Menopause Symptoms - Natural Remedies and Treatment

Menopause is a normal phase in every woman's life. It is caused by the fact that ovulation does not occur anymore and as a consequence, menstruation stops. This of course implies the fact that a bunch of hormonal changes take place. They begin long before the first menopause symptoms are being felt because the body prepares well in advance. Menopause symptoms are not the same in all women, but they can differ greatly from one woman to another depending on various factors and individual characteristics. The age at which menopause occurs also varies from woman to woman.
The first menopause symptoms are usually experienced at around 51 years, but there are women experiencing a much earlier or late menopause. Lower estrogen levels in the body lead to a bunch of symptoms and to changes in the way a woman looks. The skin and the hair condition might not be as good as they used to be. Besides this, there are also other menopause symptoms that a woman in menopause will experience. Some of them are easier to cope with, others are more difficult. Here's a list with the most common menopause symptoms, but it is not compulsory that all of them are experienced at once or by every women. Some women might not have at all certain symptoms.
1. Hot flashes - Some women feel extremely hot, while others extremely cold at normal temperature levels. Night sweats are also common.
2. Vaginal dryness that can cause pain during lovemaking.
3. Sleep problems.
4. Bladder problems - Frequent infections, urinary incontinence.
5. Irritability, depression, anxiety, loss of sexual appetite, mood swings, etc.
Menopause can be dealt with using natural remedies that usually don't have any side effects. They provide relief and make the woman's life easier. However, some herbs might interact with prescribed medication, so it might be best to ask for medical advice. The following are efficient natural remedies against menopause symptoms.
1. Foods with high content of estrogen: cabbage, corn, apples, cucumbers, peas, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, soy, sesame seeds, olives and olive oil.
2. Black cohosh - It ameliorates all the menopause symptoms.
3. St John's Wort - It is recommended for irritability and mood swings.
4. Flaxseed oil - Reduces hot flashes and pain in the chest area.
5. Natural creams and lotions made out of essential oils in order to reduce dryness of the skin or vaginal dryness. For instance, one ounce of almond oil mixed with no more than two drops of geranium oil and with a capsule of vitamin E makes a perfect lotion against vaginal dryness.
6. Adequate diet that will provide plenty of vitamins and minerals.

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Menopause and Diet

Many women have found that special menopause diets can minimize the symptoms of menopause and make the change of life transition much easier and smoother. Menopause diets are a good alternative to prescribed medication and are good for those who worry about adverse side effects. Most all gynecologists recommend that women who are in their pre-menopause stages adopt a menopause diet and stay on it throughout the transition to reduce stress, reduce symptoms, and to ensure good health.
Black cohosh is one highly recommended herb to add to a menopause diet. Gynecologists urge that women begin using black cohosh for treatment of hot flashes. This herb is quite powerful and shouldn't be used any longer than six months. If used any longer than this, although there is no exact effects determined, there could be unknown side effects.
Japanese women intake a greater amount of soy in their everyday diet, and they are only 30% as likely to complain of menopause symptoms as women in the United States and other parts of the world. Soy includes estrogen like substances that are often used in menopause diets to help with hot flashes. The best way to take soy is through soymilk or tofu.
There are some things that, unfortunately, are a large part of most everyone's diet and are hard habits to break. However, these foods have adverse effects and can make menopause symptoms worse. Some of these are tea, alcohol, coffee, spicy food, soft drinks (with caffeine), and smoking. Try and keep high-calorie, sweet junk food to a minimum and eat as little of these as possible.
The main food experts recommend for menopause diets are fruits and vegetables, basically just eating healthy. Boost your intake of fruits such as melons, oranges, and lemons. Potassium, found in bananas, helps with women who retain water. Good vegetables are dark leafy vegetables like collard greens, spinach, cabbage, broccoli, peppers, and tomatoes. Regular fiber intake is also a healthy part of menopause dieting.
Instead of fried foods, try and stick to food that is broiled or baked. Instead of white bread and white rice eat more whole grains, like oats, rye bread, and brown rice. Try not to eat as many regular potatoes, but rather opt for sweet potatoes or pasta.
Other good things to add to your everyday diet include, oily fish like mackerel or salmon, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and unprocessed oils for cooking. Other foods that are not so conventional but are recommended are different types of seaweed (ask at your local health food store) like Nori, Kombu, Arame, and Wakame.
A well balanced, nutritious, healthy diet will help reduce symptoms and achieve optimum health in women. The key is to incorporate as many natural foods into your menopause diet as possible.

