FertilAid for Women and Men are designed to promote reproductive wellness as part of a healthy lifestyle and diet regimen. For trying-to-conceive women, a healthy diet and lifestyle is particularly important, because healthy babies start before conception.

For both women and men, a “trying-to-conceive” lifestyle begins with a balanced diet, regular exercise (see your doctor regarding a safe exercise regimen), and avoiding unhealthful habits like smoking, drinking alcohol, and eating “junk” foods (particularly processed foods rich in refined sugars). If you are overweight, consider consulting your doctor regarding a safe diet and exercise regimen that will support your trying-to-conceive efforts.

As you likely already know, eating a well-balanced diet while your are trying to conceive and through pregnancy is central to the health of a developing baby, as well as the the health of the mother-to-be. For dads-to-be, men can ensure optimum sperm health, sperm count, and sperm motility by decreasing or avoiding alcohol, not smoking, and eating a balanced diet. FertilAid for Men offers a potent antioxidant formula to supplement a healthful diet. Infertility issues strike men as frequently as women, so a healthy lifestyle is equally important for the dad-to-be.

For women, eating foods rich in antioxidants and folic acid is highly recommended, especially folic acid during preconception and early pregnancy. Foods containing these nutrients include broccoli and green leafy vegetables. Folic acid has been shown to reduce the chances of birth defects, and supplements specially formulated with folic acid are advised. (For trying to conceive women, FertilAid offers 600mcg folic acid.

Mineral deficiency may also be a concern, so eating foods that contain minerals like iron, zinc, and calcium are important. Eating a variety of healthful foods is the key. A balanced diet is important because different minerals and vitamins require the presence of each other for optimal intake. Try to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables to ensure sufficient intake of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. The “Just Right” formula of FertilAid for Women is designed to supplement a healthful diet (and avoids potentially excessive doses of certain vitamins and minerals that can be found in other multivitamin products).

It is possible to have a healthy pregnancy after miscarriage. In fact, for most women, it’s very likely. However, this may be of little comfort if you are mourning the loss of your child. If you are pregnant again, you may be feeling a whirlwind of emotions as you simultaneously grieve for your unborn child and anticipate your new baby’s arrival.

Experiencing Pregnancy After Miscarriage

In most cases, a miscarriage is unlikely to happen again. However, many couples choose to speak to a fertility counselor. He/she can pinpoint any factors that may have contributed and determine if there are steps you can take to minimize the risk of reoccurrence.

Even if you fear the worst, it’s likely that you will have a very normal pregnancy after miscarriage. According to the American Pregnancy Association, over 85 percent of women who have had one miscarriage will be able to have a successful following pregnancy. More than 75 percent of those who have experienced two or three miscarriages will eventually give birth to a child.

Many women who have gone on to have a second child after a miscarriage say the joy of becoming a parent helps to dull the pain they feel over the loss of their first child. In fact, it’s quite common for women to consider their second children to be “miracle” babies.

Finding Closure

To fully enjoy your current pregnancy, you must come to terms with the loss you have experienced. Many women who have become pregnant after miscarriage say it helps to express their feelings through painting, poetry, music, or other creative outlets. Others choose to bury baby blankets, toys, ultrasound photos, or small mementos in a private family ceremony. You may also want to consider making a charitable donation to your favorite non-profit organization in honor of your lost child.

While there is no definite timeframe for the grieving process, it’s important to recognize the signs that professional help may be needed. If you are experiencing any of the following, considering making an appointment to speak to a qualified counselor or therapist:

* Trouble coping with everyday tasks
* Overwhelming fear or anxiety about your current pregnancy
* Feelings of guilt about what you may have done to “cause” your miscarriage
* Anger towards your spouse or other loved ones
* Extreme pessimism about your current pregnancy
* Frequent emotional outbursts
Available Support Services

Since it can be difficult for those who haven’t experienced a pregnancy loss to understand your feelings, you may want to consider taking advantage of support services designed for women who have miscarried.

Many hospitals provide support groups for women who have experienced a miscarriage. There may also be organizations in your community that can help. Your healthcare provider or your local women’s center should be able to provide you with contact information for these resources.

Maternity and women’s health care are important issues for any woman of childbearing age. Even if you aren’t currently pregnant, or aren’t even planning to become pregnant in the near future, it’s a good idea to remember that women of childbearing age have certain needs that are different from women at other stages of life.

Maternity and Women’s Health Care Basics

Since many pregnancies are unplanned, even when anticipated with joy, it’s a good idea to take care of yourself throughout your adult life in the event that you should become pregnant.

