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RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association is hosting National Infertility Awareness Week (NIAW) October 19-25, 2008. NIAW is a week to focus attention on the 7.3 million Americans dealing with the disease of infertility. During this week, health care professionals, volunteers, families and friends can join together for NIAW events across the country as well as virtual events hosted on RESOLVE's Web site, www.resolve.org/takecharge.

To supplement the events, EMD Serono provided an educational grant to sponsor educational kits being sent to SART clinics across the country. The educational kits contain posters, brochures, resources and other family building materials to help spread the significant messages about the disease of infertility.

"We all must join together during National Infertility Awareness Week and throughout the year to resolve the disease of infertility," says Barbara Collura, executive director of RESOLVE. "We must take charge of our fertility and provide resources to those in need. Vital information presented during this important week can help the many families dealing with infertility and support them on their journey."

Throughout National Infertility Awareness Week, October 19-25, 2008, RESOLVE will host daily virtual events to bring awareness of the disease of infertility. On October 21, RESOLVE will showcase a Presidential report card on Senators John McCain's and Barack Obama's views on the issues of crucial importance to the infertility community. For more information on the daily virtual events, the National Infertility Awareness Week Web site at www.resolve.org/takecharge.

(10-14-08)

Fires in the home can start in an instant and spread in seconds, leaving families with as little as two minutes to escape from a residential fire. However, with smoke alarms, escape plans and good fire safety practices, two minutes is enough time for families to evacuate unharmed. October serves as national fire prevention month to remind everyone about the importance of fire safety and prevention.

Although burns are among the most painful injuries a person can live through, the most common cause of fire-related deaths is smoke inhalation. Cooking is the most frequent cause of house fires and almost two-thirds of all house fire-related deaths occur in homes without working smoke alarms.

"Working smoke alarms can decrease an individual's risk of dying in a house fire by nearly half," says Nichole Hodges, MPH, CHES, home safety program coordinator, Center for Injury Research and Policy (CIRP) of The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital. "Most houses do have at least one smoke alarm, but many do not work because the batteries are missing or dead. Most children who die or are injured in a house fire live in a home without working smoke alarms."

Not only should smoke alarms be tested monthly, but batteries should be replaced once a year, unless the smoke alarm has a longer-lasting lithium battery. Also, smoke alarms should be replaced every 10 years.

"Smoke alarms need to be installed on every level of your home, even in the basement," says Hodges. "There should be a smoke alarm outside of each sleeping area, and, for better protection, a smoke alarm inside each bedroom as well."

Along with smoke alarms, Hodges encourages all families to develop and practice a fire escape plan. Fires spread much more quickly today than they did 20 to 30 years ago because of the synthetic materials in homes. Escape plans are especially vital for children younger than 5 years old and adults older than 70 years old because they are at higher risk of dying in a house fire and often need assistance to escape.

"Fire escape plans should be practiced until they are second nature," says Fire Chief Ned Pettus, Jr., City of Columbus, Ohio, Department of Public Safety. "Once your family gathers at your safe meeting place, you can call the fire department."

Chief Pettus also stresses the need for businesses to practice fire safety. Compliance with fire code requirements should be maintained, fire drills conducted and emergency action plans and exit route maps must be posted and distributed to all employees. He suggests that businesses choose leaders for emergency evacuations and decide how to help disabled co-workers to safety.

(10-14-08)

Joely Fisher and her husband, Christoper Duddy, have adopted a baby girl, according to People magazine. Olivia Luna Fisher-Duddy weighed 7.5 pounds and was 19 inches long. She joins siblings, Cameron, 22, Collin, 20, Skyler, 7, and True, 2.

(10-07-08)

Did fertile water in the Australian Outback help Nicole Kidman get pregnant? That's what the actress told an Australian magazine. She said that swimming in Australian Outback waterfalls may promote fertility and could be the reason for her surprise pregnancy. Kidman and her husband, Keith Urban, welcomed Sunday Rose in July 2008.

