reproductive health Tag

28 Sep

Posted at 11:07h in Fertility

Notice: This post is provided for background information only. Consult your healthcare provider for specific medical advice regarding ovulation, fertility, or any reproductive health concern.

Understanding the menstrual cycle is especially important for women planning a pregnancy. One key stage to monitor is ovulation — the point in the cycle when an ovary releases an egg. Knowing approximately when ovulation occurs can help identify the days when conception is more likely and provide a clearer picture of an individual's menstrual pattern. However, ovulation does not necessarily occur on the same calendar day every month. Cycle length can vary, and factors such as stress, illness, medications, and routine changes may affect timing. According to the NICHD (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development), menstrual cycle length and ovulation timing can vary considerably from person to person and from month to month, which is why tracking several signs rather than relying on a single calculation provides more useful information.

[caption id="attachment_76272" align="aligncenter" width="500"]ovulation-tracker-pexels Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich[/caption]

20 Jan

Posted at 22:43h in Author Interviews, CDC, JAMA, OBGYNE
Sheree L. Boulet, DrPH, MPH Division of Reproductive Health Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GeorgiaMedicalResearch.com Interview with: Sheree L. Boulet, DrPH, MPH Division of Reproductive Health Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Dr. Boulet:  Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection is generally considered a safe and effective treatment for male factor infertility; however, some studies have shown that ICSI is increasingly used in patients without male factor infertility without clear evidence of a benefit over conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF). In addition to increasing the cost of an IVF cycle, use of  Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection has been found to increase the risk for adverse infant outcomes such as birth defects, chromosomal abnormalities and autism. Using data from CDC’s National Assisted Reproductive Technology Surveillance System, we found that use of ICSI increased by fourfold from 1996 through 2012 (from 15.4% to 66.9%). Furthermore, we found that use of  Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection did not improve reproductive outcomes such as rates of pregnancy, miscarriage and live birth, when compared with conventional IVF, regardless of whether male factor infertility was present.