Smoking Vs Infertility

Infertility arises because of many reasons such as problems in the ovaries and uterus and fluctuations in hormone levels which reduce the chances of conceiving. In addition there are external factors that could contribute to infertility. Smoking is one of them.

The link between Smoking and Infertility

Latest studies show that a considerable amount of infertility cases are the after effect of smoking. Smoking can cause severe side effects both in men and women. Women smokers have higher risk of affecting their reproductive ability and further increasing the chances of cancer in their offspring because of alterations in the genes and chromosomes.

Women who have tried to get pregnant with In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and those who have been smokers in the past produce fewer eggs with IVF than non smokers. In addition, smokers also experience reduced capacity of fertilization of the eggs and increased chances of miscarriages with IVF. The reason might be nicotine, found in cigarettes, which have adverse effects on the follicles that are necessary for the induction of IVF.

Smoking during Pregnancy

The pregnancy rates of women smokers are greatly affected by nicotine. Moreover, smoking negatively influences not just the mother, but the baby as well. Even before delivery, smoking can harm a fetus exposed to nicotine while in the womb causing low birth weight, poor lung function and several other problems. The nicotine in cigarettes obstructs the flow of oxygen needed for healthy growth to the baby's blood. Needless to say the chances of a healthy pregnancy can be improved by keeping the body smoke free.

Effects of Smoking on Female and Male Fertility

Some of the negative consequences of smoking on the female reproduction ability include:

• Damage to the fallopian tubes that produce healthy eggs


• Lower rates of fertilization of the eggs with IVF


• Chances of reaching menopause early by 1 to 4 years


• Increased risk of unprompted abortion and ectopic pregnancy


• Alterations in ovum


• Likelihood of occurrence of cancer in the babies of smoking parents

Significant consequences of smoking contributing to male infertility include:

• Decreased sperm count in men


• lterations in the sperm morphology, sperm strength and quantity of ejaculated semen


• Infertility caused by changes in the series of DNA in sperm cells

Infertility itself can be cured with the help of treatments and medications and IVF success rates are higher in women that have quit smoking. Fertility improves considerably in women who have quit smoking. Couples planning on starting a family and particularly those experiencing problems while conceiving should make a maximum effort towards cessation of smoking..

East Bay Fertility Center, Dublin, California (www.ebfertility.com) offers personalized medical counseling and treatments for infertile couples. The clinic’s experienced medical staff is headed by Dr. Ellen U. Snowden, Medical Director and physician who is Board Certified in Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Endocrinology. East Bay Fertility Center provides comprehensive infertility services and motivates infertile patients throughout their course of infertility treatment. East Bay specializes in providing infertility treatments such as in-vitro fertilization, insemination, Intracytoplasmic sperm injection, egg donation and gestational surrogacy.

Visit our website http://ebfertility.com/ to know more about different treatment options that we provide.

Is Laparoscopy Beneficial for Endometriosis?

Laparoscopy is a surgical procedure and an advanced tool that is used in different areas of medical science; infertility treatment being one of them. Endometriosis, one of the most common causes of infertility, and a painful disorder in a women’s reproductive system, is usually treated using laparoscopy.

What is Endometriosis?

The abnormal growth of endometrial cells outside the uterus that attaches to other organs in the pelvic cavity such as the fallopian tubes and ovaries is known as Endometriosis. The endometriosis implants will bleed during the menstrual period. As the tissues become enlarged, inflammation may cause pain. One of the possible reasons for endometriosis may be excess estrogen levels in a women’s body. There is an increased incidence among family members suggesting a genetic component to the disease. Endometriosis may affect fertility in many ways. Some of these include:

1. The over-production of prostaglandins which are hormones that plays an important role in the fertilization of the egg and implantation of the embryo.
2. Ovulation disturbances due to involvement of the ovaries
3. Pelvic scarring restricting the tubes and ovaries
4. Painful intercourse resulting in decreased frequency
5. Immunological abnormalities leading to an increased risk of miscarriage

Laparoscopy as a Treatment Option for Endometriosis

In women with moderate to severe endometriosis, laparoscopic surgery is an effective treatment for endometriosis-related infertility, as it leads to better pregnancy rates. It is unclear whether mild disease is similarly impacted by laparoscopic surgery. Laparoscopy is conducted to confirm the diagnosis and remove adhesions caused by endometriosis.