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Causes and Cures For Hot Flashes

A widespread discomfort of perimenopause, hot flashes affect about 75 percent of menopausal women. These women report various experiences of the phenomenon, ranging from a glowing sensation to a burning heat, usually with some sweating, which may be particularly bad at night (night sweats). The frequency of the experience also differs greatly: some women have a few mild flashes a week for a short period, while others may experience up to 50 a day for many years. In very severe cases, they may occur 6 or 7 times in an hour.
Manu women experience hot flashes well before their last menstrual period. Initially, these are infrequent and are on the face, neck and chest only. Over time, these flashes can become more frequent, last longer, and they may continue to occur, with occasional flash-free periods, for up to five years.
What Causes a Hot Flush?
The underlying physiology is complex, but the onset of a hot flash may correspond with an increase in the level of pituitary hormone, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). Significant changes in levels of FSH secretion are common as menopause approaches, and they appear to be a response to the shrinking of the ovaries and decreased estrogen secretion.
The loss of estrogen itself makes the blood vessel muscles more unstable, hence the term "vasomotor instability", which is sometimes used to describe a hot flush. Other internal secretions also surge during a hot flash. For example, there is a significant rise in the blood level of some of the adrenal hormones.
More simply stated, a hot flash occurs because the brain decides your body is overheated. During menopause, your temperature regulating system changes. Your sweat glands may work less effectively than before because lack of estrogen changes the way they are programmed. Not only do your sweat glands not cool as efficiently as before, but there also appears to be a change in beam chemistry that affects the temperature control center in the hypothalamus. The temperature set point becomes lower than normal, and this triggers a dilation of blood vessels in the skin and sweating as your body attempts to reset it's thermostat. The adjustments aren't always smooth and your body often overcompensates, hence the hot flashes.
To reduce the unpleasantness and potential severity of the experience, there are a number of self-help measures to try, including dietary and lifestyle changes, regular exercise, meditation and complementary therapies.

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5 Easy Tips to Help With Menopause Symptoms

You want to do everything you can to help with your menopause symptoms. Let's face it; these body changes are frustrating and miserable. Here are five small changes that can really help you and the way you feel, as well as, deal, naturally with these signs of menopause.
You know that something is off. You go from short sleeve shirts to adding a sweater all day long, on, off, on, off. It's really hard to go to sleep and stay asleep all night. You seem to be battling your bed and your covers as well. You are hot, then cold, then hot, then freezing. Am I going through menopause?
These symptoms can start as early as in your late thirties. The average age of starting the change is 41 years old. And honey, you are not alone dealing with this different body, there are 100 million of us world wide trying to keep cool as well as sleep through the night. Here are 5 tips to help you battle the beast within.
1. Drink lots of water. I prefer mine with a Super greens supplement, it's a salad in a glass, looks like swamp water and is easily absorbed into your tissues and organs. Drinking water will help get moisture to where the body lotion and KY jelly can't reach.
2. Back off from caffeine and alcohol (even though you think that cocktail or glass of wine is the only thing that can get you though each day). Spicy foods may also be the "trigger" that brings on a hot flash. And smoking has been shown to also contribute to hot flashes and night sweats.
3. Move that body! Get in those walks, hikes and biking or gym dance classes. Exercise helps with water retention, weight gain, bone strength and your overall frame of mind. Add resistance training to keep your self strong.
4. Try to keep from going to bed already hot. Take a shower in the morning, as well as blow drying your hair then. Avoid a long hot soak in the tub right before bed as well. Natural sheets and jammies in cotton, silk and bamboo are cooler than polyester blends.
5. Stay away from processed foods, especially prepackaged frozen diet meals. They are full of salt and preservatives that do nothing to help with the water weight gain and bloating.
Remember that we can help our bodies; help it self with a few changes. And these changes will help us feel so much better.

