Book 1. Fertility, Pregnancy, Baby

Book 1. Fertility, Pregnancy, Baby

(a Family Starts With a Baby)

Table of Contents

Family Introduction

Volume 1. Fertility/ Ability to Conceive

Chapter 1. Fertility Basics

Fertility in General

Infertility in General

Ovulation Info

Infertility for Women

Holistic Infertility Info

Extract Sperm From a Woman's Stem Cells

Infertility for Women Websites

Fertility Treatments

The Most Basic Fertility Method

Fertility Drugs Info

Chapter 2. Men's Fertility

Infertility for Men

Declining Men's Fertility Due to Estrogen Mimickers

Male Fertility Websites

Male Biological Clock/ Fertility in Older Men

Low Sperm Count/ Oligospermia/ Azoospermia

Chapter 3. Fertility With Help

Assisted Reproductive Technologies/ ART

Assisted Reproductive Technologies: The Moral Question

Artificial Insemination/ AI

Chapter 4. Eggs, Sperm & Wombs For Sale or Rent

Egg (Oocyte) Donor/ Seller

Sperm Donor/ Sperm Seller

Sperm & Egg (Oocyte) Banks

Sperm Bank Websites/ Egg Bank Websites

Gay-Friendly Egg & Sperm Banks

Free Sperm Donor Registry Info

Surrogacy Info

Commercial Surrogacy/ Wombs For Rent

Donors' Children

Anti-Egg Donation & Surrogacy Activists

Chapter 5. Holistic Approach to Fertility

Natural Fertility/ Holistic Fertility

Holistic Fertility Websites

Fertility Foods Info

Fertility Herb Critics

Fertility Herbs Info

Male Fertility Herbs

Chapter 6. Fertility Resources

Fertility Websites

Fertility Resources

Canadian Fertility Info

Fertility Clinics Info

Fertility Law/ Reproductive Law

Chapter 7. Conceiving/ Conception

Conception Info

Conception Websites/ Getting Pregnant Websites (Natural and Artificial)

Volume 2. Pregnancy, Childbirth

Chapter 1. Pregnancy/ Childbirth 1

Pregnancy/ Childbirth Info

Pregnancy Basics

The Pregnancy Process

Pregnancy Fitness Websites

Holistic Pregnancy Info/ Natural Childbirth

Holistic Pregnancy Websites

The Birth Process 1-3

Chapter 2. Pregnancy/ Childbirth 2

Cesarean/ C-Section

Umbilical Cord Blood Banking Info

Ectopic Pregnancy/ Salpingectomy Info

Episiotomy/ Cutting The Vagina

Midlife Pregnancy/ Over-30 Pregancy Info

Pathogenic Bacteria in the Birth Canal

Prolapsed Uterus Info

Tipped Uterus Info

Twins/ Triplets: Multiple Births

Vaginal Birth After Cesarean Section/ VBAC

Vaginal Bleeding In Pregnancy & Childbirth

Chapter 3. Before Birth: The Prenatal Baby

Genetic Screening Before & After Birth

Open Fetal Surgery/ in Utero Surgery

Fetal Health Websites

Prenatal DNA Testing Info

Amniocentesis Info

Birth Defects Info

Epigenome Research: Your Lifestyle Affects Your Sperm/ Eggs

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/ Drinking During Pregnancy

Law to Protect the Unborn of an Addicted Mother

Folic Acid Info

Leg Cramps During Pregnancy.

Maternal Serum Alpha-Fetprotein Testing/ AFP

Preeclampsia (Toxemia), Eclampsia & Hellp Syndrome

Toxoplasmosis & Pregnancy

Chapter 4. Pick the Sex of Your Baby

Gender Selection IVF/ Sex Selection

Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis/ PGD

Sex Selection Websites

Chapter 5. Pregnancy Resources/ Childbirth Resources

Find Pregnancy Healthcare

Pregnancy Websites

Reproductive Health Websites

Fat Pregnancy Websites

Preconception Health/ Before Pregnancy Websites

Disabled & Pregnant Websites

Childbirth Websites

Major Childbirth Resources

Childbirth Resources

Chapter 6. Pregnancy Topics Basics

Birth Plan Websites

Pregnant Fathers/ Expectant Fathers

Morning Sickness/ Hyperemesis Gravidarum

Ovulation Software

Perineal Care/ Sitz Bath

Pregnancy Test Websites

Premature Ovarian Failure Info

State Maternal & Infant Care Offices

Ultrasound Websites

Chapter 7. Home Birth Basics

Homebirth Info

Homebirth Your Baby

Homebirth Websites

Chapter 8. Alternative Childbirth Basics

Doula Info

No Kids Ideology

Alternamom Info

Alternative Childbirth/ Natural Birth/ Midwife Websites

Alternative Childbirth/ Midwife Resources

Chapter 9. Work & Family Basics

Working Parents Info

Work Issues For Families

Family & Medical Leave Act/ FMLA

Parental Leave Info

Sick Leave Info

Working With a Chronic Medical Condition

Maternity Leave & Motherhood

Adoption Benefits

Pregnancy Matters

Work & Caregiving

Work-Family Websites

Parenting Publications

Volume 3. Baby, First Year of Life

Chapter 1. Baby Basics

Baby & Child Health Safety

Co-Sleeping/ Mother & Baby

Help Baby Sleep

Postpartum Depression Info

Postnatal Care, The First Year

Recommended Childhood Vaccinations

Baby Resources

Chapter 2. Babies at Risk/ Premature Babies

Preemies 1-2

Preemie Complications

Preemies Resources

Congenital Disease Info

Erythroblastosis Fetalis Info

Respiratory Distress Syndrome/ RDS

Chapter 3. Death of a Baby

Infanticide Info

Miscarriage, Stillbirth, Infant Death

Miscarriage Websites

Holistic Approach to Miscarriage

Miscarriage Grief as a Couple

Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS)/ Abusive Head Trauma

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome/ SIDS

Pregnancy Loss/ Infant Loss Grief

Chapter 4. Breastfeeding Basics

Breastfeeding Info

Milk Banks Info

Breastfeeding for the Child's Brain

Breastfeeding Websites

Galactorrhea/ Nipple Discharge

Mastitis Info

Chapter 5. Baby Information

Preparing For Baby

Baby Names Info

Baby Name Websites

Newborn Websites

Raise Your Baby

Colicky Info/ Baby Crying

Make Baby Food

Baby Shower Websites

Soy in Baby Infant Formula Info

Volume 4. Baby Products For Sale

Chapter 1. Baby Knowledge Basics

Baby Info Websites

Raise a Baby Websites

Baby Health Websites

Baby Nutrition Websites

Cost of Raising a Child

Chapter 2. Baby Products For Sale

Baby Products For Sale

Premature Baby Products For Sale

Baby Bedding & Linens For Sale

Baby Bottles For Sale

Baby Carriages For Sale

Baby Carriers For Sale

Baby Clothing For Sale

Baby Food For Sale

Baby Formula/ Liquid Food For Sale

Birth Announcements For Sale

Breast Pumps/ Clothes For Sale

Car Seats For Sale

Cribs, etc. For Sale

Diapers, Cloth & Disposable For Sale

Maternity/ Nursing Products For Sale

Maternity Clothing For Sale

Organic Baby Products/ Organic Child Products For Sale

Family Introduction

The "People Power" Family Superbook contains basic information about the many areas you need to know about when running a family and a household.

