Anxiety regarding getting pregnant after a miscarriage is common among women or couples who have had the experience. Some choose to try to get pregnant again right away while others prefer to wait. Whatever your choice, speaking with your doctor about conception is encouraged to ensure that it is safe to conceive when you’re ready again. Make sure that you’re prepared physically as well as mentally and emotionally, as this experience may be quite taxing for many women.

Many professionals recommend that women wait for two to three menstrual periods before attempting to conceive after a miscarriage so that the uterus and uterine lining have the opportunity to become strong. When the time comes to get pregnant once again, certain lifestyle changes may help to improve one’s chances of conceiving.

For one, quit smoking if you’re a smoker. Smoking not only contributes to miscarriage, but may also make it more difficult to conceive. If you’re a smoker and want to get pregnant, or if you are already pregnant, stop smoking right away. Speak with your doctor about programs or steps you can take to help you achieve this goal.

It is also important to stop drinking. A fetus exposed to alcohol may be at risk of developing otherwise preventable defects. Many recommend avoiding alcohol completely when trying to conceive and when pregnant to avoid this risk.

Taking folic acid supplements may be helpful as well, as folic acid has shown to protect a fetus from neural tube defects. Limit caffeine and artificial sweeteners intake, or cut them out of your diet completely. Try to limit seafood as well, as seafood may be high in mercury, which may harm a developing fetus. Women who experience a miscarriage may be encouraged to limit seafood intake to just 12 ounces a week. Avoiding certain seafood completely such as king mackerel, swordfish, shark, tilefish and raw fish in general is also encouraged.

Do not engage in strenuous workouts or exercises during pregnancy including skiing, scuba diving, horseback riding and others. If you wish to exercise, talk to your doctor about a light routine before exercising. If you’re overweight, try losing weight. Women who are obese or overweight may be at a greater risk of miscarriage and should try to lose weight before conception. However, avoid crash diets and rapid weight loss, as this may be unhealthy and eliminate nutrients in the body, which may be harmful when trying to conceive.

ACUPUNCTURE AND HERBAL MEDICINE TO THE RESCUE!

Incidence of male factor (30%) is rising and improvements in raising sperm count, motility, and changing morphology are notable with the use of Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine.
Acupuncture is a very gentle, comfortable, and relaxing treatment. Acupuncture connects the organs, and all of your systems (endocrine, reproductive, blood, nervous, lymph, etc.) with the brain so that it functions in balance.

The TCM concepts of how the organ systems work and interconnect differ, and hold broader functions, than perceived by Western medicine. The Kidney system, for example is responsible for reproduction and aging. It interconnects with the endocrine system. A balanced Kidney system is critical for male fertility. The Kidney system has pathways which traverse from the feet, passing through the genitals, through the center of the body, through the heart and chest, and continuing upward towards the brain and endocrine system. This pathway must flow abundantly with Qi (vitality, energy) and blood). Acupuncture allows these pathways to open so that Qi and Blood can flow. There is a Chinese saying that “when Qi and blood flow, there is no disease.” Acupuncture promotes the flow of Qi and blood to restore sperm count, motility and morphology.

Factors including stress, nutrition and diet, lifestyle, lack of rest, and environmental toxins are also considered more seriously than ever before. This also differs from western treatment which pays much less attention to nutrition or demands of lifestyle. A TCM practitioner recommends favorable diets and nutrition to enhance fertility and discusses how to cope with lifestyle stress. Bridging the gap between Western and Eastern care improves patient outcomes.

Sperm Analysis:
A normal sperm analysis – includes volume of at least one ml:
• Count – more than 20 million per ml;
• Motility – more than 50% moving purposefully; and
• Form – less than 50% abnormal.

Where are the needles placed?

Tiny, thin hair-like needles are placed in specific points on the body.
Acupuncture points for male factor are placed in the area of the low back, often with low frequency stimulation. Areas around the stomach, legs, hands and ankles are also used. Acupuncture works systematically improving blood flow to all parts of the body so it is not necessary to treat the genital area.

Acupuncture & Herbal Research
Lab test improvements in sperm count, motility and morphology have been demonstrated through clinical research. One study is summarized below.

Acupuncture Study Improves Sperm Motility, Count & Morphology

• 32 Sub fertile men with sperm impairment.
• 16 Given 10 Acupuncture treatment, 16 no treatment.
Significant improvements occurred in the acupuncture group compared to control group:
– Increased number of motile sperm.
– Increased number of sperm with intact tails.
– Increased % of viable sperm.

TCM practitioners diagnose your pattern of disease and often formulate a specific and unique herbal mixture precisely for your patten. This uniqueness and specificity usually accelerates your results.

More Benefits of Acupuncture:
• A gentle holistic approach to resolving your health problems.
• Reduces stress.
• Treats the root of disease – not just the symptoms.
• Can improve and maximize health.
• Often used for preventive treatments and early detection of the body’s imbalances.
• Little or no side effects.
• Promotes blood flow and circulation.
• Increases energy, stamina, endurance.
• Promotes a sense of well-being.
• Can simultaneously treat other health issues like orthopedic pain, sports injuries, digestion problems, insomnia, sinuses or allergies, headaches, etc.

Improve your reproductive health. Bridging the gap between Western and Eastern health care improves your results.

According to the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, 1/3 of infertility cases are attributable to women. 1/3 is attributable to men and the remaining 1/3 to combined infertility or unexplained causes. Find out below about how smoking can directly lead to infertility.