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A Flash in the Dark - Causes and Solutions For Night Sweats

Getting hot n' sweaty in the sheets is not always a good thing. In a recent study of 2267 patients visiting Primary Care Physicians, 41% of the patients reported experiencing night time sweats throughout the previous month. Unlike the occasional sweating or a flushed face, night sweats are characterized as severe hot flashes occurring at night time that may drench sleepwear and sheets that are not related to an overheated environment.
The most recognized cause of night sweats (thanks to Golden Girls and numerous primetime punch lines) is menopause. This organic process that occurs in a woman's body causes a hormone imbalance leading to symptoms for instance night sweats. They occur in 70% of females approaching menopause and could possibly last for the rest of the women's life. For any females dealing with menopause-related night sweats, there are 3 suggested solutions:
· Lifestyle changes - This is the toughest solution from the group as it requires a firm commitment, but experts recommend that females try to reduce stress by practicing meditation or yoga. Also recommended can be a diet rich in estrogenic foods like soy, apples, cherries, wheat and yams. Regular exercise (including or outside of the advised yoga) will also help to abate the symptoms of menopause.
· Alternative medicine - Increasing in popularity, quite a few women are turning to acupuncture and herbal remedies. Phytoestrogen drugs including Black Cohosh and Dong Qai are ideal for replacing estrogen hormones but for hormonal imbalances, non-estrogenic herbs (for instance, Macafem or progesterone cream) are suggested. These non-estrogenic herbs optimize the functionality from the pituitary and endocrine glands to help keep the body's natural hormonal balance.
· Drugs and/or surgery - This choice involves the highest risk as well as the highest costs. Additionally, hormone replacement therapy has been shown to have serious side effects. The use of synthetic hormones can increase your risks of ovarian & breast cancer as well as heart disease, blood clots and strokes.
But women going through menopause aren't the only ones suffering from night sweats. You'll find a lot of other causes of this sweaty phenomenon so women of all ages and even men can have them. Doctors will need to get a medical history and possibly run some tests to determine the cause of your night sweats.
Some possible causes they will be looking for:
· For men, your bodies go through an organic temperature cycle that heats up the body around bedtime but lowers significantly before waking. The drop in body temperature can make you feel hot, causing you to sweat.
· Another common cause for night sweats in both men and women is stress. If you're anxious about work, money or relationships, your body may sweat out your anxiety in response.
· Idiopathic hyperhidrosis - These big words simply mean that you have a condition that causes the body to chronically produce too much sweat without an identifiable medical cause
· Infections - TB is most commonly associated but they could also be caused by bacterial infections (endocarditis), osteomyelitis (inflammation from the bones), abscesses, or the AIDS virus.
· Cancers - Night time sweats can be an early symptom of some cancers (most commonly lymphoma). However, it will accompany other symptoms for instance unexplained weight loss and fevers.
· Medications - If you can find no signs of tumors or infections, this is the most common cause. Roughly 8% of people taking antidepressants experience night time sweats. Also, some medications with acetaminophen can sometimes lead to sweating. Some drugs can also induce flushing including niacin, tamoxifen, hydralazine, nitroglycerine and Viagra.
· Hypoglycemia - Low blood sugar can cause sweating in some cases.
· Hormone Disorders - Not to be confused with menopause (menopause isn't an illness), some hormone disorders for instance Pheochromocytoma, carcinoid syndrome & hyperthyroidism can cause night sweats.
· Neurologic conditions - While it's very uncommon, autonomic dysreflexia, post-traumatic syringomyelia, stroke and autonomic neuropathy can cause night sweats.
No matter what the cause, you can find plenty of ways to handle these night sweats.
Consider the following solutions:
· Release stress before bedtime by meditating, journaling or practicing yoga. Anything that calms your mind and body to help you achieve calm before hitting the sheets will be useful.
· Layer your bed with covers (much like you would layer clothing) so that you can strip them as you start to sweat.
· Make your bedroom a cooler place by installing a ceiling fan.
· Make a lifestyle and diet change to avoid "triggers" that may stimulate hot flashes. These include caffeine, hot drinks, acidic foods, spicy foods, alcoholic beverages, hydrogenated or saturated fats and white sugar.
· Consider herbal remedies (see above for herbal remedies associated to menopause). Motherwort can relieve the frequency and duration of hot flashes while a 2005 study at the School of Public Health at Queensland University found that in a controlled trial, sage and alfalfa reduced severe hot flashes by 60% as compared with a placebo.
· Consider replacing your bed sheets with bamboo sheets. Bamboo sheets retain the organic qualities of the bamboo plant that make them highly absorbent, odor resistant (it is anti-fungal) and thermal regulating. No matter how much you drench the sheets, they will absorb most of it, dry quickly and not leave a sweaty stench in your bedroom.
While night sweats can be a difficult and sometimes messy condition to deal with, rest assured (and sleep peacefully) knowing that there are plenty of alternative solutions to help you stay dry and comfortable.

