your great life

The Fertility Focus Telesummit is back for 2012

Sarah Holland's Fertility Focus Telesummit launches on the 12th of March. I spoke at last year's Telesummit, and listened to every one of the other speakers, so I believe I can vouch for this worthwhile event. Click here for more information about how you can register for the Telesummit.

This is how it works. The Telesummit is an amazing “virtual event.” It will feature fertility experts from around the world sharing their knowledge and insights on a wide range of fertility subjects. You can listen in to all the information-packed presentations either online or over the phone every day of the Telesummit, starting on March 12th.

Grab your place now to attend this exciting event for free and get fully informed about what you can do to improve your chances of having a baby. Click here for details of all the expert presentations, each covering a different aspect of infertility and all offering great advice, ideas and solutions to help you move further towards becoming a parent.

Fertility, Birth and Adoption News

Births - A little girl in the Phillipines named Danica has been named the 7 billionth child born in the world. I'm not sure how they pinpointed her, or the Phillipines, but assume that it was symbolic.

All women giving birth in the UK are to be given the choice over having a caesarean delivery, according to The Sunday Times. The NHS has previously limited caesarean sections on the basis of medical need; however, according to the National Institute for Health & Clinical Excellence (NICE), women should be able to make an informed choice. It could help women who have experienced some trauma in previous childbirth. This decision is not without controversy. There are doctors who do not believe in performing surgery that is not medically required, but they will have to refer their interested patients to other NHS doctors who are willing to perform the c-section. Doctors are also concerned about the added financial burden on the NHS, as a caesarean costs approximately £800 more per patient than vaginal delivery.

Adoption - David Cameron has announced that there will be a crackdown against the worst performing Councils who ban certain people from adopting, frown on cross-culture adoption or delay the process by taking too long to carry out investigations of potential adoptive parents. As it stands now, some local authorities refuse to consider smokers or overweight people as adoptive parents, while others won't allow white people to adopt black children, even if there is a shortage of black parental candidates.

Martin Narey, Cameron's adviser on adoption, is the former chief executive of Barnardo's the children's charity. He stated this weekend that while it is important for the system to be rigorous in vetting potential adoptive parents, it should move much more quickly than it does. At present, only about 60 children are permanently adopted each year in Britain. Baroness Oona King, the former MP, spoke movingly on TV news this morning about the delays in the adoption process that "lost" her the first 13 months of each of her adopted children's lives.

Are you taking these common painkillers while pregnant?

We all know that we shouldn't take medication while pregnant without a doctor's knowledge, in case it passes through the placenta to affect the baby, right? However, certain painkillers have become so commonly used that they may be wrongly thought to be exempt from this rule.  A study by the University of Montreal has found that the use of ibuprofen (in over-the-counter medicines like Advil) and naproxen (in Aleve) in early pregnancy could more than double the risk of miscarriage. The findings are significant enough to serve as a warning to take all due care when deciding to take medication during pregnancy.

Over-the-counter painkillers ibuprofen and naproxen  are both non-aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), a group that includes prescription medications diclofenac, celecoxib (Celebrex) and rofecoxib (Vioxx). In a study of 52,000 women, it was found that of the 4,705 women who miscarried before the 20th week of pregnancy, 7.5% had been given at least one prescription of these drugs during early pregnancy. The miscarriage rate among women in the study who had not been prescribed one of these drugs was 2.6%. It is possible that even lower-dose, over-the-counter medications present a significant danger.

While the study only used the prescription as a marker, and not actual usage of the drugs, and thus cannot prove a direct link, it may serve as a timely reminder that more care should be taken before prescribing and using painkillers in pregnancy. It is possible that some of the women who miscarried never actually took the prescribed medication and/or that some could have miscarried for other reasons.  It was emphasized that non-NSAID painkillers, like acetaminophen, are a better choice during early pregnancy. So, don't be complacent about the contents of your medicine cabinet and check with your doctor before taking any medication.

Links:

http://healthland.time.com/2011/09/08/common-painkiller-use-may-be-linked-to-miscarriage-risk/

The Canadian Medical Association Journal http://www.cmaj.ca/content/early/2011/09/06/cmaj.110454

Are your hormones behaving badly?

