Fertility Advice

Ashwagandha (Winter Cherry) Herb Review

2007-11-30T10:11:00.000-08:00

Ashwagandha is sometimes also known as Indian ginseng, Ashvagandha, Winter cherry, Ajagandha, Kanaje Hindi and Samm Al Ferakh and comes from the Solanaceae or nightshade family.

From the image above you can see that it the fruit of it looks like a tomato. The shrub itself can reach as high as 6' or 170cm and is often found in Bangladish, India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

Medically, Ashwagandha is seen as being a "rasayana" herb which is a herb that works non-specifically to increase a person's wellbeing. It is both the root and the berry that is used in herbal medicine.

But where does the name come from? Well in Sanskrit it means "horse's smell" - not a great name and probably wouldn't help it sell in the supermarket! But the name is totally accurate as it does smell like a sweaty horse.

Quite paradoxically it has been used as a sedative as well as to increase sexual vitality and erectile disfunction.

Are you looking to buy Ashwagandha?

Home Herbs
100 Capsules from £7.95
100ml Tincture from £10.95

Click Here

YourHealthFoodStore
Dabur Nature4U Ayurveda Ashwagandha Capsules
Higher Nature Rhodiola And Ashwagandha Powder
Natures Answer Ashwagandha Root Liquid
Natures Plus Herbal Actives Ashwagandha Capsules
Pukka All In One Ashwagandha Shatavari Formula Capsules
Pukka Ashwagandha Gotu Kola Formula
Pukka Ashwagandha Plus
Pukka Ashwagandha Vegetarian Capsules
Pukka Valerian and Ashwagandha Formula Capsules
Solgar Standardized Full Potency Ashwagandha Root Extract
Swiss Herbal Remedies Ashwaganda Tincture

Click Here

Himilaya Direct
Ashvagandha (Buy 1 Get 1 Free)

Click Here

Learn More about Ashwagandha

Flaxseed Oil Benefits and Information

2007-11-17T09:06:00.000-08:00

All About Flaxseed

There are basically two types of flaxseed - brown and golden (yellow). The component that many people buy brown flaxseed for are its omega-3 fatty acids. Although it is important to note that the golden flax is actually low in omega-3 fatty acids.

Flax is also used to create vegetable oil / linseed oil and has been used commercially for hundreds of years.

There have been some studies that taking flaxseed as part of a diet may help some individuals with certain types of breast cancer (see notes at the bottom).

There has also been some talk of talking flaxseed to aid fertility.

Where to buy flaxseed oil and capsules:

Chen J, Wang L, Thompson LU (2006). "Flaxseed and its components reduce metastasis after surgical excision of solid human breast tumor in nude mice". Cancer Lett. 234 (2): 168–75. doi:10.1016/j.canlet.2005.03.056. PMID 15913884.
Thompson LU, Chen JM, Li T, Strasser-Weippl K, Goss PE (2005). "Dietary flaxseed alters tumor biological markers in postmenopausal breast cancer". Clin. Cancer Res. 11 (10): 3828–35. doi:10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-04-2326. PMID 15897583.

Obesity leads to increased infertility

2006-09-08T09:10:00.000-07:00

The American National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences has found that "Men with increased body mass index were significantly more likely to be infertile than normal-weight men".

The lead investigator Markku Sallmen said that "the data suggest that a 20-pound increase in men's weight may increase the chance of infertility by about 10 percent,"

But it's not limited to men. Donna Baird who also worked on the study said that "women who are overweight or obese tend to have a more difficult time becoming pregnant than normal-weight women, but whether men who are overweight or obese also have fertility problems had not been studied."

The study established that 28 percent of the couples had experienced infertility because of such influences as age, cigarette smoking, alcohol intake and solvent or pesticide exposure. The researchers concluded that a man's weight "was an independent risk factor for infertility" regardless of age.

Conception Basics

2006-08-14T13:53:00.000-07:00

It would be remiss of us if we didn't cover the very basics of conception and fertility.

For the majority of women there will be times when you are more fertile than others. Knowing when this time is will help you conceive.

The first stage that perhaps many could overcome problems in becoming pregnant would be to work out when these fertile periods and have intercourse then.

Here are some of the requirements for you to get pregnant:

You must be ovulating or just about to - take an ovulation test kit;
The man must be fertile and ejaculate sufficient sperm - use a male fertility test;
The area of the opening to the womb must not be hostile to sperm
The egg must be fertilised and then implant itself in the womb. When you believe this to have happened then take a pregnancy test.

Male Fertility Testing Kit

2006-08-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

In addition to carrying out the Fertility Score Male Fertility Test below there is plenty you can do to help you and your partner have a better chance of conceiving. Give yourself a health check because aspects of your current lifestyle may be affecting your fertility...