(10-07-08)

Latin singer Ricky Martin cemented a new parental trend when he became a father of twins via a surrogate mother last month. Spotlighting a rapidly growing trend among modern-day singletons, both male and female – many are becoming a biological or adoptive parent, despite being single.

While single women pioneered this trend using donor sperm in the mid '80s, the numbers have steadily increased, and industry consensus is such that there is now an increasing number of single men – both gay and straight – choosing to become fathers through surrogates and other means.

Ricky Martin isn't the first single parent to go it alone. Tina Fey's character in the recent movie Baby Mama also showcased the emerging option of surrogacy and IVF, but other high-profile singles such as Angelina Jolie (pre-Brad Pitt) and Sheryl Crow pursued adoption, paving the way for many other singles to become parents. While third-party reproduction is skyrocketing as an option for singles, adoption agencies also agree that there has been an increase in the number of singles inquiring about adoption – both women and men.

Nancy Block, alternative conception expert and founder of The Center for Egg Options Illinois (CEO), explains that there has been a definite shift in the way people now look at parenthood, particularly as alternative means such as egg and sperm donation, surrogacy and adoption become more common and more widely accepted. "While in the past we worked mostly with couples, we have seen an increasing number of single parents – both men and women – inquiring about their options for having a child," she says.

• Surrogacy agencies, surveys on adoption and father support groups all say that they are seeing more single fathers by choice.(New York Times, 2008)
• Single-father households are on the rise – 2 million households were headed by unmarried fathers in 2007, compared with 1.8 million in 2000 and 1.2 million in 1990 (Census).
• 16 percent of fertility clinics in the United States would not treat single women (Center for Disease Control & Prevention, 2007).
• 73,000 never-married men have adopted a child, a group including those that are single fathers by choice (National Center for Health Statistics).
• 33 percent of children adopted from Foster Care are by a single parent (U.S. DHHS, 2000).
• Most surrogacy agencies in the United States provide a "one-stop" service where men (gay and straight) can find an egg donor and a woman to carry the child.
• Percentage of CEO clientele that are homosexual: 5 percent.
• Percentage of inquiries CEO receives from single men: 10 percent.

To learn more, visit www.egg411.com.

(10-07-08)

In a recent poll commissioned by One World United, LLC, the U.S.-based parent of Proactive Family Solutions (India) (PFS), a majority of American women – 51 percent – report holding a positive view of surrogacy.

"The reality is people sometimes find themselves facing a variety of obstacles inherent in the adoption and in vitro fertilization arenas," says One World United CEO Mendel Zilberberg. "Considering surrogacy as an alternative is made easier by the growing acceptance and popularity of surrogacy as a way to overcome medical, social, emotional or biological barriers, and our company is providing a means to overcome financial, legal and logistical barriers in America and elsewhere."

In the One World United survey, conducted by The Polling Company, Inc., participants were asked for their opinion on surrogacy, which was defined as "an arrangement whereby a woman voluntarily agrees to become pregnant for the purpose of carrying and giving birth to a child for someone else to raise." Fifty-one percent of those surveyed expressed a positive opinion on the subject.

Through the extensive relationships of its parent company, One World United, PFS has access to American and India based staff as well as access to a broad network of world-class doctors and hospitals in India to provide gestational surrogacy in conjunction with either American or Indian egg donors in a safe and affordable manner.

Additionally, PFS addresses all foreign travel and lodging arrangements, including citizen/immigration-related issues such as birth certificates, visas and passports for the newborn and parents, assuring smooth travel to and from India. Working with PFS, intended parents can focus on building their family rather than mundane travel and lodging logistics and the complicated travel arrangements for the newborn.

For more information, visit www.proactivefamilysolutions.com.

(9-30-08)

Supermodel Beverly Johnson is on a mission to get women to Ask 4 questions and Tell 4 or more others about a health condition faced by up to 75 percent of all women in the United States: uterine fibroids.

