Further Information And Advice
Other organisations that can offer help and information during and after your pregnancy include:
- Tommys . Information on pre-pregnancy care and keeping healthy during pregnancy.
- Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists . Information about pregnancy, including alcohol, exercise, antenatal appointments, and links to other useful sites.
- Working Families . Information and advice on all aspects of working and family life.
- National Childbirth Trust . Advice and support during pregnancy and after the birth.
- NHS Smokefree . Advice and support on stopping smoking.
- Frank . Information and help for drug and alcohol users.
- Family Support NI . Information for families and young people in Northern Ireland.
You can find details of GPs and pharmacies from the NHS website in England, NHS Direct in Wales, NHS 24 in Scotland and your local health and social care trust in Northern Ireland See How to get help with your sexual health.
Why Cant I Get Pregnant
When youre ready to start a family and youre not getting pregnant, it can be frustrating and overwhelming. Especially if youve tried the conventional methods to maximize your chances: having frequent intercourse during your fertile window, tracking your temperature every morning and using tools like ovulation tracker apps and predictor kits.
You may start to wonder is this a medical problem or do I simply need to be more patient? Youre not alone. One in 8 couples struggles to conceive. Chantel Cross, M.D., a reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist with the Johns Hopkins Fertility Center at the Johns Hopkins Health Care & Surgery Center Green Spring Station in Lutherville, Maryland, explains what factors might be affecting your ability to get pregnant and when you might consider infertility treatment.
Using Prescribed Hormonal Birth Control
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Patience Is Good But Dont Wait Too Long To Get Help
If you are trying to get pregnant again, try to relax and not worry too much at least at first.
However, if you have been trying for a year and still havent conceived, talk to your Ob/Gyn or fertility specialist. And if youre over age 36, consider talking with your doctor sooner once you have tried for three or four menstrual cycles without success, Dr. Detti says.
You Drink Too Much Alcohol
For men or women, drinking too much alcohol can cause problems with conception.
Moderate to heavy alcohol consumption in women increases the time it takes to conceive and reduces your chances of delivering a healthy baby, says Dr. Detti.
Men who are trying to conceive can also benefit from drinking less alcohol. Moderate to heavy consumption can disrupt hormones and hinder sperm production.
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Extra Help After The Birth
You may worry that you wont be able to look after a baby. Knowing what help might be available may help you make a decision about your pregnancy.
Here are some of the ways you may be able to get help.
- Your partner, family, and friends. Think about who might be able to help you once the baby is born. If people you trust can help with things such as doing the shopping or looking after the baby, it can be a great support, and enable you to have some time to yourself.
- Your midwife or health visitor can offer advice and support, and put you in touch with local groups where you can meet other parents or get the support you need.
- Social services at your local authority can assess whether you might need extra support. They may be able to provide services such as nursery or day care, or a support worker who can come to your home.
- Home-Start . A volunteer may be able to visit you at home to give free practical and emotional support. You can go directly to your local Home-Start or you can be referred by your doctor, practice nurse, midwife, health visitor or social services.
Legal abortion is a safe way of ending a pregnancy. This is a decision you may make because you dont want to be pregnant.
Some Things To Think About
When youre making your decision, it may be helpful to consider the following things.
- Your life now. Whats most important to you in your life at the moment? This might involve many things, such as family, friends, work, and education.
- Your future. What are your hopes and aims for the future? Think about all aspects of your life.
How would these things be affected if you:
- continue with the pregnancy and become a parent
- end the pregnancy by having an abortion
- continue with the pregnancy and choose adoption.
Another way of thinking about your situation is to consider how the statements below make you feel.
- I feel ready to be a parent and bring up a child.
- I dont want to be pregnant.
- Having a baby will stop me doing the things in my life that are most important to me.
- I want to have a baby one day but Id rather wait.
- I am willing to give up other things in my life in order to bring up a child.
- My family would help me if I have a baby.
- My family wouldnt approve if I have a baby.
- My partner wants to have a baby with me.
- My partner doesnt want to be a parent.
- I couldnt go through with an abortion.
- I agree with abortion.
- Im worried this might be my only chance to have a baby.
- I wouldnt be able to go through with adoption.
Whatever you decide, it needs to be right for you.
This section is about where to go for help and advice if you decide you want to continue with the pregnancy.