I deal with mostly five areas:

Baby.

Parenting.

Children’s Life/ Teen Life

The home as a building.

Buying stuff for the home.

Refer to some of my other books like the medical and health one, the travel and recreation one, the money and real estate book and my education book which are all concepts implicit in running a household.

For information about domestic violence, refer to my love and sex book.

For information about contraception, refer to my love and sex book.

For information about parenting a child with a mental or physical disability, refer to my disability book.

Consumer education books are at #640.7 or TX335 at the library.

Cooking books are at #641 at the library.

Home economics/ thrift type living books are at #332.024 or TX326 at the library.

Raising a family books are at #306.85, #646.78, #649.1 and HQ743-HQ769 at the library. There will probably be several hundred there if it's a city library.

Family books in general are at #306.80-90 or HQ536.

Marriage books are at #306.7 at the library.

Try #362.4 at the library for books about children's disability organizations, #649.1511, HV1596 and RJ506 for books about raising disabled children.

Books about problem children, children who are nonconformists are at #649.3 or RJ53 at the library.

Books about breastfeeding are at #613.2, #649.33 or RJ216 at the library.

Books about how to feed children are at #649.3 or RJ53.

Books about helping children learn to read are at #649.58 or LB1050.5 at the library.

Child psychology books are at #305.231 or HQ792 and you will find a few at #155, the general self-help section.

Try pueblo.gsa.gov, 888-8pueblo for some government booklets on parenting.

Information about sex education is in my love book and at #649.65 or HQ57 at the library.

Practical household books start at #640 and go to #649. There are many food preparation books at #641, child rearing at #649.

640. Household Stuff.

641. Food and drink.

642. Food and meal service.

643. Home improvement.

644. Household utilities.

645. Household furnishings.

646. Clothing, cosmetics, love, family issues.

647. Housekeeping.

648. Household sanitation.

649. Family life, child rearing, home nursing.

If you're looking for real estate and home information, refer to both my real estate and home book or go to #332.70 to #333 at the library.

For information about fertility and pregnancy, go to #618 at the library.

For extensive information about substance abuse, refer to my medical and well-being book or go to #362.29, #363.41, #615.7883, #616.801, #616.85-86 or HV5306 to HV5822, QK617 and RC564-RC1230 at the library.

Books about children and drug use are at #649.4 or HV5824 at the library. Books about substance abuse at work are at #658.3822 and HF5549.5.

For information about educating children in the academic sense as opposed to the parenting sense, refer to my education book or go to #370 to #379 and #792-793 (educational recreation activities) at the library.

Children's education is at #372-373 at the library where you should find information about children's books.

For information about money, either get my money book or go to #332 at the library.

For information about pollution in the home, either refer to my medical and well-being book or try #333, #613.5, #613.6, #690.837 and RA577 at the library. Books about home health/ environmental medicine are at #613.5 at the library. Books about pollution are at #304.28 or GF75. Books about poison/ toxicology are at #615.902 or RA770-RA1238 at the library. Books about poison are at #615.951 or RA1242. Books about chemical sensitivity syndrome are at #615.902 or RB152.6.

If you're interested in country living and homesteading, go to #630.2, #641.4 and #643 sections or S501 at the library.

Check out books about tools at #670.42.

Books about solar energy are at #333.7. Books about pumps are at #621.64.

Books about home energy are at #333.7 and #621.45 at the library.

Look in both the Yellow and White pages of your phone book under Social Service Organizations for the Parent Assistant Line.

There are parenting classes around. Check around through the YMCA and other social support agencies.

The major reference book for parenting is probably the Sourcebook on Parenting and Child Care (oryxpress.com).

National Parent Information Network

U.S. Department of Education

800-583-4135

npin.org

Free service, will attempt to answer any parenting question.

The National Council on Family Relations (ncfr.com) has an online database called Family Resources.

National Parenting Center

800-753-6667

818-225-8990

tnpc.com

National Association of Family Child Care

800-359-3817

nafcc.org

National Assocation for the

Education of Young Children

800-424-2460

naeyc.org

Volume 1. Fertility/ Ability to Conceive

Chapter 1. Fertility Basics

Fertility in General

Be fruitful and increase in number.

Genesis 1: 28

For a man to be fertile, the testicles must produce enough healthy sperm to be ejaculated effectively into the woman's vagina.

For a woman to be fertile, the ovaries must release healthy eggs regularly. Her reproductive tract must allow the eggs and sperm to pass into her fallopian tubes to become fertilized and implanted in the uterus.

The most important determinants of fertility are:

Age.

Health.

Health of the environment versus pollution.

Genetics.

Lifestyle.

Common sense tells us that in order to maximize chances of having a baby and having it healthy depends on the health of the parents.

The man contributes the sperm which is dependent on his general health and well-being, the girl contributes the egg which is dependent on her general health and well-being but the baby also lives inside of her body for nine months so whatever she does, how she lives will affect her baby.

Between about 85 to 90% of couples who want to have a baby will conceive within a year naturally without any help from modern technology.

The evidence indicates that the older the woman gets starting at 35, the more likely she is to have a baby born with some manner of a defect, namely a genetic one but physicians are quick to point out that your chances for having a healthy baby are significantly higher than having a defective one nevertheless be wary of the biological clock.

Generally, the younger you have your children the better. That's the way biology made you.

The definition of infertility covers the inability to conceive a baby as well as the inability to carry a baby, once conceived. The good news is that in many cases, infertility is not permanent.

Subfertility is the term used to describe a type of fertility that can be corrected in one way or another.

Primary fertility is the term used for a couple who have never had a child. Secondary infertility refers to a couple who have had children but currently don't seem to be able to conceive.

In clinical terms, infertility is often defined as the inability to conceive after a year of trying, without medical intervention. The causes of infertility could range from not having sex during ovulation to cases of full blown sterility.

For men, good health is a necessity in order to produce good sperm. Sperm cannot be produced if the body temperature is above 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit so avoid tight underwear, saunas, hot tubs, certain drugs that elevate your body temperature (cocaine) and avoid working in a hot environment (steel foundry) if at all possible.

In order to maximize health before pregnancy, a woman should find a good doctor then go see him or her regularly before she gets pregnant in order to learn about how to take care of her own body and how to maximize her chances to have a healthy baby.

Get your health insurance in order.

All women contemplating pregnancy should take a vitamin pill, folic acid, iron and zinc supplements.

Stop using contraceptives.

Get tests done for STD s, rubella, hepatitis, toxoplasmosis, etc. and get the necessary immunizations.

Get your vagina and reproductive system checked out.

If you're taking medication for an unrelated medical condition, ask the doctor how safe it will be to take it during pregnancy.

