Blog Q1-2010
Thank You for an Amazing User Survey!
Our most recent opt-in Pre~Seed User survey has some awesome data and responses!! In particular, we were looking at women’s observations of cervical mucus quality and pregnancy outcomes while using Pre~Seed. We should have some very interesting results to share with you all next week.
A couple of users’ comments literally brought tears to my eyes! Of course not everyone became pregnant using Pre~Seed, although 58% of responders did. And the babies were 40% boys and 38% girls. This is our third survey by users in the past seven years, and every time baby gender is evenly split.
The most amazing story was one woman who had had 3 IUIs and 5 IVFs FAIL, before becoming pregnant while using Pre~Seed as a lubricant. Another woman was trying for 5 years with 2 IVFs and became pregnant through intercourse with Pre~Seed. Truly a blessing to read these amazing stories! I am honored that you all took the time to fill out this very long survey!
Thank you again ~
Dr. E
Pre-Seed Updates: New Data on How TTC Stress Impacts Women
A new study by Millheiser et al., (Fertility & Sterility, 2010) reported that 40% of women undergoing infertility interventions had sexual function scores that made them at risk for poor quality intimate relationships or “sexual dysfunction”. This was true for only 25% of the control group. The study found that TTC women actually had lower frequency of intercourse and lower satisfaction with their sex lives. Thirty-four percent of women reported a decline in their sex life satisfaction while TTC.
The findings in this study are consistent with studies I did eight years ago. Specifically, when we found that 75% of women experience increased levels of vaginal dryness and discomfort during intercourse when trying to conceive. Even though we all know, we sometimes forget to do little things to keep love-making fun, especially when baby-making. Make sure that at least once when you are ovulating, you have full on “Gourmet Sex”, with back rubs, foreplay and Pre-Seed to make it slippery fun! More stimulating intimacy can help his sperm counts be higher, and female orgasm offers important physiologic benefits to sperm on their journey as well.
My biggest advice for intimacy is don’t wait until 11 pm or later- make an early relaxed night of it! It is easy to wait until late at night, trying to get “one more thing” done, and then both are too tired to care. Also, there is really limited value in every day intercourse, unless you WANT to do this. Most couples would be better off just making sure they have intercourse every two to three days throughout the cycle, versus putting too much pressure on themselves and experiencing burn out!
In short, create that fun loving-making “Gourmet sex” at least once a month DURING ovulation when trying to conceive. It is better for you and better for making a baby!
Blessings~
Dr. E.
Check This Out!
Check out the great mention of Pre-Seed by Dr. Greene from Sher Institute in this month’s Conceive! Dr. Greene discusses that most lubricants are toxic to sperm and states that “The only one I use in my office is Pre-Seed”. Dr. Greene has a great book and blog on trying to conceive, “Perfect Hormone Balance for Fertility” and you can read more at http://www.thegreeneguide.wordpress.com.
Blessings-
Dr. E
Oxidative Stress Can Stop Sperm From “Smelling” Their Way to the Egg
A new study by Sanchez et al (Fertility & Sterility, Jan 2010) showed how high levels of reactive oxygen species (“oxidative stress”) can decrease the ability of sperm to swim towards the follicular fluid which surrounds the egg at ovulation. Normally sperm can “smell” or orient their movement towards this follicular fluid, to make sure they get to the egg at the right time to fertilize it. This is called chemotaxis. It isn’t really “smelling” but it is a chemical beckoning of the sperm toward the fluid which bathes the egg in the ovary and which is released with the egg into the Fallopian Tube at ovulation.
Sperm can be exposed to high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), in men with low grade (often unnoticed) genital infections and men that have some kinds of infertility. For most men, semen contains antioxidants that protect sperm from excess ROS damage. Infertile men have statistically lower levels of antioxidants in their semen, and thus can have higher levels of ROS.
Although the clinical impact of this study’s finding haven’t been proven yet, it suggests that sperm from men with high levels of ROS in their semen, may lose the ability to “smell” and swim specifically towards the egg, as well as sperm from men with normal ROS levels in their semen.
What can you do to optimize your fertility?
Rule out any subclinical genital infections if you are having trouble conceiving. This includes making sure any semen analysis specifically stains for and counts white blood cell presence.
Try antioxidant fertility vitamins (such as FertilAid) when trying to conceive. Laboratory studies have also shown that arabinogalactan (part of Pre-Seed’s© patented formula) can limit oxidative stress (or ROS) damage of sperm.
