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Archive for the ‘ovulation Kits’ Category

By Leila Gray – For many the dream of becoming a mom or dad is elusive. Sometimes medical treatments, or other causes of infertility, make it difficult for a man to father a child or for a woman to conceive and carry a pregnancy.

However, several advances are available to assist prospective parents unable to have children on their own. new methods are also at hand to attempt to protect the ability to have babies later on.

Clare McLean

Reproductive medicine specialist Dr. Paul Zarutskie conducts a diagnostic ultrasound for patient Terry Hess. By her side is husband Dr. Bruce Hess.

“We’re all about family building,” reproductive medicine specialist Dr. Paul W. Zarutskie commented on the UW experts from many fields who work on infertility problems. Zarutskie, acting associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, directs the newly re-opened University Reproductive Care at UW Medical Center-Roosevelt.

In addition to providing infertility care for all genders, UW  Medicine reproductive endocrinologists also diagnose and treat hormonal issues related to female systems, such as menopausal symptoms, menstrual irregularities, hirsuitism (excessive body hair), polycystic ovary disease, and other conditions.  In some cases, an endocrine disorder is why a woman of childbearing age is having problems becoming pregnant.

Since the closing of the UW in vitro fertilization service in 2005, UW Medicine urologists and obstetrician/gynecologists continued to diagnose and treat infertility, but in vitro fertilization procedures were performed at another lab.

“now UW Medicine patients have the opportunity of having all such procedures done in-house in a state-of-the art facility,” said Zarutskie. he had obtained his early experience conducting in vitro fertilization at the UW. he trained with leading UW reproductive care experts with a strong national reputation for good pregnancy outcomes.  Seventeen years ago he set up practice in California. when he moved back to the Northwest  to retire, he was asked if he would return instead to the UW as chief of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility.

A major reason why Zarutskie accepted the post, he said, was that UW clinicians and basic scientists are on the verge of scientific developments and practical applications that could change reproductive medicine, provide more options for patients, and protect the viability and health of babies-in-the-making.

As one of many examples, Zarutskie mentioned work by Dr. Randall Moon, whose basic science lab studies cell-to-cell signals that guide embryonic development.  This research is likely to improve the understanding of what promotes optimal growth of a single fertilized egg into a lively baby with all its working parts.  In other physiological research likely to improve reproductive care, Dr. Robert Steiner’s lab looks at nerve transmitters in the brain that regulate the surge of hormones just before ovulation.

On the clinical side, UW urologist Dr. Tom Walsh and male reproduction biologist Dr. Charles Muller in the Male Infertility Laboratory have made major progress in enhancing sperm motility, recovering  sperm with low DNA damage from a sperm sample, and retrieving sperm from testes blocked by structural abnormalities or previous surgeries.

Many UW genomic scientists and anatomists are making discoveries important to pre-implantation screening of fertilized eggs and embryos for genetic and developmental disorders. Maternal/fetal medicine specialist Dr. Edith Cheng is creating new diagnostic and treatment procedures during infertility care and the pregnancies that result.

According to Zarutskie, a good egg is essential to a viable pregnancy.

After age 35, a woman’s ability to establish and sustain a pregnancy drops significantly, with another major drop after age 40. Miscarriage rates are high in middle-age pregnancies.  Pregnancy loss in these instances is often due to genetic changes in older eggs.

“Age in the woman’s body is not so much the factor as is the aging of the egg. As long as you have a healthy egg, a pregnancy is more likely to proceed normally.” Zarutskie said.  he explained that a healthy older woman’s body would likely maintain a normal fertilized egg and a robust embryo.

Clare McLean

Dr. Zarutskie goes over his initial findings with Bruce and Terry Hess.

When should a couple suspect they are having trouble getting pregnant? Zarutskie said that, on average, a healthy woman who is ovulating regularly and who has a patent uterus and fallopian tubes, and a man who is producing enough active sperm, will usually conceive in six months to a year of unprotected intercourse.  Methods to detect ovulation, such as testing with a urine kit, recording changes in body temperature, or charting the color and consistency of vaginal secretions, can help couples with their timing.

Once a woman is over 35, he said, the clock is ticking and she and her partner should consider making an appointment with their physician after four months without success.  they would then have more time to detect and fix any problems with infertility before the woman enters  menopause and an older man’s sperm production or erectile function declines.

