Fertility Options Coach

There are a lot of good things about having an IUI or intruterine insemination. You know the sperm is getting where it needs to be. You know the timing is right. You are avoiding all the issues with a difficult cervix or having the wrong vaginal PH. On the other hand, you just don’t expect to be trying to conceive a child with your feet in stirrups and two other women in the room.

I will never forget my first IUI. My doctor assured me that it would be much, much easier than the HSG (hysterosalpongogram) they had used to check for blockages in my tubes. I told him the HSG tech said my cervix was difficult. He said they’d use ultrasound to guide the way and that it would not hurt as much. Mostly he lied.

For one thing, my doctor didn’t perform the procedure. It was performed by two super nice nurses. They asked me to identify the donor sample we were to use. I said I’d never seen it before, but hey, looks like sperm to me. They asked me to check the numbers on the syringe and the numbers on the form I had to sign. Yup, looks like sperm to me.

They didn’t use ultrasound either. Don’t know if that would have helped, but for me the worst of it seems to happen when they are trying to find the opening to my cervix. Seems mine is never in the right spot. It took a long time for them to get the right size speculum in the right spot to see where they were going. I don’t want to scare anyone, because from what I hear mine was far, far worse than average (as usual). But this was not fun.

Once they figured out where to go, the insemination itself was a breeze. Then the cramping started. I had to stay on my back for 20 minutes while “gravity” did its thing. They tilted the edge of the table up in the air and left the room. I shifted, squirmed, cried, and tapped my feet for 20 minutes while I begged these anonymous sperm to swim the right direction despite my cramping uterus. My husband said, “Don’t worry, labor will be a lot worse.” He is a very, very lucky man. If I had not been afraid of losing $300 worth of donor sperm I might have broken my vow of non-violence.

Since that first time, I have had three more IUI. None of them have worked for me, but at least the next three were much more comfortable. I had a different doctor and she actually did the procedure instead of passing it off to nurses.

Studies have shown that IUI in conjunction with other treatements can improve your odds of conceiving.

Diabetes can contribute to infertility for both men and women. Controlling diabetes seems to mitigate the fertility challenges and improve outcomes for pregnancy.

Recent studies have linked diabetes with male infertility. Uncontrolled diabetes seems to damage the DNA in sperm cells and cause fertility problems, including a higher rate of miscarriage due to genetic problems.

Women with uncontrolled diabetes are more likely to have fertility problems as well. Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common causes of infertility and is associated with impaired glucose tolerance and insulin resistance. Many women with PCOS are also diabetic or pre-diabetic. When insulin resistance is controlled through diet, exercise and in some cases use of diabetes drugs such as metformin (sold under the name Glucophage) fertility tends to improve. For women with diabetes, good blood sugar control improves pregnancy rates and the success rate of pregnancy.

Once a woman becomes pregnant, diabetes or gestational diabetes (triggered by pregnancy) can lead to an increased risk of miscarriage, premature birth and birth defects. High blood sugar levels can also lead to larger than average birth weight and respiratory distress after birth. When diabetes is well-managed, many of these effects can be controlled as well.

If you have diabetes, or suspect that you may have insulin resistance or pre-diabetes, talk to your doctor about what you can do to improve your blood sugar and insulin levels. Most often doctors recommend a combination of diet, exercise and medication to control diabetes. If you are pregnant, it is important to talk to your doctor about diabetes as early as possible to prevent problems.

If you are like most people, now that you have decided to have a baby, you want to get pregnant as soon as possible. Most couples who have no health problems will conceive within 4-6 months of unprotected intercourse. However, there are some things you can do to increase your chances from the start – 0r at least not get in your own way.

* If you smoke, stop. Smoking can hurt both male and female fertility and it is better to stop now so you don’t risk harm to your unborn baby. Smoking during pregnancy is linked to reduced birth weight and premature birth.

* Use a sperm-friendly lubricant such as PreSeed. Most lubricants can interfere with sperm motion or even block their path to the egg. Don’t use saliva or lotions as these can actually change the acid balance of the vagina and kill or immobilize sperm.

* Time intercourse correctly. A woman is most fertile approximately 2 days before and 2 days after ovulation. This window of opportunity can be even smaller as an egg can live only about 12-48 hours. Sperm live much longer, but even so sperm live on average just 24-72 hours. Learning when you ovulate is important to maximize your chances. The average woman ovulates at day 14 of her cycle (counting from the first day of red blood during her period) but I have talked with women who ovulate as early as day 7 and as late as day 25. If you have intercourse every other day during the peak fertility window, you will maximize your chances. The best way to learn when a woman ovulates is through a learning your personal fertility signs. You can read about signs of ovulation in Taking Charge of Your Fertility.

