A common cause of ovulation problems and female infertility is Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Women with PCOS do not ovulate regularly and have irregular menstrual cycles. Their ovaries contain multiple small cystic structures, usually about 2-9 mm in diameter. For those who suffer from PCOS-induced infertility, Metformin may be a viable option.
Metformin, traditionally a first-line treatment for type 2 diabetes, is also being used as a new treatment for ovulation problems in women with PCOS. Metformin can either be used alone or in combination with Clomiphene Citrate.
The exact mechanism of black cohosh in fertilty is unclear. Its therapeutic activity was originally believed to result from an activation of estrogen receptors which may address causes of infertility; however, because of conflicting research conclusions, the effects of black cohosh on the estrogen remains controversial.
Fukinolic acid, a recently identified active compound of black cohosh has been found to have estrogenic properties in vitro. Other components of black cohosh include: triterpene glycosides, resins, caffeic and isoferulic acids. The rhizomes of black cohosh contain other compounds with biological activity such as:
Fertility clinics provide many medical services to aid support the fertility in couplesprocess. These techniques may include Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), Artificial Insemination as well fertility drug protocols. There are fertility clinics all over the US and the world. Our community has brought a few notable ones to our attention:
Zouves Fertility Clinic
1241 East Hillsdale Blvd, Ste 100
Foster City, CA 94404
http://www.goivf.com/home.php4
What a patient said: "He was much more directive and specific in his approach. He is a one man shop with an army of nurses for execution. It can feel a little bit like a baby mill at first, but we were overall thrilled with the process & the results once we got used to their system. I know several people who were successful at FPNC and several who were successful at Zouves. My bias is clearly with Zouves as I found him to be very transparent & aggressive in his approach & of course he helped us to the best possible results – my two perfect babies!
Pacific Fertility Clinic
Dr. Eldon Schriock
www.pacificfertilitycenter.com
What we heard: "Amazingly high success rates, hugely successful"
Colorado Center of Reproductive Medicine (CCRM)
http://www.colocrm.com/Home.aspx
What a patient said: "These guys are the best! The care and professionalism is second to none – really good people and very nice location. I think you’ll find statistically they’re in the top 1 or 2%. Eric Surrey was her doctor at CCRM – really a great guy."
What another patient said: "Dr. Schoolcraft in Denver at CCRM. We have 4-5 friends who were unsuccessful in clinics in the Bay Area who had children through their clinic.
Fertility clinics provide many medical services to support the fertility process. These techniques may include Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), Artificial Insemination as well fertility drug protocols. There are fertility clinics all over the US and the world. Our community has brought a few notable ones to our attention:
Zouves Fertility Clinic
1241 East Hillsdale Blvd, Ste 100
Foster City, CA 94404
http://www.goivf.com/home.php4
What a patient said: "He was much more directive and specific in his approach. He is a one man shop with an army of nurses for execution. It can feel a little bit like a baby mill at first, but we were overall thrilled with the process & the results once we got used to their system. I know several people who were successful at FPNC and several who were successful at Zouves. My bias is clearly with Zouves as I found him to be very transparent & aggressive in his approach & of course he helped us to the best possible results – my two perfect babies!
Pacific Fertility Clinic
Dr. Eldon Schriock
www.pacificfertilitycenter.com
What we heard: "Amazingly high success rates, hugely successful"
Colorado Center of Reproductive Medicine (CCRM)
http://www.colocrm.com/Home.aspx
What a patient said: "These guys are the best! The care and professionalism is second to none – really good people and very nice location. I think you’ll find statistically they’re in the top 1 or 2%. Eric Surrey was her doctor at CCRM – really a great guy."
What another patient said: "Dr. Schoolcraft in Denver at CCRM. We have 4-5 friends who were unsuccessful in clinics in the Bay Area who had children through their clinic.
Fertility clinics provide many medical services to support the fertility process. These techniques may include Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), Artificial Insemination as well fertility drug protocols. There are fertility clinics all over the US and the world. Our community has brought a few notable ones to our attention:
Zouves Fertility Clinic
1241 East Hillsdale Blvd, Ste 100
Foster City, CA 94404
http://www.goivf.com/home.php4
What a patient said: "He was much more directive and specific in his approach. He is a one man shop with an army of nurses for execution. It can feel a little bit like a baby mill at first, but we were overall thrilled with the process & the results once we got used to their system. I know several people who were successful at FPNC and several who were successful at Zouves. My bias is clearly with Zouves as I found him to be very transparent & aggressive in his approach & of course he helped us to the best possible results – my two perfect babies!
