Archive for August 2010
Pregnancy can make any summer even more hot and unbearable, but playing an expectant Jackie O in the History Channel miniseries “The Kennedys,” has Katie Holmes glowing. During Production in Canada, she’s been spotted on set rubbing her prosthetic belly fondly, spending time with daughter Suri as she runs around the set, and cooing over the other kids around her. Katie Holme’s first major on-screen role as a mom couldn’t be coming at a more opprotune time. Katie has made no secret of the fact that she and husband Tom Cruise hope to give Suri a younger sibling, Katie is reportedly loving every second of being a mother. “It’s just fabulous,” she added, “I’m very very lucky.” Tom Cruise is 48 and Katie is 31. Tom has said he would love to have 10 children. “I love Kids!” Tom is quoted saying recently. While Katie was in tip-top shape when she ran a marathon in 2007, she’s been looking rounder lately, which is a clue that she’s getting her body ready for a baby. What other signs are there that Katie might be expecing? On July 19th the actress appeared to be camouflaging a little belly underneath a striped Celine sheath. On the site of her miniseries Katie has insisted on fake cigarettes on the set….. (although Jackie Kennedy smoked during pregnancy), Katie refuses to puff for real for the role of the late first lady. Lately, Katie has taken to wearing oversize T-shirts that hide her figure. Once filming ends on The Kennedy’s, Katie will have plenty of time to devote to a pregnancy. Other than promotional duties for the flicks “Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark” and “The Son of No One,” Katie has zero film projects lined up. She insists, “When I go to work, it’ll be the right thing, worth my time.” Katie said. Meanwhile, Tom is springing back into action which will help him support his growing family. The actor has 12 movies in development or preproduction.
In Vitro Fertilization is the most widely used treatment and involves a seven step process which is ideal for most problems including blocked tubes.
What does IVF involve? In Vitro Fertilization involves the surgical removal of an egg, which is then mixed with sperm in a laboratory dish to fertilize and produce an embryo outside the womb. IVF treatment occurs in cycles since there are various stages which must be completed for it to be successful. Initially a drug is used in the form of a nasal spray or injection to switch off the woman’s natural cycle of egg production in the ovaries, known as “down regulation”. Fertility drugs are then given to stimulate the ovaries to produce more then one egg (ovulation induction). Mature eggs are collected from the ovaries using a fine needle guided by ultrasound. The procedure is usually uncomfortable rather than painful. On the same day, the partner’s sperm is collected, and then the eggs and sperm are mixed in a dish. Within a few days, multiple embryos are transferred into the womb. If an embryo successfully attaches to the inside of the womb and continues to grow, a pregnancy results. Tomorrow we will go into much more detail about IVF and what a hopeful mother can expect when preparing herself emotionally and physically for this process. There are many steps, so it can be time consuming and patience is key. We will also be touching on other forms of alternative conception coming up. In addition to IVF we will learn about ICSI (Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection) and Artificial insemination.
Conditions preventing conception:
There are a range of reasons why a couple may have difficulty in conceiving. Investigations and test may uncover specific conditions, which may be treatable, or may be offered to help conceive.
What can affect a man’s fertility? A semen analysis may reveal various reasons why sperm have difficulty in fertilizing an egg. The sperm count may be low (less then 20 million sperm per ml): the motility of the sperm (how they move) may be poor; and there may be high percentage of abnormally formed sperm. Some men experience a failure to ejaculate an orgasm. There may also be damage to the tubes that connect the testicles to the seminal vesicles where sperm are produced, and this may have been present from birth or caused by a later infection.
What can affect a woman’s infertility? Conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (a hormonal imbalance that causes ovarian cysts and endometriosis can disrupt fertility. Other hormonal imbalances, such as low levels of FSH and LH can affect ovulation or levels of progesterone may be too low to sustain a fertilized egg. Damaged fallopian tubes caused by an ectopic pregnancy, surgery, endometriosis, or pelvic inflammatory disease which may be caused by Chlamydia, can prevent conception. Damage to the ovaries can occur from scarring as a result of a surgery, or infection, or the supply of eggs may be low. Some women have an abnormally shaped uterus, or have uterine scarring that can prevent the successful implantation of an egg.
