LilSugar

For the Childless, Womb Transplants Are on the Horizon

babysugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:30:28 PDT

Some women have known all their lives that they were meant to be mothers. When nature does not allow for a man and woman to procreate on their own, people can take alternative routes to building their families: adoption, surrogacy, and in vitro fertilization. But for some ladies, it's not enough to take in an orphaned child or even have another woman carry her own flesh and blood. In that case, a womb transplant could be a dream come true and is very likely to become a reality sooner than later.

Scientists in London successfully performed a womb transplant in rabbits, giving hope to the future of human womb transplants. While there are medical issues to be conquered and experiments yet to be performed, the researchers believe the technique will be tested on women within two years. The topic of human reproduction always proves to be a volatile one. Some will argue the world is already overpopulated and there are plenty of children starving for homes. But for those women who crave the desire to be pregnant, the medical procedure could be the answer to their prayers.

What are your thoughts on the scientific advancement?

Pregnant Woman Faces Forced Abortion of Her Third Child

LilSugar — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 07:00:10 PST

In America, we have the freedom to reproduce at will, but in other countries that isn't the case. An Uyghur woman who is more than six months pregnant with her third child is facing a forced abortion. Chinese authorities are holding her in a hospital because she is only permitted two offspring. One report said:

China's one-child-per-family policy applies mainly to majority Han Chinese but allows ethnic minorities, including Uyghurs, to have additional children, with peasants permitted to have three children and city-dwellers two.

But while Tursun is a peasant, her husband, Nurmemet Tohtasin, is from the city of Gulja [in Chinese, Yining] so their status is unclear. The couple live with their two children in Bulaq village, Dadamtu township, in Gulja.

The couple is also subject to steep governmental fines. Do you think it's fair for the government to regulate a person's reproductive rights?

Source

Planned Parenthood Wireless: Powered by Working Assets

FitSugar — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 02:17:03 PST

If you're unhappy with your present cell phone service, and you're thinking of switching, here's an option. Planned Parenthood Wireless through Working Assets.

"Planned Parenthood Wireless is a new choice for your cell phone service. By signing up for this service, you will help preserve reproductive rights, and ensure access to comprehensive family planning and medically accurate sex education for women and families around the world. You'll do something you do every day - talk on your cell phone - and you'll be helping Planned Parenthood as 10% of all monthly charges goes to Planned Parenthood Federation of America, at no extra cost to you."

When you switch to Working Assets, Planned Parenthood will refund any termination fee you might have to pay, up to $175.

Making the choice to switch to Planned Parenthood Wireless is similar to buying Fair Trade chocolate or sweatshop-free clothing. It's a conscious choice to do something that helps to support a cause you believe in.

I know Planned Parenthood is sometimes considered a controversial organization, but if you believe in their mission then this is a great way to support them.

11 Quotes From Rick Santorum That Are Worrisome For Women

Annie Scudder — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:26:41 PST

Last week's Susan G. Komen/Planned Parenthood debacle was a high-profile example of how women's health can fall prey to politics. Considering this is an election year, we can expect reproductive rights rhetoric to heat up on both sides. President Obama recently hit a sensitive spot when his administration announced that all employers, including Catholic universities and institutions, will have to provide insurance plans that cover contraception for their employees.

Republican social conservatives have already jumped on Obama's policy as a campaign issue. And for Rick Santorum, controversial sexual politics have always been at the heart of his platform. The Republican candidate, who opposes abortion in all cases and says rape victims should "make the best out of a bad situation," won three contests last night, caucuses in Colorado and Minnesota, and the primary in Missouri. Since his chances of winning the nomination, or at least having a greater influence in national politics, is rising, let's look at some of his more worrisome quotes and positions on women's issues.

Planned Parenthood Offers Tips For Talking Abortion and Birth Control on Thanksgiving

Annie Scudder — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 10:30:19 PST

Considering the abortion debate covers both politics and religion, two topics most people avoid discussing with family, I imagine most people would avoid it at all costs over Thanksgiving dinner. Still, Planned Parenthood has published eight easy steps for discussing reproductive health at your holiday table. The tips reflect common sense ideas like, "learn to diffuse" or "be open and accepting of other people's personal views," and also includes scripts to practice. One example:

Question: "I don’t want my tax dollars going toward abortions."
Response: "Actually, because of the Hyde Amendment, tax dollars can’t go toward supporting abortion. But I do believe that everyone deserves access to basic, preventive reproductive care, and that it’s important we support those services. No one should ever have to choose between paying rent and buying birth control."

If you're pro-choice and feel strongly about reproductive rights, this cheat sheet might help you get out of an uncomfortable situation if you find yourself suddenly challenged. But would you actively bring up this topic, instead of focusing on turkey and football?

Mississippi Votes to Keep Birth Control, IVF, & Abortion Legal

Annie Scudder — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 10:25:22 PST

Earlier this week feminist icon Gloria Steinem told us that reproductive rights were the single biggest accomplishment for women she's witnessed. Yesterday Mississippi voters had a chance to roll back the clock by passing a ballot measure that would have defined a fertilized egg as a person. They voted against it.

