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Good Idea or Bad Idea: "Booty Caller"

DearSugar — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 06:00:00 -0800

Tracking your period can be a nuisance, especially if you're forgetful, but don't fret because the folks at BabyCenter.com are here to help. Their genius Booty Caller is a free text message service that will alert you three times per month, letting you know when you're most fertile and offering up other helpful fertility advice. If you're trying not to get pregnant, use this information as a reminder to be extra careful with your birth control during ovulation. The "Booty Caller" can alleviate one of your monthly worries, so ladies, tell me, do you think this free service is a good idea or a bad idea? Source

Good Idea or Bad Idea: "Booty Caller"

Good idea

Bad idea

Need a Reason to Lose Weight?

DearSugar — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 06:00:00 -0800

If you need another reason to keep your weight down, especially this holiday season, use better sex as your motivator! As stated in the December issue of Glamour magazine, research shows that sustaining a healthy weight can actually boost sex drive and fertility in both men and women. Mary Jane Minkin, MD, explains that extra body fat makes extra estrogen which has the ability to hinder ovulation in women, and new research reveals that those excess pounds on men could damage their precious sperm.

Since exercising gives you those "feel-good endorphins," hit the gym and keep your BMI between 20 and 24.9 — your body and boyfriend will thank you!

Source

Sex Myth: You're More Fertile After a Miscarriage

DearSugar — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 09:00:00 -0700

If you're trying to have a baby, you may have heard that after enduring a miscarriage, your body is more fertile. Unfortunately, according to a recent article in The New York Times this is just a rumor. While it's true that your progesterone levels (the hormone that helps with pregnancy) are elevated, there's no evidence to support the notion that it can help you conceive any faster. What's more important is that you get back to your regular menstrual cycle, because as soon as you're ovulating again, you can try to get pregnant.

Miscarriages aren't the most pleasant topic, but it's important to know that they're actually fairly common, occurring in 30 to 50 percent of pregnancies. The reason we think they're uncommon is because most miscarriages occur early on, so early in fact that the woman doesn't even realize she's had one. The good news is that when a woman does get pregnant again, she only has a 2.25 percent chance of miscarrying again. The odds of a third miscarriage are less than one percent.

Keep in mind that starting a family can take some time. As the article notes:

Another study in The New England Journal of Medicine followed a large sample of healthy women seeking to conceive and found that of those who miscarried, 95 percent became pregnant within two years.

So if a little one is on your mind, try to be patient and have fun making it happen.

Source

Should There Be an Age Limit For Fertility Treatments?

DearSugar — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 15:00:00 -0700

I'm a firm supporter of fertility treatments that help women and couples have babies when health issues make it difficult. I always thought that young people would be the ones seeking out this kind of help, but I just read about a 59-year old woman who gave birth to triplets, all with a little medical help. Her body was obviously passed her prime and well into menopause, but she wanted a baby. In France, where she lives, it's illegal to help a woman have a baby if she can't procreate naturally, so she went to Vietnam, received treatment, and gave birth to two boys and a girl.

In several countries, it's fairly common for older women to have babies after undergoing fertility treatments. Ever since 1994, when Italian fertility doctor Severino Antinori helped a 63-year-old have a baby, other doctors have followed suit. So my question to you is this: Do you think there should be an age limit for fertility treatments? If a women needs help having a baby, does she have a right to seek it regardless of whether she's in her 20s, 40s, or 60s? Share your thoughts below.

Source

Would You Ask a Friend to Father Your Child?

DearSugar — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 11:00:00 -0700

Having a successful date is hard enough these days, so when you're ready to have kids but don't have a man in your life, it might be time to ask your best guy friend to father your baby. According to a new study in the London Times, more than half of the women surveyed — 56 percent to be exact — admitted to considering asking a male friend to be their baby's daddy if they couldn't find the right partner by a certain age. The survey also notes that two-thirds of women have concerns about their fertility, and surprisingly so do 26 percent of men. While having a baby is sure to be on many people's brains, both men and women in Britain are so concerned about it that they'd actually reconsider staying with their partner if they were unable to procreate.

For many, the preferred way to start a family would be with someone you're in a committed, loving relationship with, but tell me ladies, would you ever consider asking a male friend to be the father of your baby if you were unlucky in love?