For those of you who live locally, I have information about a natural health seminar taking place next week at the Riverside Health & Racquets Club in Northwood.

Are your hormones behaving badly? Did you know that what you eat can have an impact on how you feel? There is much you can do to help yourself feel better, without taking medication. If you suffer from PMS or are struggling through the menopause, attend Linda Munster's talk at the Riverside Club on Thursday 7th July either 10-12 noon or 7.30-9.30 pm.

Find out how eating the right foods can help balance your hormones...naturally. Cost 10 pounds. Booking is essential, so if you are interested, please contact:

Linda Munster Nutrition Consultant / zest4life Weight Loss coach  01923 842601

[email protected]

www.zest4life.com

Bringing multiple births down

Sometimes the number of young twins I notice seems remarkable compared to the relative rarity of twins I knew from my own childhood. Double, and even triple, buggies seem to be everywhere. Both of my children have twin friends, and know a few others. Twins do run in families, usually a genetic predisposition from the mother's side. They are also more likely to occur in women of African descent. However, there are two additional reasons for the increase in twin births in the past 2 decades:

• First, women have been having children later than in previous generations. Twins occur more frequently as the mother's age rises at the conception of her children.
• Secondly, the increase in IVF and the implanting of more than one embryo per cycle has resulted in more twin births.

However, news reports this week have revealed that twin births are declining in the UK now.

You may wonder what difference it makes if women are having twins rather than single births. After all, it still has the novelty factor. Some parents may prefer to have twins and not go through a second pregnancy and birth experience, especially if it would involve another round of IVF. For convenience and cost, it might make sense. However, there are several disadvantages to multiple births that should be considered.

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) considers multiple births the "single biggest risk of fertility treatment." The increased risks of multiple births, according to the HFEA, include:

• miscarriage and other pregnancy complications
• premature and/or low birth weight
• neonatal mortality: 19/1,000 deaths within the first month of life for multiple babies, compared to 3/1,000 live births for single babies
• cerebral palsy: HFEA quote 6.2/1,000 live births for twins compared to 1.7/1,000 live births for single babies
• of newborns requiring special neonatal care
• maternal pregnancy-induced high blood pressure (hypertension), pre-eclampsia, pregnancy diabetes, assisted or interventional delivery (e.g., a caesarean), and mortality.

Its aim has been to reduce that risk by encouraging the transfer of single, rather than multiple, embryos per cycle. The program is having a swift and definitive impact on the trend of multiple births. The first target level set in 2009/2010, required that fertility clinics have a rate of no more than 24% multiple births from assisted reproduction techniques. For 2010/2011, the target was lowered to 20%, and in April 2011 the target has been set to 15%, which UK clinics are expected to meet by this time next year. The ultimate aim is a multiple birth rate of no more than 10% each year.

So, what does this mean for you if you are currently trying to conceive? If you are having fertility treatment in the UK, are under the age of 35 and considered to have a high chance of successful conception, you may find your clinic unwilling to transfer multiple embryos. Up to the age of 40, the HFEA restricts transfer to 2 embryos. From age 40, the group which is least assured of success with IVF, a woman may elect to have up to 3 embryos transferred. Any additional embryos created in vitro can be frozen and used later.

If you require more information about elective Single Embryo Transfer (eSET), a good source of information is the One at a Time website, which is dedicated to "better outcomes from fertility treatment." The site includes information about the guidelines, best practice, the risks of multiple pregnancies and what is involved in carrying, giving birth to and raising twins and triplets.

Additional sources:

Elective Single Embryo Transfer: Guidelines for Practice British Fertility Society and Association of Clinical Embryologists - http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14647270802302629

Decline in multiple birth rate from IVF -http://www.nhs.uk/news/2011/05May/Pages/decline-in-multiple-birth-rate-from-IVF.aspx

Preparing for multiplebirths - http://kidshealth.org/parent/pregnancy_center/preparing_parenthood/multiple_births.html

What's on TV?