Dr. E
See Dr. E in National Geographic’s “Sizing Up Sperm” March 14th at 9 pm
“Sizing Up Sperm” airs on March 14th at 9 pm on the National Geographic Channel. It is an amazing documentary of the journey sperm go through to fertilize an egg. Dr. E was invited to help tell the story, where she introduced the concept of “gourmet” sex for TTC couples to Canadian and UK audiences when the show aired there last year. It is an entertaining and educational show, and is also appropriate for most middle school children or older.
Thank you Drs. Katz & Tabisel at the Women’s Therapy Center
We just received an updated kudos note from Drs. Katz & Tabisel at the Women’s Therapy Center in Plainview, NY (see below). These remarkable physicians have a unique practice in women’s sexuality and do wonderful empathetic healing for women with pelvic pain (vaginal pain during intercourse and other times). As a woman who had vulvodynia in my younger days, as a mom and now as a menopausal sexually active woman, I have profound respect for the work of these two women. Their kind comments about Pre-Seed mean a lot to me personally.
The doctors have a great blog which discusses all kinds of items about sexuality in a dignified but real world way. Check them out here http://womentc.wordpress.com.
We recommend Pre-Seed to our patients who are trying to conceive but fear that using lubrication will hamper their ability to conceive.We have found it to be of excellent viscosity and can handle average thrusting during intercourse. It is not sticky (as are some lubricants) and can be used for clitoral stimulation in addition to intercourse. We most certainly endorse this product. ~ Dr. Ditza Katz & Dr. Ross Lynn Tabisel, Women’s Therapy Center, Plainview, NY
Dr. E
Reactive Oxygen Species is Increased in the Semen of Infertile Men
A recent study from the Cleveland Clinic found that Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) were 7 fold higher in 54 men with male factor infertility versus 51 men with normal sperm. ROS are highly reactive, free radical chemicals (consisting of one or more unpaired electrons). They are made by sperm as part of normal function, but can also be made by white blood cells or abnormal sperm in higher, damaging levels, which if present cause “oxidative stress”. Most of us think about free radical or oxidative stress regarding aging of our faces and concerns with how we look as we age.
However, oxidative stress is a big problem for sperm as it can cause damage to the sperm’s ability to swim, its normal shape and most importantly to the sperm DNA or genetic material. All of these changes can impact fertility and pregnancy outcomes. Several factors can increase ROS in semen including smoking, varicoceles, and genital tract infection. Some studies suggest that low grade genital tract infections are very under diagnosed in men, and I happen to agree with this.
Normal men have fairly high levels of antioxidants in their semen to keep ROS and oxidative stress at the right levels. However, between 25 and 88% of infertile men (study dependant) have elevated ROS in their semen, which can lead to loss in ability to swim (motility), loss of normal shapes (changes in morphology) and breakage in the DNA structure (leading to fertilization failure, pregnancy losses, and even childhood diseases).
The new study by Desai et al., (Fert &Ster Nov 2009) found that the level of ROS in a semen sample could be used to predict over 75% of the infertile men, with ROS levels being much, much higher for these men than for the men with normal sperm parameters.
Why is this important? Because having ROS measured in sperm samples from couples with infertility could: a) help identify if there is a male factor involved in the infertility and b) help identify men for whom further diagnostics and therapies may be helpful. These would include, low grade infections which may need special antibiotics, such as men with ureaplasma or mycoplasma infections. Also, identifying men with high ROS could increase compliance with antioxidant vitamin therapy, such as those found in fertility supplements (e.g. FertilAid).
In general, couples planning on assisted reproduction may be able to improve outcomes by decreasing semen ROS values prior to treatment. Of course, those trying naturally could also benefit from lowered oxidative stress. I suggest anyone who is TTC at least try fertility vitamins with antioxidants for 6 months.
To have an ROS assay done, couples in the Northwest could contact Dr. Muller at University of Washington. The Cleveland Clinic can also perform this assay, as well as other referral clinics with an andrologist on board.
For our part, we know that minimizing sperm ROS damage is important. The bioactive plant sugar, arabinogalactan, became part of Pre-Seed’s patented formula after finding that it decreased sperm ROS production. This protective effect on sperm, echoes a larger body of literature which has found an antioxidant effect of arabinogalactan on many other cell types as well.
Hope your New Year is going well!
Blessings-
Dr. E