The Center for Preimplantation Genetics Diagnosis offers a high-tech procedure that selects healthy embryos that are free of chromosomal abnormalities and defects; thus raising the chances of conception and delivery of a healthy baby.

This state of the art procedure is done in lab along with an IVF treatment. After medication is given to the female to stimulate egg production an ultrasound guided needle is used to retrieve eggs from the ovaries. United with sperm, they are placed in an incubator for fertilization and growth to the 4-12 cell stage. One or two cells from each embryo will be biopsied and genetic testing begins.

The center then tests for chromosomal abnormalities like Down syndrome, Turner syndrome and/or Klinefelter syndrome. Testing is also done for single gene inherited defects like cystic fibrosis and/or sickle cell disease.

At this point only embryos free of defects and/or abnormalities would be transferred to the mother’s uterus between day 4 and 5 following egg retrieval.

According to The Center for Preimplantation Genetics Diagnosis,

“PGD technology reduces the potential for adverse pregnancy outcomes for couples ‘at risk’ by testing the embryos for certain genetic abnormalities before they are chosen for transfer back to the woman. For example: 10 embryos resulted from an IVF cycle and through PGD testing, six were identified as genetically abnormal and four were normal. Armed with this knowledge, only the normal embryos would be selected for embryo transfer thereby reducing the possibility of miscarriage or birth defects”.

An expert in the field of optimizing reproductive health for women and men, Cindy Ferda has released her newest book on conception entitled ‘How to Get Pregnant Quickly & Naturally’.

According to the Mayo Clinic, less than half the men with sperm counts between 12.5 and 25 million sperm per milliliter are able to get their partner pregnant and less than one-quarter with sperm counts less than 12.5 end up impregnating their partners.

The good news however is, there are treatments available to remedy low sperm count.

If you and your partner have been trying to get pregnant for 6 months (for those over 35) to one year (for those under 35), consider scheduling an appointment with your doctor, urologist, reproductive endocrinologist or an infertility specialist to have your sperm analyzed and begin a treatment plan if deemed necessary. It is also advisable the female see her doctor or OB/GYN to check for fertility issues as well. Boosting female fertility can sometimes compensate for a lower sperm production level.

Generally, to achieve pregnancy in a partner, the hypothalamus or pituitary glands in a man’s brain must produce normal hormonal levels. If your doctor finds your levels are too low, he may recommend gonadotropin injections. For some men, normal levels may be achieved within a month or two, for others, it can take up to a year of injections. These levels can be diagnosed by simple in-office blood work.

A common cause of male infertility is varicoceles. This is a swollen vein or veins in the scrotum. This may cause only slight discomfort, if any, but can affect fertility. A varicocele can lower sperm count and is sometimes responsible for abnormally shaped sperm. A simple surgical correction can often remedy this setback. Testing for this issue is often detected by use of an ultra-sound.

An infection of the male reproductive tract can be identified with a simple blood test. High numbers of white blood cells may be a sign of an infection within the reproductive tract. A dose of antibiotics may cure the infection and restore normalcy.

Lack of zinc and folic acid in a man’s diet can lead to lower sperm count. A Danish study revealed men who added both a zinc and folic acid supplement to their diets increased their chances for impregnating their partners.

To maintain or achieve a higher healthy sperm count, doctors also advise men not smoke, avoid excessive drinking, exercise regularly and maintain a healthy weight, avoid hot baths and saunas, avoid tight clothing restricting the scrotal region, remove the cell phone from the front pocket and not put the laptop computer on the lap as it causes an increase in scrotal temperature.

It is also advisable to keep environmental toxins at bay. Exposure to toxic chemicals like bleach and paints or pesticides can reduce sperm count or even change the morphology of the sperm.

In 1953 the first (fowl) sperm cryopreservation was reported. In 1986, Australian fertility specialist Dr. Christopher Chen reported the world’s first pregnancy using slow frozen oocytes (eggs) from a British controlled-rate freezer.

For many years doctors recommended a controlled-rate and slow freezing cryopreservation process to store eggs which offered less than exemplary results for women hoping to become pregnant. Prior to 2002, the success rate of live births from frozen eggs was a mere 1-3% globally.