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Menopausal Hot Flashes - A Woman's Nightmare

At the office for an appointment or a dinner between friends, without respite: hot flashes occur, without warning, and often ruin the lives of women. Depending on their intensity, they are not experienced or taken over in the same way.
The most common symptom of menopause
For most women, menopause occurs between 45 and 55 years. With it, functional disorders, called climacteric disorders, which can appear sometimes. Of these, hot flashes are one of the most characteristic and most early menopause symptoms in Western countries. The ovaries produce less and less hormones, the resulting deficiency can trigger hot flashes, sometimes exacerbated by stressful situations.
They usually appear before the judgment rules. Other events, such as fatigue, vaginal dryness and weight gain, are more insidious. If hot flashes are non-existent or very moderate in a woman in two, the other half suffers from these events sometimes very painful.
Cluttered by a feeling of intense heat that suddenly invades the chest, neck, and then climbs the face, hot flushes can also be accompanied by redness and sweating. They last between 30 seconds and a few minutes, and are often followed by cold sweat. These episodes are repeating sometimes up to 15 to 20 times per day may bother some women point to prevent them from working.
During the night, sweats take over, awakening women and forcing them to change the sheets, sometimes insomnia. These "mini-heat waves" passengers are not dangerous, but can become a real source of fatigue and depression.
However they vary widely from one woman to another, both in frequency and intensity, and often lived in a very different way as women. According to some studies, they also vary depending on the country, food and socio-cultural level. They can disappear spontaneously after 4 or 5 years on average, but it is estimated that half of women with real hot flushes keep them very long, up to ten years if they are not treated.

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5 Tips To Reduce Menopause Hot Flashes

What can you do about menopause hot flashes? Although it's not the worst symptom you can suffer through menopause it's one which can cause plenty of anxiety and angst among sufferers.
So is there a sure-fire way to relieve the onset of hot flashes? In this article, we'll highlight five steps you can take to help free you, if only for brief periods, from the incidence of hot flashes.
Five Ways To Lessen The Onset Of Menopause Hot Flashes
We know hot flashes can strike at any time which makes it all the more frustrating and in certain situations, can cause a little embarrassment. Here are five ways you could use to lessen the incidence.
1. Undoubtedly the best and most reliable way of solving the problem is hormone replacement therapy. The only problem is, it's getting a bad rap because of the risk of heart disease and cancer. This is something you need to discuss with your doctor.
2. If you suffer regular bouts of hot flashes then start o log of when it occurs and the possible triggers which causes it. The trick then is to stay away from these triggers.
3. Try exercise. The most recommended form of exercise is walking and it has an uncanny ability ability to make women with menopausal symptoms feel a lot better. Recently, yoga has also surfaced as a way to reduce hot flash incidents.
4. Find ways to effectively cool the body. Setting room temperatures to a level below what's most comfortable is great but then you run the risk of alienating the other members in the home. Wearing light clothing both day and night and if you get chills, put on an extra layer of clothing. Using ice to cool areas such as the wrist and neckline can help as well as cold drinks.
5. Reducing stress is important. Deep breathing exercises are a great way to alleviate stress. By doing deep breathing exercises and reducing stress you also cut cut on the heat produced by the body. This can be an effective method for temporary relief from menopause hot flashes.

