LilSugar

The Dos and Don'ts of What to Say to a Friend Who's Had a Miscarriage

LilSugar — Thu, 03 May 2012 10:38:13 PDT

Whether you've experienced a miscarriage of your own or had a friend struggle with losing a baby, you know what a difficult and emotional time it is. Knowing what to say and how to react with sensitivity and compassion is an incredible skill to have as a friend. We chatted with Robbie Miller Kaplan, author of How to Say It When You Don't Know What to Say: The Right Words For Difficult Times - Miscarriage to discuss the dos and don'ts of how to react during this challenging time.

Keep in mind that a miscarriage is a death like any other, and the best thing you can do is be a source of patience and compassion for the parents who have gone through the loss. While you can't bring back what was taken from them, you can be a supportive presence on the path to healing.

Source: Thinkstock

Trying to Get Pregnant? Test Your Fertility IQ

LilSugar — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 10:27:07 PDT

In honor of National Infertility Awareness Week, which is coming up on April 22-28, Fertility Centers of Illinois published the results of a new public study on the issue. The results? Most respondents were largely unaware of their own bodies' reproductive happenings, and the prevalence of infertility. And the takeaway? If you've been fighting your own battle with trying to conceive, you're not alone. The issue is more widespread than most women are aware.

Think you know your stuff? Test your Fertility IQ, and see how your knowledge stacks up.

Source: Flickr User molly_darling

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11 Celeb Moms Who've Opened Up About Miscarriage

Rebecca M Gruber — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 10:08:41 PST

Jay-Z's instant hit, "Glory," not only celebrated the birth of baby Blue Ivy, it cracked open a window into the lives of two of the hip-hop world's biggest stars. While rapping about his amazement over the birth of his daughter, Jay-Z also revealed that Beyoncé suffered a painful miscarriage before this pregnancy.

While many mamas keep their road to pregnancy private, others are very open about their struggles, in hopes of helping women in similar situations. We've rounded up 11 celeb mamas who've shared details about their struggles with miscarriages on the road to parenthood.

New Hope For Infertile Men as Scientists Grow Sperm Outside Body

Natasha Dantzig — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 03:30:51 PST

Go sperm! We tend to think of infertility mainly as an affliction of the fairer sex, but this is far from the truth: the last 50 years have seen an increase in the problem of male infertility coinciding with a huge decrease in reported sperm counts.

A major breakthrough was made recently as German and Israeli scientists grew mouse sperm outside of the body using just a few cells retrieved from the mouse's testicles. Once created, these sperm samples were tested and found to be genetically and chromosomally sound - meaning they could be used in the conception of baby mice.

Scientists are hopeful that the same techniques used to grow the mouse sperm can be applied to humans, with the life-changing result of previously infertile men being able to biologically father their own offspring.

Infertile and Proud: The Growing Women's Movement to Destigmatize Infertility

Yahoo Shine — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:15:41 PST

We're happy to present this article from one of our favorite sites, Yahoo! Shine:

There was a time, not so long ago, when infertility was something whispered under pitying, gossip-ful coffee breath. "That's Rose's daughter, she can't have a baby" or "They keep trying, but something's wrong." These days, many women are sick of the whispers. They're infertile and they're not ashamed.

The childbearing generation of the late 2000s are nothing like those that came before them. Many are opting out of parenting in favor of fertile careers, others are turning to the magical promise of medicine. We've seen it work for celebrities and innumerable reality stars. But we don't usually hear about the one in 20 couples who don't have the same success. Keep reading for the rest of this story.

"Win a Baby" Contests: Ga Ga or Gag?

LilSugar — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 05:42:59 PDT

Step right up folks, and win a baby! Well, not a baby exactly, but an increased chance at baby via free IVF treatments. Last month, a private Ottawa radio station ran a Win a Baby contest, offering $35,000 worth of IVF treatments to the couple that convinced both listeners and a panel of judges that they were the most worthy of the prize. For desperate would-be parents unable to afford the pricey treatments, not generally covered by insurance, the contest was no doubt one more chance at longed for pregnancy, but not surprisingly, the contest had its share of detractors. Beverly Hanck, executive director of the Infertility Awareness Association of Canada, dismissed the contest as tacky and distasteful, telling The Guardian:

The station is clearly capitalizing on vulnerable patients who are desperate to have a family. Has anyone stopped to think how the hundreds of patients who do not win are going to feel?

This isn't the first contest with IVF as prize: in July, UK fertility charity To Hatch launched a controversial monthly lottery in which prospective parents pay $32 a ticket for the chance to win $25,000 of personalized fertility treatments.

Photo courtesy of hot899.com

8 Fertility Methods For Aspiring Parents

LilSugar — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 10:01:59 PDT

"We're not barren, we're reproductively challenged!" snaps Charlotte York in Season 4 of Sex and the City, her response to future ex-husband Trey's insensitive comment about the couple's apparent inability to conceive. Like Charlotte and Trey, fertility is an issue for many prospective parents. Individual reasons for using Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) run the gamut from health conditions inhibiting conception to gay couples or single individuals seeking to reproduce biologically, but one thing's for sure: once someone has baby on the brain, there's almost no limit to what they'll do to achieve their goal. Keep reading for a list of fertility methods that will help individuals on their path to parenthood.

Male Infertility Explained: Test Your Knowledge of the Causes

Rebecca M Gruber — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 05:27:34 PDT

Wearing a cup while playing sports and avoiding hot baths before sex used to be the only advice men were given to prevent fertility issues. With one in six couples now having trouble conceiving after a year of trying, it's no wonder that younger men and women are seeking to prevent infertility even before they are ready to become parents. A recent article in The Wall Street Journal identified several surprising causes of male infertility. Take this quiz and see how much you know about issues affecting men's sperm.

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IVF Rates Highest in Washington DC; Test Your Knowledge!

Rebecca M Gruber — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 10:03:44 PDT

Visit a baby music class and you might think everyone is using IVF these days. According to Fertility Nation, the numbers aren't quite that high across the entire country, but they are in some locales. Based on their research, women in Washington DC turn to IVF to overcome fertility issues more than any other state in the country, with 227 births out of every 100,000 conceived via the treatment – almost double the rate of the second-ranked state, Massachusetts. The states with the lowest rates? Wyoming, Montana, Maine, and West Virginia. As assisted reproductive technologies become more prevalent, take this quiz to see how much you know about the procedures!

Source: Fertility Nation

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Did You Have Pregnancy Regret?

Rebecca M Gruber — Thu, 12 May 2011 08:51:17 PDT

The path to pregnancy is often impeded by speed bumps and detours taking couples on a long and bumpy ride. Couples facing fertility problems not only put their heart and soul into their efforts, but their wallets too.

I recently came across an article where a woman who'd been trying to conceive for years found herself anxious and unhappy once she saw the double line on the pregnancy test. After all of the starts, stops, and heartbreak, her views toward parenthood had changed. Did you face similar emotions upon learning you were pregnant?