Infertility patients often start treatment with their obstetrician or gynecologist but move on to treatment by doctors with a specific interest in infertility. These doctors are usually, but not always, doctors with a background in OB/GYN...
Much has been made of the idea that low levels of HCG can indicate a problem with a pregnancy. Both the American Pregnancy Association and the Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago report that this is not necessarily true. HCG levels vary among...
FSH, or follicle-stimulating hormone, is produced by the pituitary gland, according to reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Terrence Lee. In women, the pituitary produces FSH each month to stimulate ovulation. If ovulation does not occur, the...
Sometimes referred to as Peruvian ginseng, maca is a fertility-enhancing herbal supplement used for centuries in South America. Recently popularized by its aphrodisiac qualities, maca is commonly available in powdered form in capsules as well as...
Hormones are substances produced by the body that have chemical effects on other parts of the body. Women produce hormones, such as estradiol, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and progesterone. Certain hormones rise at...
Progesterone is a hormone produced during the early part of the menstrual cycle by the ovaries; after ovulation the remnant of the ovulated follicle, the corpus luteum, produces progesterone. Once a woman gets pregnant, the corpus luteum supports...
Many pregnancies end in miscarriage before a women even knows she's pregnant; early losses are often called chemical pregnancies, according to the American Pregnancy Association. A full-term pregnancy is measured as 40 weeks, starting with the...
The concept of surrogate motherhood has been a hotbed of debate since 1987 when the surrogate mother of "Baby M" in New Jersey declined to give the baby to the parents who had commissioned the surrogacy. Entering into such a situation can be...
Your pituitary gland resides in your brain, and is considered the "master gland" due to its crucial role in growth and development. Tumors in this gland will affect many functions in your body, particularly your hormone balance. Your prolactin...
HCG is short for human chorionic gonatropin. According to Dr. Malpani of the Malpani Infertility Clinic, HCG is a hormone that's only present during a woman's pregnancy. In the first few months of pregnancy, a woman's HCG levels should increase at...
The HCG hormone is most frequently heard of as it relates to determining pregnancy. However, the hormone is also used as part of the HCG diet. This extremely low calorie diet plan combined with HCG injections can yield rapid weight loss results....
Problems related to sperm are common causes of infertility. About half of all couples experiencing infertility have some type of male factor issue, according to the Mayo Clinic. While severe male factor issues will need medical intervention,...
Soybeans provide inexpensive vegetable protein that don't clog your arteries as meat protein can. Soy milk, fortified with calcium, also provides benefits for anyone sensitive or allergic to cow's milk. The estrogen-like properties in soy milk may...
According to Dr. Malpani of the Malpani Infertility Clinic, HCG is a hormone that is present only during pregnancy. However, in recent years HCG has become a weight loss tool. With the ability to burn a large number of calories in a very short...
Follicle stimulating hormone or FSH is one of the most important hormones in a woman's reproductive health, according to Just Mommies, a website devoted to providing accurate fertility information to women. FSH is produced by the pituitary gland...
Of the 15 percent of American couples who are infertile, according to MayoClinic.com, around 40 percent have sperm issues that cause or contribute to the problem, the Malpani Fertility Clinic states. A sperm count of less than 20 million per...
It's not possible to get pregnant 4 days before your period, but it is possible to get pregnant 4 days before you thought your period was going to start if you ovulate later than expected in your menstrual cycle. There are only a few days during a...
Progesterone is one of the hormones essential for female reproduction. Progesterone, produced by the corpus luteum, the remaining remnant of the follicle that once contained the developing egg, helps maintain a pregnancy, should one occur. When...
Many women undergoing an intrauterine insemination, or IUI, wonder whether exercising after the procedure could affect their ability to conceive. The answer is not straightforward. While there is no definitive evidence that exercise will hinder...
Besides being packed with fiber and antioxidants, soybeans are also a rich source of protein, according to the World's Healthiest Foods website. Soy protein powder provides a wealth of health benefits, from reducing the risk of chronic obstructive...
Ovulation predictors are urine tests that tell you when your ovaries are about to release an egg. This can help you time intercourse to increase the likelihood that you will become pregnant. Ovulation predictors test the amount of luteinizing...
Infertility is the inability to conceived after having well-timed, unprotected sex for 12 months. Doctors are usually able to identify a cause for the failure to conceive. For 10 to 15 percent of infertile couples, however, the frustrating...
Soy nuts are a bit of a misnomer, since they're not nuts at all. Soy nuts are nothing more than dried and baked soybeans, so the question is not whether soy nuts are safe to eat, but whether soybeans are safe to eat. While soy has some health...
A person's ideal, healthy body weight varies depending on a variety of factors, including age, height, gender, bone density and frame size. Maintaining a weight below one's ideal weight range poses a number of risks, including increased risk for...
When you're trying to get pregnant, it's common to wonder whether exercise will interfere with conception. You may think that the bouncing, jumping and wriggling might jostle an egg right out of place. However, according to Drs. Aniruddha and...
According to the Mayo Clinic, 40 percent of infertility can be traced back to problems associated with the man. One of the problems that can inhibit reproduction is a low sperm count. A normal sperm count is at least 20 million sperm per...
The menstrual cycle is orchestrated by precise hormone levels, and any abnormality in these levels can decrease the chance of getting pregnant in any given month. Women with abnormal hormone levels may have no symptoms and may be unaware of...
Soy milk is produced from soybeans that are soaked, ground fine and strained into a fluid that you can drink or use in preparation of meals. It can be made plain or flavored with chocolate, vanilla, strawberry or other flavors and is sold in...
If you are experiencing infertility and have tried a number of treatments without achieving pregnancy, your doctor may suggest trying in vitro fertilization, or IVF. Success rates for this procedure vary by age. For women under age 35, each IVF...
