Health & Beauty
Julie Jacobs uncovers a variety of new and alternative fertility treatment options. Peruse profiles on local doctors...

Health & Beauty By Julie Jacobs Advances on the FERTILITY FRONT oday some six million couples struggle with infertility, defined as the inability to become pregnant after one year of trying and/or having continuous miscarriages. Fortunately, with medical intervention, twothirds happily will go on to start their families. But with the most successful treatments, In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) in particular, costing thousands of dollars, many people are searching for new approaches that are less expensive, even less invasive, but just as effective. T "You won't just feel better, you'll be better!" Special programS For: Back Pain Hypertension Hip/Neck/Shoulder Pain Weight Loss Osteoporosis Pilates (Mat & Reformer Training) New Clients will receive a Complimentary Fitness Evaluation & 2 FREE Personal Training Sessions 5 Becker Farm Rd, Roseland 973.535.1177 Visit us @ Fitness121online.com 80 SUBURBAN ESSEX MAGAZINE November 2009 Capable of doubling a woman's chances of conceiving is a technique called In Vitro Maturation (IVM). IVM involves removing eggs from the ovaries, maturing them in a lab incubator, and then fertilizing them with sperm before placing them back in the uterus. Patients need only about half the fertility medication required for IVF—medication that runs the risk of causing the ovaries to produce too many eggs. Still in the study phase, IVM is responsible for more than 400 births to date. It costs roughly onethird to one-half the fee of IVF. "IVM was originally developed for women with polycystic Acupuncture—in which fine needles are inserted along the syndrome," says Peter McGovern, body's energy meridians—is among the most widely used alternative treatment for infertility. The ancient Chinese practice helps M.D., medical director of University reorganize and balance energy to improve tissue function. And Reproductive Associates, with offices because stress contributes to infertility, relaxing techniques such in Montclair, Hasbrouck Heights, as aromatherapy, meditation, visualization, and yoga are often and Hoboken. "Now the medical recommended. community is looking at whether Vitamins, herbal supplements, and diet count, too. Vitamin A enhances embryo development, Vitamin E can increase sperm patients with few eggs or poor egg production, and folic acid, zinc, and iron all boost reproductive quality can benefit. We currently are health. Herbs including black cohosh, wild yam, and chase tree planning our own IVM study." may help—but check with your physician before taking these unDr. McGovern has 17 years of regulated supplements. experience and employs advanced Nicotine, alcohol, and caffeine should be avoided; even decaf beverages are not recommended. And it's advised to limit reproductive technologies such as meat, which can raise the body's ammonia levels and interfere IVF, endoscopic surgery, artificial Trends in Treatment insemination, and other methods to help his patients. Another new treatment is vitrification, which uses liquid nitrogen to freeze eggs inside a test tube. In the past, freezing and thawing human eggs has posed greater challenges than freezing and thawing sperm and embryos. e new technique essentially prevents ice crystals from forming inside the egg, which could prove damaging. "With vitrification, we have the ability to offer fertility preservation—especially to young women with cancer who are facing chemotherapy and to older women," Dr. McGovern notes. Other research is looking at the hormone kisspeptin, which has been shown to raise the levels of key reproductive hormones in infertile women, and adult stem cells, which have been reprogrammed into cells that develop into human sperm and eggs. "We have many more options to offer today than we've ever had before," remarks Dr. McGovern. "So there are reasons for couples to be optimistic."  ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES with egg implantation.  For more information, visit: webmd.com, nlm.nih.gov, fertilityfactor.com, womenshealth.about.com, ivf.net, dailymail.co.uk, wellcome.ac.uk, womensweb.ca/pregnancy, ezarticles.com, articlesbase.com/medicine.

Links appearing on this page

www.fitness121online.com
www.massageenvy.com
www.webmd.com
http://www.nlm.nih.gov
www.fertilityfactor.com
http://www.womenshealth.about.com
www.ivf.net
http://www.dailymail.co.uk
http://www.wellcome.ac.uk
http://www.womensweb.ca/pregnancy
www.ezarticles.com
http://www.articlebase.com/medicine


<<Previous Page | Home | Next Page>>

Get the latest Flash Player plugin free from Adobe.