If you are still undergoing cancer treatments and think others at your oncologist’s office would benefit from this, you can use Fertile Hope’s Tell Your Doctor tool and they’ll take care of the rest.

A little over a year ago, when hubby and I finally realized that surely I must not be the only childhood cancer survivor who wanted to have a baby, (Hey, sometimes that light bulb takes a little longer to light for some of us…) finding Fertile Hope was the first glimmer of, well, hope for us. An earlier version of this Guide helped steer us in the right direction and connected us with the Reproductive Endocrinologist and clinic that still works with us today.

Even though we are not directly involved in a Fertile Hope program, finding an RE with at least a basic understanding of oncofertility was essential for us. I think that search would have taken much longer without Fertile Hope.

Here’s to hoping that this post shortens a search or two.

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Speaking of Freebie Friday, You have until July 31st to enter to win a $40 Fertility Scope from  Miracle Light Labs. That’s tomorrow! Hurry!

Post from: Blisstree

The 08-09 Cancer & Fertility Resource Guide is here!

In a Q&A published in  Saturday’s Calgary Herald

Urologist Dr. Fisch shared some info from the book he co-authored with Kara Baskin. Some of the pertinent points from the doc include:

“penis size doesn’t vary as much as people think. The average is 5.4 inches. Most men are between four and six inches. When you have less than three inches, then that’s a real problem fertility-wise — it’s too small of a penis to actually reach the cervix.”

“the larger the testicle, the better the fertility and the better chance to have a good testosterone level. Bigger is better.”

Dr. Fisch goes on to explain a number of misconceptions related to size, virility and the importance of belly fat (too much in men reduces fertility). The Calgary Herald notes,

Guys reading all of this may freak out a little.

To which Dr. Fisch responds:

I don’t want them to freak out. I want them to buy the book and to read to see what questions women are asking, because we’ve got to get men to understand what women are thinking.

Post from: Blisstree

So Sorry Guys, Size DOES Matter

A Newsweek article that will be published in the August 4th issue of the magazine gives a great explanation of what Oncofertility is and why it matters so much to cancer patients.

According to Newsweek:

Of the 125,000 people under the age of 45 who are diagnosed with cancer each year, roughly half will receive treatments that will affect their fertility. The cancers that most commonly strike the young—leukemias, lymphomas and breast cancers—require some of the most toxic forms of chemotherapy, which target rapidly growing and fragile cells like hair follicles, sperm and eggs.

The good news: patients who would like to become parents have a growing array of options. Men are benefiting from a procedure that allows urologists to find a single live sperm to bank, which can then be used in an in vitro fertilization method that requires just one sperm. Women can freeze eggs or ovarian tissue, though success rates are still low. Those with partners (or donor sperm) can freeze embryos, the procedure with the best track record, though, like egg freezing, it’s available only to patients who have two to six weeks before starting treatment. On the horizon are less toxic chemotherapy agents as well as methods of shielding eggs and sperm from harm.

But can I just ask that you, dear docs, take a little more care in those “methods of shielding eggs and sperm from harm?”

Before I started the radiation segment of my treatment for Hodgkin’s Disease, someone thought that by pulling my ovaries behind my uterus (which would be shielded from the radiation by a big lead block), that would be good enough. Instead, it took years and several confused ultrasound technicians to finally locate those ovaries again – which were anything but shielded from harm.

I’m just sayin’.

Anyway, this is a nice article in mainstream media that’s not the NY Times (who has had fertility-related articles in nearly every Sunday edition for the last several weeks.) I dig it.

Post from: Blisstree

Newsweek Shines a Light on Oncofertility

Since I wrote to my Congressmen about the Act, I received the following update from CureSearch.org:

The bill, first introduced in the Senate by Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Norm Coleman (R-MN), passed by unanimous consent, echoing a similar 416-0 vote June 12th in the U.S. House of Representatives. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) requested, and received, this unanimous consent on the Senate floor.

