Healthwise Clinic Natural Health Blog » infertility

IVF procedures or natural pregnancy

Jean — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 11:30:37 +0000

: Image by ricardo.martins via Flickr

IVF standards and procedures vary in different areas of the world. some practices which are illegal in the UK are permitted in the US and Georgia, for example.

Women in the UK can only earn £ 250 for donating eggs while in the States donors can earn $10,000.. which has meant that more American women are donating eggs.

A new practice aimed at older women who are unlikely to be able to produce their own eggs is being launched in Britain, but because the practice in illegal in the UK, treatment will take place in the USA.

The winner of a raffle will get £13,000 worth of IVF treamtent in the States and can choose the egg by education, race, and the personality and background of the donor.

It sounds a complex procedure and very close to science fiction stories of a fearful future. Aldous Huxley’s book “Brave New World” had babies defined by type in the communal nurseries.

Any woman is of course capable of choosing the father of her child by race, education and personality and background. In fact it is what happens all the time naturally. The problem with “natural” of course means that women who are past child-bearing age cannot get pregnant.

Natural health brings special benefits. Even if you are trying IVF as nothing else seems to work, acupuncture and herbal medicine help to balance the body and help both the mother and the unborn baby. We are more than mechanical and chemical procedures, and need that extra soul and spirit dimension in our lives for a fulfilled life and health.

See here for more information from Andrew Loosely on how to get pregnant naturally

World’s oldest mother dies – is IVF pregnancy a right?

Jean — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 20:22:03 +0000

The 69 year old single mother of twins born through IVF recently died.

Maria del Carmen Bousada de Lara became the world’s oldest mother. Apparently she lied to doctors that she was 55 when she was in fact 66 at the time of her IVF treatment. She contracted cancer and has died leaving them motherless at the age of two.

She had already reached the menopause.

Lorraine Kelly, the GMTV presenter has spoken out strongly against the treatment.

“ Implanting pensioners with donor eggs and pumping them full of hormones so they can give birth in their late sixties is morally bankrupt and plain wrong,” Lorraine is reported as saying.

“I believed at the time of their birth that she was being horribly selfish. I still maintain she should never have been given the fertility treatment. Having a baby is not a woman’s right it is a privilege.”

The mother developed cancer soon after having the boys which created debate about whether the IVF treatment had in fact contributed to the disease.

Lorraine Kelly herself experienced secondary infertility (SI) after having had her daughter. Although she suffered a miscarriage when six years later she did become pregnant, she did not want to undergo IVF fertility treatment. In her autobiography “Between You and Me” she explained

“ I never went down the road of IVF. I didn’t feel so overwhelmed about it that I wanted fertility treatment. We just tried the old-fashioned way and it didn’t happen. We have accepted that.”

Many of the families we see at Healthwise Clinic feel, like Lorraine, that they want to have a baby the “old-fashioned” way. Unfortunately fertility treatment with acupuncture is less well known than IVF or normal pregnancy so Lorraine may never have heard of it. However it is a way of boosting the body’s natural fertility and there is nothing artificial about the process.

Acupuncture and herbs can help couples have their first or subsequent babies. That a woman who has already reached the menopause can give birth at all highlights the artificial nature of IVF treatment.

Do you agree with Lorraine or not?

The stress of IVF and infertility mistakes

Jean — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 11:18:44 +0000

If you have the problem of infertility you are already in a slightly stressful situation because all couples would prefer to conceive naturally and easily.

If IVF has been considered, the first things to think about are the medical issues. The most common is often the risk of multiple births, and then the realisation about the artificiality of a situation where you are taken to menopause and then brought back.

But it would never cross your mind to consider the chance of adminstrative errors. The press has reported two stories recently of error: adminstrative mistakes with a huge repercussion on people’s lives.

One woman who thought she had an egg saved to try for a second birth, has now discovered she has no egg. It was donated to another woman who promptly aborted it when the mistake was realised.

The other case involves another mix up where a white couple now have a baby from a different race.

IVF treatment is difficult and costly, and usually time is running out for the mother, so to be told that the egg had been given away must be very hard.

And the parents of the child born with a different coloured skin were expecting the baby to be their own flesh and blood, and not the result of an admin mix up. Obviously many couples (not just Madonna and Brangelina) happily adopt children of a different race, but in these situations it is all part of a conscious decision.

These problems make it impossible to pretend that IVF is a natural process, and add another layer of concern for couples already coping with the stress of infertility.

At Healthwise Clinic we advocate a natural approach both in terms of the way the baby comes into the world, and in a personal relationship with the couple. Our success rate using careful diagnosis, acupuncture and herbs gives us cause for confidence. And we know we are improving health and reducing stress at the same time.

There is a natural alternative to IVF.

Too old for fertility at 66?

Jean — Tue, 19 May 2009 07:34:03 +0000

Opinions are getting heated on this subject.

Lots of the people we speak to think she is too old, and that it is wrong to conceive at an age when you could not have a baby naturally.

Other people think it is all right, and that life is uncertain enough anyway so whether she will be a competent mother of a teenager at 80 is not really the issue.

As you might expect the medical establishment are divided on this as well.