It's possible that you are feeling as bereft on weeknights these days as I am over the end of Masterchef and, dare I say it, Embarrassing Bodies. While I enjoy having it on while I'm preparing dinner, Great British Menu doesn't have the same sense of drama as Masterchef, the kitchen isn't as swish and the chefs/restaurant critics/judges lack the personality to make you want to watch every episode. For the first time, my daughter and I couldn't call a winner this year on Masterchef, finding merit in all 3 candidates (Tim, Tom and Sara).

On the opposite end of the spectrum, nothing comes close to the wierd, unattractive and, frankly, yucky aspects of our health and bodily welfare on Embarrassing Bodies, presented by the very likeable Dr Christian, Dr Pixie and Dr Dawn. While I sometimes have to watch with my hands over my eyes, I'm fascinated by the untreated conditions that people keep secret for years, only to show millions of TV viewers, including growths, excessive body hair, "moobs," fungi, bowel disorders and skin conditions. I would go for the privacy of an appointment with my GP any day over sharing en masse. Is it that people don't have confidence in their own doctor, but are comforted and emboldened by the approachable bedside manner of EB's 3 medical presenters?

I've learned quite a bit of quasi-medical information which will hopefully stand me in good stead over the years, including preventive care (not the UK's strong suit) but what fascinates me is the link between bodily function, appearance and self-esteem. What causes people to keep their conditions hidden, to their own detriment? Some have lived 10 - 20 years with discomfort, pain, bad odours, inconvenience and embarrassment that could have been cleared up if they had sought help. Others, unfortunately, didn't receive the best help when they did inquire and didn't seek a second opinion until now. Fear of what the offending body part might mean to their health is a factor, for sure. Shame also plays a big part. Some of the visitors to the Embarrassing Bodies Clinic visibly blossom after treatment; a huge weight lifted off their shoulders. My husband leaves the living room in despair when he realizes that I won't change channels for love or money. If you live in the UK and haven't seen an episode of Embarrassing Bodies (is that possible?) or if you want information about an aspect of your own health or body, go to http://www.channel4embarrassingillnesses.com.

Good news then, that this week there is some worthwhile TV viewing this week. Ha! I laugh, because it all comes at once. On Thursday, May 5th, you can pin your hopes on one of the remaining 5 contestants on American Idol (ITV2, 7:30 - 9 pm), marvel at how pretty judge Jennifer Lopez is, how gentle and sweet judge and former Aerosmith band member Steven Tyler is and wonder what Simon Cowel thinks of Season 11, the first without his input. If you prefer something more educational and fertility health-related, the alternative is 'Is Breast Best?' on BBC3 at 8 pm, exploring the debate over breast-feeding. I may have to do some channel-hopping!

Another dilemma at 9 pm that evening. 'Inside the Human Body,' on BBC1, promises us a view of the moment of conception and the sequence of events leading to birth. I'm hoping that they handle this subject well, because the more information people have about their fertility health, the better prepared they will be when they approach conception and pregnancy themselves. At the same time, on ITV1, is 'Long Lost Family.' This is the emotional tearjerker of the reality show season, reuniting long-lost siblings, adopted children with their birth parents, etc... It's lovely. I like a happy ending and they do it well. Hopefully, you know how to record a program (unlike me) and won't miss either. Happy viewing.

The loneliest girl: What desperation led a pregnant teen to give birth and leave her baby in a hotel room?

This morning's news brought a tragic story about a newborn baby found dead in a hotel in Hounslow, West London. Police have traced the mother; a 15-year old Canadian girl who had been visiting the UK on a school trip. She gave birth without anyone knowing that she was even pregnant, and returned home to Canada. Had anyone known, she surely would not have been allowed to travel to the UK at 40 weeks pregnant by her parents, the school or the airline. It isn't known yet whether the baby was born alive. I spoke to Jayson Mansaray, the presenter of the Lunch Show at hayes.fm radio, this morning about why a young woman would go to these lengths and how teens can access help if they think they may be pregnant.

It may be difficult to believe that a woman could go through 9 months of pregnancy without anyone knowing about it, but it does happen occasionally. Presumably, she knew that she was pregnant, but hid it well by gaining a small amount of weight, already being overweight when she conceived or wearing very loose clothing. The question is why she felt she needed to go through this alone. We can only speculate that she may have:

• feared the judgment of her parents, peers, teachers and neighbours for being sexually active and/or pregnant;
• not understood much about pregnancy and feared the changes in her body;
• worried that she would be excluded from school, a job, a sports team or a social group;
• been in complete denial that the pregnancy would result in the birth of a baby;
• feared the responsibility of having a baby; or
• feared the withdrawal of love and support from her parents or other family members.