Today however, an innovative new flash-freezing procedure known as Vitrification is on the rise showcasing stellar results at fertility clinics across the globe.

Vitrification is the latest breakthrough in egg freezing. It is a rapid freezing technique in which a high concentration of cryoprotectant (which is like a form of anti-freeze) is used in place of the water in the cell. Now free of ice and crystals, (which in the past had diminished egg survival rates) the resultant egg is now a solid glass-like cell. Eggs can successfully be stored for years. Most doctors seem to agree that this new procedure greatly improves the chances of egg survival during the freezing and subsequent thawing process.

When a woman is ready to use her stored frozen eggs an embryologist will need to inject the hardened shell with a needle carrying sperm for fertilization to occur. This technique is known as ICSI or Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection.

A female egg is the largest cell in the human body. Containing a large amount of water, the ice crystals that form during a slow freeze can jeopardize the integrity of the cell.

The vitrification process is showing enormous improvement in egg survival rates, fertilization, pregnancies and ultimately births.

As with the formerly widely used slow-freeze cryopreservation technique, resultant chromosomal abnormalities remain consistent with those not using either of these freezing methods.

According to a report from the American Society of Reproductive Medicine’s official journal Fertility and Sterility, “the techniques of vitrification of oocytes and the subsequent warming process being used today are producing results equal to those using fresh oocytes and are, certainly, far superior to those utilizing slow-freezing techniques”.

With major advancements in our knowledge of egg/oocyte preservation, oocyte physiology and new laboratory techniques, the success of egg preservation is rapidly changing.

With egg/oocyte survival rates of over 90% after vitrification and warming, fertilization rates of 75%–90%, pregnancy rates of 32%–65%, and live-birth rates of over 50% , these numbers bring new hope to those who have had to delay pregnancy.

To sustain a healthy pregnancy, women must maintain healthy levels of progesterone at all times.

As a woman’s body prepares for ovulation, progesterone levels go up. The corpus luteum can stimulate the production of progesterone for about two weeks and if a conception occurs, the pregnancy itself takes over the stimulation of progesterone. With no pregnancy, the lining of the uterus deteriorates and a period begins.

If a newly pregnant woman’s progesterone level begins to diminish, then miscarriage would be imminent.

Many women who have experienced one or more miscarriages or are known to have a luteal phase defect (LPD) are being presented with a new option by their providers.

Prometrium, a synthetic form of progesterone that may help maintain a pregnancy and ward off miscarriage. Normally prescribed to menopausal women requiring hormone therapy and/or women experiencing abnormal periods, Prometrium can also be prescribed to women experiencing spotting or bleeding early in the first trimester or women with a history of recurrent miscarriage.

Available in tablet form a doctor will generally prescribe a 100-200mg dose to be taken orally once or twice a day. Suppositories and cream are available as well.

To determine the efficacy and safety of progestogens like Prometrium as a preventative therapy against miscarriage, a recent study (by Haas DM, Ramsey PS ‘Progestogen for preventing miscarriage’ Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2008, Issue 2) was conducted on 2118 women who participated in 15 trials. The study revealed no significant difference between progestogen and placebo or no treatment groups for a majority of the participants.

However, in a subgroup analysis of three trials involving women who had recurrent miscarriages (3 or more), treatment showed a statistically significant decrease in the miscarriage rate compared to placebo or no treatment.

Additionally, no significant adverse effects from taking Prometrium were reported regarding mother and child at this time, however many people feel there are not enough facts supporting its safety and warranting its overuse.

According to their own website, the most common adverse events reported in (postmenopausal) women receiving prometrium 200 mg were: breast tenderness, dizziness, abdominal bloating, vaginal discharge, chest pain, and diarrhea.

And most importantly, they actually warn not to use while pregnant. 

Further research indicated the long-term maternal and neonatal/fetal adverse effects of progestogen administration in early pregnancy also warrant further investigation.

Until then many non-supporters feel it is imperative Progestogen be removed from the treatment list for preventing miscarriage. Increasing awareness among policy-makers, health-care providers and patients about the fact that the practice is not based on evidence is a good start.

