Options for Couples Facing Infertility

Couples who have tried and tried to get pregnant with no luck would gladly sell their belongings or take out multiple loans from Payday One to pay for treatments that would allow them to see two pink lines instead of one. While these measures won’t guarantee pregnancy, there are many treatment options to help couples facing infertility become parents.

When infertility lies with the man, it can stem from several causes. Impotence and premature ejaculation can be treated with medications or behavior changes. Men with low sperm counts can take hormones to boost sperm levels. Some men require surgery to open blocked ejaculatory ducts to allow sperm to escape in the quantities needed for pregnancy.

Women facing infertility have many, many options. Most women are infertile because of ovulation disorders. There are many types of drugs that help with all kinds of ovulatory disorders. From drugs that stimulate follicle growth to drugs that encourage egg release and drugs enhancing ovary and pituitary function to drugs that manipulate hormones, an immense amount of options are available for virtually any infertility cause. Some moms-to-be may require surgery to unblock fallopian tubes or treat endometriosis.

There are many types of assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) available to help couple achieve pregnancy. One of the more widely known, in vitro fertilization (IVF), allows many women to become pregnant. In IVF, several mature eggs are fertilized in a laboratory and implanted into a woman’s uterus in hopes that at least one will mature into a pregnancy. Men with spinal cord injuries or other ejaculatory problems can have sperm removed for laboratory fertilization. Technology has advanced so far that individual eggs can be fertilized with individual sperm nearly guaranteeing at least one viable embryo. While treatments can be expensive, to couples longing for a baby of their own, the cost is irrelevant.

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Pregnancy and STIs

One of the biggest questions asked about sexual health and pregnancy is whether or not a pregnant woman can become infected with a sexually transmitted infection. The truth is, yes, women can become infected the same way that any woman can. Pregnancy is not going to provide any additional protection to a woman, though in some cases it does expose the unborn child to the sexually transmitted infection as well. For a pregnant woman, the consequences that come from a sexually transmitted infection can actually be significantly more serious. Some sexually transmitted infections can be harmful or even deadly to the baby and mom.

Every year, approximately 1,080,000 women who are pregnant also have bacterial vaginosis. 880,000 pregnant women have herpes simplex virus 2, and 100,000 pregnant women have Chlamydia. Approximately 124,000 pregnant women have Trichomoniasis and 13,200 women who are pregnant are diagnosed with gonorrhea. Approximately 16,000 women who are pregnant have hepatitis B, and 6,400 pregnant women are diagnosed with having HIV. The least occurring sexually transmitted disease among pregnant women is Syphilis, as less than 1,000 pregnant women are diagnosed with Syphilis every year.

There are a number of different ways that sexually transmitted infections can cause consequences to mother and baby. For example, some sexually transmitted infections can cause cervical cancer and other cervical disorders, chronic hepatitis, infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease and numerous other complications as well. Many of these sexually transmitted infections are completely silent, which means that they show no signs or symptoms and yet are doing damage to the woman’s reproductive organs without her being aware of it. For this reason, it is vitally important that pregnant women and women who plan on becoming pregnant practice safe sex, only sleeping with clean partners or partners that they have a trusting relationship with. Unless the woman is specifically trying to conceive, a condom should be worn at all times to prevent sexually transmitted infections.

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HIV, AIDS and Pregnancy

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Getting pregnant is an exciting and nerve-wracking time as it is without the risk of disease coming into it. Many women who are pregnant don’t want to make the worries that come with pregnancy any worse by getting tested for diseases that they may have only a remote chance of being infected with. However, getting tested for HIV when pregnant can make things far easier for the baby if the test does happen to come out positive.

If you have ever been at risk of being exposed to HIV, such as having unprotected sex or taking IV drugs, getting an HIV test before you become pregnant is an important way to ensure a healthy pregnancy. However, if you have not been tested and are already pregnant, a HIV test is vital. If you have HIV and aren’t aware of it, you won’t be getting the treatment that you and your baby need in order to protect your baby.

Without any treatment, a pregnant woman who is HIV or AIDS positive has a 25 percent chance of passing the virus along to her baby. However, there are treatments available that can drastically reduce that statistic. By having a Cesarean section and taking the appropriate HIV medications during pregnancy, infected mothers have less than a percent chance of passing along the virus.

Women who are HIV positive can also pass along the virus in their breast milk. This makes it important to be tested for HIV during pregnancy as well as after delivering if you may have been infected after giving birth. A baby who escapes infection from its mother during the pregnancy can still be infected through milk, so making sure to have safer sex after delivery is still important. With the right care, a pregnant woman with HIV or AIDS can still deliver a healthy baby who has little chance of ever developing the virus.