Infertility has a number of causes.  Sometimes only the man or only the woman has an underlying condition, but in 15 to 20 percent of the cases, both partners have contributing factors.

“That’s why couples should realize that the two of them make up the equation,” Zarutskie said.

He listed some of the most common causes of infertility:  ovulation dysfunctions, pelvic infections, endometriosis (in which the lining of the uterus grows on the cervix or other organs), toxin exposure, diet, and such chronic medical conditions as diabetes or thyroid deficiency, and anatomical differences in the uterus or other reproductive structures.  In men, prostate inflammation or infection, anatomical obstructions, and sperm production, including quality and amount, are common factors.

For some younger people – including boys and girls – the issue is protecting their fertility for a future time in their lives when they are established and able to start a family.

Dr. Brenda Houmard, a UW obstetrician/gynecologist, and Dr. Anne Marie Amies, a specialist in pediatric gynecology, are developing a program for young girls with chronic medical conditions, physical disabilities or congenital variations in their reproductive tracts. The program will help transition their medical and surgical care as they move into adulthood and face childbearing concerns.

UW reproductive medicine specialists also see youngsters and young adults just after they are newly diagnosed with a serious condition but before they start medications, radiation or other protocols that could jeopardize their fertility.

Dr. Kathleen Lin, a UW specialist in both male and female infertility, is known for her work in protecting fertility. many cases are patients about to receive cancer therapy. among the new technologies are the freezing of eggs or ovarian or testicular tissue.  Physicians also do “crash” retrievals for those about to undergo immediate treatment or surgery that will leave them infertile.

“At present, we can’t guarantee the current methods to gather and preserve the tissues and cells necessary for later pregnancy, but some patients are willing to go ahead the hopes that it might succeed,” Zarutskie said. “Dr. Kathleen Lin and her colleagues provide them with the most promising methods and technology to attempt to achieve their desire to have children later on. In many cases, it is their only chance, if they are having medical treatment that will result in permanent infertility.”

Zaruskie said that this is an exciting, dynamic time for improvements in infertility treatments and fertility preservation.  For instance, while it still happens, the occurrence of quadruplets or quintuplets (or more) from in vitro fertilization is less likely, due to the fact that fewer embryos are implanted in the hopes that at least one will “take.”

Twins and triplets are still a possibility, he said, even when only one embryo is implanted. More than 20 percent of in vitro fertilizations result in twin gestations.  Because multiples increase the chances of pregnancy complications, he said that in vitro fertilization researchers want to understand why and how they happen to reduce the likelihood.

Diagnosis and treatment still cannot give everyone the hoped-for son or daughter. To learn that they cannot have children, despite all efforts to diagnose and treat their infertility, can be devastating to men and women.  Zarutskie said many people take some comfort in learning why they are infertile, move through the pain and come to an acceptance. some decide to adopt, become foster parents, or love and care for their friends’ or relatives’ children.  Others turn their lives in a different direction that they find fulfilling.

It’s hard to believe that Zarutskie, with his dedication and understanding of what patients go through, and his desire to improve treatments for infertility, found his calling by accident. In high school he planned to become a pilot and an aeronautics engineer who designed missiles. when he was awarded a grant to intern in a lab in Philadelphia, a mistake was made in the paperwork. he was sent to a world leader in sperm physiology.

“I wasn’t disappointed. Instead I was amazed at the science. I switched my interest from rockets to sperm,” he recalled.  As a college student at Duke University he took an introductory psychology course with Dr. Carl Erickson, a noted expert on bird behavior, and was intrigued by how bird hormones get metabolized. In medical school at Hahnemann (now Drexel) he participated in early studies of in vitro fertilization. he learned to apply the heralded findings to patient care, and went on to become a leader in the field of reproductive technology.

“I’m blessed now to be one of the doctors who can now offer tremendous treatment options in reproductive  medicine for patients and  to work among outstanding UW researchers  who are opening  new avenues in fertility, contraception, and infertility research, “ Zarutskie said. “these UW researchers from many disciplines are united by a common bond of excellence and altruism in scientific discovery to benefit others.”

Orlando, FL (PRWEB) November 17, 2008

DSHI Systems, which uses new technology to give people likely diagnoses for their medical conditions online, has partnered with MedlinePlus, the leading authority for online health information. DSHI calls the revolutionary site FreeMD.com: a virtual doctor conducts an interview, analyzes symptoms, and provides expert advice.