While Google, Bing and Yahoo search engines have all but replaced encyclopedias and dictionaries, eBooks are today’s convenient way of obtaining all kinds of literary material including pregnancy related books immediately from the Internet.

With the simple click of a mouse these eBooks can be downloaded right away, then you as the buyer have the option of printing it out and (or) keeping it conveniently on your computer or laptop for easy instant access.

When browsing through the shelves of the local bookstore it can be difficult deciding which book best suits your specific needs, so after evaluating and critiquing several of the eBooks relating to conception and pregnancy that are currently available on-line, we narrowed our search for the cream of the crop to the following three eBooks.

These best-sellers were created by reputable authors and true experts in the field and the prices ranged from $14.95 to $39 which is a small price to pay when you consider the thousands of dollars you could spend on unnecessary fertility specialists.

$39 eBook ‘Pregnancy Miracle’ by Lisa Olson – This top-selling author sheds light on getting pregnant naturally with her successful program. An alternative health and nutrition specialist, health consultant and Chinese medicine researcher, Lisa Olson teaches couples how to reverse infertility and get pregnant within 2 Months.

This eBook snagged our attention because of the quality of the content and the fact Olson guarantees her method with a 60-day money back guarantee. This book is available for $39 on her site here and it’s definitely worth a strong consideration.

$14.95 eBook ‘Get Pregnant Quickly & Naturally’ by Cindy Ferda – At $14.95 this is clearly the best bargain we could find anywhere on the net; it sells elsewhere for $29.95. This no-nonsense material offers the nuts and bolts necessary to conceive naturally while concentrating on providing the best health environment for your baby.

A national columnist for The Examiner’s Family and Parenting Pregnancy division, Cindy Ferda combines years of gynecological and obstetrical information from experts in the fields of reproductive medicine and holistic practices and presents them in this eBook.

‘How to Get Pregnant Quickly & Naturally’ contains great health tips as well as the newest secrets of conception and strategies for getting pregnant.

The book also includes an in-depth look at the advantages of fertility diets that not only are proven to increase a woman’s chances of getting pregnant, but also decreases the chances of a fetus having neural tube defects and other potential deformities.

Utilizing this same information the author conceived naturally at 44 and is now offering to share her knowledge and personal experience in conception, fertility issues, fertility enhancing foods and keys to improving sperm count and sperm motility naturally.

$29.59 ‘The Full Embrace Pregnancy Success Program’ by Diana Farrell, M.A. – This eBook reveals secrets about the most powerful and rare health treatments you can do yourself at home for FREE that will vastly increase your chances of conception within 8-12 weeks. To date the information in this book has helped thousands of couples beat infertility and achieve pregnancy.

We hope you find this information helpful and please comment back to this section to let us know how these eBooks have helped your quest to fertility so we can share your success with our other readers.

With claims of successfully increasing fertility both then and now; the wonder supplement; in its organic state is a root vegetable shaped like a turnip and grows bountifully at 12,000 feet above sea level.

Far from the maca fields in the Andes, many women are turning to a prescription drug called Prometrium to help maintain optimal progesterone levels and ward off miscarriage.

An essential element in carrying a healthy pregnancy to term, progesterone levels must be balanced throughout pregnancy.

However the jury is still out on the efficacy and safety of the drug Prometrium.

The all-natural and organic alternative that is receiving high accolades is a maca root supplement also known as “lepidium meyenii”.

This works for women by attempting to control estrogen levels from becoming too high, thus causing progesterone levels to plummet and possibly lead to miscarriage.

Peruvian Maca Root in its organic state

As for the male, numerous studies have been conducted on the use of maca and its affect on sperm. One study included nine men who received maca tablets (between 1500 and 3000 mg/day) for 4 months depending upon their weight and size. Their levels were measured before and after treatment.

After using a maca supplement for four months, their seminal volume increased as did their sperm count per ejaculation. Sperm motility showed positive response as well.

For couples struggling with fertility issues and looking to create optimal reproductive health environments, they may want to look into the Peruvian favorite. It comes in the form of a tablet or powder and continues to receive rave reviews for its healing power.

