infertility

British women may soon be taking their fertility into their own hands. A small handheld device that measures tiny changes in body temperature has been found to have the same pregnancy success rate as the much more costly IVF for couples with common infertility issues. The Cambridge scientists behind DuoFertility ($777), claim that the device has a 99.7 percent accuracy rate for detecting fertile days leading to a pregnancy success rate of 19.5 percent after six months, the same as the more traditional IVF.

DuoFertility is a two-part fertility monitor. A small button-sized sensor is worn under the arm to collect 20,000 temperature measurements throughout the day. A handheld reader collects data from the sensor to instantly alert the user to her most fertile days. When connected to a computer, the reader transfers more fertility information to provide users with a more detailed report. The system also allows women trying to conceive to enter additional physiological parameters, such as cervical mucus conditions and length of cycle. With the cost of IVF often exceeding $100,000, would you be willing to try the monitor?

Headache, allergies, PMS? Do this simple acupressure exercise from the OnSugar blog goddessbody.

Hegu (Large Intestine 4) is an acupoint in the webbing between the thumb and index fingers. It is considered one of the most commonly used acupoints and with good reason. LI-4 has a wide range of uses, particularly pain relief all over the body. Here are some conditions this acupoint is known to treat:  abdominal pain, headaches, hay fever, allergies, itchy eyes, constipation, stiffness of the arm and shoulder, addictions, and panic attacks.

It is also a point used for gynecological conditions such as PMS, delayed or irregular periods or no periods. This point is a FORBIDDEN point, meaning it should NOT be used during pregnancy. It is known to trigger uterine contractions. If you are trying to get pregnant, do not use this point after ovulation. However, before ovulation it calms the uterus, moving stuck energy and calming the mind which is helpful in balancing the reproductive system in cases of infertility. I don't personally recommend using this point for the pain of dysmenorrhea (pain during period) — it can trigger uterine contractions that may worsen the pain.

To use this point, simply massage between the webbing for a minute, gently pulling your thumb from the webbing to the end of the crease (see photo). You may find this point is a little tender. Remember, since acupressure is an energy system, you don't need to use much pressure to access these points.

Get more fitness tips, videos, and exercises by following goddessbody. And why not start your own OnSugar blog? Your posts could be featured here on FitSugar.

Would you lay your hands on a fertility god in the hope of having a baby? Many women do. According to Ripley Entertainment, more than 2,000 women (including its own employees) claim that rubbing the company's two statues that were carved by an African tribe on the Ivory Coast has aided them in pregnancy. The latest person to come forward is Rachel Taylor of New Jersey. She and her husband were told they had no chance of naturally conceiving a child before she paid a visit to the statues and became pregnant. Her son is due in August.

The works of art are currently on tour, so other aspiring moms can touch them. While it's an interesting phenomenon, sex obviously plays the primary role in becoming biological parents. Do you think stories like these give challenged couples false hopes of having a family?

DrSugar is in the house! And she's answering your health-related questions.

DrSugar,
I just read your post about getting off of the pill and having irregular periods afterward. I am thankful for your article as I had experienced two to three months of no period! I am looking to conceive possibly in the next three to four years and wondering if you were able to do so after being on the pill for an extended period of time . . . I understand that irregular ovulation will certainly make conceiving more challenging but I'm interested to know your experience with this. Thanks!
— Baby on the Brain

I received this question from a reader after my recent post on what to expect when stopping oral birth control pills. I thought it was a great topic to discuss, and I will also share my personal, ongoing struggle with trying to conceive, so read more

When the US's first test-tube baby was born in 1981, baby-making was forever changed. Women who suffered from years of unsuccessful attempts at pregnancy were finally given an ounce of hope. Today, the procedure is so common that 38 percent of LilSugar readers assume IVF was involved when they hear about a multiple pregnancy.

Twenty-eight years after the first successful IVF transfer, success rates remain startlingly close to where they stood in the 1980s – around the 30 percent mark. The doctor who performed that first procedure, Dr. Howard Jones who is now 99-years-old, is calling on the professionals in his field to determine which embryos are most viable and thus reduce the number that are transferred into patients. Doing so will not only increase success rates, but will help bring down the costs of the procedure making it more affordable for more couples suffering from infertility.

Would you like to see the number of embryo transfers decrease?

A Southern California sperm bank has taken to matching its donors to the celebrities they most resemble as a way to distinguish their sperm library, if you will. So if you want your child to resemble a movie star, sports hero, or world leader, the California Cryobank just might have the genes you're looking for.

“It’s not that our donors look like celebrities," said California Cryobank’s communication manager Scott Brown, "it’s that celebrities look like our donors.” Mmm kay . . .

Bioethicists think that it's bad enough that "rigid types of beauty" already reign in culture, but now, as University of Albany professor Bonnie Steinbock says, "They're trying to create children through who the actor of the moment is." Yes, yes they are.

Whether or not you agree with Cryobank or with Professor Steinbock, just for fun, tell me which famous dude you'd want your brood to look like?