Smoking: can significantly lower your sperm count and damage the sperm that is produced. Try and cut down or give up altogether.
Alcohol: the maximum number of units per week for a man is 21, but it is advisable to drink less if possible as alcohol is known to kill off the sperm-generating cells in the testes.
Diet and Fitness: increase your intake of fresh fruit and vegetables and reduce your intake of salt and fatty foods. Recommended minerals and vitamins to help with male fertility are: Zinc which is vital for viable sperm count, motility and a high percentage of live sperm in the semen. (Remember that Zinc is lost through ejaculation so include this in your daily diet.) Vitamin C also helps increase sperm motility; Vitamin E boosts general fertility; Omega-3 found in fish oil or flaxseed oil encourages healthy sperm and reproductive tissue. Vitamin B12 is essential for the process of cell division.
STDs: such as Chlamydia can effect the production of sperm. You may have become infected some years ago from a previous partner without suffering any noticeable symptoms so it is worth checking at this stage that you are free from any infection that might prevent or impede conception...

Find out your Fertility Test:

FertilityScore is an easy to use screening test, offering affordable, highly accurate home sperm testing.

Clinical Studies using FertilityScore have indicated a 93% positive predictive power for semen samples containing 20 million or more motile sperm per ml. A 90% negative predictive power was found for samples containing 10 million motile sperm or less per ml. Thus FertilityScore is a highly effective screening test for male fertility potential.

Buy the Male Fertility Test Kit from:
Express Chemist - £23.99

Implementation Of NICE Fertility Guidance,

2006-08-03T14:52:00.000-07:00

Infertility Network UK (I N UK) has been asked by the Department of Health to work with Primary Care Trusts in England to encourage implementation of the NICE guideline on the assessment and treatment of people with fertility problems.

The National Infertility Awareness Campaign (NIAC) is an umbrella body formed in 1993 with support, which it continues to enjoy, from a wide range of organisations involved in the field of infertility, including infertility charities, patient support groups, healthcare professionals and the pharmaceutical industry. NIAC campaigns for fair and equal access for those with an established clinical need to a full range of services for the investigation and treatment of infertility on the NHS.

Cut-price Fertility Treatment when Donating Eggs

2006-08-03T14:49:00.000-07:00

Lyndsay Moss of the Scotsman reports that women are to be offered cut-price fertility treatment if they donate eggs for stem cell research.

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has granted permission for researchers in Durham and Newcastle to offer IVF treatment at half price in exchange for half of their eggs.
Read the full article.

Fertility Treatment Not Efective For All

2006-07-22T01:36:00.000-07:00

The Lancet recently reported that a treatment commonly used as the first step of treatment for couples having problems conceiving may only be 30% effective.

Intrauterine insemination with controlled overian hyperstimulation may be more successful than without the hyperstimulation, intracervical insuemination or timed intercourse - however it costly and increases the chances of multiple births.

Read Medical News Today for more information.

Why More Young Women are Seeking Fertility Advice

2006-07-22T01:29:00.000-07:00

The Wall Street Journal recently examined the social trends which result in more younger women in the US to seek fertility advice.

According to a recent "National Survery of Family Growth" found that the percentage of college graduates aged 22-29 who recieved fertility treatments doubled to 23% from 1995 to 2002.

It says that a greater proportion are seeking fertility advice earlier, despite the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists defining infertility as the inability to concieve after 12 months of trying.

Also the internet with its level of information and allowing to communicate more easily has encouraged women to seek non-clinical and non-prescription approaches to the problem of infertility.

Natural Remedies for Female Infertility

2006-07-20T08:09:00.000-07:00

We've put together a list of remedies that may help you with female infertility:

Agnus Castus
Agnus Castus has been used since ancient times to reduce female sexual desire. It's also used for regulating hormones and relieving menstrual difficulties, and is considered the best herb for ailments such as fibroid cysts of the uterus and endometriosis.

From Home Herbs

Evening Primrose Oil (Oenothera biennis)
Evening Primrose Oil has been called the most sensational preventive discovery since vitamin C. It contains the pain-relieving compound phenylalanine and is increasingly being used to treat chronic headaches.

From Home Herbs

Flaxseed Oil (Linum usitatissimum)
Flaxseed has been cultivated for more than 7000 years. First cultivated in Europe, the plant's brown seeds were regularly used to prepare balms for inflamed skin and healing slurries for constipation. Rich in essential fatty acids, or EFAs, flaxseed oil is used to prevent and treat heart disease and to relieve a variety of inflammatory disorders and hormone-related problems, including infertility.

