OvuSense Fertility and Ovulation Blog

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome can be divided into two distinct groups: Polycystic Ovaries (PCO) and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).

 

 

Women diagnosed with PCO will have many cysts on their ovaries. However, they will not have the severity of cysts or the hormonal imbalance and symptoms seen in women with PCOS. Therefore women with PCO are less likely to have problems conceiving than women diagnosed with PCOS.

 

 

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is unfortunately the cause of fertility problems in many women. This debilitating condition is often not diagnosed until a woman is unsuccessful in conceiving.PCOS is accompanied by a hormonal imbalance which makes it more difficult for eggs to mature adequately and be released at the time of ovulation. In many women with PCOS their condition is complicated further with insulin resistance.

 

It is believed to effect 5-10% of women in both the UK and US. PCOS is a chronic condition where the ovaries develop many tiny cysts caused by egg follicles that have not been able to develop as they should. 

 

 

Have you ever used ovulation predictor kits (OPK’s) to predict when you ovulate? Have you had a good or bad experience of using OPK’s? I am very sceptical of the reliability of this ovulation prediction method and as a result, I don’t recommend them to any of my patients. Here’s why……….

For those of you living in the UK, you’ll be aware that Mothering Sunday occurs in late March. Additionally, Mother's Day in the USA is May, as it is in Canada and some parts of Europe. I suspect, when this time of year comes around, you feel a sense of dread. For many it will be yet another year when your arms feel empty and your longing for a baby to fill this empty space is intensified.

 

However, this year, I challenge you to think differently about Mother’s Day; I want you to learn to love it for totally different reasons and I want you to turn the idea of Mother’s Day on its head. I want you to flip it, and here's how: think of this day as not just for mothers, there are many different ways you can learn to accept Mother’s Day without being a mother yet yourself.

 

 

PCOS is your worst enemy, we get that. Fight back with ten great ways to beat the symptoms and feel better:

 

 

Weight gain is one of the most common side effects of PCOS. It’s also one that affects your self esteem and compounds your difficulties in conceiving. However, the good news is that by paying attention to your diet, it is possible to lose the weight you’ve gained and feel better.

 

Losing weight will also help to reduce the risk of developing diabetes and heart disease as well as boosting your overall health and well-being.

 

However, diet alone can’t cure PCOS but it can help to alleviate the symptoms, and with ovulation monitoring or further support from your specialist, losing weight can significantly increase your chances of conceiving.

 

 

During my day to day work in the field of fertility, I hear many claims about the latest therapy that ‘will get you pregnant’. Unfortunately many of them turn out not to be true and others may have other therapeutic benefits, but do they really get you pregnant? For me to be confident in recommending a therapy to my patients, it is vital that the treatment has its roots in research, and it’s safe to say that this is exactly where acupuncture for fertility sits nicely.

 

A report published in 2008 reviewed seven studies that looked at the benefits of acupuncture and fertility. The report found that acupuncture increases a woman’s chances of conceiving by 65%. Conversely a later review in 2010 concluded that there is no evidence to support the benefit of acupuncture during IVF, however doubt has been cast on the validity of the findings in one specific study in the review. Complementary therapist and clinicians alike still support the use of acupuncture for fertility and I have seen countless numbers of women report improvements to their menstrual cycle and in particular the lengthening of their luteal phase when using acupuncture for fertility.

 

 

Research in 2005 found distinct benefits for men and fertility. This research showed that acupuncture significantly improves the quality and health of sperm and found that analysis of sperm samples before and after acupuncture showed fewer structural defects in the sperm and an increase in the numbers of normal healthy sperm.

 

I believe that when considering your fertility and what you can do to increase your chances of conceiving, it’s important not to look at just one aspect but to consider your fertility more holistically. Often it’s not just one thing you do or one change you make that results in conceiving but a combination of many aspects

 

Let’s consider for a moment the impact of stress on fertility. Research into the benefits of acupuncture for fertility, suggest that acupuncture is effective in reducing stress. Recent studies show a clear correlation between stress and infertility. Therefore it makes sense to work on reducing your stress levels by identifying your stress triggers; for many women this is work related, or the stress they experience while trying to conceive.

 

Getting lots of good quality natural sleep, exercising and eating a balanced diet can really help to combat stress and by adding in acupuncture can increase the likelihood of conceiving. You may also want to spend a little time thinking about your cycles and hormone balance

 

Acupuncturists report good effects when treating women with irregular cycles. Getting your cycles more regular and then monitoring your natural fertility indicators such as your body
temperature and cervical secretions helps you to conceive quicker.

 

 

Book your FREE consultation with the OvuSense Fertility Nurse, Kate -  to assess your fertility potential, answer your burning fertility questions, get recommendations on how to optimize your fertility and have your charts analysed.