Laparoscopy, considered as one of the least invasive surgical treatment option that is available today, is usually done under general anesthesia. The procedure includes insertion of an instrument that has a tiny camera attached to it with a light, known as laparoscope, through a small abdominal incision. More than one incision may be required for inserting other surgical instruments for better access.

The Need of Laparoscopy

While treating Endometriosis, Laparoscopy is usually carried out for checking and treating the following:

• Examining the pelvic organs causing pelvic pain.
• Removal of endometriosis implants and scar tissues.
• Removal of endometriosis cyst on an ovary (endometrioma).
• Endometriosis pain after a hormone therapy.

Disadvantages of Laparoscopy used for Endometriosis

Though laparoscopy is a great tool, it does have certain drawbacks when it comes to diagnosing Endometriosis. A laparoscopic surgery is not always helpful to patients of endometriosis on a long term basis. There might be some accidental damage to the surrounding organs while the doctor maneuvers the instruments inside the body. There are also chances of the incision getting infected at times.

A Positive Note

The heartening news is that having endometriosis does not automatically mean that you will never have children. Rather, it means that you may face problems in the journey towards parenthood.
At East Bay Fertility Center, California, (www.ebfertility.com) an experienced team of doctors headed by Dr Ellen Snowden specialize in examining and treating potential causes of both male and female infertility including Endometriosis diagnosis and treatment. The process of treatment starts with free initial consultation with East Bay’s infertility specialist followed by a thorough diagnostic evaluation. The next step would be to identify the problem and start with the treatment.

With the right course of treatment and medical intervention, East Bay Fertility Center is committed to assisting couples facing problems conceiving. The goal is to help them overcome their infertility problem in the shortest possible time and realize their dreams of having a healthy baby.

For more information on fertility treatment options log on to http://ebfertility.com/

Getting Infertility Health Insurance

For couples seeking infertility treatment, the cost of treatment is very often a matter of concern and is a driving factor that ultimately influences treatment options. Infertility treatments are expensive and place a considerable financial strain on couples. It is critical to understand the type of coverage your insurance policy provides for infertility treatment and the eligibility criteria, since an absence of insurance coverage would mean paying for the treatment from your own resources which can be a very daunting possibility.

What is Infertility Insurance?

Infertility insurance is a type of health insurance which helps you pay for your fertility treatment. Your Infertility Health Insurance plan might cover a range of fertility treatments, including diagnostic fertility tests, artificial insemination, and other types of assisted reproductive technology (ART). You need to make sure that you understand what is and what is not covered under your infertility health insurance completely. Every infertility health insurance plan is different, so it is important to look around and compare factors such as annual deductible amounts, premium costs, and other services offered before buying a plan. Some policies do not include infertility diagnosis, while some do not cover the actual treatment.

Need for Infertility Insurance

Infertility Health Insurance policies are helpful in managing the total cost associated with infertility treatment which otherwise can be very expensive. Health insurance for infertility has become increasingly popular, particularly as most of the infertility treatments involve complicated medical procedures making these treatments expensive. The more information you gather about infertility insurance options before starting treatment, the better it is. Some of the infertility treatments that are covered under common infertility insurance are IUI, IVF, ZIFT and GIFT.

Different Types of Infertility Insurance Policies

There are two major types of infertility health insurance:
• Standard Health Insurance: It provides you specific fertility coverage in return of a monthly premium.
• Refund Programs: Under this program between 70% and 100% of the money is paid back to you if you do not have a baby at the end of the fertility treatment.

Who Can Get Infertility Insurance?

Though infertility insurance varies from insurer to insurer, there are certain criteria, following which one can get infertility insurance. They are:
• Couples should be under the age of 40
• Couples should have faced fertility problems for a specific period of time
• Couples should be policy holders for at least one year

California based East Bay Fertility Center (www.ebfertility.com) offers a number of financial packages to make the cost of infertility treatment affordable. Diagnostic testing and IUI may be covered by insurance depending on the diagnosis reports. East Bay Fertility Center accepts the following insurances: Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Cigna, and United Healthcare. Corporate discounts are also available. The cost for testing and treatment will be reviewed with each patient at the time of the free initial consultation.