FreeMD uses artificial intelligence to control a video doctor that asks questions and shows pictures. The virtual doctor analyzes over 3,000 symptoms and injuries in infants, children, and adults.

“Consumers are on their own when making the decision to see a doctor,” says Dr. Stephen J. Schueler, founder of DSHI Systems. “Do they go to the emergency room, urgent care center, doctor's office, or the nurse retail clinic? How does the average person know what to do?”

FreeMD's advice includes answers to:

• What might be causing my symptoms?
• Do I need to see a doctor?
• Where should I go for care?
• How do I care for myself?

Every FreeMD interview creates a web page that contains care instructions and a personal health record. Consumers may e-mail the record to their doctor or print a copy and take it with them. This helps consumers to be better prepared for a doctor visit. FreeMD has created more than 170,000 personal health records in the past 3 months.

“We have created a life-like experience that provides personalized recommendations,” says Dr. Schueler. “Other symptom checkers on the web today fail to satisfy these needs. We are pleased to provide MedlinePlus users with access to the FreeMD Symptom Checker.”

“FreeMD provides our users with the opportunity to evaluate symptoms or injuries,” says Naomi Miller, Manager of Consumer Health Information at the NLM. “After we determined that FreeMD.com met our quality guidelines, DSHI Systems worked with MedlinePlus to create custom links to the FreeMD Symptom Checker.”

DSHI Systems, a physician-led medical technology company, is the leading innovator in decision support systems for consumers and health professionals. DSHI solutions are 100% physician-written and updated quarterly. Over the past 11 years, DSHI solutions have been licensed by the U.S. government and private sector to provide health services to more than 40 million people in the United States, Europe, and Latin America.

The National Library of Medicine's (NLM) MedlinePlus is a high-quality gateway to consumer health information from NLM, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other authoritative organizations. MedlinePlus has extensive information about drugs, an illustrated medical encyclopedia, interactive patient tutorials, and latest health news.

Norwalk, CT (PRWEB) October 11, 2011

Reproductive Medicine Associates of Connecticut (RMACT) is opening a new, convenient location in downtown Stamford at 1290 Summer Street, suite 3200, today. RMACT Fairfield Countys leading fertility clinic and egg donation center offers fertility patients quality care from a team of board-certified reproductive endocrinologists, fertility nurses and other fertility specialists. In addition, the practice is opening the RMACT Integrated Fertility & Wellness Center, which is the next progression in RMACTs complementary care, including services such as Fertile Yoga, nutrition counseling, acupuncture, peer support groups, and therapy, both for individuals and couples.

RMACT used patient feedback and independent research to identify Stamford as a viable location. Along with RMACTs Danbury and Norwalk locations, RMACTs Stamford location allows patients flexibility when scheduling appointments near their homes and work in order to better fit their needs. It also brings new opportunities with many commuters working in Stamford from locations in the surrounding area, including New York City.

Stamford is a vibrant, young city and we are excited to help the people who live and work here to make their dreams for a family a reality, says, Dr. Mark Leondires, medical director and lead infertility doctor with RMACT. We are also able to respond to our current patients interest with our Integrated Fertility & Wellness services.

The new Stamford location has considerable space, allowing the fertility practice to grow its Integrated Fertility & Wellness Program by giving it a proper home and transforming it into a Center. Over the past decade the practice has been adding services to help patients reduce stress (e.g., Fertile Yoga, peer support groups, therapy) and improve their overall health (e.g., nutrition counseling, acupuncture). It now has a robust offering of classes and appointments at various times throughout the week for the greatest accessibility to patients.

As part of the move to Stamford, RMACT will be closing its Cos Cob location. The patients who have received treatment through this office were alerted this summer about the transition. Their appointments will continue in Stamford, which is approximately 10 minutes (4.7 miles) north on the Connecticut coast.

RMACTs comprehensive services include many complimentary fertility seminars and workshops that are open to the public; following is an example of an event in Stamford. For a complete list of events in all three locations Stamford, Danbury and Norwalk – go to http://www.rmact.com/events/.

