Buy NowDr. Peress
Dr. Peress of Boca Fertility in Boca Raton, Florida is an acclaimed fertility specialist with over 25 years of experience. Dr. Peress has helped thousands of couples acheive pregnancy.
We turn to Dr. Peress for ongoing advice on helping women achieve pregnancy and here is what he has to say:
Charting Your Cycle
“Charting your cycle with MyCycleDiary for three consecutive months once a year can help you determine if there is an underlying medical condition that may need treatment. An irregular cycle means there is a something wrong and needs medical attention.
Using OvaTel with MyCycleDiary will help you find your fertile window. Before you can conceive you need to find your fertile period.”
Using OvaTel
“When you decide it's time to conceive using a fertility monitor such as OvaTel is extreamly helpful tool to determine when you are in your fertile period, which is the 5 to 7 days leading up to ovulation. Once you are in your fertile period you should have intercourse daily for the duration fertile period."
When to see your Doctor
"Consult with your doctor if your MyCycleDiary chart shows an irregular cycle, or if your fertility monitor OvaTel indicated that youa re nor ovulating.
You should also see your doctor if you are under 35 and have not conceived within 1 year or after 6 months if your between 35 and 40 years old. Women over 40 should consult a specialist as possible.
Don’t Wait!
“A women’s fertility peaks at about age 27 and drops off more rapidly after 35. It’s ok to wait but be forewarned that waiting holds its own consequences.”
Protect Yourself from Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD’s)
“STD’s wreak havoc on a women’s reproductive organs and cause many conditions that make it hard or impossible to become pregnant one day. Be very careful and always protect your body when having sex.”
Watch What You Eat
“Studies show that a healthy diet high in unsaturated fats can improve fertility for women experiencing a problem with ovulation.”
Maintain a Healthy Weight
“Excess fat produces extra estrogen, shutting down the ovulation process. Same with being too thin, low body fat is associated with low estrogen and prevents ovulation.”
Quit Smoking
“Nicotine constricts blood vessels to the ovary, this decreases the number of eggs within the ovary and can cause infertility and premature menopause. Smoking can also increase your chances of a miscarriage and an ectopic pregnancy.”
Smile, be Happy
“High stress levels in general and depression in particular have been shown to interfere with ovulation. Go out for long walks or exercise daily to stimulate those feel good chemicals in your brain or develop whatever tools work best for you to help you deal with stress. Some find meditation, tai chi, biofeedback, acupuncture or yoga extremely helpful.”
Your Yearly Exam a Must!
“Don’t forget your yearly visit to the gynecologist. Chart your cycle for three months once a year before your yearly pap, or if you notice any irregularities with your cycle. An irregular cycle means you have an underlying medical condition that needs to be treated.”
Counting Your Eggs
“If you are concerned about your age and the quality of your eggs, you may ask your doctor to perform blood tests to evaluate your ovarian function and to perform a vaginal ultrasound to estimate the number of eggs left in your ovary (Antral Follicle Count or AFC). Hormonal tests, such as estrogen and Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) are done on the third day of your menstrual cycle to help your doctor evaluate the health of your ovaries. A high AFC is associated with good fertility potential, but if your AFC score is low, you may want to consider starting a family earlier.”
Avoid Unnecessary Surgery
“Ask your doctor about non surgical treatment, such as birth control pills, for endometriosis or simple ovarian cysts. Surgery can result in scar tissue formation around the ovaries or the fallopian tubes which may cause infertility. If you need surgery, share with your doctor your concerns about the risks of infertility.”
Freezing Your Eggs
“You may want to consider egg freezing if you are about to undergo cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy, surgery or radiation which may destroy your eggs and cause infertility. Freezing eggs is now possible thanks to a new rapid freezing process called vitrification which allows the eggs to be more safely frozen. The procedure is most successful if you are young with good quality eggs. Keep in mind that the process of freezing eggs is expensive and the long term survival of the eggs is still uncertain.”
For more information, please visit Dr. Peress’ wonderful website regarding your fertility health.