Get genetic testing to determine the probability of passing on defective genes, especially if over 35.

Infertility in General

Sterility aka infertility, is the inability to conceive a child after trying to do so for at least a year. The cause can be either one or both parties.

If you have been trying for more than a year to become pregnant or both of you are over 35, consult your gynecologist, obstetrician or urologist for further investigation. They will give you a thorough fertility evaluation.

For men, a general physical examination will be performed with a semen analysis and hormone testing. Transrectal and scrotal ultrasound may also be performed.

Women should track their ovulation by recording their basal body temperature for several months, checking their cervical mucus using a home ovulation test kit. A woman might get a blood terst and an ultrasound of her reproductive system to examine it for irregularities. A hysterosalpingography is a machine that examines the uterus and fallopian tubes. A laparoscopy can check the ovaries, fallopian tubes and uterus for disease.

They might not be able to explain the infertility but they will suggest fertility treatments. There are several treatment options.

Primary sterility means that a pregnancy has never occurred.

Secondary fertility involves one or both partners who have conceived previously, but are now unable to do so because of a possible physical or medical condition impairing fertility.

A woman who keeps having miscarriages is considered infertile.

Risk factors are age, stress, being underweight or overweight, diet, smoking, alcohol and drugs. Fertility peaks for both men and women in their mid-twenties. Male fertility starts declining in their thirties while women older than 35 years may experience problems conceiving.

Certain medical conditions such as diabetes, thyroid disease and anemia may also affect fertility.

There are several causes of male sterility, including:

Abnormal sperm production

Impaired delivery of sperm

Testosterone deficiency

Genetic defects

Undescended testes

Erectile dysfunction

The most common causes of female sterility include:

Fallopian tube damage or blockage

Ovulation disorders

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

Endometriosis

Early menopause

Pelvic adhesions

Benign uterine fibroids

Infertility in women may be treated with ovulation drugs, surgery, artificial insemination or assisted reproductive technology (ART). Other methods of ART also include donor eggs and embryos or gestational carriers (surrogate mothers).

Sperm production generally takes about 72 days so what you do today will show up in the sperm 2 ½ months later. Men should follow the generally accepted health advice available in hundreds of books at #611 to #613 at the library, namely:

Get a good amount of exercise

Eat healthy foods.

Minimize the use of alcohol and tobacco.

Take a multivitamin or two regularly.

Avoid stress to help keep the immune system strong.

Avoid caffeine.

Avoid activities which bang the penis and testicles around.

Live in a toxic-free environment away from pollutants and harmful chemicals. Open the windows to your home to let in fresh air regularly.

Sitting on a bike for long periods of time could affect your fertility. Get a comfortable seat or ride a bike less.

Be wary of side effects of medications you use.

Be wary of what certain recreational substances can do to your sex drive and fertility.

Former medical conditions could affect your fertility.

A problem in your plumbing/ erectile problems could affect fertility.

Generally, aging reduces fertility in men slightly.

Women should follow the above-mentioned guidelines even more stringently since the baby will be living inside her body for nine months and absorb everything she does.

In general, the most common reasons that lead to infertility are as follows:

Acidic or impenetrable mucus in the vagina

or cervix.

Adhesions in the fallopian tubes.

Alcohol abuse, smoking, drug abuse.

Antibodies in women that try to destroy sperm cells.

Cervical polyps.

Defects in the sexual organs.

Endometriosis.

Fibroid tumors.

Genetic disorders.

Hormone and glandular problems.

Hydrocele in men.

Poor general physical condition.

Previous infections/ diseases damaged your reproductive ability somehow.

Problems with development of the sperm, possibly caused by the testicles being too hot or varicocele, condition of swollen vein in a testicle, treated surgically.

Problems with the ovaries such as anovulation (doesn't produce eggs) or irregularity of Ovulation.

Sexual intercourse problems; erectile dysfunction, frigidity.

Sexually transmitted diseases.

Sperm problems, low sperm count, insufficiently active sperm.

Women over 35 years old.

Woman's allergy to her partner's sperm.

If you eat healthy (protein, vegetables) and take vitamin supplements along with folic acid, calcium, iron and zinc, you'll increase the likelihood of having a healthy baby.

If you smoke cigarettes, do crack, drink booze, the baby absorbs all of this and will be affected somehow.

Women who are extremely underweight and extremely overweight have health problems which will affect the health of the baby.

A certain amount of exercise is good for both the health of the mother and the developing fetus but too much wears the immune system down and reduces body fat levels which adversely affects fertility levels. It also increases the likelihood of miscarriages.

Too little exercise denies the body fresh air to help rebuild itself and release its toxins through sweat as well as a vigorous flow of blood throughout the body.

Ovulation Info

Fertility largely comes down to a woman's ability to ovulate which some infertile women can't do for one reason or another.

For those women who can ovulate, the ability to get pregnant comes down to the ability to predict when you're ovulating at which point the man should have sex with you as much as possible to ensure that one of his sperm unites with one of your eggs and takes hold in the uterus.

The average length of a menstrual cycle is 28 days but this varies for all women such that ovulation doesn't occur automatically at day 14 of the cycle. Generally, it could occur anywhere from day 9 to day 20 of the cycle, depending on a woman's particular menstrual cycle.

The two most common methods for predicting ovulation are:

Charting daily basal body temperature. About 14 days before a menstrual period, your body temperature will dip several tenths of a degree then rise up to a full degree or more. This is the beginning of ovulation.

Measuring urinary luteinizing hormone/ LH levels through one of the many ovulation predictor kits you can buy at the local drug store like Clearplan Easy, One-Step, OvuQuick and Surestep.

Two less reliable methods used to predict ovulation are:

Monitor changes in the cervical mucous.

Recognize ovulation pain.

At ovulation, the husband should have intercourse with the wife as often as possible during this time. Another suggestion is for the wife to stay on her back with legs in the air after intercourse for a few minutes to help the sperm descend down into the cervix to the uterus.

For an in-depth explanation of the ovulation process, try either #612.6, #613.9 or #616.69 at the library.

Infertility for Women

Give me children or I die.

Genesis 30: 1, infertile Rachel to Jacob

If you suspect infertility within your family, go to the library and get some books at the #616.69 section.

A fertility specialist or sterologist is an obstetrician/ gynecologist who specializes in infertility problems and tries to overcome them.

About 9% of the reproductive age population or 7 million Americans are infertile which is defined as the inability to conceive despite trying for at least a year.

Secondary infertility is a condition whereby a woman has one or more children then becomes infertile. If you suspect it, you must first go to the gynecologist, get a basic pelvic exam and if everything is alright, he or she will put you on a schedule to recognize when you're ovulating (taking basal temperatures) so that you know when to have intercourse to try to impregnate the egg.

Fertility in women refers to the ability to become pregnant and have a baby. A woman's monthly menstrual cycle reflects her ability to conceive. Menstrual cycles usually start during puberty, around the age of 13 and begin to taper off at about 45 years old. However, it is possible to still become pregnant before a woman's first period, right up until the end of menopause, around the age of 50 years old.