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Menopause Hot Flashes - How to Cool Down

The fact is that there are more menopausal women now than at any other time in history. Research indicates that fully forty million women will enter menopause within the next twenty years.
Fortunately, there is more information available now (than ever before) to help guide women through these troubling times. Unfortunately, there is also an equal amount of semi-factual and misleading information on the topic, and information dispensed from those with their own agenda.
As a whole, women tend to get their information from just five sources. All of these sources have previously demonstrated that they are not entirely forthcoming where the facts are concerned.
1. The pharmaceutical Industry has previously tried to hide the fact that the major side-effects of estrogen-progestin based Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) included breast cancer, heart attack, stroke and blood clots.
2. Medical Doctors too often get their second-hand biased information from pharmaceutical sales representatives and not medical professionals. The medical profession gets paid to perform costly procedures. Thus 40% to 80% of all hysterectomies are estimated to be completely unnecessary.
3. The Advertising Industry who promote the value of "youth" and looking young and nearly anorexic.
4. Friends and Family often provide well-intentioned, albeit misleading, or out-of-date advice.
5. The internet is loaded with misinformation, inaccuracies, and propaganda filled with half-truths to convince the reader to have confidence in the product they are selling.
Around the age of 50, a woman's hormone levels decrease rapidly as her ovaries stop producing the estrogen hormone. Sensing the drop in estrogen levels, the body's internal thermostat tends to react strongly. Blood vessels on the skins surface open up like a radiator, enveloping the sufferer in (what feels like) intense heat and flushing about the neck and face.
It has been estimated that about 80% percent of all women experience menopause hot flashes and night sweats as they go through menopause.
Unfortunately, these symptoms are immediately triggered following a partial or complete hysterectomy.
The first order of business is to determine the level intensity that the hot flash/night sweat sufferer is experiencing.
Keep Track
Menopause hot flashes may occur more predictably and less randomly than one might think. As a result, it would do well to track when the hot flashes and night sweats occur, their intensity and duration. It is also advisable to record the circumstances preceding individual episodes - foods and beverages consumed, stress level at the time of the event, etc.
Studies indicate that menopause hot flashes and night sweats worsen following identifiable 'triggers'. It is advisable to familiarize oneself with these 'triggers' as this will help to ameliorate the duration and severity of the episode.
Stay Cool
Ingesting cool drinks can be a boon, as well as wearing light-weight wicking fabrics that allow the body to 'breath'. Obviously, cool rooms provide more comfort to the hot flash/night sweat suffer than do warm rooms.
Don't be afraid to crank up the air conditioning until the appropriate comfort level is attained. In this regard, friends family and co-workers need to be a little understanding of someone who is experiencing menopause hot flashes and night sweats.
Focus and Meditation
Menopause hot flashes appear to be stimulated by a brain chemical (neurotransmitter) known as norepinephrine, which influences the temperature-regulating center in the brain. So, daily stress reduction practices such a meditation, deep breathing and yoga, which result in lower levels of norepinephrine, not only feel good, but also help to moderate menopause hot flashes and night sweats.
Supplements and Herbs
Supplements used to control menopause hot flashes and night sweats (that actually work) contain concentrated flax hull lignans (derived from whole ground flaxseed) or are soy based. The phytoestrogens produced by the lignans (or isoflavonoids in soy based supplements) restart the body's own ability to produce the necessary female estrogens following menopause.
Clinical tests on most of the traditional herbs (sarsaparilla, dong quoi, black cohosh, false unicorn root, fennel, anise, etc.) have been proven to be no more effective (at controlling menopause hot flashes, night sweats and other common menopause symptoms) than placebos.
Exercise
A Swedish study showed that severe menopause hot flashes and night sweats were only half as common among physically active postmenopausal women when compared to those less active. Exercise increases the level of endorphins, the hormones that elevate mood and increase energy. The level of endorphins drop when there is an estrogen deficiency. Since endorphins affect body's temperature regulation center, physical activity that increases endorphin levels may reduce the frequency and severity of menopause hot flashes and night sweats.
Don't Lose too Much Weight
Estrogen is stored in body fat after menopause. As a result, a very thin woman will have less natural estrogen in her system and thus menopause hot flashes and night sweats may become more problematic (for her).
Surgery?
Since menopause hot flashes, brought on by natural menopause do not indicate pathology, it is unlikely that individual sufferers will require surgery.
Should a medical professional suggest or recommend surgery (partial or complete hysterectomy) be sure to get a second, third and fourth opinion.