The Fertility Diet Seminar
Tuesday, November 8 at 7 p.m.
Come for an interactive wellness seminar on genetics, nutrition, The Fertility Diet and fertility secrets for preconception, meal planning & shopping. Healthy lifestyle behaviors will also be addressed. This seminar will give each couple a nutritional edge before you conceive and health tips to support fertility treatment and a healthy pregnancy. Seminar led by Carolyn Gundell, MS RMA Nutritionist. Free of charge.

RMACT Stamford Location
1290 Summer Street, suite 3200
203-595-5455

About RMACT
Reproductive Medicine Associates of Connecticut (RMACT) specializes in the treatment of infertility. With Connecticut fertility clinics and egg donation offices in Norwalk, Danbury and Stamford, and affiliate New York fertility clinics serving Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess counties, our team of Board-Certified Reproductive Endocrinologists offer a wide range of infertility treatments from ovulation induction and intrauterine insemination (IUI) to the most advanced assisted reproductive technologies including in-vitro fertilization (IVF), egg donation and its own cutting-edge procedure called Comprehensive Chromosomal Screening (CCS), a form of preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). RMACT offers individualized infertility treatment plans in a patient-focused and supportive environment. Support services, such as, psychological counseling, acupuncture and yoga are also available through RMACT Integrated Fertility & Wellness Program, as well as infertility treatment financing.

The RMACT team of fertility doctors includes Drs. Mark P. Leondires, Spencer S. Richlin, Joshua M. Hurwitz and Cynthia M. Murdock. All physicians are members of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART) and the Fairfield County and Connecticut Medical Societies. RMACTs IVF laboratory is accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP), and CLIA; other accreditations include the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) and the American Institute for Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM). For more information visit http://www.RMACT.com.

New public-private initiative set to change the way we age by encourages exercise, physical activity for older adults.

Vancouver, BC (PRWEB) October 21, 2011

The International Council on Active Aging (ICAA), a professional association that leads, connects and defines the active-aging industry, announces that it is joining the National Institute on Aging (NIA) at the NIH in Go4Life, a new national exercise and physical activity campaign for people age 50+. The goal of Go4Life is to provide resources to older adults that they can use to incorporate exercise and physical activity into their everyday lives. This federal campaign is based on research showing that exercise and physical activity can help people stay healthy and independent, and prevent some of the chronic conditions associated with aging.

“We are extremely excited about the Go4Life campaign and pleased to join the NIA,” says Colin Milner, ICAA’s founder and CEO. “This campaign supports ICAA’s vision. Our association believes that physical activity is a key driver in the way people experience, and view, aging in today’s society. It’s important for older adults to know that they can continue to be active, independent and engaged in life at any age.” Adds Milner, “We are eager to bring this important message and outstanding Go4Life resources to the communities we serve.”

Go4Life will be an essential part of ICAA’s Changing the Way We Age Campaign, a groundbreaking initiative launched in May 2011 to help shift society’s perceptions of aging. Featured on the http://www.changingthewayweage.com website, Go4Life will be integrated into the ICAA campaign as an ICAA Champions Program Partner. Individuals and organizations that are ICAA Champions—volunteers who serve as role models and educators—will be encouraged to deliver Go4Life exercises and resources as part of their outreach efforts.

“You’re never too old to exercise,” says Richard J. Hodes, MD, director of the NIA. “Go4Life is based on a number of studies demonstrating the benefits of exercise and physical activity for older people, including those with chronic health conditions. This new campaign reaches out to older people who traditionally have not embraced exercise and shows them how to start exercising safely and keep going.”

The center of Go4Life is an interactive website — http://www.nia.nih.gov/Go4Life — which provides information for individuals, families and friends, organizations, and health care professionals. It features exercises, success stories, and free materials to motivate the growing numbers of older people to start exercising, and keep exercising to improve their health and achieve a better quality of life.

Participating organizations will incorporate Go4Life into their own health and wellness activities, disseminating campaign web links and materials to their members, employees, or customers. Many partners also will directly sponsor events or activities aimed at engaging older adults in exercise and physical activity at the community level as the campaign moves forward.

More information about Go4Life is available at http://www.nia.nih.gov/Go4Life.

