Archive for March 2014

21st March 2014

I was recently diagnosed with premature ovarian failure. I’ve been told that it is very unlikely that I will be able to get pregnant. I’ve heard that women with POF have been able to have a child after using alternative and naturopathic approaches. I’m wondering what herbs and vitamins you’d suggest to increase the likelihood of a pregnancy for women with POF?

Written by guest expert, Dr. Alana Shaw, naturopathic doctor at Grace Fertility Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia. Learn more about Dr. Shaw here. Premature ovarian failure (POF), also known as premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), is a loss of ovarian function before the age of 40.  Women with POF have low levels of estrogen and elevated levels of […]

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19th March 2014

Passive smoking increases miscarriage and other pregnancy risks

A recent study published in the British Medical Journal found that passive smoking – second-hand exposure to cigarette smoke – increases the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, and ectopic pregnancy. The risk increases with more exposure. Previous research has highlighted the risk of smoking while pregnant, but until now, the effect of passive smoking has been […]

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17th March 2014

What to do with remaining embryos after IVF?

In vitro fertilization (IVF) involves creating embryos from eggs and sperm. Often several embryos are created, with only one or two being transferred to the woman’s womb. Any remaining embryos are typically cryopreserved (frozen) and stored for later use. However, once their family is complete, depending on an individual or couple’s beliefs and values, they […]

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14th March 2014

My partner and I are hoping to get pregnant soon, but my cycles have always been very irregular. They range from 18 – 35 days. I’ve been trying to keep track to see if there is a pattern, but they seem to be all over the map. With such irregular cycles, how can we figure out when I’m ovulating and when I’m likely to be most fertile?

Written by our medical expert Dr. Beth Taylor, co-founder and co-director of Olive Fertility Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia.  The basics of prerequisites to getting pregnant on your own are: good sperm, good uterus, open tubes and good eggs that are ovulated monthly.  Determining when and if you are ovulating is one of the most important […]

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