With a new year comes new hopes, dreams, goals -- and sometimes new challenges. If 2021 is the year you decide to start on the path to parenthood or begin fertility treatment, there are a few things you can do to improve your chance of success in the new year.
1. Maintain a Healthy Weight
Being over or underweight is one of the most common causes of infertility in women. For underweight women, menstruation can become irregular or cease altogether. Those who are overweight may experience irregular menstrual cycles and have been shown to have lower fertility rates than those who are a healthy weight.
For men, being overweight has been linked to lower sperm counts, making it more difficult for them to impregnate their partner.
1. Kick Your Vices to the Curb
Whether it’s cigarettes or alcohol, if you’re trying to conceive, it would be best to quit now. Heavy alcohol consumption has been tied to reduced fertility in women and men. Smoking has been shown to decrease a woman’s egg count and quality, and negatively impacting sperm quality in men.
For women, in particular, giving up smoking and alcohol is important if they are planning to conceive – not only because it decreases a woman’s chances of conceiving, but can impact the health of her baby when she does get pregnant.
3. Get the Right Vitamins
Most women already know the vital role vitamins can play in their daily health and when they try to get pregnant. According to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, women should begin taking folic acid once they start trying to conceive and throughout their pregnancy to help prevent birth defects. Vitamins such as Vitamin C, D, and B-12 can also help improve outcomes for mom and baby.
4. Reevaluate Your Diet
While maintaining a healthy diet won’t guarantee success when trying to conceive, small tweaks to your diet can help your chances. For example, women who consume full-fat dairy have been shown to have a lower incidence of ovulatory infertility than those who consume low-fat dairy.
5. Speak to a Specialist
The American Society for Reproductive Medicine suggests that couples, where the woman is under 35, should seek fertility help after a year of trying to conceive without success. While women over 35 should seek fertility help after six months. Women who are 40 or older should speak to a fertility specialist as soon as they decide they’d like to conceive.
If you’ve been trying to conceive without success, contact the fertility specialists at IVF FLORIDA today to schedule a consultation or contact us at 954-247-6200.
By
IVF LORIDA at 23 Dec 2020
Traveling during the holidays can be stressful for anyone, but add fertility medication and COVID-19 to the mix and the stress can become too much to handle especially for those who are mid-cycle. To help relieve some anxiety associated with holiday travel during fertility treatment, the fertility experts at IVF FLORIDA are here to provide some helpful tips to make your trip as stress-free as possible.
Tip 1: Plan Ahead
If you’re in the midst of an IVF cycle, you know that timing is everything, and traveling during an IVF cycle requires a strict schedule. Before booking your travel arrangements, speak with your care team to make sure you get anything you’ll need (from monitoring to additional meds) ready to go before you leave town. Some key things to speak with them about include:
- Monitoring: If you’re in the middle of your cycle, it’s important to schedule monitoring appointments at a fertility clinic located in your destination. Practices that are part of a large network, like IVF FLORIDA, have partner practices all over the country with qualified fertility teams that can monitor you while you’re out of town.
- Medication: You may need to obtain prior authorization from your insurance company for things like blood draws and medication if necessary, including refills of extra medication for your trip if needed.
Tip 2: Be Informed and Check with Your Airline
If you are traveling by air, reach out to your airline before your trip, so you have all of the information you need well ahead of your vacation. Your airline can let you know about specific protocols surrounding syringes, needles, and medication that needs to be refrigerated. Remember that every airline is different, so some airlines may only allow certain packing materials to keep meds cold and may have specific rules for traveling with liquid medications.
In addition, when you arrive at the airport, speak with the TSA to let them know you are in the middle of fertility treatments and carrying medication and supplies including syringes. You can also request an X-Ray exemption if your doctor informs you that your medication shouldn’t go through the x-ray process. You may need a note, so check with your doctor before you go.