It's understandable that a pregnant teen would feel scared, isolated, confused and overwhelmed. However, the danger associated with secrecy about the pregnancy is that she would not get the help she needs and which is available to her. The primary concern is for the pregnant teen's health and wellbeing. She needs to know, as quickly as possible, whether she is pregnant and how far into the pregnancy she is. Depending upon whether she decides to continue in the pregnancy or to terminate, she needs advice about how to proceed. She, or her partner, may also need emotional support and help with her decision-making. They can access help, confidentially, through helplines and walk-in, young people's, sexual health clinics.

Nationally, a great UK resource is the Ask Brook website.  Young people, under the age of 25, can access information and advice regarding their sexuality, body image, sexual health, contraception, pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases (STD's) and termination of pregnancy. Additionally, there is a free, confidential Ask Brook Helpline, which operates 9 am - 7 pm, Monday - Friday:  0808 802 1234, and a confidential text service: 07717 989 023, which charges a standard SMS rate. Both the website and the advisors on the helpline can provide information about all the services that are available to a young person in their own area.

Locally, KISS is the name for the NHS sexual health services for young people up to the age of 25 in and around Hounslow. For more information about where you can go to access free and confidential pregnancy testing, advice and other health services, go to: KISS Young People's Clinics – Sexual Health Hounslow. (You do not have to live in Hounslow to use this service.)

An unexpected pregnancy may seem very overwhelming, but if you are in that position, it's important that you know:

• There are no stupid questions;
• The sooner you ask those questions that you have, the more you will understand and the better equipped you will be;
• If you are pregnant, the earlier you know, the more choice you will have about how to handle it (prior to 24 weeks for abortion);
• You will get the right medical advice and treatment for yourself and/or the baby at the right time;
• Telling someone confidentially on the helpline or at a KISS centre may make it easier for you to tell an adult who is closer to you, like a parent;
• The help is there for you...you are not alone.

This is what some of you said about my talk on the Telesummit!

I really enjoyed being a part of the Fertility Focus Telesummit and I'm touched by your response. Here are just a few of the messages I have received:

• "Lisa,Thank you so much for what you do. I'd love to get the worksheet.Warmly," L. 
• "[T]hank you so much for our talk and for your valuable information.  I actually listened to it twice, once by myself live and then again with my husband." MS
• "I really appreciated your talk. I would love to get your worksheet for creating a support network.Thanks so much for offering this." NS
• "I listened to your very interesting call today, thank you so much! Could you please send me your work sheet I think it is exactly what I need." PC
• "Thank you so much for sharing your insight at the Fertility Focus Telesummit - it was truly appreciated." CP
• "I found that you really "spoke" to me and it was very timely in my fertility journey." AR
• "I had a chance to listen to you on Telesummit. You are awesome! My goal is to find a friend (or maybe two) who I can talk to when I am ... down and vulnerable." SP
• "It was wonderful listening to you. Thank you." LF
• "Just listening to you doing such a great job on the Fertility Focus teleseminar - very proud of my former study buddy! [iI]'s a great idea to actually list my support network under the different categories." AS

 

If you, or someone else you know, could benefit from the other topics covered by the fertility experts listed below, get the word out to them quickly! To grab a free place on the remaining calls <--- click here.

• Using An Integrated Approach To Getting And Staying Pregnant - Dr Marilyn Glenville
• Using Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine to Increase Your IVF Results - Andrew Loosely
• How the 11 Pillars of Fertility Reveal the Secrets to Optimum Health and Fertility - Gabriela Rosa
• Aging Eggs: What You Can Do to Improve Your Chances of Conception - Zita West 
• Your Fertile Mindset: How To Prepare Yourself For Conception With EFT - Sarah Holland
• How Hypnotherapy Encourages Successful Conception -  Kristin Hayward
• Solving Your Fertility Puzzle - Sue Dumais
• Using Astrology To Optimize Your Chances Of Success In The Treatment Of Infertility - Nicola Smuts
• Finally Take Control by Charting Your Two Primary Fertility Signs - Toni Weschler
• Fertility At 40 Plus with the Law of Attraction - Deirdre Morris
• Eating to Optimize Fertility - Cindy Bailey