Pacific Fertility Clinic
Dr. Eldon Schriock
www.pacificfertilitycenter.com
What we heard: "Amazingly high success rates, hugely successful"
Colorado Center of Reproductive Medicine (CCRM)
http://www.colocrm.com/Home.aspx
What a patient said: "These guys are the best! The care and professionalism is second to none – really good people and very nice location. I think you’ll find statistically they’re in the top 1 or 2%. Eric Surrey was her doctor at CCRM – really a great guy."
What another patient said: "Dr. Schoolcraft in Denver at CCRM. We have 4-5 friends who were unsuccessful in clinics in the Bay Area who had children through their clinic.
Stinging nettle contains compounds that may enhance fertility of both men and women. Native Americans used nettles as a tonic for women. They used it to stop excessive bleeding during childbirth.
Stinging nettle contains compounds that may enhance fertility of both of both men and women. Native Americans used nettles as a tonic for women. They used it to stop excessive bleeding during childbirth.
Medical advice about fertility focuses on bolstering fertility for both men and women. For couples that been trying unsuccessfully for over one year, doctors will use a series of techniques from increasing egg production to in-vitro techniques to encourage fertilization.
Infertility can be treated with medicine, surgery, artificial insemination or assisted reproductive technology.
Fertility Drugs
Drugs are usually the first line of action in treating fertility issues. They are used in women to address issues with ovulation and hormonal imbalances and in men, issues with premature ejaculation and low sperm count.
As a first step in treating specific issues with infertility, doctors will often use medicines. Many drugs can increase chances of having twins or other multiples. Some common medicines used to treat infertility in women include:
More on Infertility and Drugs
Fertility Procedures
Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) are different intensive methods that used to treat infertility in couples. It involves removing eggs from a woman, fertilizing them with sperm in a laboratory and putting embryos back into the woman's uterus.
More on Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)
Intrauterine Insemination or artificial insemination is a treatment for infertility in which a woman is injected with sperm in a practice or hospital setting. In order to increase chances of fertilization, the sperm is washed in a laboratory and concentrated in HamsF10 media without L-glutamine and warmed to 37C.1
More on Intrauterine Insemination
Surgery is used to treat problems with a woman's fallopian tubes, woman's ovaries or uterus.
Principles of Guided Imagery
Mind-Body connection is the basis of the guided imagery methodology. In the same way that the picture of a chocolate cake can get us to start salivating, images of relaxation, success and fertility can move the body into achieving those states. The “Altered State” is the state of relaxed focus that one is achieving during guided imagery. This state allows you to command the inner strength and will to achieve your goal. A “locus of control” factor is another key to guided imagery’s success. Since the user is in charge of the guided imagery session and the how and when to use it, it makes one feel that they have a higher sense of control their challenge and the solution. This feeling in itself fosters higher self-esteem and sense of mastery over the environment.
Guided Imagery is a blend of mediation and self-hypnosis. Its appealing because it does not require any experience or skill on the part of the user. One can invent their own imagery or listen to a imagery that has been created by someone else, usually focused on a specific issue such as fertility.
A number of solutions exist using physical manipulations to create an optimal environment for fertility. Each of these solutions aims to create a balance within the body to promote fertility. Some of the benefits include relaxation, hormonal balance and an overall sense of well-being, which can all lead to optimal fertility.
Fertility and Relaxation Techniques
Relaxation Techniques are used to relieve stress in the body. It is believed to higher levels of stress can increase levels of prolactin, a hormone that, in excessive amounts, can inhibit fertility. These techniques can include massage, yoga and Tai-Chi.
T’ai Chi is a gentle series of movements that are useful in lowering stress levels. It is believed to encourage the flow of life energy and to restore a natural harmony in the body.
Relaxation can be achieved through a variety of techniques.
Acupuncture consists of the usage of sterile, disposable, single-use, and hair thin needles inserted into points on the body that have scientifically and empirically validated therapeutic effects on the brain, nervous system, blood circulation, internal organs, and hormones.