That means being aware of factors that impact pregnancy and birth and knowing about the basics of prenatal care and preconception care.

If you plan to have children at some point in the near future or are actively trying to conceive, maternity and women’s health care are even more important. Talk to your health care provider about specific things you should be doing to ensure a healthy pregnancy.

Women’s Health Care Tips

For all women of childbearing age, there are certain guidelines that should be followed to give your potential baby the best start possible.

* Don’t smoke. If you do smoke, quit before you start trying to conceive.
* Likewise, don’t use drugs while you are trying to get pregnant or during your pregnancy.
* Eat a healthy diet.
* Get moderate amounts of exercise. The current recommendation is at least 30 minutes a day of moderate activity, but an hour is even better.
* Take a multivitamin or supplement that includes 400 micrograms of folic acid daily. This can help prevent birth defects that may occur even before you know you’re pregnant.
* Get up-to-date on immunizations.
* Once you are actively trying to conceive, stop drinking alcohol.
Talking to Your Doctor

If you and your partner have decided to try to conceive, set up an appointment to talk to your doctor. He or she can advise you on the proper supplements, exercise program, and nutrition you need as you work on conceiving.

Make sure you talk to your doctor about all prescription drugs, vitamins and supplements, and herbal supplements that you are taking. Some drugs and herbs that are perfectly safe to take when not pregnant are dangerous when you are expecting.

Ask your doctor if you have any worries concerning your health during pregnancy. If you have a health condition that you think might interfere with conception or with your chances of having a healthy pregnancy, talk with your doctor about your options.

The most important part of maternity and women’s health care is that women be as informed as possible and take an active role in discovering and doing the things that are best for them and for their babies.

Every year, thousands of women are shocked and devastated by unplanned pregnancies. Age, finances, lifestyle, and feelings of shame or inadequacy may all be reasons these women contemplate getting an abortion. Within only a few hours, an abortion can rid you of an unborn child, allowing you to get back to your life as you knew it. Right?

Aside from the obvious moral controversy the abortion versus adoption debate has sparked, there are actually physical and medical reasons women should think twice about before having an abortion performed.

Generally, there are side effects with induced abortion (whether surgical abortion or by a pill). These may include abdominal pain and cramping, vomiting, or diarrhea and often vary from woman to woman. However, abortion can carry far more serious and harmful risks like heavy bleeding and infection, or even worse. These complications typically occur in about 1 out of every 100 early abortions, and in about 1 out of 50 later term abortions. Such complications can include:

Heavy Hemorrhaging – though some bleeding is normal after an abortion, if hemorrhaging occurs, often a blood transfusion to be performed, or even surgery to stop the bleeding.

Severe Infection – Damaging infections can begin due to the injecting of medical instruments into the uterus or even from parts of the fetus being accidentally left inside (this is commonly known as an incomplete abortion). Such infections usually require hospitalization and can cause severe scarring of the pelvic organs.

Damage to the cervix and certain internal organs can also occur. The cervix can be damaged (cut or torn) by the medical instruments and organs near the uterus can be torn or punctured. Aside from the physical inflictions abortions can cause, studies have shown there is just as much risk for psychological damage. Severe negative emotions have been known to emerge in women within days of an abortion or after several years. Such a response is a form of post traumatic stress disorder and can manifest itself through a number of physical ailments such as eating disorders, depression, guilt, or even suicidal thoughts.

Is it dangerous to drink more than the moderate amount of caffeine during pregnancy?

No one really knows for sure, but research suggests that consistently having more that 300mg of caffeine per day could be related to a higher risk of low birthweight, miscarriage and birth defects, such as cleft palate.

Some research has failed to take into account other risk factors, such as smoking and alcohol intake, which can also lead to complications in pregnancy, labour, and delivery. However, it still seems sensible to stick to moderate amounts of caffeine while pregnant.

What exactly does caffeine do to my body?

Caffeine is a stimulant; it increases your heart rate and metabolism, which in turn affects your developing baby. But while unremitting stress isn’t healthy, brief bouts of fetal stress, such as that your baby would feel after you drink a cup of coffee, won’t cause him any harm. It’s akin to your dashing to the bus, another situation that briefly boosts your heart rate and metabolism.

Anyone who drinks coffee regularly knows that it can be addictive and that large amounts can also cause insomnia, nervousness, and headaches. And it’s a diuretic, which causes your body to lose water and other fluids and calcium, all of which you need to maintain a healthy pregnancy. Tea hampers your body’s ability to absorb iron if you drink it within one hour before or after a meal.