Women are born with about 400,000 immature eggs stored in the ovaries. When she reaches puberty and enters her reproductive years, her monthly menstrual cycle begins. The cycle begins on the first day of a woman's period and typically lasts about 28 days. The first day begins not when she is spotting, but when she experiences regular flow. By this time, only about 300 of these eggs will mature and be released. During each cycle, the ovary releases one egg (or, less commonly, more than one), which may go on to be fertilized by a man's sperm cell, forming the embryo. The development and release of the egg each month depends on an intricate balance of hormones, or chemicals that signal the body's organs to do specific jobs.

Some of these hormones are produced in the ovaries. Others come from two glands in the brain, the hypothalamus and the pituitary. The hormones necessary for menstruation and to become pregnant are produced by the hypothalamus, pituitary and ovaries.

Because every step in the monthly cycle is controlled by hormones, the correct amounts of these hormones have to be produced at the right times to make it possible for a woman to conceive.

Many people don't know they're infertile and even after years of trying, some still live in denial and think that positive thinking will solve all their problems. Sooner or later, you must acknowledge the problem and get professional help either to conceive or adopt.

The biggest culprit after age (over 35) is sexually transmitted disease so be careful and use a condom if engaging with multiple partners. Anything that attacks the immune system could also destroy fertility capability like pesticides, recreational drugs, alcohol, stress, too much exercise, overwork, tobacco, other illnesses, medications, etc.

Women who exercise too much or who have very low levels of body fat are compromising their fertility because fat is one of the building blocks of some of the body's hormones.

Even healthy couples can't conceive on cue. It generally takes several tries which means having intercourse during the woman's fertile time of the month which is right before and during ovulation. Because it's tough to pinpoint the exact day of ovulation, it's best to have intercourse as often as possible during the approximate time to maximize chances of conception.

After about a year of unsuccessful trying, a couple should go to a doctor (gynecologist or obstetrician) for an evaluation. Early warning signs are previous miscarriages, irregular menstruation, pelvic/ prostate infections and a gut feeling that there's something wrong.

A woman slowly starts to lose her reproductive capacity after 27 and the incidence of miscarriages increases also. Reproductive ability starts to decline rapidly at about age 40. A man can produce healthy sperm until well into old age.

For a woman to become pregnant, her partner's sperm must be healthy so that at least one can swim into her fallopian tubes. An egg, released by the woman's ovaries, must be in the fallopian tube ready to be fertilized.

Next, the fertilized egg, called an embryo, must make its way through an open-ended fallopian tube into the uterus, implant in the uterine lining and must be sustained there while it grows. Infertility is roughly equally both a man's and woman's problem.

For the woman, the first step is to determine if she is ovulating every month. This can be done by charting changes in morning body temperature by using an FDA approved home ovulation test kit which are available over the counter or by examining cervical mucus which undergoes a series of hormone induced changes throughout the menstrual cycle.

Checks of ovulation can also be done in the physician's office with simple blood tests for hormone levels, Endometrial biopsy or ultrasound tests of the ovaries. If the woman is ovulating, further testing will need to be done.

Some women's problems which could affect her fertility and her ability to have a healthy baby but may not are:

Age, 35 or over increases the chances of infertility, miscarriage and birth complications.

Appendicitis, infection spreads to reproductive area.

Bacterial vaginosis.

Endometriosis.

Fibroids.

Former ectopic pregancy, egg growth outside of uterus.

Menstrual irregularities.

Ovarian cysts.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome/ PCOS

Previous abortions and/ or miscarriages.

Previous medical conditions around the reproductive system.

Previous medical surgery around the reproductive system.

STDs, AIDS, etc.

Yeast infection.

Women generally have ovulation disorders which result in no production of the eggs necessary for conception. Irregular or no menstrual periods is a condition called Amenorrhea. Stress, diet and exercise can affect hormonal levels in the body.

Endometriosis is a condition whereby the tissue that is shed every month during menstruation blocks the ovaries and fallopian tubes. Another common problem is the simple blockage of the fallopian tubes for any of a number of reasons which prevents the egg from travelling through into the uterus.

Needless to say, tests to search out fertility problems are somewhat invasive and undignified but must be done if you want results.

Some female tests are:

Tests to see if the woman has normal ovulation with a basal body temperature record.

Endoscopy, use of a lighted flexible tube (endoscope) to examine internal pelvic organs, the tube being inserted through natural body

Orifices or small surgical incisions such as with a laparoscopy where the endoscope is inserted through an abdominal incision.

Specialized blood rests to monitor the rise and fall of hormones especially when a woman has irregular menstruation.

Ultrasound scan to detect evidence of ovulation.

Hysteroscopy, the tube is fed in through the vagina and cervix to examine these areas. Sometimes a biopsy may be taken as well and examined.

Hysterosalpingogram, an x-ray of the fallopian tubes and uterus after they are injected with dye to show if the tubes are open and to show the shape of the uterus.

Postcoital test. Some tests require participation of both partners. Samples of cervical mucus taken after intercourse can show whether sperm and mucus have properly interacted.

The couple must have sexual intercourse at home on the day of ovulation then go to the doctor's office where he takes some mucous out of the cervix and examines it since it's supposed to change consistency with ovulation.

Laparoscopy. An examination of the tubes and other female organs for disease using a miniature light-transmitting tube called a laparoscope. The tube is inserted into the abdomen through a one-inch incision below the navel usually while the woman is under general anesthesia.

Endometrial biopsy. An examination of a small shred of uterine lining to see if the monthly changes in the lining are normal.

Also, a variety of tests can show if the man or woman is forming antibodies that are attacking the sperm.

A miscarriage may be a sign of infertility.

Depending on what the tests turn up, different treatments are recommended. Clomid, Pergonal, Metrodin, humegon and Fertinex are the most popular drugs for women with ovulation problems. A fertility specialist may examine the uterus with ultrasound for eggs the prescribe drugs to help regulate the ovulation cycle. A side effect of this procedure may be the development of cysts.

Medical complications are common. Artificial insemination may be considered. This is simply inserting sperm onto the cervix via a syringe. If that doesn't do it, there may have to be surgery on the uterine tract area. Men may also have surgery to repair damage to the sex organ usually caused by sexually transmitted diseases.

In-vitro fertilization (IVF) is a highly technical process that basically involves combining a woman's eggs and the husband's sperm outside the womb in a plastic dish. The fertilized eggs (embryos) are then incubated and transferred into the mother's uterus through the cervical opening in the hope that she becomes pregnant.

Several eggs are usually implanted in the hopes that one will take although all could take leading to a multiple birth. Progesterone is prescribed to help with the process. A pregnancy test is performed a few weeks later.

Some variations of IVF are that the eggs are put into the fallopian tubes rather than the uterus, the use of surrogate embryos or sperm or embryos can be frozen and used at a later time.

