The “What Can Help You Get Pregnant?” plus 4 more

What Can Help You Get Pregnant?
Pregnancy After 40 - The Twelve Month Pregnancy
The Chinese Lunar Calendar As a Baby Gender Predictor and How to Use It
Infertility in Women and the Most Common Causes of It
Pregnancy After 40 - Helping You to Get Pregnant

Posted: 17 Dec 2009 09:42 AM PST

If you are having a bit of a difficult time getting pregnant, do not rush to the doctor yet. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services cites that most experts tend to use the 12-month time frame as an indicator of being infertile. In other words, you will be considered infertile if you have been trying to get pregnant for 12 months without success. The time frame goes down to 6 months if you are over the age of 35. If you have not reached these time markers and do not wish to seek medical assistance, there are certain things you can do to increase your chance of getting pregnant.

Most people are well aware that cigarettes and pregnancy does not mix. But, studies have shown that cigarette smoke can decrease fertility in both men and women and has a negative impact on fertility. For example, in a study in "Fertility and Sterility" showed that sperm counts in smokers were 17 percent lower than in nonsmokers. A Polish study showed that smoking also affected the sperm's shape and movement and smokers not only have a higher rate of infertility, they generally take a lot longer to conceive. Margareta D. Pisarska, MD, co-director of Center for Reproductive Medicine at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and editor-in-chief of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine News states that "We also know that smokers undergoing fertility treatments usually require much higher doses of fertility medication than nonsmokers."

Smoke from your own cigarettes is not the only kind of smoke that harms your chances of a successful conception but it is also being around smokers. A study published in "Human Reproduction" cites that secondhand smoke decreased the pregnancy rates in women undergoing fertility treatments. It is not enough that you quit smoking, which you will have to do anyway when you get pregnant, but you will have to limit your exposure to secondhand smoke as well.

Stress can also be a major factor in your chances of getting pregnant. There is no study that definitively shows the link between fertility and stress but medical experts agree that some link does exist. Smaller research and studies are being done that shows stress-reduction techniques do have an effect on fertility and fertility expert says Allen Morgan, MD, director of Shore Institute for Reproductive Medicine in Lakewood, N.J. Morgan believes that "it's only a matter of time before someone puts all the pieces together and sees the overall impact of stress on the reproductive system."

Though a direct link has not been proven, these early studies and trials do show promise. In fact, a Harvard University stress expert shares that a number of women undergoing stress-related therapy to help deal with infertility issues actually got pregnant simply by learning how to relax.

These methods are not a guaranteed way that you will get pregnant but, these methods are something you will want to do anyway and any natural methods that increases the chances of conception is a good thing at this point. Remember, before seeking medical assistance for potential fertility problems, you will want to be as healthy as possible so quitting smoking and having less stress in your life definitely increases those chances.

fivefilters.org featured article: Normalising the crime of the century by John Pilger. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Pregnancy After 40 - The Twelve Month Pregnancy

Posted: 17 Dec 2009 09:39 AM PST

A typical pregnancy lasts nine months however you should think about a pregnancy lasting twelve months instead. It is a good idea for you to prepare your body mentally and physically for an upcoming pregnancy three months prior to trying to conceive. This is especially true for women over the age of 40 trying to have a baby. During this time, it may be a good idea for you to seek out the advice of a medical professional in order for you to get all of your questions answered and for you get a check up to make sure there is no condition you may have that will negatively affect the pregnancy.

During this time, you will want to focus on two things: a healthy diet and, if you are a smoker, quit smoking. These two things have a huge impact on fertility and pregnancy health. Lots of leafy greens, lean proteins, and fiber will help your body become healthy and provide the fetus with the proper nutrients, especially folic acid. Sufficient amounts of folic acid helps to prevent certain birth defects like spina bifida. Many of these conditions occur very early in the pregnancy so you will want to be as healthy and nutrient-rich from the start. Consuming a prenatal vitamin is a good way to make sure you are taking the right amounts of nutrients. A medical professional can help recommend one for you.

Smoking a huge factor in fertility and the pregnancy. Most people are aware that pregnancy and smoking should not go together but do not know why. Smoking poses many risks to a pregnancy including birth defects and a low birth weight. Studies have also shown that it can double your risk of having an ectopic pregnancy. In short, an ectopic pregnancy is where the embryo attaches itself in the fallopian tube instead of the uterus. This is a life-threatening condition that must be addressed immediately and usually discovered by the eighth week of pregnancy.

As was mentioned, research has shown that smoking has been linked to fertility problems in both men and women. The journal "Fertility and Sterility" cites a study that shows that the sperm count for smokers were 17 percent lower when compared to nonsmokers. Another study in the same journal notes that once smokers stopped, their sperm count dramatically increased up to 800 percent!

While diet and quitting smoking alone may not lead to a pregnancy, it will give you an increased chance of conceiving. You will want to maintain a healthy diet anyway and as smoking and pregnancy do not mix, you and/or your partner will want to quit anyway.

fivefilters.org featured article: Normalising the crime of the century by John Pilger. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

The Chinese Lunar Calendar As a Baby Gender Predictor and How to Use It

Posted: 17 Dec 2009 09:38 AM PST

The Chinese Lunar Calendar for predicting baby gender was discovered, after years of investigation, by Chinese scientists about 700 years ago. Many in the far east believe it is very accurate, up to 99%! Whether you are a believer or not, the Chinese Birthing Calendar can be a lot of fun to mess around with at you're next baby shower or get-together.

If your already pregnant the Chinese birthing chart can show you if you'll be having a baby boy or a baby girl. If you are considering becoming pregnant make use of the Chinese birthing chart to decide the best month to become pregnant depending on whether you desire a girl or boy.

