There’s lots of advice about what to eat once you’re pregnant, but what about before? Ideally, men and women should be well-nourished three months prior to conception for optimal pregnancy outcomes. Avoiding smoking, alcohol, and minimizing caffeine intake can all lead to a shorter time to conception and healthier babies. Diet and lifestyle choices can […]
The Impact of the Stillbirth Storyline on NBC’s “This Is Us”
My DVR is almost full. I’m in the middle of two Netflix series and one HBO documentary film. So when friends tell me “you’ve GOT to watch this show or that show” I just add it to my list. But when I heard about NBC’s new show This Is Us, I knew I had to […]
7 Ways To Help Someone Struggling With Infertility
If you have never struggled with infertility yourself, it can be hard to understand why the person you care about is so preoccupied, upset and unable to do things they used to enjoy doing. You may even worry that they are getting so depressed and withdrawn that they will never come out of it. So what can […]
How to Balance Work, Life and Fertility Treatments
Almost no one has the luxury (if you could call it that) of undergoing fertility testing and treatments without having to continue meeting all kinds of other commitments and obligations. Which means you have to fit your appointments and your blood tests and your procedures around the rest of your busy life. And if you […]
Why I Shared My Infertility Struggles on Facebook
Several months before I started trying to get pregnant, someone gave me a copy of Toni Weschler’s Taking Charge of Your Fertility. I read it religiously and determined – rather obnoxiously – that people who had trouble getting pregnant just didn’t make the effort to chart their fertility. I did everything I thought I was […]
Benefits of Acupuncture During IVF
The process of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is relatively straightforward: multiple eggs are stimulated with hormone medications, surgically retrieved from the woman’s body and then fertilized in a petri dish with sperm. Later, the “best” embryo(s) are transferred back into the woman’s uterus, where hopefully implantation and further embryonic cell division continues, producing a positive […]
Q&A With A Surrogacy Expert
Why use a gestational carrier? As you are likely familiar with, there are many paths to parenthood. Using a gestational carrier, also referred to as a surrogate, can be a beautiful choice for building a family. A gestational carrier’s relationship with you, the intended parent, should be collaborative, open and honest. The partnership and ongoing […]
Why Do I Need an HSG or SIS Test?
If you’re having trouble conceiving, your doctor might suggest you take some tests to evaluate your fallopian tubes and uterus. The fallopian tubes are critical for pregnancy to occur since this is where fertilization takes place. The test used to evaluate the fallopian tubes is called a hysterosalpingogram (HSG), which is an x-ray test. A […]
Why Men Should Get A Semen Analysis
The semen analysis is the gold standard for the male evaluation. This test can tell if sperm are present, how many and if they are moving. The semen analysis is important even if the male partner has previously fathered children. It can change during the reproductive years, but unlike eggs, sperm do not have a […]
Understanding Your Ovulation and Ovarian Reserve
When you start thinking about trying to conceive, one of the first things you need to learn about is “ovulation”. Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner Tamara Tobias explains everything you need to know about ovulation and ovarian reserve: The menstrual cycle consists of a pre-ovulation (follicular) phase and post-ovulation (luteal) phase. Follicular refers to when a […]