What does this mean? It means the bill passed both the House and Senate unanimously and is now on its way to President Bush to sign into law. If he does, $30 million will be authorized annually over five years,

providing funding for collaborative pediatric cancer clinical trials research, to create a population-based national childhood cancer database, and to further improve public awareness and communication regarding available treatment and research for children with cancer and their families.

Hells yes. That is what I am talking about. In the grand scheme of things $30M is not really a huge chunk of money, especially compared to other expenditures in the federal budget. But my goodness, this is a nice place to start.

I am thrilled by this news. I hope you are too. If you did reach out to your Senator or Representative, please take a moment to thank them for their bipartisan efforts on behalf of children with cancer and childhood cancer survivors.

Post from: Blisstree

More Updates – The Conquer Childhood Cancer Act

Smart ART IX, which will take place August 14-16, is a symposium that will “provide a unique opportunity for nurses and healthcare professionals involved in the management of infertility patients to learn about new agents, procedures, and counseling techniques contributing to the continued success of ART.”

Oh wait, did I mention? Maybe I didn’t…

Enrollment is limited to the first 450 registrants and is available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Why?

Tuition has been generously underwritten by an unrestricted educational grant from Organon, a part of Schering-Plough which includes all scientific sessions, a course syllabus, and planned meal functions.

That means it’s free.

Of course, you’ll still need to get a hotel room for the weekend, but I bet your spouse or best friend would be happy to split the tab and find some other reasons to be in Vegas.

What are you waiting for? Click here to register.

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And don’t forget about that other Friday Freebie! You have until July 31st to enter to win a $40 Fertility Scope from  Miracle Light Labs.

Post from: Blisstree

Freebie Friday (Professional Edition) – Smart ART IX: From Physiology to Clinical Success

Originally written for the 1996 March/April issue of Psychology Today Magazine, this article stills feels timely and relevant. I’ve had this page bookmarked for a while and have been digesting it in bits. Don’t be turned off by the first paragraph which states:

Contrary to popular belief, there is no infertility crisis sweeping the nation. We’ve just lost all conception of what it takes to conceive. Reproductive technology has made us impatient with nature. So for increasing numbers of couples the creation of a new human being has become a strangely dehumanizing process.

Because what follows is actually a quite thoughtful and thorough discussion of infertility, assisted reproduction and the role it is now playing in our lives. And, pages later, the article finally does admit that it is nearly impossible to determine whether or not infertility in men is rising or falling and,

Although infertility rates are not on the rise overall, Creighton University sociologist Shirley Scritchfield, Ph.D., points out that they are rising among some subgroups of the population: all young women between the ages of 20 and 24 and women of color.

A rise in sexually transmitted diseases, which can permanently harm reproductive organs, is seen as a primary reason.

The article explores why couples go through such lengths to reproduce and how the insertion of technology into the mix can both dehumanize the process and intensify the desire to add a new human to the family:

Couples undergoing intensive fertility treatments lose their wide-angle perspective on life. They may fall behind in their careers and cut themselves off from friends and family, all in the narcissistic pursuit of cloning their genes. Technology may provide us with the illusion that it’s helping us control our reproductive fate, but in reality, it just adds to the narcissism. “The higher tech the treatment, the more inwardly focused couples become,” says Doherty.

I’m not sure if I agree with those assumptions, but I don’t mind these conclusions:

“Most couples who seek fertility treatment are committed enough to their relationship that they will go through pain and suffering to have a child together,” says Pasch. And if they have the skills to address their problem, their relationships tend to become stronger—even if they never have a baby.”

I would love to hear your take on Psychology Today’s take on “technofertility.”

…after you add your entry to the latest Green Giveaway, which features the kind of high tech Fertility Scope.

Post from: Blisstree

Has “Technofertility” Taken Over?

FertilityLifeLines.com is offering a FREE 48-page booklet entitled, In the Know: What No One Tells You About Fertility

The 48-page girlfriend-to-girlfriend booklet was created to address this gap in the current resources available to couples seeking information about infertility. The booklet covers the broad range of issues that couples face when struggling with infertility, including a description of infertility in males and females, how to cope with the emotional stresses of infertility, an overview of the treatments that are available and resources that can provide couples with information to navigate the costs of treatment.

