Posts Tagged assisted reproductive technologies
Acupuncture and Fertility Success with Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)
Posted by in Pregnancy on January 30th, 2010
The causes of infertility can be varied and are sometimes difficult to identify. Whatever the cause, fertility problems can often be overcome with surgery, medications, or assisted reproductive technologies (ART) – a modern medical approach where the egg, sperm, or both are handled by a doctor to increase the chances of conceiving. Yet there is a limitation to these procedures. Even though hundreds of thousands of babies are born with the help of ART every year, the success rates are slim and decrease with the woman’s age. ART come with a hefty price tag as well; one cycle of in vitro fertilization (IVF) can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000, or more.
Recent studies show a direct link between acupuncture and fertility when integrated with conventional ART procedures. The ancient Chinese practice of acupuncture brings a number of positive effects on the male and female reproductive system, increasing the chances of successful implantation and reducing the likelihood of miscarriage. Here are just some of the ways acupuncture can improve the chances of a successful ART procedure.
Induces relaxation
Western researchers have been doing studies on acupuncture for decades but in 2002, the journal Fertility and Sterility published a study that increased the treatment’s popularity among infertile couples. This study, which was led by Dr. Wolfgang Paulus from the University of Ulm in Germany, found that 42% of women who received acupuncture before and after an ART procedure got pregnant compared to 26% of women who got pregnant with ART without acupuncture. In that same year, researchers from Cornell University Medical School published a study in the same journal. According to this paper, acupuncture increases the chances of conceiving because it reduces anxiety and stress. Stress hormones can over-stimulate the nervous system, causing the blood flow to be diverted from the uterus and go to the stress-coping glands instead. Acupuncture can restore the blood flow to the uterus and ovaries, thus enhancing fertility.
Regulates hormone production and improves egg quality
One of the benefits of acupuncture to female fertility is its ability to treat problems in the pituitary gland and hypothalamus, the regions of the brain responsible for hormone production. The acupuncture needles also stimulate the release of beta-endorphins, which influences the production of reproductive hormones that control the menstrual cycle, such as the follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), gonadtropin releasing hormone (GRH), and luteinizing hormone (LH). The treatment’s effect on the body’s hormones results in regular ovarian functions, normal menstrual cycles, increase of follicles, and healthier eggs.
Reduces the side effects of fertility drugs
Most ART procedures include a course of fertility drugs to induce the release of multiple eggs and increase the chance of successful implantation. The irony is that many of these drugs, particularly Clomid, can also cause infertility by producing a thin uterine lining that cannot sustain an embryo for long. Acupuncture can reverse these side effects by improving the blood flow to the uterus and helping produce a thick, uniform uterine lining. This effect was documented in a study in Human Reproduction in 1996. Women who received two acupuncture treatments with their IVF cycle – one 25 minutes before the embryo transfer and another 25 minutes after – had a higher pregnancy rate than the women who did not get acupuncture with IVF.
Lowers the chances of miscarriage
Many studies look at the pregnancy rate after IVF and acupuncture, but what matters more is if the pregnancy is carried to term. A paper presented in the annual meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine shows that acupuncture can increase the live birth rate of ART procedures. This study looked at 131 women who went through an IVF/ICSI procedure; 48 of them went through an acupuncture treatment while 83 declined. Although the rates of successful embryo transfer were almost the same (50% of the acupuncture group versus 45% of the control group), the miscarriage rate in the acupuncture group was significantly lower at only 8% (versus 14% in the control group). The rate of ectopic pregnancy was also lower – nobody in the acupuncture group got an ectopic pregnancy.
Should I get acupuncture with my ART procedure?
Since acupuncture is a safe and painless technique that causes no harmful side effects, most fertility experts say it’s a good idea to get acupuncture treatments to complement an ART procedure. Scientific evidence points to its benefits for increasing success rates of ART and in addition, the relaxation provided by acupuncture is enough to recommend the procedure, what with the stress of coping with infertility and expensive ART treatments. Those who have conceived after ART and acupuncture are most assuredly grateful about the positive outcome despite the additional cost of the acupuncture treatments combined with the cost of ART.
Diana Farrell is an author of several popular fertility enhancement programs that have helped realize many couple’s dreams of parenthood. If you would like more tips about acupuncture and fertility as well as more valuable information about what you can do that will help you conceive faster, visit http://www.PregnancySuccessProgram.com.
Article Source: Acupuncture and Fertility Success with Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)
Problems Ovulating – Causes & Treatments
Posted by in Pregnancy on November 17th, 2009
Today, the number of female patients with infertility is increasing at an alarming rate.
Millions of women are not able to get pregnant, and thus they cannot become a mother.