If after 12 months of unprotected intercourse you have not conceived, it is important to talk to your doctor. Male or female infertility could be the problem. Male fertility problems are the cause just as often as female fertility problems. Sometimes the cure is as simple as a round of antibiotics or may be as invasive and expensive as in vitro fertilization.

A simple sperm test is now available for use at home to help narrow down the potential issues, it is no where near as precise as laboratory tests, but it can be a first step to understanding your fertility.

A surrogate can offer a chance at parenthood for those who can not carry a baby to term or who can not get pregnant. When a surrogate agreement is successful, it can be a wonderful opportunity to have a child. However, using a surrogate comes with risks and is not right for everyone.

Things can and do go wrong with some surrogate relationships, as one couple recently learned the day after their surrogate was inseminated with the husband’s sperm. The surrogate announced to the astonished couple that she had feelings for the husband. The insemination failed, but the potential difficulties in that situation are obvious.

A surrogate mother may carry the embryo resulting from the egg and sperm of a couple suffering from infertility or she may carry a baby that is genetically hers after insemination with the sperm of the father. In either case, there is usually an agreement in place beforehand that after the baby is born the surrogate mother will relinquish any parental rights.

Some things to consider when deciding whether or not to use a surrogate:

* Be sure you fully understand the laws regarding surrogacy in your state as well as the state the surrogate resides in if they live elsewhere. Laws vary widely and in most state the laws are not up to date with current reproductive technology.

* A written contract is vital to ensure that all parties understand the agreement. Don’t overlook details such as who is to be present at the birth and who is responsible for all expenses. Be sure you have a lawyer review your written contract. Even with a contract, be aware that the law does not allow a birth mother to relinquish her rights before a baby is born.

* Discuss the surrogate’s reasons for offering to carry a baby for someone else. Many clinics require a psychological evaluation as part of the medical workup before insemination. If the surrogate changes her mind after the birth and refuses to relinquish the baby, it can be an extremely difficult situation both legally and emotionally.

* Talk with the potential surrogate about any issues you feel strongly about including smoking, drug or alcohol use, healthy choices during the pregnancy and what type of birth they want. Keep in mind that you do have a right to an opinion about many things, but that ultimately you can not control every aspect of the pregnancy – nor should you.

What you eat, how much you exercise, and subtle vitamin or mineral deficiencies can impact your fertility in surprising ways.

Did you know:

* Losing as little as 10% of your body weight can improve pregnancy rates for overweight women?
* Exercising too much can stop ovulation.
* Eating processed foods can reduce your fertility.
* When your body has a problem processing insulin you may develop polycystic ovarian syndrome.
* Obesity is now considered a sign of chronic inflammation–chronic inflammation is considered a major cause of infertility and PCOS.

Learn how to eat and what your body needs for optimum fertility.

Natural Infertility Treatments

This is my most recent book. I have gathered research studies and information on supplements, herbs, exercise, prayer, meditation, relaxation and dozens of other topics that impact your fertility. Available as an ebook or as a paperback book.

Diet Books

If you are overweight and suffering from infertility I highly recommend trying a diet that lowers insulin levels. Many women are suffering from undiagnosed insulin problems. Any of these diets are good, you simply need to find one you can live with. All of these diets focus on what you eat, none require starvation or unhealthy restriction. All are good choices for people who get sick on low carb diets and gain weight on low fat diets.

The Insulin Resistance Diet

An effective and relatively simple diet plan. You don’t have to go to extremes to lose weight.

The Anti Inflammation Zone

Dr. Sears has updated the popular Zone diet to include recent research on chronic inflammation. If you have high cholesterol, are overweight, have PCOS, or any auto-immune disorder, this diet is a very effective one.

South Beach Diet

A very popular diet that works wonders for many people who have never been successful at losing weight. A very healthy plan, this one is a bit more restrictive than I like.

Eat Carbs, Lose Weight

Sensible and enthusiastic as ever, Denise Austin brings us a weight loss and exercise plan that includes healthy carbs and good fats. Yummy recipes too!

Low GI

Low Glycemic Index (Low GI) diets are about eating slowly absorbed carbs instead of carbs that go into your system too quickly. Slow absorption means less insulin, no blood sugar crashes, and reduced inflammation along with weight loss.