Tip 3: Pack Accordingly
Never place your fertility medications or supplies in your checked baggage. Airlines regularly lose checked bags, sometimes taking weeks to get them back to you, which can wreak havoc on your fertility treatment schedule and completely throw you off of your cycle. Instead, make sure to properly store your fertility medications (and any other materials you may need, like gauze or alcohol wipes) in your carry-on bag, so they are easily accessible during your trip. Finally, make sure to carry the emergency contact information for your clinic and pharmacy on you – just in case.
Traveling during an IVF cycle can be stressful, but with some careful planning and help from your team of fertility experts, it doesn’t have to be.
Remember, your care team at IVF FLORIDA is here for you every step of the way! If you have any questions regarding traveling with fertility medications or would like to schedule a consultation, don’t hesitate to contact us today.
By
IVF FLORIDA at 7 Dec 2020
The stress related to infertility can often put a strain on relationships during the best of times. Add in the stress, anxiety, and uncertainty that many are experiencing due to the global pandemic, and it can make keeping the romance alive difficult. But all of this stress makes it even more important that you work to keep that romantic fire burning, especially during Romance Awareness month! Below, the team at IVF Florida offers a few ways you can keep the romance alive this month while still staying safe and practicing social distancing.
- Take a Walk on the Beach
A lot of activities may be closed, but the beaches are open! Take some time to get out of the house and enjoy a long walk along the water, or spending some socially distanced time on the sand. Working up a sweat on a long beach walk will help keep you healthy and improve your mood. It can also help improve your relationship, as studies have shown that exercising with your partner can increase your emotional bond.
- Enjoy a Picnic in the Park
Like the beaches, plenty of parks are open for you and your partner to enjoy. The wide open space can help you abide by social distancing guidelines while also getting you out of the house. Together, pack up a healthy picnic and some find outdoor activities, and take them to your favorite park to get some fresh air and quality time.
- Enjoy a Date Night At Home
Just because you can go out to a packed bar doesn’t mean you can’t have a date night! Get all gussied up, pick up some delicious take out from your favorite local restaurant, and enjoy a romantic dinner at home under some candlelight. Spend your evening enjoying your meal and talking into the night – just like when you first started dating!
- Volunteer as a Team
There are so many individuals and families struggling right now, making it the perfect time to grab your partner and volunteer. It will help you both practice gratitude, which has been shown to reduce stress, and can help deepen your bond. So long as you can do so safely, volunteer your time to help at a food bank or go donate blood together (especially if either of you have COVID anti-bodies). If you’d rather stay safe at home, there are ways for you to help out non-profits virtually as well!
The traditional ways to keep that spark alive may not be possible right now, but there are still ways to strengthen your bond and up the romance while social distancing. Whether it involves spending time outdoors, having a date night at home, or helping those in need, there are plenty of ways you can keep the romance alive during the COVID-19 pandemic.
By
IVF FLORIDA at 22 Aug 2020
When couples have been trying to conceive without success, the assumption is often that the cause is female infertility. But the fact is that one third of infertility cases are due solely to male factors. So what causes male infertility? And what can couples do to overcome it and build the family of their dreams? Here, the team at IVF Florida’s South Florida fertility centers discuss what you need to know about male infertility.
What Causes Male Infertility?
There are multiple potential causes of male infertility that can result in low sperm production, low sperm motility (failure of the sperm to move correctly), abnormal sperm function, or even issues with the male anatomy that prevent sperm delivery. Some of the most common causes of male infertility include:
- Varicocele – a dilation of the veins leading from the testicle which can cause overheating and negatively impact sperm quality/quantity
- Epididymial or Vas Deferens blockage which can prevent semen from being delivered into the uterus
- Chronic health problems such as diabetes and obesity, which can negatively impact sperm quality and quantity
- Illnesses like the flu or STIs, which can temporarily impact sperm health
- Lifestyle factors, such as smoking and high alcohol consumption
The first step towards determining the cause of male infertility is conducting a semen analysis. If an issue is discovered, conducting a thorough medical history and physical exam can help pinpoint the cause.
What Treatments Are Available?