A variation of IVF is Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer (GIFT) whereby a catheter is used to combine the eggs and sperm right in the fallopian tubes. Expect to pay around $10,000 for each IVF attempt not to mention the stress and the invasiveness involved. These techniques are called assisted reproductive technology.

In the end, fertility is a very advanced, complicated subject, very, very tough on your emotions and your everyday stable lifestyle and quite expensive.

If you repeatedly fail to conceive, you must let go at some point and leave it in God's hands and/ or go for surrogacy or adoption. Some people deplete their bank accounts trying to have a baby. Watch it.

Your family doctor may be able to refer you to a specialist but barring that, the specialties and organizations that deal with it are:

American Fertility Society;

Obstetricians & Gynecologists;

Reproductive Endocrinology;

Society of Reproductive Surgeons;

Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology:

The American Society of Andrology;

Urology.

Infertility doctors sell hope and some inflate their claims of conception. The procedures are costly whether they work or not. Pergonal, a fertility drug, causes major mood swings.

I found a book at the library that listed a directory of fertility clinics in the country so go to your library and check it out for yourself (#616.69).

Holistic Infertility Info

I've been reading a book about ayurveda where the guy makes good common sense by saying that some infertility is caused by problems with sex and the reproductive system but some is due to poor health.

If women are really skinny or anorexic, because they have very little fat on the body, it intuitively knows not to fertilize her with so little fat.

When the sperms of the male are injected into the vagina during sexual intercourse, an alkaline fluid is secreted from the vaginal walls. The sperms are able to move up the womb and through the fallopian tubes to fertilise the ova or the female egg only when this fluid is present.

Two factors are important in ensuring a normal secretion of this fluid.

Firstly, there should be an adequate nerve supply to the vagina ducts. This is the reason why very nervous women fail to conceive. The nervous system in such cases must be strengthened by adequate rest, relaxation and a proper diet.

The second important factor is to ensure that the fluid flowing from the vaginal walls is alkaline. If this is not so, the sperms are destroyed by the acidic fluid, usually present in the vaginal canal and womb. To ensure the necessary alkalinity of the fluid, it is essential to take a predominantly alkaline diet, with a liberal intake of raw vegetables and fruits and also to eliminate acid-forming foods.

Physical defects or structural abnormalities of the genitals and reproductive organs may be congenital or accidental. They can result from malformation or sagging of the womb, collapse of the fallopian tubes and the rigidity of the hymen.

Infertility due to physical reasons can result from poor health as a consequence of certain acute or chronic diseases.

STIs like gonorrhea, syphilis and herpes can cause infertility.

Other possible causes of infertility are surgical injuries, tumor, excessive radiation, lack of normal menstrual cycle, obesity, faulty metabolism and poor diet.

Psychological factors like emotional stress, tension, mental depression, anxiety and fear may also result in psychosomatic infertility.

Optimize your chances for fertility by doing the following:

Detox your body. This includes a juice fast for three days cfollowed by eating healthy foods. Get an enema to clean out the colon. Find a way to sweat, either through exercise or a sauna.

Eat the three basic health building food groups namely seeds, nuts and grains, vegetables and fruits. These foods should be supplemented with milk, vegetable oils and honey. Sprouting is an excellent way of consuming seeds, beans and grains in their raw form. in the process of sprouting the nutritional value is multiplied, new vitamins are created and the protein quality is improved.

Avoid excessive fat, spicy foods, strong tea, coffee, white sugar, white flour, refined cereals, flesh foods, greasy and fried foods.

Don't smoke anything or drink alcohol.

Take vitamin C, vitamin E and zinc supplements.

Try powderd banyan tree roots.

Try an infusion of the leaves of jambul fruit (jamun) taken with honey or buttermilk. The leaves presumably stimulate the secretion of progesterone hormone and help the absorption of vitamin E.

Try cooked eggplants. They increase the capacity to absorb vitamin E and stimulate the secretion of progesterone.

Exercise improves internal circulation in the genital organs and relieves inflammation and other abnormalities.

Get proper rest and relaxation.

Extract Sperm From a Woman's Stem Cells

Scientists in Britain have extracted sperm from a woman's stem cells, combined them with another women's egg to create a baby.

Technically, we don't need men for sperm anymore.

Infertility for Women Websites

4women.gov/faq/infertility.htm

adam.about.com/reports/000022_3.htm, an in-depth report on the causes, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of female infertility.

cdc.gov/des/consumers/research/recent_infertility.html

evemedic.com/infertility.html

fertilityplus.org

health.ivillage.com/infertility

healthandage.com/html/well_connected/pdf/doc22.pdf

ihr.com/infertility/women.html

infertilitypa.com, women's clinic, west reading, pa.

medicalnewstoday.com/articles/86782.php, clue to preventing infertility in women, infection of the uterus.

medicinenet.com/infertility/article.htm

mothernature.com/library/bookshelf/books/62/52.cfm

nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/infertility.html

obgyn.net

pdrhealth.com/patient_education/bhg01en05.shtml

thebostonchannel.com/womenshealth

umm.edu/patiented/articles/what_causes_female_infertility_000022_4.htm

womenfitness.net/infertility.htm

womens-health.com/boards

womenshealth.gov/faq/infertility.htm

womenshealthchannel.com/infertility/index.shtml

Fertility Treatments

The general steps of infertility treatment are:

Thorough physical examination, including urine tests and blood tests. Get tested for major diseases since infertility could be a symptom of an undiagnosed disease you might have like hepatitis.

If no problems are found, go to a gynecologist and urologist for further examination.

If no solution is offered, consult a fertility specialist (sterologist) who will coordinate an infertility work-up, a major fertility analysis of both the man in the woman in the couple.

The sterologist will talk to each individually and ask about the possibility of having an STD. He'll do a pelvic exam of the woman, a prostate exam of the man through the rectum and examine the reproductive systems of each.

He will conduct three basic tests:

Semen analysis, man masturbates in the lab, doctor analyzes the sperm. Could encompass the zona free hamster egg test (tests the sperm's ability to penetrate a hamster egg), the cervical mucus penetration test which examines the sperm's ability to navigate through cow mucus or the Kreuger test which evaluates the shape of the sperm head.

Mucus test/ Huhner test of mucus in the cervix and vagina to determine if the mucus is detrimental to sperm.

Endometrial biopsy, a sample is taken of the endometrium (lining of the uterus) to help determine whether ovulation occurs normally.

Some optional tests are the fructose test which checks for sugar fructose, the absence of which could indicate blockage in the epididymis and antibody tests to help determine whether the woman's antibodies kill the male sperm that enter her body.

The basic fertility treatments are:

Natural family planning.

Fertility drugs, which can be used in men to improve a low sperm count and in women can help correct problems with ovulation.

Lowering the heat of the man's scrotum, generally wearing looser underwear and pants which allow the testicles to hang further away from the body and be cooler which helps with sperm production.

Washing the sperm to separate it from semen then putting it into the vagina (artificial insemination).

Surgery to correct various parts of the reproductive systems such as to correct a varicocele, to unblock ducts or tubes or to remove ovarian cysts.