Available at most vitamin stores as well as on-line, the cost of 100 tablets runs approximately $25 and a bit less for the powder.

How to Get Pregnant Quickly & Naturally is Cindy Ferda’s most recently published book. An expert in the field of optimizing reproductive health for women and men, her mission is to help inform couples of the importance of optimal reproductive health and provide solutions to their fertility dilemmas.

New clinical studies on vitex chasteberry supplements have shown a considerable improvement for women with luteal phase defects. Some women do not recognize they even have an LPD and that its effects can prevent conception and pregnancy.

The luteal phase is the latter phase of the menstrual cycle (generally days 14-28). It begins with the formation of the corpus luteum and ends in either pregnancy or luteolysis.

The main hormone associated with this stage is progesterone, which is significantly higher during the luteal phase than other phases of the cycle.

Luteal phase defects transpire when the luteal phase is shorter than normal, progesterone levels during this phase are well below normal, or both. LPD is believed to interfere with the implantation of embryos.

If cycle irregularity and hormonal imbalance are causing difficulty with ovulation or impairing fertile quality cervical fluids, the regular use of an all-natural vitex agnus-castus, also called vitex, chaste tree, chasteberry or monk’s pepper may improve these defects with time.

According to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), a small study was conducted on 52 patients with luteal phase defects who showed signs of reduced prolactin release.

By adding a vitex supplement to their diet their luteal phases normalized, they improved luteal phase progesterone synthesis and increased luteal phase estradiol. Vitex is recommended for PMS issues as well. Studies caution that once pregnant, the supplement should be stopped immediately.

Vitex supplements are available at most vitamin stores and on-line for under $10.

This research indicates Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy endangers the mother’s life and health, and is the origin for a host of future dangers for the child, especially for the child’s brain and the immune system. Some of the damage done by maternal Vitamin D deficiency may not show up for 30 years.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), they are recommending all expecting moms to take 5,000 IU per day in addition to their prenatal vitamin. Babies who are born with a vitamin D deficiency have a higher incidence in being born with:

* Asthma

* Autism

* Cavities

* Celiac Disease

* Heart Disease

* Seizures

Moms have a higher rate of bacterial vaginitis (which causes premature deliveries) c-sections, gestational diabetes, and preclampsia.

Healthy children are needing 1000 IU per 25 pounds of body weight, above the current recommendation of 400 IU set by the AAP. Here is what else they are finding:

The announcement simply pointed out that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently recommended that all pregnant women have a 25(OH)D blood test because Vitamin D is important for normal fetal development (p. 1145):

“Given the growing evidence that adequate maternal vitamin D status is essential during pregnancy, not only for maternal well-being but also for fetal development, health care professionals who provide obstetric care should consider assessing maternal vitamin D status by measuring the 25-OH-D concentrations of pregnant women.

On an individual basis, a mother should be supplemented with adequate amounts of vitamin D3 to ensure that her 25-OH-D levels are in a sufficient range (>32 ng/mL).

The knowledge that prenatal vitamins containing 400 IU of vitamin D3 have little effect on circulating maternal 25-OH-D concentrations, especially during the winter months, should be imparted to all health care professionals.”

If you are an expecting mom, ask your doctor to run a vitamin D blood test and measure 25 hydroxy vitamin D levels and supplement if necessary. This test should be done on expecting mothers, exclusively breastfed infants, obese individuals, people over 65 years of age and those with a suppressed immunity such as those with, inflammatory bowel disease, cancer and an autoimmune disease, including Rheumatoid Arthritis, Celiac Disease, Multiple Sclerosis and so forth.

New research also shows vitamin d slashes risk for cancer by 77 percent. It may also help you be successful in your weight loss efforts (and postpartum weight loss!).

The other advantage to increasing your vitamin d intake is an instant immunity booster. People with the lowest levels tend to get more colds, flus, and respiratory infections. Those with impaired respiratory diseases such as asthma, emphysema and chronic obstructive respiratory infections (COPD) have a much higher risk for colds and flus and more likely to be lacking vitamin D.