If you are an OvuSense customer you are entitled to a FREE 1 hour consult, if you are not currently using OvuSense you book a FREE 15 minute consultation. Consultations are held by Skype or Telephone. Don't see a time that suits you? Email Kate on kate.davies@fertility-focus.com

As the fertility Nurse Advisor for OvuSense I am delighted to have the opportunity to share with you some of my knowledge, expertise and tips on how to maximize your chances of conception and in essence give you the knowledge to help you achieve pregnancy quicker.

 

For the first few blogs I am starting at the beginning with all the basics, the ‘must know’ facts about fertility. The ones that are crucial, the ones that really matter.

 

Firstly, if you are reading this because you are trying to conceive, please know that you are not alone. One in six couples experience problems conceiving and, if this is you, I would urge you to seek advice sooner rather than later. There is also so much that you can be doing now to optimize your fertility.

 

 

The UK in 2013, updated and significantly changed the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines for the assessment and treatment of individuals who are having difficulties in conceiving.

 

If you live in the UK and are trying to conceive, it's important that you understand these new guidelines and what they mean for you. 

 

 

1. Myth: You only need to have sex around the time you ovulate. Fact: You should have sex every 2-3 days throughout the cycle. Why? Regular sex keeps sperm healthy. You want to maximise the health of the sperm so that at the time of ovulation you have healthy sperm to fertilise the egg. New research also shows that the more sex you have the more fertile you are!
2. Myth: You always ovulate on day 14 of a cycle. Fact: Womens' cycles can really vary in length. If they have a long cycle then they will ovulate later than day 14 and if they have a short cycle they will ovulate earlier. This is another reason why it is important to have sex every 2-3 days as you never know when you might have a longer or shorter cycle than normal and ovulation can easily be missed. In actual fact the majority of couples are just not having enough sex in a month to conceive.
3. Myth: It's all in your head. Why don't you relax and then you'll get pregnant. Fact: Medical reasons are most often the cause of fertility problems; however, recent research does show an increased association between stress and infertility. That said, it is very unhelpful and upsetting when someone tells you to ‘just relax’.
4. Myth: Infertility is always the woman’s problem. Fact: Actually it’s pretty even. 35% of infertility is associated with the woman and 35% with the man. A mixture of both partners in 20% of cases and 10% unexplained infertility.
5. Myth: Infertile couples will never be happy or fulfilled. Fact: Being unable to conceive can fill a couple with sadness, grief, anger, despair, and even a sense of personal failure. While it's normal for infertile couples to experience a range of powerful emotions, most people do move through this life crisis successfully and gradually put it into better perspective. For some couples, 'moving on' means letting go of their initial dreams of having a baby. Other couples decide to adopt. But in either case, couples do learn that there is life after infertility and find a myriad ways to fulfill themselves, with or without children.
6. Myth: Age doesn’t matter for the man. Fact: Whilst a man is able to father children throughout his adult life, research shows that men of 35 years and older are 50% less likely, during a 12-month period, to conceive a baby than men who are younger than 25.
7. Myth: Smoking is okay as long as I quit once I’m pregnant. Fact: Smoking adversely effects fertility. Research shows that it can effect the movement of the egg from the ovary to the uterus and also has a detrimental effect on ovarian aging.
8. Myth: Alcohol boosts your chances of conceiving. Fact: Alcohol damages both the egg and the sperm and prevents the absorption of minerals essential for fertility. That said the occasional glass of wine to help you wind down and relax may have important therapeutic benefits. The good news is that alcohol damage to sperm is reversible and if the man reduces or gives up his alcohol then sperm health will improve.
9. Myth: The sexual position you choose will help you conceive. Fact: There is no evidence to suggest that any one sexual position is better than the other. There is however value in lying in bed for a short while after sex to allow the sperm to have the best possible chance of entering the uterus. There is conflicting advice on whether having an orgasm actually helps you to conceive, it is known that the cervix (neck of the womb) contracts at the point of an orgasm and appears to ‘scoop’ up sperm, though women get pregnant whether or not they have achieved orgasm at point critique!
10. Myth: Little can be done to improve a man’s sperm count. Fact: Lifestyle really matters when it comes to sperm count and general health. Giving up smoking, reducing alcohol, avoiding drugs, eating a healthy, well-balanced diet, moderate exercise and a healthy weight can all help to improve a man’s sperm count. Positive changes to a man’s lifestyle can increase sperm health relatively quickly.
11. Myth: A woman can delay getting pregnant to have a career, and even if there’s a problem then IVF will fix it. Fact: It is well documented that a woman’s fertility declines sharply at the age of 35. Although I believe no woman is purely a static and we all age differently, it is very important that women are aware of their fertility ageing if they choose to delay motherhood. Whilst advances in science mean that women are able to turn to fertility treatment in their 30s and 40s, IVF is not always successful. The percentage of live births following IVF for women over 35 years of age is 27.7%. This falls sharply to 13.6% in a woman aged 40-42 and down to only 5% in women aged 43-44.