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Possibilities
top Cancer and Fertility Preservation In the United States there
are approximately 800,000 Preserving fertility before cancer treatment • Men. Semen samples may be frozen at a sperm bank or fertility center before starting chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Samples can be stored for years and used later for insemination. Sperm counts may be low or absent as a result of the underlying cancer. If sperm counts are low and/or the supply is limited from the frozen sample, the sperm can be used for in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
If time and circumstances allow, women may be treated with IVF. Embryos created by IVF are then frozen and may be stored for years. Limiting factors for this approach include time, expense, availability of sperm, and possible delay of cancer therapy. If radiation will be administered to the pelvis, the ovaries may be repositioned surgically out of the radiation field. This will reduce the risk that radiation will damage the eggs. Areas of research: Ovarian suppression before cancer therapy. In theory, suppressing ovarian function may protect the eggs against the adverse effects of cancer treatment. There is little evidence to support suppression of the ovaries before cancer therapy with birth control pills, GnRH agonists, or other means of hormonal suppression. Freeze eggs. This technology is investigational, expensive, invasive, and may delay cancer treatment. If used,eggs are collected as for IVF but are frozen before they are fertilized. Theoretically, frozen eggs may be stored, thawed, fertilized, and used for embryo transfer. Actual success with this method is very limited, and few babies have been born with this technique. Freeze ovarian tissue. This experimental technique requires surgery to remove ovarian tissue. Once frozen, tissue may be stored for years. Preliminary studies have shown that reimplanted ovarian tissue may survive and function for a limited time, but no babies have been born using this technique as of 2003. Fertility after cancer treatment • Men. It may take up to several years for sperm production to recover after cancer treatment. If sperm counts are consistently low, insemination, IVF, and ICSI may be effective measures for achieving pregnancy. Testicular biopsy may be a way to obtain sperm if sperm are not found in a semen analysis. If sperm cannot be obtained, pregnancy may be possible by using frozen donor sperm. The physician may want to wait up to six months before attempting conception. Some couples may choose to pursue adoption. • Women. After the physician has advised that attempting pregnancy is safe, women may want to consult a fertility specialist to check for damage to reproductive organs. Many women will be able to conceive naturally or with fertility treatments. If significant damage has occurred to the ovaries or uterus, couples may wish to consider egg or embryo donation, a gestational carrier, or adoption to create a family. Created 1/2004 The American Society for Reproductive Medicine grants permission to photocopy this fact sheet and distribute it to patients. AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR REPRODUCTIVE MEDICINE 1209 MontgomeryHighway • Birmingham, Alabama 35216-2809 • T E L (205) 978-5000 • FAX (205) 978-5005 • E-MAIL a s r m @ a s r m . o rg • URLw w w. a s r m . o rg PATIENT’S FACT SHEET |
In
This Issue CANCER AND FERTILITY PRESERVATION 8 TIPS TO MANAGE STRESS DURING IVF
RESEARCH - SHAN ZHU
YU ENHANCES SPERM  Infertility Treatment: 8 Tips to Manage StressInfertility treatment can be exhausing, costly, physically taxing, time-consuming, — and all without any guarantee of success. The experience of infertility for many couples can range from various diagnostic procedures through progressively more aggressive treatment options, all of which place demands on the emotional and physical components. It is quite common for many women to experience depression, severe stress or anxiety during their IVF cycles. It is possible although difficult to relieve some of the stress and pressure of infertility treatment. Some tried-and-true stress control suggestions from former infertility patients and counselors include the following:
SHAN ZHU YU (Cornus Officinalis) A substance isolated from Cornus officinalis enhances the motility of human spermJeng H; Wu CM; Su SJ; Chang WC Department of Anatomy, Taipei Medical College, Taiwan. Am J Chin Med 1997;25(3-4):301-6 (ISSN: 0192-415X) The effects of a Chinese herb, Cornus officinalis, on the motility of human sperm was studied. An aqueous extract was prepared from the dried fruits of the herb and used in this study. The crude extract at a final concentration of 0.5 microgram/microliter in phosphate buffered saline (pH 7.4) increased sperm motility from 25.8 +/- 7.7% to 42.8 +/- 10.3% (i.e. 68% increase, n = 7), as determined by the computer-aided-sperm-analysis (CASA) method. The crude extract was fractionated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) into four fractions: C1, C2, C3 and C4. Their effects on sperm motility were further studied by CASA. Only the C4 fraction showed substantial stimulatory effects on sperm motility. At a concentration of 5 ng/microliter, C4 increased the sperm motility from 15.7 +/- 3.8% to 34.5 +/- 6.4% (i.e. 120% increase, n = 6) by CASA and from 14.9 +/- 4.3 to 28.5 +/- 8.1 (i.e. 91% increase, n = 8) by transmembrane migration ratio (TMMR) method. This result suggests that C4 is the active component in Cornus officinalis that enhances sperm motility. |
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.TOP High Protein Diet Can Cause Female Infertility - 07/07/2007 A new study has found that female mice fed a diet high in protein had higher than average levels of ammonium in their reproductive tracts, a finding which could have negative implications for the ability of women who consume a high protein diet to conceive. Previous studies have shown that ammonium hinders the embryo from attaching to the womb in mice, and also delays the development of mouse embryos. High ammonium levels also have a negative effect on the gene development of embryos. The study, conducted at the Center for Reproductive Medicine in Englewood, Colorado, also found that ammonium levels in the oviduct, where the embryo forms, was four times higher than in mice on a regular diet. The findings suggest that high protein diets, such as the Atkins diet, may have a similarly negative effect on female fertility in humans, and researchers are encouraging women to consume a well-balanced preconception diet. However, the researchers noted that mice, which are herbivores, may have a different tolerance level for ammonium compared with meat-eating animals. Fertility Smoothie for Promoting Ovulation
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Health Tips for Men Male Infertility and Glutathione Are You Half The Man Your Father Was?  It