We understand how important the financial considerations for all our patients are. To provide the highest level of comprehensive care and service, we explain the costs of treatment and the extent of insurance coverage much before the actual treatment starts.

East Bay Fertility Center is contracted with the following insurance plans:
• Aetna Medical Insurance Plans: Aetna provides coverage for diagnostic infertility services to evaluate the possible causes of infertility and treatment thereafter, only if such coverage is provided under a member’s benefits plan.
• Insurance Plans with Hill Physicians: They are a network of physicians who are committed to offer the best in healthcare.

At East Bay Fertility Center, we value this precious time of your life and help achieve your dreams of becoming parents faster and with the least inconvenience, starting from the tests to the treatment.

Eating Healthy During Fertility Treatment

A variety of lifestyle factors affect the fertility potential of individuals. Since infertility is a physical problem, a healthy diet plays a vital role in enhancing fertility. Studies have shown that certain foods can regulate the hormones that affect the production of eggs and sperm. A good diet also helps in maintaining a healthy weight, which can greatly impact fertility. Women who are underweight or overweight may have a harder time becoming pregnant because body fat levels do have an impact on the production of sex hormones. It is imperative that in the course of infertility treatment, a healthy diet and lifestyle is maintained.

Tips for Healthy Eating During Infertility Treatment

What you put into your body has a huge effect on the functioning of your reproductive system. A well balanced, nutritious diet is therefore essential for the formation of a healthy embryo especially while undergoing infertility treatment. Below are some natural approaches and lifestyle adaptations that should be followed in the course of fertility treatment, and maintained throughout pregnancy and thereafter:

• Eat a variety of foods such as fruits, vegetables, dairy products, meat, poultry, fish, eggs and nuts to get all the different kinds of essential nutrients
• Choose foods that are high in fiber
• Include enough vitamins and minerals in your daily diet
• It is absolutely essential to have lots of water since it’s an important fertility food
• Intake of calcium-rich foods to get 1000-1300 mg of calcium in your daily diet
• Eat enough servings of iron-rich foods everyday to get 27 mg of iron daily
• Choose at least one good source of vitamin C every day, such as oranges, grapefruits, strawberries, etc. to get the daily dose of 70 mg of vitamin C
• Choose at least one good source of folic acid every day, like dark green leafy vegetables, veal, and legumes such as lima beans, black beans, black-eyed peas and chickpeas
• Choose at least one source of vitamin A every other day such as carrots, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, spinach, water squash, turnip greens, beet greens, apricots, and cantaloupe.

Foods to be Avoided During Infertility Treatment

• Alcohol should be avoided since it can decrease sperm count and increase the production of abnormal sperm. Alcohol may cause premature delivery, mental retardation and birth defects.
• Caffeine intake should be limited. Try and substitute your daily cup of coffee with green tea that has antioxidants, which aid in healthy immune systems.
• The use of sweeteners should also be limited
• The intake of trans fats from margarine, doughnuts and other processed foods should be limited
• It is recommended to replace processed foods with whole grains, fruits, and vegetables
• Avoid eating shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish as they have high levels of mercury
• Avoid soft cheeses such as feta, Brie, Camembert, blue-veined, and Mexican-style cheese. These cheeses are often unpasteurized and may cause Listeria infection.
• Avoid raw fish, like oysters and clams
• Avoid acidic foods

Ensure that raw vegetables and fruits are washed thoroughly and cook ready-to-eat meats (like hot dogs) and leftovers until steaming hot.

Exercise

Along with a balanced and nutritious diet, it is important to undertake a moderate exercise regimen to improve the chances of conception. Exercise helps to burn off excess body fat, allowing hormone levels to return to normal. However over exercising can actually impair fertility. Exercises like swimming, walking and cycling are recommended.
It's important to eat right at all times and especially if you are trying to conceive. Eating right does play a major part in improving fertility along with maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, and keeping stress under control.