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Take A Break From Social Media
If you find yourself sad and upset by the latest posts of your friends pregnancy or children, limit your exposure to social media. If you are an avid user, and cant imagine this reality, then consider adding more control over whose posts appear in your newsfeed. Like or follow pages and people who inspire you and provide tips to help you feel better.
Try to remember that your friends growing bump, or smiling baby is only one part of his/her life, just like infertility is only one part of your life.
What Does It Mean If My Blood Is Rhesus Negative
As well as finding out if your blood group is A, B, AB or O, your midwife will want to find out whether you are rhesus or D group factor positive or negative.
Around 85 percent of people have red blood cells with the RhD factor. They are called rhesus positive. The other 15 percent have red blood cells that dont have the RhD factor in them. These people are called rhesus negative.
Knowing which group you are in is important if you have rhesus negative blood, but your partner has rhesus positive blood, your baby has a chance of having rhesus positive blood too. If this happens, your body might see your babys blood as different to yours and develop antibodies. These antibodies can pass across the placenta and attack your babys blood cells.
This wont normally affect your first pregnancy, but it can be very serious in later pregnancies. Because of this, if you have rhesus negative blood your midwife will offer you an injection called anti-D during your pregnancy to protect your baby. If tests after the birth show that your baby is rhesus positive, youll be offered another injection then.
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How Can I Make Up My Mind
Talking to people you trust, and getting information about your options, can help you decide. You may want to talk to a partner, family or friends, or you may prefer to speak to someone less close to you.
The following services can talk confidentially with you, free of charge, about how you feel about the pregnancy and what options you have:
- your general practice
- a contraception or sexual health clinic, including a young persons service .
For a fee, you can discuss your options with organisations such as bpas , Marie Stopes , and NUPAS . Theres useful information on their websites which can help you explore your feelings, including how you feel about becoming a parent, having an abortion, or choosing adoption.
If youre under 25, youll find information and advice about all options, including abortion, from the Brook website at www.brook.org.uk
Its essential to get information and take time to explore how you feel so that you can make the decision thats right for you. Be aware that some organisations may not offer unbiased pregnancy counselling or advice and may lead you into making the wrong choice for you.
Youre A Man Whose Sperm Count Is Low
You likely know that age, health or medications sometimes affect sperm quality or quantity. But it surprises many men to learn that some common practices can decrease sperm production. They include:
- Taking testosterone supplements.
- Exposing the testes to heat.
The testes are outside of the body for a reason, Dr. Detti says. If they are too warm, either from tight clothing or use of electronics, it can affect sperm counts.
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Signs Shes Not Attracted To Me Anymore
Signs Sheâs Not Attracted To Me Anymore? I used to believe that women were programmed differently. They were designed to be independent, self-sufficient, and have their own interests and needs. But Iâve since learned that sexual attraction isnât what leads a woman to want to stay in a relationship.
Why sheâs not attracted to me anymore? A lot of the time, men have the misconception that a woman will only sleep with them if she feels emotionally connected to them. But this just isnât true. Women have their own personalities and feelings towards men. If they donât feel loved and desired in a certain way, theyâll look for someone who does. So why sheâs not attracted to me anymore, I asked myself.
Why sheâs not attracted to me anymore? Sex is an important part of a relationship for women. We need it to survive, and to feel desirable. But thereâs more to a womanâs definition of love and satisfaction than having a man penetrate her. A good, healthy relationship involves sharing time, sex, companionship, affection, cuddling, kissing, and a whole lot more.
In my attempts to figure out why sheâs not attracted to me anymore, I turned to my friends and family. Most people probably think that they know the answer straight away. After all, theyâve probably been in the same situation themselves. Theyâre probably also dealing with the same emotions that I was in.
sheâs not attracted to me anymore
Double Up By Using Barrier Protection Too
Birth control is highly effective at preventing pregnancy, but it wont prevent you from sexually transmitted infections. Thats why you should double up by using barrier protection. Condoms are the only way to prevent STIs, and including a hormonal birth control increases the protection.
Do NOT use male and female condoms at the same time. Male and female condoms are available at your local drugstore or health clinic. You can also speak with your doctor about getting and using condoms.
Condoms are useless if youre not putting them on correctly or if youre using the wrong size.
To use a male condom, you should:
- Place the condom on the head of an erect penis. Pull back the foreskin first if the penis is uncircumcised.