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Stopping Menopausal Hot Flashes

Studies show that over 50% of women going through menopause experience hot flashes--that means you are more likely to get them than you are to be hot-flash-free. These uncomfortable moments cause sweating, a rapidly beating heart, and flushing and make you physically uncomfortable, possibly even embarrassing you when you are in public situations. They also can occur at all times of day (and night). Fortunately, because so many women suffer from hot flashes, there are many remedies for the situation.
When you first talk to your doctor about the hot flashes you are experiencing, he or she will probably recommend a number of lifestyle changes that you can make to reduce this symptom of menopause, which can last up to a half hour. Living in a healthy way alone can cause the hot flashes to disappear--eat a healthy diet, stay cool, exercise often, relax, and quit smoking. There are also a number of herbal supplements you can take that have been shown to effectively reduce hot flashes in menopausal women. Some include black cohosh and red clover. Other popular dietary changes include eating wild yams, chasteberry, and licorice.
The above-listed options are the best choices for women experiencing mild or infrequent hot flashes. Even without treatment, these hot flashes usually subside within a year's time. However, if you are experiencing 8 or more hot flashes every day, or you find them to be unbearable, your best choice may be hormonal treatment.
The most effective way to stop hot flashes is estrogen therapy, but this form of treatment has risks as well. It is normally taken in conjunction with the hormone progesterone. Some of the main risks of estrogen include heart disease, stroke, blood clots, and breast cancer. Therefore, if you are already at risk for these conditions, you may want to reconsider your use of estrogen. Even if you were not previously at risk, it is important to use the lowest dose of estrogen possible, and to discontinue use as soon as the effects of menopause, including hot flashes, become bearable without treatment.
If estrogen and progesterone therapies are not medically sound options for you, there are other medications you may wish to pursue as well, although studies are still being done to find if they are safe and useful. One such option is taking antidepressants. In low doses, many menopausal women have used them to reduce hot flashes. However, they may have unwanted side effects as well. Gabapentin and clonidine, medications used to treat seizures and high blood pressure, respectively, are also being studied for their effectiveness in treating menopausal hot flashes.
Your doctor can give you more information on all the treatment options available if you find that you have begun suffering from hot flashes. This condition is common among women, and you do not need to continue suffering from the hot waves that flood your body during the day and the night sweats that disturb your sleep. Remember that this is one of the many changes you will see in your body during the menopause, and most will subside within a year.