Infertility has ruined the lives of a large number of women worldwide. There may be many causes that are either directly or indirectly responsible for this. One commonly found reason is difficulty in ovulation. Apart from ovulation, there are also other reasons that can be blamed for this situation in women. Also, in some cases, it has been found that a woman ovulates perfectly, but still do not get pregnant.
Ovulating but Not getting pregnant – Causes
As mentioned above, there may be many reasons which can cause female infertility. Some of these reasons include – hormonal imbalance, problem ovulating, age, extra weight of the body, improper diet etc. polycystic ovarian syndrome termed as PCOS in short is also one of the major causes of infertility. Cervical disorder, blocked fallopian tubes, smoking and intake of alcohol are some other reasons responsible for infertility.
Treatment methods to cure infertility
There are many infertility clinics available all around the world. These clinics offer effective treatment of infertility. Basically, two main types of treatment methods are used to cure infertility. These are described below –
1. Conventional treatment methods – In this kind of treatment method, different types of drugs and other medicinal techniques such as surgery are used to treat and cure infertility. Some of the very popular conventional techniques include Artificial Insemination, and Assisted Reproductive Technologies (which includes In Vitrofertilization also called as IVF). These methods are effective, but they can have side effects such as nausea, weight gain, and headache.
2. Natural Treatment Methods – All kinds of treatment included in the natural treatment methods are completely natural and therefore don’t have any side effects. In this type of treatment method, natural herbs such as Eleutherococcus Senticosis, and Vitex Agnus-Castus are used in place of harmful chemical drugs. These herbs are effectively used in some other kinds of medical treatments. Some of the other treatment methods of this type include – Yoga, Acupuncture, and hypnosis.
From the above information it is very much clear that natural methods are far better than the conventional methods. To get more information on the natural methods to cure infertility, you can search over the internet or you can also opt to buy a book written with the detailed description of the topic.
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Article Source: Problems Ovulating – Causes & Treatments
New Technology Could Increase Fertility Treatment Success Rates
Posted by in Pregnancy on October 21st, 2009
The fertility treatment industry and the medical field in general are no strangers to new technology making its way into the field. Innovative procedures and treatments are introduced consistently in the medical industry, with research being conducted every day to help improve the lives of people and, in the fertility field, to help couples conceive.
In vitro fertilization may be a staple among assisted reproductive technologies, as many people have become familiar with the procedure that combines an egg and sperm in a dish in a laboratory so that an embryo may form and be placed in the woman’s uterus where she is expected to carry it to term. With innovations in the field, the success rate of IVF has increased consistently through the years.
Preimplantation genetic diagnosis allows doctors to determine if any genetic defects exist in embryos used in the in vitro fertilization process. By diagnosing genetic disorders in embryos before they are used in an IVF procedure, many scientists and doctors believe that this has helped to cut down on genetic defects at birth and has improved the success rate of IVF.
Still, there are those looking for other ways to increase the in vitro fertilization success rate. Using a procedure called Array Comparative Genomic Hybridization (Array CGH), scientists believe that the new technology will increase the success of fertility treatment.
In this procedure, about 8 to 10 cells are removed from a blastocyst embryo on the fifth day following retrieval. The cells are then tested, which many believe has led to an increase in the IVF success rate. The procedure may require a couple of weeks before results may be obtained, which requires that the embryos are cryo-pressed and transferred in another treatment cycle. Research is still being done regarding this new technology in fertility treatment, including whether there are any adverse effects on the embryo throughout this process.
Couples and patients who are interested in this new technology and other fertility treatments should speak to a medical professional at a fertility clinic in their area for more information. In cases where couples have gone through several treatments with no success, exploring other options may be helpful. For couples and patients new to treatment, utilizing a proven treatment may be the best option. Of course, this is a decision that couples must make amongst themselves and with the guidance of a medical professional in the fertility services field.
Visit a Fertility Clinic in Mobile, Al on procedures and questions in giving birth, becoming a parent, and general question regarding Infertility Treatment, AL also with offices in Pensacola and Tallahassee, FL.
Article Source: New Technology Could Increase Fertility Treatment Success Rates
Surrogacy Overseas – A Boon for Medical Tourism
Posted by in Pregnancy on September 29th, 2009
Surrogacy is one of the fast evolving means of assisted reproduction. It is gaining popularity as it is of immense help to those who do not want to become pregnant or who cannot conceive due to various medical issues. It is also a boon for gay or lesbian couples.
Surrogacy in most developed countries however, involves a huge expenditure and lot of legal hassles. In the US, the laws governing surrogacy vary from state to state. In a study of surrogacy laws in 51 states, it was found that a mere 14 states permit gestational surrogacy for married couples only, where as it is unclear in about 7 states. Commercial surrogacy arrangements are illegal in the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Australia, Spain and China, while Japan still seems to be ambivalent toward surrogate childbirth. In most other developed countries like Germany, the legal situation of surrogate motherhood is very restrictive. Also it is estimated that the entire cost of surrogacy including payment for a surrogate mother ranges between US$50,000 and $100,000. These two primary reasons have led to the growing tendency of opting for surrogacy overseas, a prime and favoured destination being India.