The most basic, common type or reproductive technology on which all the others are built on is in vitro fertilization/ IVF, a treatment where the man's sperm and the woman's egg (ovum) are removed from each of their bodies then cultured (brought together) in a glass laboratory dish (in vitro), also-called test-tube fertilization.

Afterwards, this ovum/ zygote is implanted in the woman's body. IVF is an all-purpose treatment for a laundry list of fertility problems all the way from damaged fallopian tubes to male infertility where the doctors probe into the testicles to extract a bit of sperm, enough for the procedure.

Fertility drugs are often given to the woman to help her produce a healthy ovum suitable for fertilization before the IVF. Doctors remove as many ripe eggs as possible using a technique such as laparoscopy. The eggs are then mixed with the man's sperm in a dish, placed in an incubator and checked on 12 hours later to determine if fertilization has taken place.

The fertilized eggs will begin to divide. They are left to grow for thirty-eight to forty hours wherupon they're examined and if they're good, several fertilized eggs will be implanted into the uterus through a catheter that goes through the vagina and cervix.

Several eggs are used because so many fail to

implant or spontaneously abort in the first few weeks but if they all take, the mother could be saddled with a tough multiple prenancy and be asked to abort one or more in order to ease the burden on her. Most doctors will limit the number of embryos implanted to four or five.

The woman goes home to rest and is often given

progesterone to build up the uterine lining and increase the likelihood of implantation. After a few weeks, doctors use ultrasound to determine if the fertilized aggs have been implanted correctly and are growing.

The pregnancy will be treated as a high-risk pregnancy. With IVF, a woman is more like to

experience more complications than a normal pregnancy such as bleeding, premature delivery and cesarean section because it's not part of a woman's natural cycle so her body isn't ready for the implantation by releasing the proper hormones beforehand or doing other necessary things common with ovulation.

When the woman's eggs are harvested, doctors can take extra eggs and the man's sperm of they want, freeze them and use them for successive bouts of IVF if the current ones don't work out. Doctors generally say they'll try about six times before they give up on any particular woman, that is, six different bouts of IVF.

Many treatments may have side effects and therefore are not always safe to use.

Fertility drugs such as clomiphene and gonadotropins may help to regulate a woman's reproductive hormones and also trigger the release of one or more eggs per ovulation cycle.

Surgery may help to fix blocked fallopian tubes and certain other defects, such as endometriosis, fibroids or ovarian cysts.

Artificial insemination involves a concentrated dose of sperm from your partner or donor injected into the uterus by a doctor.

One of the most common high-tech fertility treatments is in vitro fertilization (IVF). It may help you to conceive if you have blocked fallopian tubes, ovulation problems or if one's partner has a low sperm count.

Other fertility treatment options include gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT), zygote intrafallopian transfer (ZIFT), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), donor eggs and embryos, or gestational carriers (surrogate mothers).

Type the term Reproductive Technology into search engines as well as the following techniques:

Assisted hatching.

Direct intraperitoneal insemination/ DIPI

Egg donation.

Embryo transfer.

Gamete intra-fallopian tube transfer/ GIFT.

Intravaginal culture/ IVC.

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection/ ICSI.

In-vitro fertilization/ IVF.

Natural oocyte retrieval intravaginal fertilization/ NORIF

Partial zona dissection/ PZD.

Pronuclear state transfer/ PROST

Subzonal sperm insertion/ SZI.

Surrogate parenting.

Tubal embryo stage transfer/ TEST

Zygote intrafallopian transfer/ ZIFT

For books about fertility/ conception, try #613.9, #616.69, #618.00-20, RC889 or RG133 at the library.

The Most Basic Fertility Method

The most alternative theory I've ever come across as to how to conceive without intercourse is to get the guy's sperm. He has masturbated into a bottle and frozen it. Now you have it and it's thawed out. Masturbate and as soon as you come to orgasm, put a little bit in your vagina. The body is supposedly fooled into thinking it's having sex so it treats the sperm accordingly.

Fertility Drugs Info

fertilaid.com

ovulex.com

Some FDA approved, prescription fertility drugs are:

Chorionic Gonadotropin

Steris

602-278-1400

Chorionic Gonadotropin

Trade Name: A.P.L.

Wyeth Ayerst

601-341-2239

Chorionic Gonadotropin

Fujisawa

847-317-8800

Chorionic Gonadotropin

Trade Name: Pregnyl

Organon

800-631-1253

Clomiphene Citrate

Trade Name: Clomid

Hoechst Marion Roussel

816-966-5170

Clomiphene Citrate

Trade Name: Serophene

Serono

800-283-8088

Clomiphene Citrate

Milex

312-631-6484

Menotropins

Trade Name: Pergonal

Serono

800-283-8088

Menotropins

Trade Name: Humegon

Organon

800-631-1253

Menotropins

Trade Name: Repronal

Ferring

914-333-8947

Urofollitropin

Trade Name: Metrodin

Serono

800-283-8088

Chapter 2. Men's Fertility

Infertility for Men

The ability to have an erection, orgasm and ejaculation does not mean that a man is necessarily able to conceive a child. Fertility or infertility has nothing to do with sexual potency.

Infertility in men comes down to the inability to produce healthy sperm that will unite with the female embryo/ egg to be fertilized to form a baby over the space of the pregnancy. Nature has endowed most men with lots of sperm because the path to the female egg is often a difficult one.

Sperm are produced in the testes and travel through the epididymis, where they are stored and nourished. From there, they travel through the ejaculatory duct (known as the vas deferens) and further stored in the seminal vesicles. When sexual arousal and stimulation reaches a climax, it causes contractions in the muscles within the penis, urethra and prostate gland.

This results in semen been propelled through the urethra and out of the tip of penis. If the sperm are healthy and travel through a woman's cervix and uterus into her fallopian tubes, one sperm may fertilize the egg. Men continue to produce sperm irrespective of their age.

Exactly how many millions of sperm are needed to guarantee that the female egg will be fertilized is a subjective number different for every man. It's not just number that counts. It's also shape, swimming ability and rate of development that determine whether the sperm is strong enough to make it.

A normal ejaculation contains 250 to 500 million sperm. Sperm count is a standard of how many millions of sperm a man has in one cubic centimeter (cc) of semen. A normal fertile sperm count is 20 to 80 million sperm per cc. 20 million sperm per cc is considered the minimal number necessary for fertilization even though men with lower sperm counts occasionally impregnate their partners.

A sperm count below 10 million is considered poor or sterile. A semen analysis is a simple test where the sperm are examined under a microscope to check for number, shape and movement (motility index).

Good swimming sperm have strong tails that allow them to swim effortlessly but poor swimmers don't in a condition called Asthenospermia. A man goes to the clinic, masturbates in the bathroom then the sperm are looked at under a microscope.

There are several different types of sperm tests. Other tests are x-rays of the sex organs to look for damage; the Mucus Penetrance Test to see whether the sperm can swim through a woman's vaginal fluid and the Hamster-Egg Penetrance Assay wherein a man's sperm is tested on hamster eggs to see if they can penetrate them. There is currently an at-home sperm testing kit being developed called the Fertilmarq Kit.