is a well-known fact that sperm counts have dropped by half in
the last 50 years, and that modern men have 20 percent less
semen volume than their fathers (BMJ, 1992, volume 305). A recent report from researchers in Aberdeen presented preliminary data that suggests the sperm concentration of the men seen in their clinic had declined by 29% over the past 14 years. (British Fertility Society; 5 January 2004) Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and endocrine-disrupting chemicals from normal, everyday plastics are known to cause reproductive damage, as documented in Theo Colborn's book "Our Stolen Future." Damage to sperm caused by exposure to common chemicals like alcohol, pesticides in food, has been linked to lowered intelligence and behavioral disorders in children. Lifestyle risk factors known to decrease sperm quality include
Pollution is stealing our future, and there's little anyone can do to avoid it. There may not be a lot you can do to reduce your exposure to persistent environmental toxins. But there are definite measures you can take to reduce the impact of the environmental pollutants and toxins on your body. You can prevent and, to a certain extent, repair the damage they cause to your body, through a better lifestyle and nutrition. Some nutritional therapies and antioxidants that have proven beneficial in treating male infertility and improving sperm counts, sperm morphology and motility include:
If you smoke, drink, are exposed to stress, chemicals, radiation, pesticides or take medication or drugs (like sulfasalazine, ketoconazole, azulfidine, anabolic steroids, marijuana) that affect fertility, you should consider taking an antioxidant supplement to reverse some of the damage. Why are Antioxidants Important for Sperm Quality? Mammalian spermatozoa are coated by a membrane rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids. These fatty acids are extremely susceptible to oxidative damage by free radicals or Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) by a process called lipid peroxidation (LPO). Lipid peroxidation damages the sperm cell membrane. It is considered to be the key mechanism of ROS-induced sperm damage and leads to
Seminal plasma and spermatozoa have several antioxidant enzymes - glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase. Some amount of all the antioxidant enzymes, which may protect spermatozoa from oxidative attack, are also made by the epididymis during storage. The glutathione peroxidase/reductase enzymes play a central role in the defense against oxidative damage in human sperm. Why is Glutathione important for Sperm Quality and Fertility? A decrease in levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) during sperm production is known to disrupt the membrane integrity of spermatozoa due to increased oxidative stress. Intracellular glutathione levels of spermatozoa are known to be decreased in certain populations of infertile men. Compared with a control group, the infertile men in all groups had significantly higher levels of ROS and lower levels of total antioxidants. There is strong clinical evidence to show that men diagnosed with infertility have high levels of oxidative stress that may impair the quality of their sperm. In some groups, higher levels of ROS were associated with lower sperm counts and defective sperm structure, while lower antioxidant levels correlated with reduced sperm movement. Previous evidence has also shown that oxidative stress can decrease a sperm's life span, its motility, and its ability to penetrate the oocyst, or egg cell. Up to 40% of men with unexplained male infertility have higher levels of free radical activity in their bodies. Because men with high levels of ROS have a seven-fold lower likelihood of inducing a pregnancy than men with lower levels, researchers recommend that treatment for infertile men should include strategies to reduce oxidative stress and improve sperm quality. How can Glutathione help in the Treatment of Infertility? Glutathione is not only vital to sperm antioxidant defenses, but selenium and glutathione are essential to the formation of "phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase" - an enzyme present in spermatids - which becomes a structural protein in the mid-piece of mature spermatozoa. When either substance is deficient, it can lead to instability of the mid-piece of the spermatozoa, resulting in defective motility. Free radical scavengers - such as glutathione - that restore the structure and function of poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in the cell membrane, can be used to treat these cases. In a double-blind cross-over study of twenty infertile men, treatment with glutathione led to a statistically significant improvement of the sperm quality. The study concerned men in whom the sperm quality was poor due to unilateral varicocele or germ-free genital tract inflammation - two conditions in which ROS or other toxic compounds are indicated as causative factors. Treatment with glutathione was also found to have a statistically significantly positive effect on sperm motility (in particular forward motility) and on sperm morphology. The findings of these studies indicate that glutathione therapy could represent a possible therapeutical tool in cases where ROS or exposure to toxins is the probable cause of infertility. To subscribe to this bi-monthly newsletter e-mail subscribe@holistichelthandfertility.com
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Family Holistic Health Center
Reproductive Health Associates & Maternity Services
7800 SW 57th Avenue, Suite 218, Miami, FL 33143 - PH: 305.663.5555
"Believing in the Possibilities"
reproductive-aged men and women
who have cancer, many of whom have concerns about their
fertility. Lifesaving cancer treatments may reduce fertility
by destroying eggs and sperm. The likelihood of reproductive
damage depends on the age and sex of the patient and the
type and duration of treatment. The most severe damage comes
from radiation to the ovaries or testicles and cancer drugs
in the “alkylating agent” category such as cyclophosphamide,
mechlorethamine, chlorambucil, and melphalan. Although sperm
production may recover, eggs do not regenerate; their loss
is permanent and premature menopause may occur as a result.
The risk of developing premature menopause is lower for
younger women than for older women. The first goal is to
cure the cancer, even if the treatment causes sterility.
However, there are several options that may help preserve
fertility before and after cancer treatments. 
• Women. 
This
smoothie contains super foods that balance hormones, support
ovulation and boost your fertility. Drink this smoothie for
at least 2 weeks to get results. It is best to drink it from
day one of menses - till ovulation, than give it a break.