Introduction of infertility

Experts in reproduction and infertility consider any male or female or couple infertile if they are under the age of 34, have not used contraceptive and have tried to conceive for a period of 12 months. If the female is above the age of 35 and has not conceived after a period of 6 months of contraceptive-free intercourse or if a female is incapable of carrying a pregnancy to term, it may be termed infertility.

Causes of infertility in males

The main cause of infertility in males is low sperm count or volume. Sperm production is affected due to hormonal problems in the testicles or pituitary gland, treatment of cancer with chemotherapy or radiation and several other factors. Sometimes genetic problems also play a part. Diabetes and thyroid also cause infertility in men suffering from them. Ejaculation problems such as blocked ejaculation and retrograde ejaculation also play a pivotal role in infertility. Klinefelter syndrome or problems in chromosomes cause infertility too.

Causes of infertility in females

The fertility rate of women is affected by age. Other conditions that lead to infertility in women are pelvic inflammatory disease, ovulation difficulties, diabetes, thyroid disorders, liver problems, kidney disease, problems in the fallopian tube, uterus and cervix and endometriosis (a disorder in the female reproductive organs). Less well-known factors that can lead to infertility in women are excess weight gain or weight loss.

Environmental and lifestyle factors responsible for infertility

Certain lifestyle factors such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, rigorous exercises and taking undue physical stress can lead to infertility. Environmental factors such as exposure to toxins like glues, volatile organic solvents, silicones, physical agents, chemical dusts and pesticides also contribute to infertility.

Relations between smoking and infertility

Smoking is not only dangerous for your heart and respiratory organs but also your reproductive functions. Smoking or consumption of substances that contain tobacco reduces sperm production in men and affects the quality of eggs in women, causing infertility in the course of time. Smoking also decreases the production of testosterone in men, thereby causing impotence. Smoking in women causes changes in the cervical mucous, which prevents the sperm reaching the egg and induces infertility.

Treatments that help you to quit smoking

As smoking is an addictive habit, preparation and help is advisable when looking to quit. Chantix and Zyban are 2 clinically proven treatments that help you to quit smoking. Both Chantix and Zyban are approved by the FDA, so that you can quit smoking safely and effectively.

Good information for you….

One of the most common questions pregnant women who own cats or are frequently around cats have is if they or their baby can catch an infection known as One of the most common questions pregnant women owning cats have is if they or their baby can catch an infection known as toxoplasmosis. Many expecting mothers’ worry that they can catch it from cleaning their cat’s litterbox or by just merely petting a cat. Is there any truth to this fear? How much contact should expecting mothers have with cats?

Believe it or not, toxoplasmosis, caused by the single celled parasite Toxoplasma Gondii, is really common. With about 60 million infected in the U.S. per year, it may be more surprising to you that we don’t hear about this infection more often. The reason we don’t hear about it frequently is that the average healthy person doesn’t show any symptoms. Those with weakened immune systems or pregnant may be at a more serious risk. However, by taking precautions, one can be safer from contracting this parasite.

Toxoplasmosis is contracted by different means which include: Drinking water contaminated with the Toxoplasma parasite, not washing hands or surfaces after handling raw meat or cat feces, not washing hands after gardening in contaminated soil, eating unwashed fruits or vegetables grown in contaminated soil.

Cats get toxoplasmosis from eating animals or raw meat infected with the parasite. Cats don’t show signs they’ve been infected but can pass it in their feces 7 to 10 days during the height of their infection. It is good practice to clean the litterbox every day because it takes more than one day for the Toxoplasma parasite to become infectious.

To help keep your cat from contracting the infection, keep them indoors and cook any meat you give him completely or, better yet, stick to feeding only the commercial, store-bought dry or canned cat foods.

To keep yourself from contracting it, thoroughly wash your hands after gardening or cleaning litterboxes, wash all fruits and vegetables, clean all surfaces, knives, and utensils that come in contact with raw meat, and cook all meat (esp. pork, deer, and lamb) until done to kill the parasite. You won’t get the parasite by petting cats-it’s through direct contact with the feces only. By direct contact, it is meant that you clean the litterbox or garden in soil that has cat feces in it (the Toxoplasma parasite can live several months in the soil) then touch your mouth with the unwashed hands.

If you think you’ve been infected, as stated before, you may not show symptoms and it will, more than likely, resolve itself. When symptoms have been seen, they have included swollen lymph nodes and a general flu-like feeling. Those with weakened immune systems or are pregnant will want to see the doctor for treatment. People with poor immune systems, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), can have fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, seizures, and even brain and eye damage. A pregnant woman’s unborn baby can be infected by Toxoplasma in the first trimester of her pregnancy but it won’t show any signs of being infected until later in life in the form of brain or eye damage and seizures. For the parasite to cause damage to the unborn baby, the woman must contract it, as stated, in her first trimester and the cat must have passed it at the height of infection in the 7-10 day window of opportunity. Then she has to ingest it (by not washing hands). It is a very precarious timing situation for the baby to get infected.

Toxoplasma tests are available to those who think they have been infected. Medication is also available to get rid of the infection and the parasite.

Toxoplasmosis is commonly found around us and is commonly infectious. More than likely, you’ve been infected already and never knew it If this is so, you are unlikely to get reinfected. If you are in the high risk zone by having a compromised immune system or are pregnant, just remember to wash thoroughly or wear gloves when gardening or cleaning litterboxes or, better yet, have someone else do the litterboxes. The bottom line is: you can still love and enjoy your cat even during your pregnancy!