Man can produce no sperm, a condition called Azoospermia, a problem usually caused by testicular failure due to either viral injuries like mumps or pneumonia or genetic disorders. Obstructive azoospermia is a condition where the testicles produce good sperm but the ducts to get it to the urethra are blocked so it doesn't get there.

A condition of too few sperm is Oligospermia. In this case, the problem could be defective testicles or a defect in the hormonal system of the body which starts at the pituitary gland goes to the hypothalamus and down into the body.

The pituitary produces luteneizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and this is related to both testosterone levels and the signals from the testicles in the production of Sertoli cells, sperm and a protein called inhibin. If any one of these areas are off; brain, testicles, testosterone, good sperm isn't produced.

There are two types of oligospermia; testicular which is primary and pituitary which is secondary. If the problem is in the testicles, it could be major. If it's in the hormonal production of the brain, it should be able to be fixed relatively easily.

Another type of infertile men produce too many sperm, up to 250 million per cc in a condition known as Polyzoospermia.

Pyospermia is a condition where a part of the penis is infected, such as the prostate gland, which causes bacteria and white blood cells to mix with the sperm thereby nullifying its potency. This condition can be treated with antibiotics to clear the infection up.

The doctor might examine the various hormones in the man's body, do a physical examination of the scrotum to check for a possibly varicocele ordo a rectal ultrasound scan to check the prostate and testes for possible cysts.

Alcohol, drugs and stress are the leading causes of male impotence although a wide variety of medical conditions could contribute to it. Some other causes of male infertility are psychological, pituitary imbalance, thyroid disease, diabetes, serious illness, adrenal imbalance, diabetes and testicular/ seminal damage/ injury.

There are two basic ways to increase a low sperm count; drugs prescribed by the doctor (testosterone, thyroid hormone, cortisone) or a complete change in lifestyle to healthy living.

Infertility in men is often caused by varicocele, an enlarged vein in the testicles. An outpatient procedure called Varicocelectomy can tie off this vein so that blood flow can be enhanced.

Varicocele surgery is performed on men whose testicles are thought to be good but they're simply restrained from getting the sperm out for any of a number of minor reasons which can be fixed.

To check for possible blockage of the vas deferens, a vasography may be performed. If the vas deferens is not blocked but there are still few or no sperm in the semen, the doctor might do a biopsy of the testicles under local or general anesthesia to see if sperm-producing tissue is present.

If the problem is in the brain such as men with Idiopathic Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism, doctors simply inject them with hormones that signal the testicles to produce more good, healthy sperm or prescribe drugs like clomiphene (clomid, serophene).

Another cause of infertility is that the man's apparently healthy sperm cannot penetrate the cervical mucus in the woman's vagina. There is a test for this where a few hours after intercourse, the woman comes to the doctor's office, he takes a sample out of her vagina to see if the sperm are swimming in the mucus or not. This condition is called sperm-cervical mucus incompatibility.

Studies have shown that men who wear tight underwear or use saunas and hot tubs are raising the temperature of their scrotum to above 104 degrees which is too hot for sperm to grow.

Men's most common threats to fertility are:

High temperatures like a hot work are (steel mill, bakery), something like a hot-tub, hot shower or sauna and a lot of exercise which increases body/ scrotal temperature.

Stressful lifestyle.

Cold, flu, etc.

Lack of sleep.

Poor eating habits.

General illness, weak immune system.

Mumps.

Injuries at work or sports in the groin area.

Long distance cycling.

Tight underwear.

Excessive use of alcohol and recreational drugs.

STD s.

Steroid use.

Radiation, cell phones, color TVs, computers.

Smoking.

Exposure to pesticides and other toxins.

Based on what I've read, infertility is a very complicated field that has numerous possible causes, some that could be incurable and others that can be treated and fixed.

It could be as simple as the testicles being too hot to produce sperm or as extreme as azoospermia which is often hopeless. My little report here can't do justice to this complex field which some doctors dedicate their lives to studying.

Sterility in men can be due to the testicles getting injured such as in sports or living a physically active life.

Certain chemicals can be toxic to male fertility like arsenic, mercury, anesthetic gases, benzene, boron, cadmium, carbon disulfide, carbon tetrachloride, chloroprene, formaldehyde, inorganic lead, manganese, methyl chloride, PCBs, pesticides and organic solvents (reprotox.com, reproductive toxicology center, toxins that could affect fertility).

Other risks are:

Microwaves.

Radiation (in computers, high tech equipment).

High temperatures.

Declining Men's Fertility Due to Estrogen Mimickers

 

Due to our toxic living standards and the prevalence of chemicals in the environment, the birth of males has dropped every year for the past 30 years. Genital defects, learning disabilities, autism, ADD and a variety of other afflictions have all skyrocketed in males while remaining comparatively low in females.

The average Gen Y male has a sperm count that is 50 percent lower than his father's and, of the few spermazoids he does have, 85 percent of them are genetically damaged. According to Dr. Fernando Marina, fertility expert at Barcelona's CEFER Reproduction Institute, if this trend continues, all men will be infertile within 60 years.

Most water contains chemicals from everything from pesticides to the estrogen in pills that women take like birth control, urinate out then release into the water supply called estrogen-mimickers. This is ruinning men's fertility rates. Use a water filter if you can afford it.

It's not just water in the water supply. The cow that becomes the beef you eat and the milk you drink was probably injected with estrogen mimickers. They're in cosmetics, plastics, cleaning chemicals, farmed fish and drugs.

Fat cells help keep some of the undesirable hormones you don't want in your body like estrogen mimickers and they also produce undesirbale hormones. Try to lose weight.

Male Fertility Websites

Books about infertility are #616.69 at the library.

fertilityhelp.net

health.am/sex/more/male_infertility_spermatogenesis/

4woman.gov/faq/infertility.htm

adam.about.com/reports/infertility-in-men.htm

amazon.com, male infertility--men talking by mary-clai mason.

fertilovit.com, improve sperm.

webmd.com/sexual-conditions/guide/sexual-health-male-reproductive-problems-penis-disorders

webmd.com/infertility-and-reproduction/features/boxers-vs-briefs-increasing-sperm-count

andrology.com

bdbazar.com, improves sperms count, motility corrects male infertility.

citeulike.org/user/abelmagalhaes/article/696116, infertility in men with spinal cord injury.

drkoop.com/ency/93/guides/000067_4.html

drmalpani.com

ewg.org

fertilethoughts.net

fertilityties.com

furtherhealth.com/blog/archives/114/mobile-phones-may-cause-infertility-in-men, mobile phones may cause infertility in men.

health.iafrica.com/doconline/mens/infertility.htm

health.ivillage.com/infertility

health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/infertility-in-men/overview.html

healthatoz.com/atoz/infertility/infindex.asp

hu-berlin.de/sexology/ece2/html/infertility_in_men.html

ihr.com/infertility/

indiaparenting.com/fertility/

infertile.com, the infertility center of st. louis.