Source

What's the Connection Between Soy and Sperm Count?

DearSugar — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 09:00:00 -0700

With all this talk about meat and dairy products causing heart problems, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, more people are switching to alternative foods made with low fat, high protein soy. Tofu, soy milk, and fermented soy products such as tempeh, miso soup, and soy sauce are just a few, and so many people are adding them to their diets to be healthier. Some rumors have been spread that eating soy causes breast cancer, but right now the American Institute for Cancer Research says that there's no evidence that proves this theory. Well that's good news for the ladies, but as far as men go, now there's talk about how soy may affect sperm count. A US study discovered that men who included soy in their diets (equivalent to one cup of soy milk or one serving of tofu every other day) had an average sperm count of 41 million sperm per milliliter less than men who didn't eat soy foods. Geez, that's a huge drop in those little guys!

Now before you freak out, this isn't to say that eating soy affects the chances of having a baby; after all, soy products have been a part of Asian diets for generations with no signs of fertility problems. Also, this study doesn't touch upon the quality of sperm, and since it only takes one good swimmer to make a baby, it seems that more research needs to be done before drawing any conclusions about tofu and fertility. So as with everything, I think moderation is the key.

Source

When It Comes to Your Period, Is This Normal?

DearSugar — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 09:00:00 -0700

For most women, getting our period is something we've come to terms with. While it doesn't leave us feeling all that great, it's something we can't change, at least right now!

Your period comes and goes every month, and you probably don't give it much thought, aside from putting tampons on your grocery list, so take this quiz to make sure you know what should and shouldn't be happening to your body during that time of the month.

Source

What's the Deal With Freezing Your Eggs?

DearSugar — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 10:00:00 -0700

Many women in their 20s and 30s are most likely thinking about meeting someone, getting married, settling down, and starting a family. It seems easy enough, but as a woman creeps into her mid- to late-30s, getting pregnant can become difficult. Just to be safe, many women are thinking ahead and freezing their eggs. I always thought this was a spectacular idea, but apparently egg freezing is still experimental. The procedure is mostly used for young cancer patients who may have issues with fertility because of chemo treatments. Lately, though, since women are starting families later in their lives, more and more clinics are offering egg freezing to women who are worried about growing older and not being able to conceive. Unfortunately, the procedure is very expensive — around $15,000 to $20,000 — and the chance of being able to conceive using the eggs later on is pretty slim, especially if you're older than 35. The good news is that many women have had success, so for some, egg freezing is worth it.

Freezing your eggs sounds like a complicated process. To hear all about it,

What Do You Know About Fluid and Fertility?

DearSugar — Mon, 19 May 2008 10:00:02 -0700

Last week I told you about the different kinds of cervical fluid and what they can tell you about your fertility. It's really important info for every woman to know, whether she's trying to avoid or encourage a pregnancy. So let's see what you learned.

Source

Cervical Fluid: What It Says About Your Fertility

DearSugar — Thu, 15 May 2008 07:00:00 -0700

So I've already gone into detail about how cervical fluid is totally normal and how you have different kinds, but what does it all mean in relation to your fertility?

As a general rule, you are most fertile on the last day of egg white cervical fluid (this is the day before or the day you ovulate). This wetness provides nutrients for the sperm to survive, and also makes it easy for those little guys to swim to your fallopian tubes and find your egg. This doesn't mean you are only fertile for one day though. Remember that an egg can live up to 24 hours, and more than one egg can be released during the time of ovulation. Also, sperm can survive inside a woman for up to five days. So to be safe, it's best to think of a women's fertile phase as lasting for about 9 or 10 days. This is very important info whether you are trying to prevent or plan for a pregnancy.

Dear's Advice: This is just a general overview, so if you're really interested in learning more about this, check out the amazing book, Taking Charge of Your Fertility.

Source

Cervical Fluid: It's Totally Normal

DearSugar — Wed, 14 May 2008 13:00:00 -0700

I'm sure you've all noticed some wetness down there in your lady business — maybe you thought it was some kind of an infection, but then miraculously, it goes away, right? Well that's your cervical fluid, and it's not an infection at all. It's actually totally normal, and if you take notice of it in the weeks leading up to your period, you'll be able to tell when you're the most fertile. Your cervical fluid will become progressively wetter as you approach ovulation.