Surrogacy has set its strong foothold in India and has witnessed number of successful cases. Surrogacy charges in India are approximately a fraction of what these are in the developed countries. There are not much legal issues and complicacies involved. There are only certain guidelines issued by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on surrogacy and Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART), but as of now, there is no law on surrogacy in India. Another major factor favouring India for surrogacy is fairly advanced health care system which includes expert team of surrogacy specialists, IVF doctors, and treatment technologies. Many hospitals in India help couples find surrogates. One will not even face a language barrier in India since English is the second most highly spoken language.
Surrogacy overseas increases the realm of medical tourism of the host nation. This becomes an added bonus to the economy and aids development. Medical tourism in India is fast growing and is expected to turn into a 1-2 billion dollar business by 2012. Indian surrogacy is already a $445 million-a-year business. In the past three years, a single clinic in India’s western state of Gujarat has more than 50 surrogate mothers on its books, half to Westerners or Indians living overseas. But since a country like India has most available surrogates belonging to the lower strata, concerns of health become a serious issue. So a commissioning couple must ascertain the health and medical condition of the person before agreeing on a surrogate mother.
Surrogacy creates life and brings smile in childless families. Helpless couples fulfil their wishes of parenthood. One can also vouch for the medical tourism option before signing the contract for surrogacy. This will help in understanding the methods and ways of surrogacy and one will be able to make a sound decision since it involves lots of money and human emotions.
James Johnson has years of experience in the field of Medical tourism.He guides you through various treatment options available to help you.To know more about IVF treatment,IVF Doctors,IVF Clinics,Surrogacy Overseas,Weight loss surgery and more, Visit www.surgeryunlimited.com
Article Source: Surrogacy Overseas – A Boon for Medical Tourism
Surrogacy India – A Much Better Option
Posted by in Pregnancy on September 25th, 2009
Surrogacy is one of the latest additions to India’s growing outsourcing business. It serves foreign couples seeking surrogate mothers in India. Relative affordability combined with loose legal restrictions makes India an ideal choice. A large number of prospective parents abroad and high rates of compensation for willing Indian birth mothers ensure an ever growing pool of suppliers for the industry.
Surrogacy charges in India are approximately a fraction of what these are in the developed countries. It is as low as one tenth of the costs incurred in U.S. or U.K. In the United States for example, a surrogate mother is generally paid $10000 and the agency is also given around $30000. In India however, the entire cost from expenses to birth ranges from $2500–$6500. Commercial surrogacy is legal in India since 2002; so there are not many legal issues and complications involved. The increasing number of Indians who speak English and the availability of fairly advanced medical technology in India further enable the nation to stand out from other potential lower cost countries.
While helping to realize the dream of starting a family for a client, it is important to ensure the health and happiness of the surrogate mother as well as the expectant couple. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has set guidelines for surrogacy. These suggest that the surrogate and the expectant must necessarily draw up an agreement. It also states that a surrogate mother should not be over 45 years of age and must be tested seronegative for HIV. A relative, a known person, as well as a person unknown to the couple may act as a surrogate mother but no woman may act as a surrogate more than thrice in her lifetime. However these guidelines have no legal validity. The Indian govt. should regulate IVF and related assisted reproductive technologies which may provide some legal protection for couples when they go for surrogacy treatment. Similarly there should also be certain laws to protect the rights of the surrogate mother and prevent her from being exploited. This will help curb injustice and promote fair practice.
Indian surrogacy is already a $445 million-a-year business. There are no official estimates on the number of surrogate births in India, but the ICMR predicts that commercial surrogacy will grow into a nearly $US6 billion-per-year industry. But since a country like India has available surrogates mostly belonging to the lower strata, concerns of health become a serious issue. So a commissioning couple must ascertain the health and medical condition of the person before agreeing on a surrogate mother.
India is emerging as a leader in international surrogacy and a major destination in surrogacy related medical tourism. Indian surrogates have been increasingly popular with infertile couples in the industrialized nations. While some critics’ visions of baby farms are unrealistic, the rapidly growing business may promote the transition of surrogacy from an uncommon medical procedure to an option of convenience.
James Johnson has years of experience in the field of Medical tourism.He guides you through various treatment options available to help you.To know more about IVF treatment,IVF Clinics,Surrogacy India,Weight loss surgery and more, Visit www.surgeryunlimited.com
Article Source: Surrogacy India – A Much Better Option