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Artificial Insemination As a Means of Conception

Artificial insemination is a form of assisted reproductive technology technique. Artificial insemination is a technique that can help treat certain kinds of infertility in both men and women. In this procedure, sperm are inserted directly into a woman's cervix, fallopian tubes, or uterus. This makes the trip shorter for the sperm and bypasses any possible obstructions. Ideally, it makes pregnancy possible where it wasn't before. Intrauterine insemination (IUI), in which the sperm is placed in the uterus, is the most common form of artificial insemination.
Artificial insemination techniques available include intra cervical insemination and intrauterine insemination. Artificial insemination is a fertilization procedure in which sperm is artificially placed into a woman's cervix (intra cervical insemination) or uterus (intrauterine insemination). During the treatment, the woman's menstrual cycle is closely monitored using ovarian kits, ultrasounds, and blood tests. The semen to be implanted is "washed" in a laboratory, which increases the chances of fertilization while removing unnecessary, potentially harmful chemicals. The semen is inserted into the woman, and if the procedure is successful, she conceives. The chances of becoming pregnant using artificial insemination depends a lot on what type of fertility issue is preventing a natural conception. Generally there is a 5-25% rate of success per treatment for women who use AI to get pregnant, and these chances increase if the woman uses fertility drugs before the treatment.
Artificial insemination has been a popular form of fertility treatment for couples trying to conceive. The original technique used for artificial insemination was referred to as Intra cervical insemination or ICI. Today's most common technique is called intrauterine insemination or IUI and is more effective procedure than the original. This process turns the dreams of having a child into a reality for many couples facing infertility issues and single women.
Though the pregnancy rates for women undergoing artificial insemination may not be as high as they are for some more advanced techniques, this technique has some key advantages: It's a simple procedure with few side effects and it is not expensive.
For these reasons, doctor may recommend it as an initial form of treatment for infertility.
Why is Artificial Insemination used?
Artificial insemination can be used for many kinds of fertility problems. Artificial insemination is beneficial to couples or individuals in many circumstances. For example a couple may be producing healthy sperm and eggs but not necessarily be able to have a child due to a medical condition. Some other scenarios where artificial insemination could be beneficial are listed below.
1. IUI is often performed as a first treatment for unexplained infertility along with ovulation-inducing medications.
2. It is often used to impregnate women whose partners have very low sperm counts or sperm that aren't strong enough to swim through the cervix and up into the fallopian tubes.
3. IA is used for infertility issues dues to cervical factor infertility. It means that cervix is unable to produce enough mucus and allows the sperm to travel to the womb. The mucus surrounding the cervix is hostile to sperm and prevents sperm from getting into the uterus and fallopian tubes. Artificial insemination allows the sperm to bypass the cervical mucus entirely.
4. Fertility issues caused by endometriosis.
5. When the male partner is impotent or suffers from infertility those results from medical issues.
6. In rare cases, some women suffer from a semen allergy that prohibits having direct contact with the sperm.
7. Women that want a child without a partner may consider artificial insemination.
8. Couple that is in a same-sex relationship may use artificial insemination to have a child.
Donor Sperm and Artificial Insemination
Women can use their husband's sperm for insemination if it is viable, or they can choose to use donor sperm. In this case they will be using Artificial Insemination by Donor (AID) to get pregnant. This process may be needed if the husband's sperm is not viable or if the female is single and wishes to have a baby on her own. This type of fertility treatment can also be utilized by couples where the male partner has a genetic disorder, or when more advanced treatments like intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is too expensive.
The process of Artificial Insemination
An insemination procedure uses a thin, flexible tube (catheter) to put sperm into the woman's reproductive tract. For some couples with infertility problems, insemination can improve the chances of pregnancy. Donor sperm are used if the male partner is sterile, has an extremely low sperm count, or carries a risk of genetic disease. A woman planning to conceive without a male partner can also use donor sperm. Prior to insemination, the sperm usually are washed and concentrated (placing unwashed sperm directly into the uterus can cause severe cramps). Concentration is accomplished by selectively choosing highly active, healthy sperm that are more capable of fertilizing an egg.
