment protocol. If you don’t understand something, ASK, ASK, ASK. And if you forget, call back and ask again! Fertility treatment is a very serious thing to go through and you have to be an advocate for your own body.

Do you see some of yourself in the support group’s members? How so?
I absolutely do. I see the hope, the desire, the fear that each one of them has. I felt that way too. I wish I could make the journey easier for them. I wish I could tell them they WILL find peace whether it be through conceiving, adopting, or deciding to settle their family of two.

What (if anything) would you do differently in hindsight?
I would have opened up about our struggles sooner to friends and family. Infertility is nothing to be ashamed of and isn’t your fault. The more we talk about it, the more we spread awareness and increase support for each other. It is a very difficult thing to go through. You are not alone.

http://inspiration.bliss.com/2012/02/26/fertility-awareness-one-womans-success-story/

Trying to Conceive - Healthy Coping

Trying to Conceive - A Strong Yearning
Cravings can be strong. Oftentimes, our taste buds will not give up until we've popped that potato chip or bit into that chocolate bar. For a couple trying to conceive, the word "craving" doesn't even begin to describe the yearning that is so strong it hurts. If you have had frequent unprotected sex for over one year without conception, then you fit into the category of "infertile." I know, it is a cold word, but patients who fit this description should consider seeing a doctor for tests and guidance.

If you are just starting down the road of infertility tests or if you're nearing the end of treatment, you're not alone. Statistics show that 1 in 6 couples experience some form of infertility. That is an overwhelming statistic. However, even though there are so many traveling down the same road, this journey often feels so lonely.


Trying to Conceive - The Emotional Drain of "Trying"
Most couples say that the most difficult part of trying to conceive is the emotional drain. Each month, there is a sense of anticipation, a hope that maybe this month there will be success. Often times, the anticipation gives way to feelings of failure and despair. Tests follow, then treatments, then the cycle of anticipation and hope begins again.
Trying to Conceive - A Personal Story
So how can a couple go down the path of trying to conceive and remain emotionally stable? Consider this personal story:

"'Infertile? Are you sure?' Those words triggered over 7 years of tests, doctors, treatments, and 'trying.' Questions constantly plagued my mind as I thought about the possibilities. Would we ever have children? Does our value decrease if we remain childless? Are we doing something wrong?

"Each month the feelings would get stronger and harder. Around the fourth year of infertility, I realized I needed to change my mindset or I would go into depression. I began to acknowledge that God has a purpose in allowing us to go through this trial. As hard as that was for me to accept that, I knew in my heart that it was true.

"Here are some thoughts that have helped me survive during the course of this trial:

• Acknowledge your emotions and the feelings of your spouse. Talk openly with each other about your thoughts and feelings. Each of you may react differently to the process, but infertility is a lot easier when you're going through it together. Support each other and be very tender toward the other's emotions.
  
• Locate a doctor who cares for you. Respecting your fertility doctor is vital to your results. You need to feel comfortable and cared for during the process.
  
• Confide in a family member or good friend, or join a support group. Meeting with others who are traveling down the same road, often makes the ride a little easier.
  
• Try to keep sex from becoming just a mechanical, well-timed deposit. Keep your romance alive and fresh by planning special outings and weekends away.
  
• Help others. I found a large family who needed my help. The mother was overwhelmed by caring for 5 small children. She welcomed my help whenever I could give it. Sometimes emotionally it wasn't easy rocking twin babies to sleep, but it helped me cope and it filled that yearning in my spirit.

"The most important coping tool is remaining hopeful and content. The only way that is possible is through Jesus Christ. The Bible says, 'Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light' (Matthew 11:28-30). A relationship with Jesus Christ gives me hope as I continue down this journey of infertility. He gives me strength to go on - strength to keep trying. He gives me a hope for the future." Are you ready to accept that relationship?
allaboutlifechallenges.org

Ready for a Baby? Here's How to Get Pregnant in 2012! Read More http://www.ivillage.com/fertility-how-get-pregnant/6-b-420743#ixzz1mbRnSLkB Sign up for iVillage Special Offers

http://www.ivillage.com/fertility-how-get-pregnant/6-b-420743?obref=obinsite