infertility.vasectomyreversalonline.com/infertility-articles.html

infertilitydoctor.com/male_infertility/male_eval.htm

intelihealth.com/ih/ihtih/wsihw000/408/408.html

ivf.com/shaban.html

ivfctrstl.org, st. louis, tn.

ivf-infertility.co.uk

jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/content/full/84/10/3443

lebanesedoctors.com

male-infertility.md/infertility.shtml

mayoclinic.com/home?id'ho00103, article male infertility: causes and remedies.

medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=40606

members.tripod.com/wearethewebbs/infertility.htm

mercydesmoines.org/adam/wellconnected/articles/000067.asp

naturalqi.com/infertility_men.html

naturalypure.com, infertility treatment

nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001191.htm

obgyn.net/infertility/infertility.asp

ovulex.com/get_pregnant

patients.uptodate.com/topic.asp?file=endocrin/8386

preventdisease.com/diseases/infertility_men.html

resolve.org

sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070320091500.htm, nonsurgical therapy.

umm.edu/patiented/articles/what_causes_of_male_infertility_000067_4.htm

upmc.com/healthmanagement/managingyourhealth/personalhealth/men/?chunkiid=11688

urologychannel.com/maleinfertility/causes.shtml

urotoday.com/browse_categories/male_infertility

webmd.com/infertility-and-reproduction/guide/age-raises-infertility-risk-in-men-too

wellnesstrader.com/health-categories/male-infertility

womens-health.health-cares.net/male-infertility-causes.php

wrongdiagnosis.com/gender/men.htm

Male Biological Clock/ Fertility in Older Men

There is evidence to suggest that the sperm of older men is more infertile than the sperm of younger men and children conceived by the sperm of older men over 45 have many more birth defects than children conceived by the sperm of younger men.

We always thought it was just a woman's eggs that spoiled with age but men's sperm loses quality with age. Some men get some sperm frozen around middle age so they'll have good sperm if they decide to have kids alater.

extendfertility.com, freeze your eggs or sperm for a later date.

abc.net.au/science/news/stories/s1647054.htm

asrm.org/professionals/meetings/montreal2005/male_biological_clock_handout.pdf

babycenter.com/refcap/preconception/precondads/1490614.html

candy-club.ru/fertility-pills-men.html

cpmcnet.columbia.edu/dept/urology/fisch/drfischinthenewsmedia.htm

eurekalert.org

innovitaresearch.org/news_general.html

jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/296/19/2369

malebiologicalclock.com

malefertility.md, san diego.

mothersmovement.org/noteworthy/noteworthy.htm

naturechild.co.uk/fertility/male-sub-fertility/male-sub-fertility.html

ohsu.edu/about/mission/research/breakthroughs.cfm

pregnancy-info.net/infertility_male_biological_clock.html

sciencedaily.com/cgi-bin/apf4/amazon_products_feed.cgi?operation=itemsearch &sea

webmd.com/content/article/67/80098.htm

worldhealth.net/p/mens-health.html

Low Sperm Count/ Oligospermia/ Azoospermia

Sperm are quite small and only make-up about 3% of the ejaculated fluid, the other 97% being a fluid manufactured by the prostate gland which shoots out behind the sperm and pushes it into the vagina. The mixture is called semen.

The sperm, little living cells, contain your genetic code and when ejaculated, they have a mind of their own and try to swim upstream through the vagina into the cervix.

There are many reasons why a man could have a low sperm count ranging from genetics to pollution to stress to alcohol to certain medications. You can get sperm count tests done.

To do a sperm count, a male goes to a lab, masturbates and ejaculates into a test tube. A lab tech examines this ejaculate immediately under a microscope to count the number of sperm, to check the sperm's motility and to see whether it is normal or abnormal in some way like having two heads or two tails.

The standard of infertility is under sixty million sperm per ejaculation. Even though it just takes one sperm for conception, you need twenty million sperm per milliliter of ejaculate to fertilize one ovum because so many are killed by vaginal and uterine substances then it takes more sperm to kill off these enemy substances making room for the last few sperm to come in and fertilize the egg.

The testicles produce sperm. For maximum production, they must be five degrees cooler than the rest of the body. In order to keep the testicles cool, don't wear tight underwear, avoid long stays in a hot tub or sauna and take care of your health.

Generally the larger they are the more sperm they produce. The average man supposedly produces fifty thousand sperm per minute, three million per hour and for every ejaculation, he shoots off three hundred to five hundred million sperm which doesn't seem to make sense mathematically if you're shooting off several missiles a day.

When sperm are released into the vagina, many are killed by the vagina's acidy fluids, the rest try to swim into the uterus to attach to an egg but very few ever make it.

It could be the girl's problem. Even if you only produce a few sperm cells, that could be enough provided the other conditions are right. Maybe she's infertile for some reason. The sperm that spot the egg engage in a fierce battle to get into it.

They let out a chemical which penetrates the wall of the egg and try to get in. There can only be one winner. The one that breaks through first unites with the 23 chromosomes of the girl's egg.

Even if you're impotent, doctors can go into your testicles and extract some sperm to implant artificially into a female egg.

Infertility could be caused by a sexually

transmitted disease which could damage something in the penis like the vas, the little tube that goes from the testicles to the urethra.

Clomid is a drug that increases sperm count.

advancedfertility.com/maleinfertilitytreatment.htm

ayurveda-increaselibido.com

babyhopes.com/articles/causes-low-sperm-count.html

babyhopesinternational.com/fertilmarq.html, home diagnostic screening test for male infertility.

beinghealthynaturally.com/naturalcures/lowspermcount.htm

biggerloads.com

drmalpani.com/book/chapter7.html

ehponline.org/press/swan2003.html, quality in rural areas tied to herbicides.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/sperm_count

fertilaid.com, improve your sperm count.

indianchild.com/pregnancy/low_sperm_count.htm

male911.com/low-sperm-count.html

malefertility.md/low-sperm-count.html

mayoclinic.com/health/low-sperm-count

med-direct.com/mens-fertility/causes.html

medicalnewstoday.com/articles/54866.php, cell phone usage linked to lower sperm count.

mitamins.com/disease/low-sperm-counts.html

news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/04/0427_050427_strangedays3.html, low sperm counts blamed on pesticides.

ourstolenfuture.org/newscience/reproduction/sperm/sperm.htm

phertilitymaxx.com, improve your motility.

pinelandpress.com/faq/lowtech/lowtech04.html

reproductive science center (rsc) of the san francisco bay area is one of the original infertility practices in the united states, founded just two years after the nation's first

rsc bay area fertility

rscbayarea.com/for_patients/male_overview/low_sperm_count_oligospermia_or_azoospermia.html

shytobuy.co.uk/sperm-count.htm

shytobuy.com/sperm-count.html

shytobuy.de/sperm-count.html

squidoo.com/causes-of-low-sperm-count/

testcountry.com/sperm-count-tests.html

trajectorweb.com

wernermd.com/lowspermcount.html