The stimulation of these points impacts specific energy imbalances in the body and can create a harmonious environment in a woman’s body that can successfully achieve fertility. It is fairly well agreed on that Acupuncture helps with relaxation and increases beta-endorphins, known as the “feel good” hormones. Other benefits noted in use of Acupuncture during the fertility process are:
• Improvement in sperm quality and counts in infertile men
• Improvement in the lining of the endometrium and increased blood flow to the uterus
• Regulation of hormone levels
• Improvement of thyroid problems
Trade Name: Parlodel
Bromocriptine (Parlodel) is a fertility medication that belongs to a class of drugs called dopamine receptor agonists. It has some of the same effects as dopamine, a neurotransmitter which occurs naturally in your body. Bromocriptine works by suppressing the the production of prolactin, a hormone produced by your pituitary gland.
High levels of prolactin disrupts the production of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), the hormones that play an important part in ovulation.
Over decades, several studies were done to determine the efficacy of Bromocriptine in prolactin-related disorders. Many of these studies prove that Bromocriptine treatment helps in restoring menstruation and ovulation. Use of bromocriptine has also been linked to increased pregnancy rate.
In the mid-70's a small study conducted by Finnish scientists showed that 2-5 mg twice daily dose of Bromocriptine was effective for patients with amennorhea (absence of menstrual bleeding), secondary to abnormal prolactin levels. The investigators reported that Bromocripine therapy resulted in restoration of menstrual cycle and ovulation. The most common reported side-effects were nausea and vertigo which lessened after adjusting the dose.
Bromocriptine has also been found to prevent miscarriage in patients with abnormal prolactin levels. This study was conducted by Dr. Fumiki Hirahara and his colleagues from Yokohama City University School of Medicine. From 352 women with recurrent spontaneous abortion, the investigators identified 64 patients with a prolactin disorder that was not associated with any other abnormalities, including ovarian or endocrinologic disturbances, polycystic ovaries, hypersecretion of LH, galactorrhea, or thyroid disorders. The investigators noted that the percentage of successful pregnancies was higher in the patients who were given Bromocriptine than in the group that were not on Bromocriptine therapy (85.7% versus 52.4%, P < .05). The prolactin levels during early pregnancy were significantly higher in patients who had miscarriage than in patients whose pregnancies were successful. The investigators concluded that sufficient circulating levels of prolactin may play an important role in maintaining early pregnancy, especially in patients who had recurrent miscarriages caused by hyperprolactinemia.
Bromocriptine is available in tablets. Initial dose recommendation is 2.5 milligrams per day. The tablet is taken by mouth. The dosage can be increased by your doctor if lower doses do not seem to produce desired effects.
Typically, it takes about six to eight weeks for Bromocriptine to begin to work, it is therefore important that you do not stop taking this medication too early. Bromocriptine should be taken until you get pregnant. Bromocriptine can be taken vaginally if its side effects become intolerable.
Trade Name: Parlodel
Bromocriptine (Parlodel) is a fertility medication that belongs to a class of drugs called dopamine receptor agonists. It has some of the same effects as dopamine, a neurotransmitter which occurs naturally in your body. Bromocriptine works by suppressing the the production of prolactin, a hormone produced by your pituitary gland.
High levels of prolactin disrupts the production of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), the hormones that play an important part in ovulation.
Bromocriptine may enhance fertility in women with prolactin disorders. Bromocriptine works by mimicking the action of certain neurotransmitters. By doing so, excess production of prolactin is prevented. Bromocriptine acts like neurotransmitters, causing your pituitary gland to stop prolactin production. When prolactin is within normal range, secretion of hormones for ovulation will resume, making it easier to get pregnant.
A common cause of ovulation problems and female infertility is Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Women with PCOS do not ovulate regularly and have irregular menstrual cycles. Their ovaries contain multiple small cystic structures, usually about 2-9 mm in diameter. For those who suffer from PCOS-induced infertility, Metformin may be a viable option.
Metformin, traditionally a first-line treatment for type 2 diabetes, is also being used as a new treatment for ovulation problems in women with PCOS. Metformin can either be used alone or in combination with Clomiphene Citrate.
