Back in April, I mentioned the Conquer Childhood Cancer Act, a piece of legislation which would provide critical resources for the treatment, prevention and cure of childhood cancer. Why? Because infertility and fertility issues are common long-term effects of radiation and chemotherapy, especially when treatments occur during or before puberty. Cancer can be cured, but the shadows cast by the cure are long and lasting of those of us lucky enough to survive the disease (and the cure).
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 …read more

Calling all RNs, NPs, LPNs, and other healthcare professionals specializing in reproductive medicine and assisted reproductive technology: there is a really good reason for you to take some time off in August and head to Vegas.
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 …read more

The answer, it seems, is yes.
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 …read more

The annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology began this Sunday in Spain and will last until Wednesday. That’s nearly a full week of professionals getting together in Barcelona to think about the thing that many of us think about all the time – how to get us pregnant.
A Reuters UK article entitled, Ethics Take Center Stage at Fertility Conference, reports on the current multiple birth debate which seems to be the focus of many Reproductive Endocrinologists lately.
Some Health & Wellness bloggers have already reported on some events and findings from the ESHRE Conference:
Marijke at …read more

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 …read more

Very, very curious about how you feel about this article in today’s Guardian in which Nicholas Blincoe wonders why people try to conceive spend so much time whining (his words, not mine):
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 …read more

Who doesn’t peruse the People Magazine while waiting in line at the grocery checkout? Who doesn’t pick up an Us Magazine or its ilk when waiting to be called at the dentist? Even if you don’t subscribe, you still sneak some peeks at what so and so is doing or who you know who is wearing, right? I do.
Next week here at the Health & Wellness channel, we’re going to make it a little easier to focus in our your favorite TV star, movie actor, singer. We’re trying something out called “Celebrity Week” and each blog will have at least …read more

I’m late! I’m late! For my Barren B*tches Book Tour Date!
But better late than never, right?
For those of you who aren’t familiar, each month, bloggers can sign up to read and review a book, usually related to infertility and/or pregnancy loss. Everyone is welcome to join. You just need to have a blog (not necessarily related to fertility, infertility and/or pregnancy loss). Bloggers/readers submit questions. Each participant selects a few to answer. Sometimes, when we get lucky (like this month), the authors themselves join the discussion.
This month’s read was Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen, a book which …read more

Friendly reminder: NaCoLeavMo begins today.

The what you say? That’s not a word. Did she make that sh*t up? I didn’t, but Mel at Stirrup Queens and Sperm Palace Jesters did.
What’s it all about? It’s National Comment Leaving Month (the national refers to wherever you are reading) from May 25th to June 25th. A full month of intense comment leaving. Go here for the full list of bloggers and readers who are participating. Stop by any blogs of your choosing and try to leave at leave five comments each day. Why? Because we made a promise to nurture ourselves this …read more

You have one more day to celebrate National Women’s Health Week.
Don’t feel like leaving the house today? Just stop by the Women’s Health Expo at Revolution Health. It’s kind of like an online health fair. Even better, Revolution Health will make a donation to an organization every time you click on its booth. Lots of good resources to choose from here – my first stops were the Society for Women’s Health Research and The Wellness Community.
Educate yourself, learn about exercise, nutrition and wellness and find some nurturing (our goals for May, remember?) all right here.
Who will you visit first?