Want one? Just register at the Fertility Life Lines website. Don’t worry. You can opt out of receiving newsletters or more info if you only want the booklet. (That’s what I did.)

From their website: Fertility LifeLines™ is a free, confidential, educational resource that provides customized information and support to people with fertility health concerns. A single phone call can put you in touch with customer service representatives, benefits specialists, and fertility nurses. Fertility LifeLines™ is provided by EMD Serono, the leader in fertility health.

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But don’t forget about that other Friday Freebie! You have until July 31st to enter to win a $40 Fertility Scope from  Miracle Light Labs.

Post from: Blisstree

Freebie Friday Bonus! Free “In the Know” Booklet from FertilityLifeLines

A new article at WebMD.com reports:

A study of more than 12,000 couples undergoing fertility treatments has found that pregnancy rates drop and miscarriages increase when the father is older than 40…The results are believed to be the first to show that simply being an older dad has a strong effect on reproductive outcomes.

These findings were presented on Monday at the 24th annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology in Barcelona, Spain.

How a father’s age influences fertility has been a matter of debate. Until now, there’s been no clinical proof that simply being an older dad directly affects a couple’s ability to conceive and achieve a healthy pregnancy.

But I can think of several older men who have fathered healthy kids with their partners, just as I can think of women nearing and (gasp) even passing that 35-year mark, which is supposed to signal “advanced maternal age” and warrant all kinds of extra precautions,  who have become proud parents.

What do you think of this new finding? Is it reassuring to know that men’s age factors more into the equation, or does this feel like one more thing to worry about?

Post from: Blisstree

Do Wanna Be Dads Have a Biological Clock Too?

Image details: Fertilization served by picapp.com

A scientist in Australia claims that he has created an inexpensive pill that will double the chances of conception in couples struggling with infertility. Double!?!

The Sydney Morning Herald Reports,

Menevit, a supplement containing seven anti-oxidants and minerals, claims to improve the chances of pregnancy for the one in 20 men affected by male infertility.

The pill, available over the counter for $1 a day, was developed by Kelton Tremellen from the University of Adelaide. It is sold through pharmaceutical company Bayer. It contains vitamins C and E, zinc, folic acid, lycopene, garlic oil and selenium.

Is it just me, or does the name make you giggle?

A friend once told me that Rogain, you know, the hair growth stuff, was originally proposed as /Regain, but that didn’t sound scientific-y enough. Hence the new name. (I forget how he had the insider knowledge, but can completely believe it. ) I am wondering what earlier incarnations of this pill’s name have been. Benefit, Men-fit, sperm-be-fit….

Sorry. I am digressing.

Dr Tremellen said the pill worked by neutralising the free radicals that help break down sperm DNA, resulting in a greater risk of infertility, miscarriage and birth defects.

But some folks, including fertility experts, ain’t buying it. They say there’s no evidence of improved embryo quality as a result of the pill and are demanding that additional studies and research be done to support its current claims.

But I mean, it is only a $1….

Post from: Blisstree

Could Menevit Help Your Guy’s Sperm Get Fit?

Is this nuts? How can you mourn for something that has never existed? The very notion seems an insult to anyone who has ever mourned a real dead child. It speaks of a bizarre sense of entitlement: the idea that “anything I can imagine, I should have!” Worse, it suggests that biology is destiny in a way that makes a mockery of free-will and seems reminiscent of strains of fascism.

Before you go nuts, you should know that Mr. Blincoe himself is infertile and he and his wife are unable to bear children. So this isn’t a case of a “misinformed fertile.”

but it is a different point of view. Apparently based on perusing the recent comment section of the New York Times article on living childfree.

I have some thoughts about this, but I’ll wait to hear some of yours first.

Post from: Blisstree

Fertility Treatments = Strains of Fascism?