In order to insure accurate results you just need to know the mothers age at conception, and the month your baby is conceived. These dates need to come from the Chinese lunar calendar and not the Gregorian calendar used in most of the rest of the world.

Let's take a closer look at how you come up with these dates, shall we? To start with, the mother-to-be's age will start not at her birth date (as in the western world) but, on the day she was conceived. So, you add 9 months to her age to begin with. The Chinese New Year varies from year to year, falling sometime between January 22 and February 22. You will need to figure out if the Chinese New Year day on the mother's year of conception will have any effect on the mothers age as well. Next you need to determine the baby's month of conception, here again via the Chinese Lunar Calendar.

Spend some time and determine these two dates precisely, and then it's just a matter of finding the dates you have come up with, on the Chinese Lunar Calendar for baby gender selection, follow the two columns till they intersect and if the square is blue it's a boy baby or pink it's a girl.

The Chinese birthing chart, can be used on your unborn baby, your children, or even adults, or anyone for that matter.

Sometimes your unborn baby's sex can be determined, by way of an ultra-sound, as early as five months (although it's occasionally hard to determine until the seventh or eighth month.) But, I believe using the Chinese Lunar Calendar as your baby predictor is loads more fun!

So put the Chinese baby gender prediction chart to use (now that you know how to use it) at your next baby shower, or get together, and have some fun with it. You will find the Chinese Lunar Calendar for baby genderselection at my web page below, but remember it's for entertainment and instructional purposes only!

fivefilters.org featured article: Normalising the crime of the century by John Pilger. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Infertility in Women and the Most Common Causes of It

Posted: 17 Dec 2009 09:37 AM PST

The number one reason for infertility in women is because of some type of ovulation disorder. The most common disorder is irregular menstruation because this makes it difficult for the sperm to find an egg (and we all know how important that is!).

This irregularity in your period can be attributed to a lot of factors. It takes several areas of your system to actually pull off a regular period month after month. One small slip up can send a chain reaction through your entire body.

First thing that would most likely be examined is your ovaries because they may not be creating enough progesterone. This is the female hormone that stimulates the thickening of the uterus lining on a monthly basis. This thickening occurs in anticipation of the arrival of a fetus.

Or ovulation may not be occurring because you hypothalamus isn't secreting enough gonadotropin-releasing hormone. This is the hormone which signals your pituitary gland to produce two more hormones -- follicle-stimulating and luteininzing. Both of these are essential for continued, regular menstrual cycles.

An overproduction of prolactin may also disrupt your period. This problem originates in the pituitary gland.

Another common disorder in women is PCOS. That's polycystic ovarian syndrome. It's a hormonal imbalance wherein your menstrual cycle doesn't follow the "classic" model taught in medical school and health classes across the country.

If you have not been tested yet for PCOS, here are some signs that you may have developed it: obesity, skin tags and dark, velvety patches called acanthosis nigricans, which are usually located on the inner thighs or neck.

Another symptom which may indicate the presence of PCOS is that of excess hair. This is due to the abundance of the male hormones in your system. This usually develops from age 20 and gets worse as you get older.

Aside from the aforementioned hormone imbalances, another thing that may cause infertility in women is uterine fibroids. This is a condition wherein you develop benign tumors (which means it non-cancerous) within the area of your uterus.

There is also a condition that can prevent you from conceiving which includes some blockage in your fallopian tube. When this happens, your fertilized eggs won't be able to "travel" to your uterus.

Another cause of infertility for some women is a condition called endometriosis. Every woman has a lining in the uterus called endometrium. This lining, which normally grows on the inside of the organ, is actually growing outside of the uterus. Most commonly, this lining grows on the fallopian tubes, ovaries or even on the tissue lining your pelvis.

fivefilters.org featured article: Normalising the crime of the century by John Pilger. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Pregnancy After 40 - Helping You to Get Pregnant

Posted: 17 Dec 2009 09:37 AM PST

If you are ready to get pregnant and are over the age of 40, you are most likely to want to get pregnant now! Time is of the essence after the age of 40. Actually, it is closer to the age of 35. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the chances of a woman getting pregnant dramatically decrease after the age of 30 so a woman in this situation will want to make sure she does everything right from the start.

Before seriously trying to conceive, it may be a good idea to see your doctor. Make sure that you are in good health and there are no abnormal conditions that might negatively affect the pregnancy. Some doctors suggest taking prenatal vitamins especially ones high in folic acid since this will decrease the risk of your baby having neural tube defects, such as spina bifida.

Another step you should take is to get to know your ovulation cycle. Knowing the symptoms of ovulation will help you determine the best time to have sex. Some of the symptoms include changes in the cervical mucus and a pain on one side of your abdomen. There are also things called "ovulation prediction kits" that can help you keep track of your cycle.

There are many notions about the best positions during sex that will ensure pregnancy. Be aware that according to James Goldfarb, MD, director of the infertility service at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, "Very rarely, a woman's cervix is in an unusual position where certain positions can make a difference." In other words, stop worrying about positions as much as worrying about getting your body ready for the pregnancy. Goldfarb also notes that "It's good advice to lay in bed for 10 to 15 minutes after intercourse, but you don't need your feet in the air." You do not have to have your feet in the air after intercourse though this notion is commonly heard. Instead, just lie in bed for about 10 to 15 minutes so that the sperm has a chance to get into the cervix. After this time, "the sperm that is going to get into the cervix will be in the cervix."

There are many myths, common wisdom that is taken as fact, and old wives' takes about the best time, place, and position to get pregnant. Friends and family with good intentions tell most of them but seeking out a medical professional's advice is about the best thing you can do yourself.

fivefilters.org featured article: Normalising the crime of the century by John Pilger. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.