About the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA): ICAA, an association that leads, connects and defines the active-aging industry, supports professionals who develop wellness facilities, programs and services for adults over 50. The association is focused on active aging—an approach to aging that helps older adults live as fully as possible within all dimensions of wellness—and provides its members with education, information, resources and tools. As an active-aging educator and advocate, ICAA has advised numerous organizations and governmental bodies, including the US Administration on Aging, the National Institute on Aging (one of the US National Institutes of Health), the US Department of Health and Human Services, Canada’s Special Senate Committee on Aging, and the British Columbia ministries of Health, and Healthy Living and Sport. For more information about ICAA, see http://www.icaa.cc.

About the National Institute on Aging (NIA): The NIA leads the federal government effort conducting and supporting research on aging and the health and well-being of older people. The Institute’s broad scientific program seeks to understand the nature of aging and to extend the healthy, active years of life. For more information on research, aging, and health, go to http://www.nia.nih.gov.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the US Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.

Go4Life is a registered trademark of the US Department of Health and Human Services.

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Colin Milner
International Council on Active Aging (ICAA)
(604) 763-4595
Email Information

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has developed a simple and cost-effective fertility testing kit for women. The urine-based diagnostic kits for measuring of four key reproductive hormones or their principal metabolites, is jointly developed by Dr M I Khatkhatay and Dr Meena Desai of the National Institute of Research in Reproductive Health (NIRRH), an ICMR Institute based in Mumbai.The complete set containing four measuring kits is a simple and cost effective technology based on enzyme linked immuno-sorbent assay(the test mechanism is similar to the test for AIDS ).How the kit works:The metabolites in the urine viz. such as estrogen glucuronide, pregnanediol glucuronide, follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone can be measured with the four kits.‘The first of the four kits is used to monitor ovulation induction therapy and also for in vitro fertilization programme (fertilization takes place in a test tube instead of inside a woman) i.e. in procedures of producing a test-tube baby whereas the second kit is used for the estimation of the metabolite for detection of occurrence of ovulation.The third kit is used to measure the evaluation of hypothalamic pituitary gonadal axis – a function of the endocrine organ, of the size of a pea seed, situated deep in the brain that is responsible for the formation of the reproductive hormone.The forth kit measures LH assay in conjunction with follies. LH or Luteinizing hormone, also known as lutropin, is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland. in females, an acute rise of LH called the LH surge triggers ovulation.Availability: The new kit will be mass produced and marketed by Hindustan Latex Life Care Ltd (HLL Life Care Ltd) and will be available in market within 36 months.

REUTERS – Expectant mothers are more likely to die from murder or suicide than from several of the most common pregnancy-related medical problems, a U.S. study said.

Roughly half of those women who died violently had had some kind of conflict with their current or former partners, according to findings published in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology, causing experts to call for more thorough screening for domestic problems during pregnancy check-ups.

“We’ve seen improvements in the more traditional causes of death, likely due to advances in medical care and public health practices,” said Christie Palladino, an obstetrician-gynecologist at Georgia Health Sciences University in Augusta and lead author of the study.

This finding is especially troubling because violent deaths can be stopped, she added.

The study, which used data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Violent Death Reporting System, examined the years from 2003 to 2007.

About three out of every 100,000 women who are pregnant or have a child less than a year old are murdered, and two out of every 100,000 kill themselves — numbers that remained fairly constant in the years the researchers looked at.

But fewer than two out of every 100,000 women died from either pregnancy-related bleeding, improper development of the placenta, or preeclampsia, a complication of high blood pressure that can occur during pregnancy, according to a different set of data.

Women who died by suicide were more likely to be white or Native American, unmarried and over 40. Older women and those under 24 were at greater risk of being murdered, as were African Americans and unmarried women.

“I think that there’s still an under-appreciation of the risk and probably less screening than should be done,” said Linda Chambliss, director of maternal fetal medicine at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, who did not participate in the study.

“Even if the numbers are relatively small, you’re talking about something that’s preventable.”

The National Violent Death Reporting System includes all records of violent deaths in the participating U.S. states, but in some case the pregnancy status of the victim was not known. Palladino and her colleagues excluded those records from the study.

Pregnancy is a prime opportunity for working to prevent suicides and murders, particularly those related to domestic violence, because women regularly see health care providers, Palladino said.

“We want to make sure we intervene before we get to these really disastrous consequences,” she added. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/u2Dgjy

(Reporting from New York by Kerry Grens at Reuters Health; Editing by Elaine Lies and Robert Birsel)