There Really Is No Magic to Getting Pregnant

I'd really like to be able to give my patients an easy how-to for getting around their fertility issues. And people who are desperate to finally get pregnant and become parents are easy prey to reputed quick fixes. Fortunately, long gone are the old days of the tonic seller with ridiculous promises. But today's marketing techniques, finely-tuned with psychological research data, can be pretty convincing even to educated fertility consumers.

Take the idea of fertility supplements.

Granted, research studies linking nutrition and fertility have boomed in the last few years. What you eat is indeed a key factor in how you feel and how your body functions, even when it comes to fertility. Every qualified dietitian will tell you that the best source of health-promoting nutrients is food. Supplements are considered a back-up plan, and in some cases, their effectiveness is unproven.

In a Los Angeles Times article, Chris Woolston, aka The Healthy Skeptic, discusses two popular supplements: FertilAid for Men and FertilityBlend for Men. Both are promoted as providing nutritional enhancement for male fertility, specifically, sperm motility and count.

It's a good article that balances the claims of the supplements' makers with commentary by male fertility specialists. The important take-away message that eager-to-be-dads need to hear: supplements can be good for your health, but they aren't miracle cures.

And by the way -- the very same can be said for women, supplements, and fertility.

Male Infertility Research & Recommendations Long Overdue

Last month, I wrote about more enlightening research on male fertility and dietary factors. A lot of women may not admit it, but some are perfectly comfortable stepping up and saying, "It's about time!" So far, most research has focused on female fertility and obstacles to conceiving. A recent article -- "The Bad Daddy Factor" -- points to some possible societal reasons why this may be the case.

Article author Emily Anthes goes all the way back to the 1960's to mention the few researchers who were looking at the impact of men's contribution on both fertility and infant well-being. She describes how most of their scientific colleagues weren't equally concerned, so the burden of cause continued to fall mostly in women's laps for decades. The writer goes on to connect this historical lack of aggressive research with society's viewpoints on gender and even politics. The good news: those viewpoints seem to be evolving.

Like my own colleagues, I am thrilled every time I hear about new interest in reproductive research. The more we learn about the causes of infertility, the better able we are to both educate young men about prevention and to treat the later results of lifestyle choices that are not fertility-focused.

On behalf of Houston Fertility Center's staff, my wish this season is that you and yours reap the benefits from advancing research, technology, and compassionate fertility care -- and grow your family with love.