To check your cervical fluid, you're going to need to get pretty intimate with your lady parts. In the privacy of your own home, slide your index and middle finger just at the beginning of the vaginal opening. Glance away so you can feel the sensation. Is it creamy? Dry? Sticky? Slippery? The answer will give you great insight into what's happening inside your body.

To check out a chart explaining the difference between each kind of cervical fluid

You're Fertile and We Know It (It's in Your Voice)

DearSugar — Mon, 05 May 2008 11:00:00 -0700

Now this is interesting! Without even realizing it, a man may be able to know when a woman is most fertile by the sound of her voice. According to a study from the State University of New York at Albany, a woman's voice changes when she's ovulating — it becomes sexier and more alluring. How did scientists figure this out? Women were asked to count from one to 10 at four times throughout their cycles, and their voices were recorded. The ones that were rated most attractive came from women who were ovulating, even when compared to recordings taken from the same women at earlier or later times during their cycles.

What causes this? Sex hormones rise and fall and can affect the way a woman's voice box works. It may be too subtle to really notice, but apparently men can pick up on it and they tend to find a women more attractive because of it. Researchers aren't convinced yet though, and more research needs to be done since this may have less to do with voice changes and more to do with mood changes. Some scientists feel a person just might be more attracted to a happier-sounding woman, rather than where she is in her cycle. So what's your take on this fascinating study?

Source

Would You Consider Freezing Your Eggs?

DearSugar — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 10:00:00 -0700

While some of us don’t want children ever, others of us just don’t want children right now, but maybe later. However, now that many women are focused on their careers, education, travel destinations, and just living the single life, that “later” can end up further and further away. Thus, the timer to have children starts to become more about biology and less about societal pressures. Sure, there are women having children well into their 50s, but that’s not a reality for everyone, furthermore, you won’t know until you try — and by then it might be too late. So, would you consider freezing your eggs to plan for children later on down the road?

Source

You Asked: Why Aren't I Getting Pregnant?

DearSugar — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 17:00:00 -0700

Dear Sugar,

I have been with the same guy for five years and never once got pregnant and we have unprotected sex all the time. Why have I not gotten pregnant? I'm worried that I can't have kids, and if not, what do I do? I really want to be a mom.

—Not Prego Patty

To see Dear Sugar's answer

Hot Tubs and Sperm: What's the Connection?

DearSugar — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 08:00:00 -0700

I'm sure you've heard that men shouldn't hang out in hot tubs because it can affect their sperm. Is this true or a myth?

Earlier this year, a team of urologists at the University of California conducted a study to test this speculation.

The study observed a group of men who were regularly exposed to hot water temps from hot tubs or hot baths, for at least 30 minutes a week. All the men showed signs of infertility.

What they also found out is that this could quickly be reversed. After these men ditched their hot water excursions, their sperm counts had an increase of 491% after three to six months.

So here's the deal. If a guy is trying to have a baby, he shouldn't be spending time soaking in hot water. If he's not at all thinking about babies, he can love up the hot tub as much as he wants.

Source

Implanon Birth Control: Doesn't Sound Like Much Fun

DearSugar — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 16:00:00 -0700

Have you heard about Implanon? It's an implantable hormonal contraceptive (a flexible plastic rod about the size of a matchstick) that contains a hormone called etonogestrel (it's estrogen-free), and was approved in July 2006 by the U.S. FDA.

It's 99% effective at protecting you against pregnancy when inserted correctly, and it lasts for up to 3 years. This type of birth control is definitely for someone who is not thinking about starting a family anytime soon, or for someone who's already had kids and doesn't want to have anymore.

How does it work? Implanon is inserted through a needle into the skin of your upper arm by a doctor. The hormones are released slowly into the body which prevents you from ovulating. It must be removed, with a tiny incision, after 3 years. As soon as it's removed, you're fertile again!

What are the DISADVANTAGES? To find out

Disadvantages of the Depo Shot

DearSugar — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 08:00:00 -0700

There are many forms of birth control out there. The pill you have to think about every day, the Patch you think about once a week, the NuvaRing once a month, and condoms you think about just when you have sex, and then there's the Depo-Provera shot that you think about once every 3 months.

Sounds great, right? Well, it may not be as wonderful as it sounds.

What are the disadvantages? To find out