Which foods and beverages contain caffeine?

Caffeine can be found in coffee, tea, colas, and chocolate. Some over-the-counter drugs, including headache and cold tablets, stay-awake medications, and allergy remedies also contain caffeine. Always seek your pharmacist’s advice before you buy over-the counter remedies, and don’t forget to mention that you are pregnant.

The emergency contraceptive pill, Levonorgestrel, can help in preventing an unwanted pregnancy even five days after unprotected sexual exposure.

Professor and head of department of obstetrics and gynaecology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, Sunita Mittal, says the pill, available as a pack of two, could be used as a single dose for five days to prevent an unwanted pregnancy.

The emergency contraceptive offers women another method to avoid an unwanted pregnancy even after sexual exposure, says Mittal. None of the currently available contraceptives are 100 per cent effective. In addition, there could also be a problem if the condom breaks. In situations where women have been forced into sex, the pill could be of great help, says Mittal.

The pill that came into the market was initially effective only upto three days. The improved one now works uptil five days. Although, says Mittal, the earlier it is taken, the more effective it is.

The side-effects of the pill are minimal, she says. Some women could experience nausea. It can help avoid a pregnancy in 90 per cent of the users.

In a country where the ratio of abortions is 452 per 1,000 live births and a high rate of deaths due to abortions (20,000 women die annually), the emergency contraceptive pill could be a life saver, says Mittal.

Every 1.25 seconds, a baby is added to the billion-strong India. However, the National Family Health Survey had revealed that 78 per cent of the pregnancies are unplanned and about 25 per cent children are unwanted.

 Both clomiphene citrate and letrozole are medications used to treat infertile women who have an ovulation problem. These medications work by helping your pituitary gland (located at the base of the brain) improve the stimulation of developing follicles (eggs) in the ovaries. Neither clomiphene citrate nor letrozole may help a woman become more fertile if she is already ovulating normally. For that reason, these medications are most often prescribed to those patients who have been found to have an abnormality with their cycle.

Clomiphene is often referred to as the “fertility pill”. Letrozole is very similar to clomiphene in the way it works. However, letrozole is quickly cleared from the body. It only works for the cycle in which it is taken and is less likely to adversely affect the uterine lining and cervical mucous. With clomiphene, one may experience effects 6-8 weeks after stopping the medication. Both medications are prescribed for five days each cycle, usually beginning on day three and continuing through day seven. The usual initial dose for clomiphene is 50 mg, one tablet daily. The number of tablets can be increased to as many as four daily, if a lesser dosage does not result in ovulation. Rarely are more than two tablets required. Clomiphene should be repeated each cycle until pregnancy occurs, or your doctor discontinues it. The usual dosage of letrozole is 2.5 mg., one tablet each day.

Of all women treated with clomiphene, or letrozole, 60% to 80% will ovulate normally. However, only half of those patients who ovulate will become pregnant. It is not known why only half of the women who apparently ovulate with clomiphene or letrozole therapy become pregnant. It is suspected that factors other than inadequate ovulation may be contributing to the fertility problem. Therefore, if you are not pregnant after three or four cycles, additional testing such as hysterosalpingogram or laparoscopy may be necessary. If you have polycystic ovary syndrome, a trial of metformin (Glucophage) therapy may be advised.

Some 10% to 20% of women taking clomiphene or letrozole will experience side effects. By far, most of these are minor and temporary in nature. They include such things as hot flashes, blurred vision, nausea, bloating sensation, and headache. Serious side effects are rarely seen with either medication. There are two side effects associated with clomiphene or letrozole therapy that warrant specific discussion. The first is the possibility of multiple pregnancy. The frequency of twins occurring in women who conceive while taking clomiphene or letrozole has been reported to be as high as 10%. Triplets may occur as frequently as 1 in 400 births, and quadruplets in 1 in 800 births. Neither clomiphene nor letrozole is the “fertility drug” you may have heard in the news bulletins often associated with large numbers of infants, such as quintuplets. Newer studies suggest that long-term use of either clomiphene or letrozole for more than 12 cycles may place you at an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer. Secondly, clomiphene and letrozole have also been associated with the occasional development of ovarian cysts. These cysts are not true growths of the ovary and within a few weeks will resolve without treatment. However, on an extremely rare occasion, these cysts have been known to cause internal bleeding or twist, requiring surgery and removal of the involved ovary. However, I must again emphasize that such a complication is extremely rare.

