Since the first test-tube baby was born more than three decades ago, in vitro fertilization has evolved into a highly sophisticated lab procedure. Now, scientists are going back to basics and testing a simpler and cheaper method.
Tag: fertilization
Increase Your Pregnancy Odds …
In high school, sex ed teachers may have told you that you could easily get pregnant any time you had unprotected sex. Now that you’re actually trying to conceive a baby, you might be second-guessing their warning. In some situations, it takes more than just throwing out your birth control to get pregnant. The better you understand your menstrual cycle the more likely you’ll be to identify your fertile window and increase your chances of conception:
The Average Menstrual Cycle
The average woman will have a 28-day menstrual cycle, with ovulation occurring around cycle day 14. However, there are wide variances in the normal cycle. According to Womenshealth.gov, a normal cycle can last anywhere from 21 to 35 days long, and ovulation can occur anytime between cycle day 13 and cycle day 20. After an egg is released and ovulation occurs, women who have a normal cycle will have a period within 14 to 16 days. If you’re thinking about trying to conceive, consider keeping a calendar of when you get your period each month to understand what the normal cycle length is for you.
Signs of Ovulation
Ovulation is notoriously difficult to predict, largely because it does not always occur on the same day each month. Keep an eye out for signs of ovulation as you approach the middle of your cycle each month. Some women feel cramping around the time that they ovulate, while others will notice a change in cervical mucus. According to the Mayo Clinic, cervical mucus becomes clear and slippery just before ovulation occurs. It is sometimes said to resemble a raw egg white. Take note of your cervical mucus consistency throughout the month to help you have an idea of when you’re going to ovulate.
Chart Your Fertility
Charting is a great way to identify your own personal cycle patterns and discover when your fertile window is each month. If you chart for several months, you will often notice that a pattern emerges. According to Womenshealth.gov, there are three main methods for charting your fertility:
- Test your basal body temperature using a basal body thermometer
- Calculate ovulation using an online ovulation calculator
- Track your cycle by monitoring your cervical fluids
Consider combing all three methods to get an accurate idea of when you’re most likely to conceive each month.
Causes of Infertility
Many factors contribute to infertility, including age, general health disorders and environmental surroundings. According to Womenshealth.gov, the most common cause of infertility is a woman’s failure to ovulate each month. Web MD notes that there are a variety of treatments available to treat infertility. There are fertility drugs on the market designed to stimulate ovulation. In addition, women can undergo fertility treatments like in vitro fertilization. During in vitro fertilization, eggs are removed from the woman and a male partner donates sperm. The egg is fertilized and then subsequently implanted into the woman’s uterus resulting in pregnancy. If you feel you may have fertility issues, set up an appointment with your doctor.
Infertility Struggles Brings Sisters Together
Johnston and her husband Joby tried fertility treatments, including in vitro fertilization twice. Still, after years of trying, the loving, young couple was childless. Annie hadn’t even had one positive pregnancy test in all the years she had been trying to conceive. …Annie didn’t have the baby she had hoped for, but she did have an older sister to turn to who had watched Annie struggle through infertility.
Brown Ponders Sale of Women’s Eggs for Research
It’s a complex, emotionally-loaded question: What kinds of women sell eggs to infertile couples in California? For Carol Hogan of the California Catholic Conference, the answer is simple. “Six-foot blondes with 4.0 GPA’s,” she says. But Hogan has a different picture of the women who might get paid to provide their eggs if Gov. Brown signs legislation to lift the ban on such compensation for research, as opposed to fertilization.
What is In Vitro Fertilization?
In vitro fertilization (IVF), is a form of assisted reproductive technology. In IVF, sperm are combined with an egg or eggs in a Petri dish in an attempt to achieve fertilization. The embryos which result from this process are then …
Veterans IVF Coverage Bill Gets Another Chance
Veterans whose war injuries prevent them from having children would get coverage from the Department of Veterans Affairs for reproductive treatment options like in vitro fertilization under new federal legislation.
Dioceses Defend Against In Vitro Suits Filed by Former Teachers
Both the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Ind., are defending themselves against lawsuits filed by Catholic school teachers who were fired for pursuing in vitro fertilization treatments.
Should Catholic Schools Fire Teachers Over Infertility Treatments?
Emily Herx was a popular literature teacher at St. Vincent de Paul School in Fort Wayne, Indiana, until she used her medical leave for in vitro fertilization. Herx lost her job and says a church official called her a “grave, immoral sinner.” When she appealed to Fort Wayne Bishop Kevin Rhoades, he told her IVF was “an intrinsic evil, which means that no circumstances can justify it.” The federal government saw things a bit differently. Herx filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and won — paving the way for a civil lawsuit.
Oklahoma Personhoood Bill Poses Challenge to Roe
Oklahoma Senate Bill 1433, or the Personhood Act, grants embryos full rights as people from the moment of fertilization. It cleared the Oklahoma Senate in February and is expected to pass in the GOP-controlled House in the coming weeks. The state’s Republican governor, Mary Fallin, is an abortion opponent, though she has declined to state a position on the measure.
How Eggs Fight Off Tardy Sperm Intruders
During human (or any mammalian) fertilization, if more than one sperm manages to get inside an egg, there are typically no survivors. A violent competition between the two sperm brings the whole kit and caboodle to a tragic end.