From Home Herbs

Ginseng (Asian Panax ginseng)
Asian Ginseng is one of the most highly regarded of herbal medicines in the Orient, where it has gained an almost magical reputation for being able to promote health, general body vigour, to prolong life and treat many ailments including depression, diabetes, fatigue, ageing, inflammations, internal degeneration, nausea, tumours, pulmonary problems, dyspepsia, vomiting, nervousness, stress, and ulcers.

From Home Herbs

The Guardian: The Argos Approach

2006-07-17T13:04:00.000-07:00

Yvonne Roberts in the Guardian rights a provocative article on future IVF provisions on the NHS following proposed changes to the 1990 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act.

The Health Minister, Caroline Flint wishes to change the law where fertility clinics should promote the importance of a child having a father and providing a free (to them) IVF cycle for single under-35's.

This is a pretty interesting article. We welcome your feedback.

Scotland's First Ever Private Fertility Clinic

2006-07-17T12:55:00.000-07:00

Two leading fertility experts have set up Scotlands first private fertility clinic, helping older women aged 45 and over.

Professor Richard Flwming, a specialist in reproductinve medicine and Paul Mitchell, the only embryologist in Scotland who is qualified to carry out pre-implantation genetic diagnosis have quit thier NHS posts to run the full time clinic.

The clinic based in Glasgow charges £3,000 a time for 'immediate' treatment to those denied IVF by the NHS because they are either overweight or already have children.

In the future they also hope to offer screen services to help identify genetic defects from ebryos.

Related: Two NHS doctors quit to set up private IVF clinic
Glasgow is to get Scotland's first private IVF clinic.

Air Pollution Could Affect Male Fertility

2006-07-17T12:32:00.000-07:00

New research shows a link between lower sperm and air quality according to the findings of a three year study done by researchers from Keck School of Medicine at University of Southern California.

Researchers analyzed sperm samples donated by 50 men living in Los Angeles. The samples were compared to air pollution measurements from the area in which each man lived. The conclusion was that the more smog in the air, the lower the sperm count.

"This study found there was a decrease in the average count of all 50 donors by 4 percent," said Scripps fertility specialist Dr. Lori Arnold.

Click here for more information.

Male's fertility rapidly reduces after 40

2006-07-17T12:30:00.000-07:00

A new study led by Dr. Elise de La Rochebrochard for INSERM indicates that after 40 a man's fertility declines by approximately 70 per cent.

Click here for more information.

Record Low Fertility Rate in Japan

2006-07-17T12:24:00.000-07:00

The fertility rate in Japan in 2005 was just 1.25 i.e. a women on average would have just 1.25 children during her childbearing age. This is the lowest level its ever been.

The falling fertility rate has lead to a number of policy initiatives. However, the changing nature of female employment with a greater proportion of women taking employment has led to fewer women wanting to have children early in their careers.

For more information visit asahi.com.

Denmark allows lesbian fertility treatment

2006-07-17T12:22:00.000-07:00

A bill giving lesbians and single women the right to artificial insemination in government health clinics narrowly passed the Danish legislature.

Under previous law, doctors could not legally give lesbians fertility treatment.

The final vote 87 to 83, the Copenhagen Post reported. The bill's passage was preceded by a week of debate, and consideration of one suggested compromise that would have made fertility treatments legal for single women of any sexual orientation, but not at government clinics.

Illegal egg trading worries IVF experts

2006-07-17T12:17:00.000-07:00

MSN Australia reports on the fact that a shortage of egg donors has result in women being offered illegal bribes. The bribes can take the form of rent payments and holidays.

But Monash IVF managing director Donna Howlett said it is inevitable that private arrangements are made: "If it's a private arrangement we won't even know about it ... But as a clinic, we are very clear that it (payment) is not legal.

How people react to this immotive subjective varies. But you can understand that if someone is so eager to have children and give life then they would do almost anything.

New Fashion Fertility Risk

2006-02-16T06:11:00.000-08:00

A leading practitioner of alternative medicine, Dr Wei-Xiong Chen, says that yongers who exposed their midriffs in cold weather could permanently affect their chances of having children by blocking the energy channels which run through the stomach.

He commented: "When the stomach area is exposed to cold air it can block the blood and energy flow in that area. It's dangerous." Dr Wei-Xiong stated that poor circulation caused by the cold could thin the womb lining could lead to painful periods and infertility.

However, traditional practitioners were unconvinced. Alison Murdoch, professor of reproductive medicine at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, said: "Culturally, people across the world wear clothing that exposes their midriffs all the time. There is no research in traditional medicine to support this. Having families later and obesity are much more important in leading to infertility than this.

"Young girls running between clubs in tiny clothes are probably doing more damage to themselves through other lifestyle choices, like drinking."