Initiative 26 would have added this language to the state's constitution: "The term ‘person' or ‘persons' shall include every human being from the moment of fertilization, cloning or the functional equivalent thereof." By giving personhood rights to a fertilized egg, the amendment would have banned abortion, even in the case of rape or incest, and would have also outlawed in vitro fertilization and IUDs.

Birth control like the pill or Plan B would have likely been banned too, since many forms of hormonal birth control prevent a fertilized egg from attaching to the uterus, should the hormones fail at preventing fertilization in the first place. Critics also warned that any miscarriage could initiate a criminal investigation if the measure passed.

The initiative sponsored by Personhood USA was put up for a vote in Mississippi because it is one of the more conservative, pro-life states. They were hoping a legal challenge would eventually make the US Supreme Court revisit Roe v. Wade and ultimately overturn it. Colorado voters have twice rejected similar measures before. Despite losing in a very conservative state yesterday, the life-at-fertilization camp says they'll continue their efforts.

Gloria Steinem Thinks Kim Kardashian Is Wasting Her Life

Annie Scudder — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 17:13:27 PST

We chatted with Gloria Steinem last night at the Glamour Women of the Year Awards and found out what the feminist icon thinks about everything from equal pay to reality TV. When we asked Gloria - who famously said "we're becoming the men we wanted to marry" - what she thinks about all the attention given to the short-lived marriage of Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries, she said: "It's a waste of air time. It's a waste of those two young peoples' lives." Gloria said that the public wouldn't mind if the media started ignoring reality TV stars, although she didn't address why the shows are so popular in the first place.

Gloria, who was honored with a lifetime achievement award, also argued that the battle for women's rights is still not half over. She told us, "We're about 40 years into 100 years of change." A top issue for her is equal pay, since women still don't make as much as men. As for the biggest advancement she's seen? "Reproductive freedom, because that's the single most important influence on women's health and education." Watch for yourself as Gloria shares her thoughts in the video below.

Heads Up Guys: Your Cell Could Be Reducing Your Sperm Count

Kristy Korcz — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 10:22:44 PDT

We already know that cell phones might be bad for your health, but a new study shows that they could also be bad for your reproductive goals. According to an Italian report in the Journal of Andrology, cell phones could reduce sperm count.

Though scientists haven't confirmed if a GSM or CDMA signal can inflict more damage, the study did show that men who carry their cell in their front pocket show a lower-sperm concentration. Additionally, test subjects exposed to radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation (emitted from cell phones) showed decreases in sperm concentration and motility - the ability of a sperm to move toward an egg. That's concerning for any couple trying to conceive.

How can you combat the effects of cell phone radiation on your man's sperm count? Try a man bag - they're so in right now.

4 Ways to Avoid Icky Gym Germs (and Look Cute!)

Self — Wed, 11 May 2011 04:49:14 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Self here on FitSugar!

Let's face it; it's tough to avoid germs when you're breaking a sweat. And it's even harder to keep bacteria at bay if you're sharing space with hundreds of other fitness fans at the gym or in the studio. What's an exerciser to do to stay healthy and safe? Clean up your act with the help of these antimicrobial tools that will make your workouts anything but a dirty job.

Carry your own gym towel. Your hands aren't the only ones reaching for a towel from the stack at the front desk. Toss your own in your bag instead. A good choice, Silver Sport's antimicrobial eco-friendly bamboo towel ($34.99). It's amazingly soft and it uses Terra Silver antimicrobial technology that mitigates 99.9% of surface bacteria. That means if your towel touches down on a dirty surface and then touches your hands/face you're still safe from the germs. Mine also went unwashed for days (oops left it in my gym bag) and remained surprisingly odor-free.
Bring your own equipment. Gym mats and props are dirty, so skip the shared equipment and bring your own. Go with Silver Sport's Silver Mat ($49.99). The nanosilver incorporated in the plush light-weight mat makes it the perfect companion for hot yoga or ab moves at the end of class. I love the Silver Shaper Pilates Roller Cover ($39.99) too. It's latex-free, protects from germs, and covers any standard foam roller. Great for massaging post-workout also. And thanks to their natural antimicrobial technology, a quick wipe down with a damp cloth keeps bacteria and odor in check on both. You can skip the harsh chemicals and sprays!

Check out more germ-busting finds after the break!

Giving Vintage Posters a Shot

Julia Walsh — Mon, 09 May 2011 08:40:00 PDT

I've never been a big fan of vintage advertising posters - particularly the reproductions. But after coming across this adorable kitchen corner, I realized maybe it's not so much the poster I have a problem with but the way they're displayed. The sprightly yellow paint and striped and botanical textiles pull out all of the colors from the poster in a sweet and peppy fashion. The scale of the poster is also just right for this corner and gives the room height. Plus, the vintage cakestand, pitcher, and glassware on the table chime into the retro look of Les Cycles Alcyon.

I thought I'd round up a few more vintage posters for y'all, in case you're also liking the look!

Photo by Justin Bernhaut