Fertility health and advice for having a baby

Fertility

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Male Infertility

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Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)

Female Infertility

Increasing Fertility

PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) - Facts And MythsBy Pamela Frank

The statistics are that Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) affects 5-10% of women of childbearing age, personally I think the numbers should be much higher. I think current diets and lifestyles are making the condition more prevalent. Higher than normal blood sugar levels interfere with normal egg development each month. These improperly developed eggs can remain on the ovary as a cyst. Since ovulation is either delayed or doesn't occur at all, the hormone progesterone is either reduced or absent in that cycle, leading to many of the symptoms of PCOS. Lack of progesterone leads to a relative imbalance between estrogen and progesterone so that estrogen's activity isn't balanced out properly by progesterone; this is referred to as estrogen dominance. The two hormones tend to have equal and opposite functions: estrogen causes proliferation of the lining of the uterus, while progesterone helps maintain it, estrogen causes proliferation of breast tissue while progesterone keeps it healthy, estrogen tends to provoke emotions like sadness and progesterone had anti-depressant qualities.

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Infertility Testing in Women By Michael Russell

Measurement of hormone levels not related to blood or urine may also yield information about infertility. For example, certain conditions that are associated with abnormally high male hormones such as testosterone or cortisonelike hormones can cause infertility. Also follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) are two messenger hormones that play essential roles in the delicate ovulation mechanism. If these are presenting slightly reduced or elevated amounts or do not fluctuate appropriately during the month, infertility may result. The hormone prolactin (which plays an important role in breast milk production) may be abnormally elevated and be the cause of infertility. Treatment of this elevated hormone level with the drug bromocryptine will in many cases cure the infertility.

A hysterosalpingogram is a test used to study the uterus and fallopian tubes. It can be done in a hospital or in the office of a radiologist. A speculum is inserted into the vagina and the cervix is grasped with a tenaculum. A dye-injection apparatus is then attached to the cervix, the dye is slowly injected into the uterus and X-rays are taken. Most women feel the injection of the dye to be about as uncomfortable as moderate menstrual cramps. The X-rays show the internal outlines of the uterus and fallopian tubes as the dye fills them. If there is any abnormality in the shape or size of the uterus or a blockage in the fallopian tubes, this may show up on the X-rays.

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