California based East Bay Fertility Center (www.ebfertility.com) provides expert medical counseling and different infertility treatment options. Our medical staff headed by Dr. Ellen U. Snowden, Medical Director and physician provide personalized and comprehensive services for infertility and reproductive endocrine issues. Infertility can be attributed to the male or the female or to both. East Bay Fertility Center conducts tests to determine the exact fertility problem and suitable fertility treatments are then recommended.

For free initial consultation please call us at 925.828.9235 or visit our website at www.ebfertility.com for more details about infertility support, treatment and more.

How Fibroids Can be a Cause of Infertility

One of the commonly occurring medical conditions generally overlooked as a cause of infertility is the presence of uterine fibroids. It is possible for a woman with a fibroid to conceive and carry the baby to term. If left untreated, it is likely that the fibroid will continue to grow. When the woman decides she wants to add to her family, the increased size of the fibroid may be a factor in her inability to conceive.

Fibroids are non-cancerous tumors that develop in and around the uterus. Fibroids are a common occurrence and it is estimated that around 25 percent of women in their childbearing years have signs of fibroids. A woman may have a single fibroid or multiple fibroids which may be located on the exterior or interior uterine surfaces or within the wall of the uterus. Fibroids are generally detected by a pelvic examination or an ultrasound.

The exact cause of fibroids is still unknown but it seems to be related to a gene that controls cell growth. When this gene is not functioning properly, cells grow and divide at an accelerated rate leading to a mass of cells or fibroid. Other causes for development of fibroids are the abnormalities in the blood vessels around the uterus and changes in chemicals in the body that cause tissue to grow.

Fibroids sometimes interfere with fertility and create complications while trying to conceive because of the growths. The symptoms of fibroids include heavy menstrual flow, pelvic pressure and bladder or bowel problems.

How Fibroids can lead to infertility

Fibroids can lead to fertility problems in a number of ways. Though uterine fibroids are considered harmless they sometimes affect fertility by blocking or distorting the fallopian tubes or by affecting the passage of sperm from the cervix to the fallopian tubes. Submucosal fibroids are the type most likely to cause fertility problems or miscarriages because of their location inside the uterine cavity. Sometimes they grow into the uterus, filling it and even growing out of the cervix. They project into the womb cavity and greatly disrupt its shape. These fibroids ultimately act as a foreign body and make the uterine environment hostile for an embryo to implant correctly. It may affect the proper growth and development of the embryo thus increasing the risk of an embryo to miscarry.

Treatment includes medications, which can help shrink the fibroids and surgery to remove the fibroids. There are two types of surgery options for the treatment of fibroids: Myomectomy in which fibroids are removed from the uterus and hysterectomy which involves removal of the uterus.

Myomectomy is the treatment of choice for women who want to have children, because it usually can preserve fertility, enabling her to retain her child-bearing ability. But this treatment is at the expense of increased risk of fibroid recurrence. Hysterectomy is commonly performed when large fibroids are the problem. By removing the uterus during hysterectomy, the possibility of fibroids returning is eliminated.

An entirely new approach to treating fibroids is by uterine artery embolisation (UAE). This involves a radiologist passing a very thin catheter into a blood vessel in the groin and guiding it toward one of the arteries that lead to the fibroid. The small artery is blocked off leading to shrinkage of the fibroid. This procedure, if proven effective, would be a welcome alternative to hysterectomy, which removes the uterus. However, because of newness of this procedure, long-term effects are still not known and it is not generally recommended for women wishing to preserve their fertility.

Doctors are working on less invasive measures and on drugs to treat fibroids. For those who face fertility issues, one of the initial tests that are recommended to be done is to test for fibroids.

East Bay fertility Center Dublin California, (www.ebfertility.com) specializes in the comprehensive evaluation and treatment of infertility, providing a complete mind-body experience for fertility couples. At East Bay Fertility Center, skilled fertility specialists treat fibroids and other obstructions before starting with fertility treatment, including IVF. East Bay’s experienced medical staff is headed by Dr. Ellen U. Snowden, Medical Director and physician. Dr Snowden is Board Certified in Obstetric, Gynecology, and Reproductive Endocrinology with advanced Fellowship training in the treatment of infertility, recurrent miscarriages and hormonal disorders in women.