Fertility Options Coach

Alternative medicine is a very broad field. There are treatments that have stood the test of time and have been proven safe for hundreds or thousands of years. There are other treatments that have been proven safe and effective in studies funded by prestigious institutions like the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Unfortunately there are also dangerous treatments and providers who are unsafe.

The nutrition industry alone is estimated to be worth $25.7 billion dollars a year. Clearly there is big money to be made from even poorly studied herbs and supplements—and even from substances we know have no effect or are even dangerous. In some cases (particularly in weight loss and body building) very dubious substances are marketed as health building. Not only are some of these substances unlikely to help you, some of them can kill you. Never take a supplement until you know what its history is.

When choosing a practitioner of any kind there are several things to keep in mind. The same rules apply to choosing a medical doctor, a naturopath, a massage therapist, or an acupuncturist.

*Do you feel comfortable with this person? If you get bad vibes, find someone else.

*What are their credentials? You want someone who has been properly educated and knows the risks of treatment as well as the potential benefits.

*How long have they been practicing? If they are new, is there an experienced practitioner keeping tabs on them? One of the best doctors I have had looked like he had just finished Junior High School. He knew his stuff, talked to me like I was a real person, and listened to my concerns. The fact that he was new meant that he was up-to-date on recent research and willing to try new things.

*Can you ask them anything and get a complete answer?

*Do they understand your health needs? You are unique and PCOS is complicated. If they don’t know at least as much as you do, are they willing to learn?

*Do they practice good cleanliness rules for patient interaction? Whether a doctor or an acupuncturist, you need to know that they are washing their hands, wearing gloves, and using clean needles!

*Do they offer references? Find out if they are for real or if they just talk a good talk.

In the end, the person you choose as your guide in the infertility journey as key to your success as well as your emotional health throughout the process. Studies show that your trust in the practitioner is sometimes even more important to successful treatment than the actual treatment.

Chronic, hidden inflammation is quickly becoming the most talked about medical phenomenon as study after study shows that inflammation is at the root of some kinds of infertility, PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), heart disease, weight gain, diabetes, certain cancers, asthma and a host of auto-immune diseases. If you have PCOS or unexplained infertility, you may find that an anti-inflammation diet reduces your symptoms and increases your fertility. Dr. Sears, the well-known author of the bestselling Zone books has written a comprehensive explanation of how foods cause the diseases we are now seeing in epidemic proportions. Better yet, he explains how we can simply and easily treat these problems by changing what we eat.

Includes recipes, a gentle exercise program, and loads of references to the studies on which he bases his conclusions. Reducing inflammation is the key to treating the diseases we are all interested in preventing. Inflammation may also be at the root of many cases of infertility. Chronic inflammation can interfere with hormone production, cause swelling and circulation problems for the ovaries and other organs, and lead to auto-immune diseases such as celiac disease and thyroid problems.

Well-written in an easy to understand manner as are his other books, this one seems to have worked out some of the kinks in his earlier systems. Eating an anti-inflammatory diet makes it much, much easier to lose weight and restore your health. It seems so simple couldn’t be true, but the science is there to back it up. Eating this way can reduce cholesterol, reduce your risk of heart disease and diabetes, and improve your overall health. The healthier you are the better your fertility. Many studies have linked PCOS to chronic inflammation. Future studies will undoubtedly prove that inflammation is at the root of many other cases of infertility. Highly recommended!

A review of several infertility books that may be useful to you.

Expecting Miracles

This reads like a cross between a memoir and a fertility guidebook. I learned a lot and had fun reading the success stories of the many couples treated by this amazing fertility doctor. His caring and concern for the couples he treats is obvious on every page. A great overview of infertility treatments as well as an entertaining read.

The Conception Chronicles

An amusing look at what it is really like to try to get pregnant when the stork doesn’t come calling at the expected time. A personal look at infertility with a lot of good technical stuff explained along the way.

What to Do When You Can’t Get Pregnant

A thorough, if not particularly well-written, look at modern techniques to treat infertility.

Getting pregnant is hard for one couple out of 6. If you need extra help in getting pregnant, having a good guide book along the way makes a world of difference. Be sure to check out the many book reviews and articles on this site. Knowing the terminology and understanding the mechanics (and chemistry) of fertility can make it much easier to choose the right fertility path for you and your family. You are not alone – and a few great fertility books can really help.

Are you considering in vitro fertlization (IVF) or other expensive fertility treatments? With the cost of even one round of IVF running as high as $10,000-15,000 many couples are simply priced out of the market. Some of those couples are turning to travel to solve their fertility issues at a fraction of the cost.

One fertility clinic in Mumbai, India, offers a single round of IVF for a mere $3,000. Even adding in the cost of drugs ($800 versus $1500 for the exact same drugs in the US) a $1,200 plan ticket, 10-14 days of hotel accomodations and freezing of any excess embryos, the total cost would be less than $7,000 for the same treatment offered in the US. Don’t want to travel to India for the procedure? Consider Australia, Canada or the United Kingdom where government health care keeps costs down.

While the procedures are exactly the same, the costs vary widely due to many factors. Malpractice insurance in the US is very expensive. Doctors in the US are also free to charge what the market will bear without government interference. Finally, drugs are often offered much less expensively in other countries – even when they are produced by the same manufacturer.

Here are some things to consider if you are thinking about fertility tourism:

* Ask a lot of questions. Be sure you understand exactly what you are paying for and what the doctor or clinic’s success rate is.

* Talk to others who have used the same clinic. Ask for references.

* Understand how treatments may differ. For instance, in the US, Australia, Canada and the UK, doctors are limited in the number of embryos they can transfer in one procedure. This limits the risk of multple births and the attendant risks to mother and babies when more than two babies are carried. Doctors in India are free to use their own judegement about the number of embryos they transfer. This can increase the cance of pregnancy in difficult cases, but it can also lead to the heartbreaking need to selectively reduce the number of embryos if more than two implant.

* Consider whether you are comfortable with foreign travel or travel to a particular destination. While the idea of a vacation is appealing, it can be really unpleasant to be far from home and possibly alone while you go through the emotional roller coaster of fertility drugs(you can bring frozen sperm with your for the procedure if your spouse can’t travel).

Foster care agencies are usually in dire need of foster parents. Many agencies are happy to accept single foster parents. While foster care is very challenging, it can bring many rewards.

There are approximately 500,000 children in foster care in the US at any given time. Many of those children will never be able to return to their birth families. Some will be available for adoption, others will stay in the system until they are 18 – when they will be left to their own devices without the supports that a family traditionally offers.

Single foster parenting is challenging. You have no one else to lean on when times get tough – and they will get tough. Children who have been abused or neglected, the vast majority of those in foster care, are often difficult. They may be angry, scared, depressed or numbed out. They may do anything from the typical “kid stuff” to actually hurting people or destroying things. Being a foster parent requires huge wells of patience and love. The rewards can be powerful and unexpected.

If you choose to be a foster parent, be sure to do your research. If there is more than one agency in your area, talk to parents who work with both agencies so you can get a feel for how they handle things. Connect with other foster parents online and in your area as soon as possible. Experience can be vital and when you can learn from those with more experience you will be more likely to have a successful foster care experience.

Be prepared for the agency to question you thoroughly about your marital status and your reasons for being a foster parent. While many agencies welcome single foster parents, they do need to protect themselves and the kids in their care by making sure that you have the right motivations and a good understanding of what you are getting into.

Foster care can be risky, so knowing what you are getting into and how to protect yourself is important. False accusations have harmed many well intentioned foster parents and there are things you can do to reduce your risks.