What do you think? We would appreciate your thoughts!

Britain’s oldest mother at 66

Jean — Sat, 16 May 2009 10:02:26 +0000

According to the Daily Mail Elizabeth Adeney will give birth at 66. She went to a fertility clinic abroad for the IVF treatment.

She will be just under 80 when her child becomes a teenager.

The NHS places a limit of 40 for treatment and most British private clinics at around 50 – 55. Not so in Ukraine, and obviously not where Elizabeth Adeney went. Fertility clinics in some countries pay well for egg donation, and older mothers are happy to pay to be pregnant.

Apart from the debates about the rights and wrongs it does highlight the artificiality of the treatment. A woman of 66 would not normally be able to become pregnant, but science can do it for her, using her body as a waiting room. She is likely to elect to have a baby by caesarean, as well.

Certainly no natural health.

Fertility Clinic in Burnham, Bucks

Jean — Mon, 11 May 2009 09:43:59 +0000

The Healthwise Fertility Clinic in Burnham in Buckinghamshire is situated in the High Street. When clients walk down the street and find us the often say that they already feel more relaxed.

Burnham is a mix of large village and small town…with interesting independent shops as well as some major supermarkets. You don’t get high rise blocks of offices.

It is a perfect location for those in the Thames Valley who are looking for help with fertility, and want individual and supportive treatment. You get a whole package of treatment including acupuncture, herbal remedies and education which directly relates to you and your condition.

Andrew Loosely’s excellent reputation attracts people from Gerrards Cross, Beaconsfield, Amersham, Taplow, Maidenhead and Henley as well as further afield.

Trains from Paddington to Reading and the West Country stop at Burnham. Sometimes people from London prefer to be seen in Burnham because they enjoy seeing the green fields on the journey, and the fact that we are in a small town High Street. However, they also come to our London clinic which is in Harley Street.

You are very welcome for an initial consultation in Burnham or London so please call us on 01628 668339, and ask for our brochure.

Taking charge of your fertility

Jean — Thu, 07 May 2009 19:07:46 +0000

Fertility is an issue that affects mind, body and spirit.

Couples who come to Healthwise Clinic for acupuncture to help conception, have often had their condition described as infertility, or unexplained infertility.

Our approach is to think in terms of the positive condition rather than describing it in a negative way. Therefore we prefer to use the word fertility for our treatment, rather than infertility.

As the body, mind and spirit are all linked, there is a chance that the description infertility may in inself be counter-productive to conception and pregnancy.

So if you are finding it difficult to become pregnant, an important first step can simply be stop thinking of yourself as infertile.

At Healthwise we encourage you to take charge of your own fertility and offer a course of treatment which is specific to your condition. This includes acupuncture, and a course of herbal remedies in capsule form, plus a wealth of information about small changes you can make in your lifestyle.

If there is anything mechanically wrong with either partner we find it out straight away. Don’t forget, though that because the body, mind and spirit are all linked, there is an infinite capacity for change.

We are delighted that the fertility treatment at Healthwise Clinic has helped couples conceive where once they had no hope. Part of that is due to the fact that we empower you to take charge of your own fertility.

Give us a call if you would like an introductory consultation either in Burnham, Bucks or in Harley Street in London. Telephone 01628 668 339

Infertility in the midst of fertility

Jean — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 22:33:13 +0000

Baby rabbits, eggs and new born lambs are the ancient symbols of spring-time. We give chocolate eggs and rabbits to each other even if we celebrate Easter as a Christian tradition. It is the time of year for new growth.

This year the weather has been warm so the blossom is out in towns and countryside, new green shoots can be seen and all of nature is bursting with new life. Baby lambs are walking unsteadily in fields, birds are building their nests and looking after the young, and life seems full of promise.

For many childless couples who want to have a baby this can be a particularly difficult time of year. The contrast between their own situation and the world around seems particularly unjust. The couple may start to wonder what is wrong with them, or resent the unfairness of the fact that birth seems such a natural activity yet they have been excluded.

At some point they may seek advice, physical tests, or support and their situation can often be described to them by a person in a position of authority as “unexplained infertility”.

After a length of time having had hopes raised and dashed each month, this opinion, which puts a clear label on the situation, can cause extreme distress. Extreme situations call for extreme measures so IVF may become the obvious “answer” to the problem.

At Healthwise we do not believe in “unexplained infertility”. It is always very clear why a couple cannot conceive, or have not yet conceived.

We go even further. We do not believe in “infertility” as a lasting state. In some cases there may be mechanical issues which can be resolved, but these are a smaller proportion than might be expected.

The ability to produce a baby is natural. It does not require thought or any type of proof of worth. Just look at nature.

A stage of infertility can occur due to a whole range of factors resulting in a lack of balance in the body of either of the partners. There is nothing unexplained or difficult to comprehend. The solutions can take time but each incremental improvement improves health and well-being. A mother who has become pregnant through acupuncture treatment at Healthwise is stronger and more capable of looking after her baby, than if she has become pregnant through IVF or IUI.

Acupuncture and herbal medicine are the natural way to support the body so that the natural process of birth can take place.