Intrauterine insemination (IUI): Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is the placing of sperm into a woman's uterus when she is ovulating. This is achieved with a thin flexible tube (catheter) that is passed into the vagina, through the cervix, and into the uterus. IUI can use sperm from the male partner or a donor. It is often combined with super ovulation medicine to increase the number of available eggs.
Artificial insemination (AI): Artificial insemination (AI) is another name for intrauterine insemination but can also refer to placing sperm in a woman's vagina or cervix when she is ovulating. The sperm then travel into the fallopian tubes, where they can fertilize the woman's egg or eggs. AI can be done with sperm from the male partner or a donor, and can be combined with super ovulation.
Intrauterine insemination is a relatively simple and safe procedure, and the risk of serious complications is low. Risks include:
Infection: Studies indicate that less than 1 percent of women experience infection as a result of the procedure.
Spotting: Sometimes the process of placing the catheter in the uterus can cause a small amount of internal bleeding. This does not usually have an effect on the chance of pregnancy.
Multiple pregnancy: IUI itself is not associated with an increased risk of a multiple pregnancy - twins, triplets or more. However, when coordinated with ovulation-inducing medications, the risk of multiple pregnancy increases significantly. A multiple pregnancy has higher risks than a single pregnancy does, including early labour and low birth weight.
What to Expect After Treatment?
These techniques are done on an outpatient basis and require only a short recovery time. You may experience cramping during the procedure, especially if sperm are inserted into your uterus. You may be advised to avoid strenuous activities for the remainder of the day. The treatment is pretty simple and painless with maybe a little cramping. It is performed in the fertility specialist clinic and the procedure can be done by a qualified nurse or a doctor.
IUI may also be used if a couple would like to avoid the higher cost of IVF treatment. Even though IUI is less effective per cycle than IVF, a couple may be able to afford more attempts with IUI. Artificial insemination should not be used in women with blocked Fallopian tubes. The tubes are often checked out with an x-ray test called a hysterosalpingogram. Female age is a significant factor with IUI. Intrauterine insemination has very little chance of working in women over 40 years old. IUI has also been shown to have a reduced success rate in younger women with a significantly elevated day 3 FSH level, or other indications of significantly reduced ovarian reserve. If the sperm count, motility and morphology scores are quite low, intrauterine insemination is unlikely to work. Insemination is a reasonable initial treatment that should be utilized for a maximum of about 3 months in women who are ovulating (releasing eggs) on their own. It is reasonable to try IUI for longer in women with polycystic ovaries (PCOS) and lack of ovulation that have been given drugs to ovulate.
While artificial insemination does not guarantee pregnancy, it does have success rates of around 30 percent. The success rates do depend on a variety of factors that include the insemination method used, the age of the female, egg and sperm quality, male factor infertility and the endometriosis factor. Anyone interested in artificial insemination should seek a consultation with the fertility specialist.
With today's advanced reproductive technology, you can always find a solution to all the fertility problems. You must meet an expert in the infertility field.
Common causes of infertility problems in women - Ovulation problems - Endometriosis - Poor egg quality - Polycystic ovarian syndrome - Tubal factors - Unexplained fertility problems - Get expert guidance from the IVF specialist - pregnancy and parenting experts today.
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Me and Mummy hospital and IVF Centre has become a name synonymous to quality patient care and international level services. Equipped with the most modern state-of-the-art equipments for women's care and compassionate staff, the hospital has gained various brilliant achievements in its field of Gynaecology and Infertility Treatment. Me and Mummy hospital has handled hundreds of infertility cases and has achieved remarkable success in them, a rare feat which few hospitals claim. Services and treatments offered include artificial insemination and IVF treatment, intrauterine insemination, donor sperm intrauterine insemination, in vitro fertilization, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), Donor Egg IVF, ovulation induction, surrogacy, Reproductive Endocrinology and Gynecology including advanced Laparoscopic Surgery, Tubal reconstruction, and Minimally Invasive USG-guided therapeutic procedures.
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