What are your thoughts, is this just another scary story in the press or should we take more interest in alternative medicine?

Americans prefer to leave child gender to chance

2006-02-15T07:34:00.000-08:00

A report by the Fertility and Sterility Journal has shown that American parents to be would rather not decide on the gender of their babies.

"We found that only eight percent of people would use pre-implantation sex selection for non-medical reasons," said Tarun Jain, assistant professor of reproductive endocrinology and infertility at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) and senior author of the study report.

The survey found that for people who wanted more than one child 77% would want an equal number of each or didn't mind what gender they were.

I'm not sure if they knew that to select the gender of the child would cost $2500?

Tax Breaks to Boost the Birth Rate - A Discussion

2006-02-14T14:57:00.000-08:00

The Political Editor of the Scotland on Sunday newspapper, Eddie Barnes, raises a very important point: Should mothers be given tax breaks to raise the birth-rate?

He calls for the funding in the light of the report by Lord Turner as head of the Independent Pensions Commission who commented about the looming population crisis. The birth rate in Scotland is currently 1.4 per women where as in England its 1.75. Furthermore, 41% of Scottish graduate women between the ages of 45 and 49 are still childless, comapred to around 30% south of the Border.

This seems to be an issue that needs to be addressed and although adoption policies may need to be reviewed, any incentives to raise birth rates should be looked at.

What are your thoughts?

New Rules on Human Egg Donation

2006-02-14T02:59:00.000-08:00

It has been reported that women who are not undergoing fertility treatment may be allowed to donate eggs purely for medical research. At the moment only women who are receiving IVF or gynaecological treatment may donate due to the health risks associated. But now the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority is asking scientists to recruit donors.

The process of donation itself can cause fertility problems and require the donors to take hormones to increase egg production which carries the risk of hyperstimulation syndrome which can lead to kidney damage.

The result of this, if approved, would be to allow women to take a risk with their health for no direct benefit for themselves. But if we like to think we live in an alturistic society if people are willing to take this risk for others then why not?

What Valentines is all about

2006-02-14T02:48:00.000-08:00

Apparently when it first started in the 4th Century BC in the hills of Italy. The festival was called Lupercalia and was all about "purification and fertility". St. Valentines Day isn't only hard for the singles amongst us, but also for those that are trying to conceive.

The process of Lupercalia is a bit more like a swingers party where you draw key's out of a hat. Then, young men would draw the names of teenage girls from a box which became the forerunners of Valentine cards. For the rest of the year the man and the women will be sexual partners.

The church outlawed the festival in 496AD to prevent the sexual nature of it, but kept the lottery part where people where given names of Saints that they had to emulate that year.

How Valentines got it's name was from St. Valentine who thought that an edict from Emperor Claudius II that prevented soldiers from marrying was unjust so he performed the services in secret. From this young lovers would swap handwritten messages of affection which mentioned St. Valentine.

High Heels and Fertility

2006-02-12T06:04:00.000-08:00

New reports relating to fertility and the wearing of high-heels are doing the rounds. According to fitness "expert" Dax Moy "if people value their health in any way at all, avoid these killer heels at all costs - they're not worth the risk". This is because when women wear high-heels they are rebalancing their bodies and moving their internal organs, causing a condition known as visceroptosis.

When high-heels are worn the extra pressure on the front of the foot is compensated by an excessive forward tilting of the the pelvis. If this continues for any length of time it could cause menstrual dysfunction, increases period pains and affects the ability to conceive.

The advice is therefore, when you're going out on the town, think past that night, think about how often you wear high-heels and if you would like children in the future.

Anthea Turner Accepts Fertility Blow

2006-02-11T05:43:00.000-08:00

It is reported that Anthea Turner has come to terms with the probability that she may never have children. She explains that it was the death of two close friends (including Caron Keating) to breast cancer that lead her to realise she should be concentrating on what she has, and not what she hasn't. She says she's got "a great husband, three lovely step-children and a great life".

If you don't have a perfect life or step-children it truely must be a devastating thought not to be able to have children. From past relationships the majority of partners have had issues related to their ability to concieve. The first had polycystic ovary syndrome, another suffered from anorexia with the resulting effects on fertility, and the latest may have a genetic condition which makes the womb inhospitable for the development of a fetus.

From the desk of digital spy.

Finnish Government Approves Fertility Bill

2006-02-10T12:10:00.000-08:00

On 9th Feburary 2006 the Finnish Government approved a bill to allow fertility treatment for single sex couples and single women. Strangely the element of the bill to allow fertility treatment for heterosexual couples was regected.

The next part of the bill is to set an age at which the child can be told the identity of the egg or sperm donor.

The whole affair was as heated as English debates, I just wish that the whole issue was looked at a bit more carefully.