# The effectiveness of birth control pills depends entirely on how they are used. While the stated effectiveness is 96-99% in reality this rate is much lower, around 87%. The reason for the difference is owed entirely to user habits. Taking the pill at different times of day, missing days or skipping pills all decrease the effectiveness of birth control pills.
# Some, but not all, birth control pills can help control acne.
# Certain herbal treatments (like St.# John’s Wort and Ephedra) and some prescription medications can decrease the effectiveness of birth control pills, always tell your doctor which medications, herbal remedies and over the counter products you are using.
# If you become very ill, with vomitting and/or diarrhea, the effectiveness of your birth control pills can be significantly reduced. If this happens you must continue taking your pills and use a second method of birth control until you have a period and start a new pack.
# The pill does not protect you against any STDs. It is only birth control not STD protection.
# Most people who use the pill experience lighter bleeding, significantly less cramping and shorter periods.
# The pill offers the following benefits; less chance of getting PID (pelvic inflammatory disease), protection against benign breast cysts, protection against ovarian cysts and cancers, uterin cancer and PMS.
# The most common side effects of the pill are headaches, spotting between periods and weight changes (loss or gain).
# Smokers should consider a different form of birth control, the pill is not recommended for smokers of any age.
# The most serious complication associated with birth control pills are blood clots. This is a rare complication.
# Taking the pill will not make you more sexually active or cause you to want sex more often than you do without the pill.
# You do not need your parents permission to get birth control pills, but you do need a prescription and you may need to tell your parents if you can not afford to pay for the pills by yourself. You can get pills for free or for a reduced cost at family planning clinics. You can also get a prescription from these clinics.
# You can become pregnant if you have sex during your period even if you are on birth control pills. It is highly unlikely but entirely possible. If you suspect you may have become pregnant during your period consult a doctor immediately before you start another package of birth control pills.

If you use the Pill, it has to be taken at the same time every day; in fact, if you forget to take just 1 birth control pill, you increase your chances of becoming pregnant. During a cycle, if 2 or more pills are missed, the chance of this method failing increases dramatically, especially if an alternative method of birth control (like a condom) is not used. Having a routine is a good way to reduce the likelihood of this happening. It has been show that having a set daily routine can affect birth control consistency. Women without a customary routine are more than 3 times as likely to miss 2 or more pills per cycle.

Tips:

1. A woman should make sure to use the Pill consistently and continually. She should take it at the same time, every day.

2. An individual who uses the pill should understand how to take the pill properly and what to do if she accidently misses a pill.

If a woman misses 2 or more pills during any cycle, she should use an alternate method of birth control as a back-up.
3. It is helpful to associate pill use with some other regular daily activity (such as taking it before a person brushes her teeth). This way, taking the pill becomes part of a routine.

4. A female should remember to bring an extra pack of pills when traveling if she will finish the old pack while away.

5. It is important to consult with a medical doctor about using a back-up contraceptive method if a woman is prescribed antibiotics or is taking certain herbal supplements or other medications.

Unintended pregnancy is a significant concern affecting thousands of people each year. According to a study published in Family Planning Perspectives, 50% of all the pregnancies in the United States were unintended; this includes those conceptions that resulted in abortions, miscarriages or live births. Surprisingly, half of the women faced with these unplanned pregnancies were using contraception during the month that they conceived. Because of these high numbers, it is vital that we know the main reasons for contraception failure as well as some of the risk factors associated with it.

Contraceptive Failure Varies by Method
Your contraceptive method of choice greatly impacts your ability to avoid an unintended pregnancy. Contraceptive failure can result from a natural malfunction of the birth control method itself. Research has shown that the use of longer acting methods, which require less for the individual to do, tend to help minimize the chances for user error. These methods (like injections, implants, IUD’s, and sterilization) result in the lowest “typical user” rate of contraceptive failure.

When comparing contraceptive effectiveness,

* Typical use refers to failure rates for women who do not consistently or always correctly use their birth control

* Perfect use refers to failure rates for those whose use is consistent and always correct
Demographics Play a Role in Contraceptive Failure

Marriage status:
* 17% of unmarried, cohabiting women experienced contraceptive failure during the first year of contraceptive use.
Age:
* 16% of adolescents (aged 19 or under) and 13% of women aged 20 - 24 experienced birth control failure during the first year of use.
Income:
* Contraception failure rates are higher for low-income women.
* Those with incomes below 200% of the federal poverty level are almost two times more likely to experience birth control failure than their higher income counterparts.