There are a variety of treatments available for men who suffer from male infertility depending on the cause. Varicocele and blockages can often be resolved with a simple surgery. Those with illnesses and lifestyle factors impacting their sperm health can see improvement once the illness is resolved or a healthier lifestyle is adopted. For those with diabetes or who are obese, getting the conditions under control can help improve sperm quality and quantity.
If the semen analysis does not improve after surgery, lifestyle changes, or the resolution of illness, there are other options available. Some couples with male infertility may be able to conceive using IUI (Intrauterine Insemination), wherein a concentrated semen sample is injected directly into the woman’s uterus. For others, IVF using ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) can help them create embryos that can then be implanted into the woman’s uterus. For couples where the man has azoospermia, or a complete lack of sperm production, use of donor sperm can help them start a family.
Can Men Improve Their Sperm Health?
For men whose sperm production is impacted by illness or lifestyle, making small changes and seeking adequate treatment can help improve their sperm health. Minimizing alcohol consumption, quitting smoking, and living a healthy lifestyle can help improve sperm parameters in many men. Additionally, rooting out any illnesses that could be causing infertility and treating them can help a man’s sperm health bounce back.
Consulting a Specialist
The first step for any couple struggling with infertility is to consult an experienced infertility specialist. At IVF Florida´s South Florida fertility centers, we work closely with Urologists to help determine the cause of male infertility and find the simplest and most effective solution to help couples conceive naturally. If advanced reproductive technologies are needed, our fertility specialists will work closely with you to find the treatment plan that will give you the greatest chance of success.
If you have been struggling to conceive without success, contact the team of fertility doctors at IVF Florida today at 954-247-6200 to schedule a consultation.
By
IVF FLORIDA at 10 Jun 2020
You may be staying home, but you can still make a few changes to help boost your fertility while helping to flatten the curve. Making small changes that can help your chances of success can also help mitigate the feelings of stress and anxiety surrounding not being able to pursue treatment as quickly as you’d like. Here, the team at IVF FLORIDA’s South Florida fertility practices goes over four ways you can boost your fertility while staying home.
- Work On Your Fitness
You can still get a good sweat going while staying home! Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight can help improve your chances of conceiving, and a healthy exercise regime can help you reach your weight goals. Getting in a quick thirty minute workout each day – through going for a run, practicing yoga, or enjoying a dance workout video – can go a long way towards helping you into fighting shape for your fertility journey.
- Cook Fertility Friendly Meals
While exercise can help you achieve a healthy weight, you still can’t out-exercise a bad diet. Cooking healthy, fertility friendly meals can help you achieve your health goals while saving money. Pile your plate high with fruits and vegetables, add in a portion of lean protein, and include some healthy fats like olive oil or nuts to create healthy, fertility friendly meals.
- Drop Unhealthy Habits
With coronavirus still circulating, now is a great time to drop unhealthy habits – especially smoking. Smoking has been shown to decrease fertility and cause issues during pregnancy. The same can be shown for alcohol consumption (put down that quaran-tini!), which can reduce your chances of success and negatively impact pregnancy. Take some time while staying home to drop these unhealthy habits and bring you one step closer to your dreams of achieving your family.
- Get In Your Z’s
The stress and anxiety surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic can understandably take a toll on your sleep health. But now more than ever, it is important to get enough quality sleep. Getting enough sleep is important for your body’s immunity, and it is also linked to fertility. Getting enough quality sleep can help improve hormone levels as well as ensure that you have sufficient melatonin production, which can play a role in protecting your eggs when they’re close to ovulation. Make sure to try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time each night, avoid screens around bedtime, and get 7-8 hours of sleep each night.
You may not be able to take all of the steps towards building your family right now, but there are things you can do to boost your fertility and increase your chances of success. From dropping unhealthy habits, to achieving a healthy weight, and getting in quality sleep, these steps you can take from home can set you up for success when you can move forward with treatment. To learn more about what you can do to make progress on your path to parenthood from home, or to schedule a virtual consultation, contact the team at IVF FLORIDA today at 954-247-6200.
By
IVF FLORIDA at 11 May 2020