Read more about Gestational Vitamin D Deficiency at the Vitamin D Council website.

Jasmine Jafferali, MPH is a maternal, child and family health educator. She works as an Educational and Wellness Consultant helping women and families achieve healthier lifestyles. She is a Master Trainer for Healthy Moms(R) Fitness http://www.healthymomsfitness.com/ and a well-respected Pregnancy Health Columnist for Examiner.com

A common question asked by many mothers-to-be is “how much coffee can I drink?” Coffee is one of the most controversial topics of discussion when it comes to pregnancy and health. Some say absolutely not, while others say in moderation. The studies done are confusing, but here are some facts that you may not be aware about that may have you think twice about reaching for that cup of Joe.

Technically, caffeine is classified as a drug and is the most widely used drug worldwide. It is defined as a drug because it stimulates the central nervous system. You will often find caffeine in medicines that are prescribed to people with ADD/ADHD, over the counter cold and headache medicines. Caffeine, like nicotine, though to a lesser extent, meets some of the criteria of the World Health Organization and the American Psychiatric Association as a drug of dependence which acts on the dopamine system in the same way as amphetamines and cocaine. Caffeine and is known to cross the blood-brain barrier readily in adults and fetuses alike.

A 2008 study suggested that pregnant women who consume 200 milligrams or more of caffeine per day have about twice the miscarriage risk as women who consume none. This is the equivalent of five cans of soda, two cups of instant coffee or a half to two cups of fresh coffee per day. Not exactly the healthiest choice of drinks to be consuming during pregnancy.

Here are a few more coffee facts:

Consuming more caffeine than this — about 300 milligrams (mg) per day — could increase your risk of having a miscarriage, a low birth weight baby or preterm baby.

Drinking coffee may interfere with your body’s ability to keep homocysteine and cholesterol levels in check, most likely by depleting folate, B12, B6, and calcium, all crucial in neural and skeletal development in the fetus.

It easily passes through the placenta to the developing fetus and is also transferred through breast milk increasing half-life during pregnancy (up to 11 hours late in pregnancy) and in infants (up to 100 hours).

The smaller body mass of fetuses and infants does not have the ability to detoxify caffeine.

Changes in fetal heart rate and breathing patterns have been noticed even when maternal intake of caffeine is moderate and when it has no apparent effects on the mother.

Caffeine is a diuretic. It may decrease blood flow to the placenta causing an increase in stress levels for the fetus. Remember: For each cup of caffeine, you may have to drink two cups of water to even out the water levels in your body. That is asking a lot of your shrinking bladder.

While 75 percent of expecting mothers will be drinking some form of caffeine. If you cannot give it up, there are some ways you can still have your cup of Joe and drink it too.

Begin by brewing your coffee at home. Brew organic coffee with filtered water in unbleached filters. Coffee is imported and the high use of pesticides in other countries makes coffee one of the most ingested items that contains the highest amount of pesticides. Since the United States cannot regulate the amount of pesticides used in other countries, it is best to drink organic coffee. Using bleached coffee filters will leak into your coffee, using unbleached coffee filters eliminates the small amounts of chlorine filtered into your coffee. You will pay much less using this method than buying coffee from your favorite local coffee shop and it tastes better.

If you are thinking about eliminating coffee, then make the switch to green tea, which has far more health benefits than coffee. Try a variety of flavors until you find one that suits your palate. MamaTea is specifically designed for expecting moms and has a variety of flavors to help with your specific needs.

When it comes to a choice in what your drink, filtered water should be your first choice, followed by organic milk or other non-dairy beverage, green or non-caffeinated teas, organic coffee, then juices, other sugary drinks such as Gatorade and soda pop being last.

Just think, this is just a phase in your life, if you can give it up for a year, you can probably live without it for a lifetime.

Jasmine Jafferali, MPH is a maternal, child and family health educator. She works as an Educational and Wellness Consultant helping women and families achieve healthier lifestyles. She is a Master Trainer for Healthy Moms(R) Fitness http://www.healthymomsfitness.com/ and a well-respected Pregnancy Health Columnist for Examiner.com