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Preconception Care Really Is Important

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The bottom line is this, the more healthy a woman is, the greater her chance of having a healthy baby and a quick recovery from birth. Women who are thinking of having children, to those that are actively trying to get pregnant, will benefit greatly from preconception care. Preconception care is when a woman takes control of her body before she gets pregnant, to both manage and prevent health issues that may affect the conception, pregnancy, and birth of a child. The main goal of preconception care is too screen women of childbearing age for potential risks, provide health education and promotion, and to address any identified health risks. Both women that have never been pregnant and those that are looking to become pregnant again can benefit from preconception health.

Preconception health includes looking at the lifestyle of the couple to see if there are any factors that could affect a baby inside or outside the womb. Things like drinking alcohol or doing drugs, even taking some prescription drugs, can affect a woman’s chance of conceiving, carrying, and giving birth to a baby. Preconception health is promoted by having the best medical care, safe environments, healthy behaviors, and a strong support system at home and at work.

When a woman is seeking preconception health care, several tests will be done to determine if there are any conditions or behaviors that could pose a risk to her or her baby. Existing health issues that may cause complications in the mother or child include diabetes, HIV/AIDS, hypothyroidism, Hepatitis B, Hypertension, blood diseases, eating disorders, and PKU. Medications such as blood thinners, epilepsy medication, and some acne treatments are not advisable to take at this time. And, two of the most important things a woman can do to obtain great preconception health is to stop smoking and drinking. The woman may also choose to see counselors or other health professionals to promote healthy behaviors such as good nutrition, oral health, and mental health. Having good preconception health care means managing current health conditions before pregnancy to prevent future problems during pregnancy.

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The Birth Control Sponge

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To many couples, effective birth control that doesn’t come with a lot of side effects is an important part of sexual health. When pregnancy isn’t desired, there are dozens of types of birth control that can be used. Hormonal birth control pills, implants or pills can be difficult for some women to cope with because of the side effects. Some women who do use hormonal birth control also opt for a second type of birth control in order to make pregnancy as unlikely as possible.

One way to accomplish this is to use birth control pills and to supplement that type of birth control with a spermicidal sponge. Sold under the name Today, these sponges are solid, spongy blocks of foam that contains spermicide. It is inserted with the fingers and placed against the cervix before sex. It continues to work for about 24 hours. After intercourse, it must be left in place for six hours or longer in order to kill off enough sperm to make pregnancy unlikely. After that time, it is removed by hand by pulling on an imbedded loop. It can not be reused.

Among women who have never had children, using the sponge correctly every time results in a a 9 percent chance of getting pregnant in a given year. If the woman has given birth, the chance of pregnancy jumps to 20 percent within a year.

Because a sponge is malleable and small in size, many women find it a comfortable alternative to other forms of birth control. It can also be used at the same time as a condom in order to make sex even safer. The sponge does not, however, protect against any sexually transmitted diseases. This makes using a condom along with a Today sponge a more thorough way to protect your sexual health.

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How to Wear a Condom for Sexual Health

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Buying and using condoms is an important part of sexual health, but condoms are only effective if they are worn correctly. Wearing them incorrectly, or purchasing the wrong type of condom, can leave you vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy. When worn correctly, they are one of the best protective measures you can take against STDs.

When purchasing condoms, look for latex condoms that are your size. Keep them only as long as the box indicates that they should be kept. Condoms have an expiration date, just like that yogurt in the refrigerator. But unlike that yogurt, using an out-of-date condom can result in a long-term disease that may even be fatal. To protect your sexual health, check the expiration date when making your condom purchase and before taking a condom from its box.

Only place on a condom when already erect. If it is placed on before that time there is a good chance that it will fail because of a bad fit. Once it is fitted at the tip, unroll it slowly as far as possible. This will provide the maximum protection and a snug fit. Once it is in place, do not remove it until your intimate time is over. Dispose of the condom and never re-use them.

Though condoms can be expensive, there are many organizations that give them away for free. Check with your local health department or college clinic in order to get a free supply. There may also be AIDS prevention and crisis pregnancy organizations in your area that provide free condoms to anyone who asks. Though it may sound daunting to walk into an organization and ask for condoms, never let embarrassment come between you and your sexual health. If condoms are a necessary part of your life, take control of your health by making sure to protect yourself.

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