- Make sure to pinch the air out of the condom tip.
- Carefully unroll the condom all the way down.
- Hold the condom at the base before pulling out. After you pull out, remove the condom carefully and toss it in the trash.
- Never reuse a condom and never use two at the same time.
With a female condom, the closed end has a thick ring that keeps the condom in place in the vagina. The open end has a thin ring that covers the vaginal opening.
To use a female condom, you should:
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I Immediately Started Crying
Im crying again writing this. It was a devastating moment. Our baby had died. The technician was clearly unsure how to help. She ran out of the room and called my midwife.
It turns out, they think our baby died at 10 weeks 3 days gestation. Thats just three days after we heard a healthy heartbeat and announced our pregnancy to the whole wide world. I purposely waited to tell everyone until I thought we were safe from miscarriage, but I guess we were the unlucky 2% of people who hear a healthy heartbeat and still lose the pregnancy.
My heart goes out to anyone who has lost a second or third trimester baby or a child. I cannot even imagine the pain of that. Its really so much easier that we lost our baby so early. But it still totally and completely sucks.
When we got home from the ultrasound we had to tell my mother in law, who was shocked and our 2 ½ year old daughter who seemed bewildered by all of our tears.
Since I should have been at 13 weeks 3 days, my body was clearly not getting the message that the pregnancy was no longer viable. I called my OB to find out what to do next. She prescribed some medication and we sent Julia to her grandparents house for the day.
After about 6 hours the medication took effect. The first thing that came out was the entire amniotic sac, completely intact. It was the size of a small grapefruit. I put it into a bowl because I was horrified by the thought of flushing it down the toilet.
Do I Need Infertility Treatment
If youre having trouble conceiving, an infertility specialist may be able to help. The first step after 12 months of trying to conceive is to schedule an infertility evaluation. This multipart assessment includes:
- Physical examination
- Semen analysis
- Evaluation of the uterus and fallopian tubes
If you or your partner have a known medical condition that affects the uterus, fallopian tubes, sperm or ovulation, talk to your doctor to see if you should be evaluated sooner. For example, if you know that both of your fallopian tubes are blocked, youll need to see an infertility specialist even before trying to get pregnant.
The Johns Hopkins Fertility Center
Our fertility specialists will work with you to identify the unique causes of your infertility and help you realize your dream of parenthood.
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Chrissy Teigen ‘sad She Will Never Be Pregnant Again’
Chrissy Teigen has expressed sadness she will not be pregnant again, having lost the baby she was expecting with husband John Legend earlier this year.
“I love being pregnant, so, so much, and I’m sad I never will be again,” the US model wrote on Instagram.
She accompanied her post with a selfie showing her still-visible baby bump.
The 35-year-old lost her son, whom she and Legend had named Jack, in September, after suffering pregnancy complications and bleeding.
“Even though I’m no longer pregnant, every glance in the mirror reminds me of what could have been,” she wrote in her latest social media post.
Teigen did not clarify in her post why she would not be pregnant again, and did not elaborate on if it was through choice, or whether she could no longer get pregnant or if she had been advised by her doctors not to.
“I have no idea why I still have this bump,” she continued. “But I’m proud of where this entire journey took my body and mind in other ways.”
Her Grammy-winning husband, with whom she has two children, responded to her post by posting five heart emojis.
Early Pregnancy Loss Treatment
There are two main types of treatment for miscarriage: non-surgical and surgical.
Non-surgical
In many cases, your body passes all of the pregnancy tissue naturally. This could take a few days up to a few weeks. No treatment is needed. If it is taking a long time, your doctor can give you medicine that can help pass the tissue.
The process of passing the tissue can involve heavy bleeding, cramping pain, diarrhea, and nausea. Your doctor may give you pain medicine to help ease your symptoms. If you are in your first trimester, the tissue will be small. It will look like a blood clot. It will not look like a baby.
Your doctor may do an ultrasound or blood tests after you are finished with the miscarriage. This will confirm that the miscarriage is complete and no tissue remains.
Surgical
Surgical treatment is usually done if there are complications with your miscarriage.
Complications could include:
- Any condition that keeps pregnancy tissue inside your uterus.
Common surgical treatments include:
After treatment, your doctor may recommend you not put anything into your vagina for a few weeks. This includes using tampons and having sex. This helps prevent infection. Signs of infection include:
- heavy bleeding
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