AND 3 Fabulous Bloggers:

• Katie from www.fromiftowhen.com;
• Elphaba (aka Runny Yolk) from www.eggsandsperm.com; and
• Heather from www. surviveandthrive.co.za

If you didn't manage to get on the first few calls, including my talk on Creating an Effective Support Network, Dr Genville, Andrew Loosely or Gabriela Rosa, you can still listen to the recordings!

By upgrading to a Golden Ticket for you can still get all 17 audio files full of information and advice about how to get what you need to maximize your chances of having the baby you want, emailed to you as an MP3 download after the Telesummit is over. That includes all 15 talks listed above, plus Sarah Holland's introductory and concluding sessions, to listen and refer back to at your leisure. This is an incredible value, for a total of $67, available while the Telesummit is still running this week. For more information and to upgrade your place on the Fertility Focus Telesummit <---- click here.

A Bonus for You as part of the Fertility Focus Telesummit

Welcome to Your Great Life, and especially today to those visiting from IComLeavWe.  I'm all set for presenting my session at the 2nd Fertility Focus Telesummit tomorrow. I have just listened to Sarah Holland, the founder and host of the Telesummit, present her introduction and it got me even more excited for the week's events.  As I shared with you in the blog above, I'm speaking to you on how "Creating an Effective Support Network Can Make All the Difference When Trying to Conceive."

In order to help you create the best support network to fulfil your unique needs, I have a Worksheet which is available FREE.  Email me at [email protected] (you can click through on the Email Icon to the right), quoting #FFTS2011 in the subject box and you will receive the worksheet by reply email.  Please feel free to include in your email any questions you have about my presentation at the Telesummit, or about fertility coaching.

If you haven't registered yet, you will want to do it right away. The presentations are live, each speaker will try to take questions and recordings are available for free for 24 hours after each presentation, or you can choose to upgrade to get all 17 audio files emailed to you after the Telesummit. 2,700 people have already signed up! Click here to register for the Fertility Focus Telesummit FREE.

Embryo Freezing as a Lifestyle Choice

This morning on the Lorraine show (ITV), the presenter interviewed a woman, Gillian, by satellite from New York regarding the couple's choice to freeze their embryos at age 30 for a pregnancy later in life. The twist was that this couple is young, healthy and fertile. Gillian spoke about not being ready to become a mother and thinking that she and her husband would perhaps be ready to use the frozen embryos at around age 40.  She wants to be more settled, with a higher level of income/assets. Is there ever a perfect time to become a parent?

Some of the questions brought up by Lorraine Kelly and Dr Hilary Jones were:

• Is a child born to wealthier, "more settled" parents likely to be aware of, or any happier because of their parents' financial status?
• Is there ever a perfect time to become a parent?
• How Gillian would feel if, upon readiness, she finds herself unable to conceive, even with the frozen embryos used?
• How Gillian and her husband would feel if their frozen embryo resulted in a handicapped or special-needs child, because the safety/stability of long-term frozen embryos is unknown?
• What Gillian and her husband would do if they never felt ready to become parents and had frozen embryos in storage?

This was an unsatisfying interview for me, with questions hanging in the air and few definitive answers. I'm sure that Gillian and her husband thought about what they are doing very seriously, but the choice itself seemed an extravagant and frivilous one to me. They are healthy, fertile people of childbearing age, spending a lot of money and using a facility meant to help infertile people have a chance at becoming parents, for the sake of lifestyle convenience. Yes, the medical science is there to achieve the delayed pregnancy. No, they aren't taking anything away from anyone else. But, it doesn't sit well with me, in the same way as using a surrogate so you don't gain weight or get stretch marks wouldn't sit well. Perhaps it's because there are so many couples who would bear that child at any age if they could, regardless of convenience, and can't. Perhaps it's because it's down to money, which this couple clearly has to spare and so many who need it, don't.

Where do you sit on this issue? Please leave a comment below.