Although uterine fibroids are common, many women remain uninformed about this condition, and a majority wait up to a year before finding treatment, often despite pain, heavy bleeding and weight gain. Johnson did, and now she is sharing her story to ensure that other women not only avoid silent suffering, but actively seek suitable treatment options now. Women can read Johnson's personal story and learn more about uterine fibroids and their treatment at www.ask4tell4.com.

"It is my personal mission to help ensure that women are informed about uterine fibroids and feel empowered, if they think they have fibroids or are diagnosed with them, to talk with their health care providers about their treatment options," says Beverly Johnson. "When I was diagnosed with uterine fibroids, I didn't know a lot about the condition, and as a result I suffered for a long time, both physically and emotionally. My hope is that women will not be embarrassed to talk about uterine fibroids or afraid to discuss treatment options with their doctors."

Lack of information about uterine fibroids and treatment options can have serious consequences for a woman's health and quality of life. According to a national survey, less than half of the women surveyed could identify non-surgical and uterine sparing options for fibroids. Left untreated, fibroids can cause heavy bleeding, pelvic pain, enlargement of the abdomen, and can lead to reproductive problems.

"Many women silently accept symptoms of uterine fibroids as an unfortunate fact of life, or the result of aging," says Dr. Linda Bradley, Chair of the OB/GYN Section of the National Medical Association and Vice Chair of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health Institute at the Cleveland Clinic. "Others hesitate to discuss their condition because they fear that major surgery is their only treatment option. It is not. Women who have uterine fibroid tumors should know that many treatments are available that can ease their pain and symptoms. While hysterectomy has been the standard surgical treatment for many years, technology has advanced and a number of clinically-proven, non-surgical and uterine-sparing procedures are widely available."

Beverly's Story: Beverly developed uterine fibroids in her 30s, and for years faced symptoms including heavy bleeding, abdominal pain, fatigue and emotional stress. After attempting to manage her symptoms with diet and acupuncture, she consulted with two doctors; both recommended she get a hysterectomy. Unfortunately, Johnson didn't fully understand what a hysterectomy entailed, and she suffered severe complications from the surgery. It took several years of recovery and hormone replacement therapy for her to get her body and life back in balance.

Beverly hopes her willingness to share her story will encourage women to learn about the variety of uterine fibroid treatment options available today, so they can play a more active role in talking with their doctors to select the treatment that best suits their condition and lifestyle.

For more information, visit www.ask4tell4.com. (9-23-08)

Results of a nationwide survey of infertility patients undergoing an assisted reproductive technology treatment (ART), such as in vitro fertilization, reveal that patients prefer ENDOMETRIN® (progesterone) Vaginal Inserts to progesterone-in-oil (PIO) injections, and to all other vaginal progesterone supplements. The reasons cited most frequently for their preference includes easy, convenient and pain-free administration.

Adequate progesterone support is considered extremely important for a successful pregnancy. Since natural progesterone production may be compromised by ART, progesterone supplements are used extensively for luteal phase and early pregnancy support. There are several forms: oral, injection and vaginal – tablet inserts, vaginal capsules, suppositories and gels.

"The survey confirms what we hear all the time from patients – that when they reach the final stage of their IVF treatment, the last thing they want is another series of shots or inconvenient treatments," says Christine Stroup, registered nurse. "Our patients are very pleased with ENDOMETRIN because it's simple to use and very convenient."

The Evaluation of Attitudes and Satisfaction with Endometrin Survey of 212 patients was commissioned by Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc. to compare patient satisfaction with ENDOMETRIN, the most recent progesterone supplement to enter the market, with all other progesterone supplements.

Here are other key findings:

• More than 90 percent of patients would recommend ENDOMETRIN to a friend undergoing infertility treatment, 84 percent would request it for their next treatment cycle, and 93 percent found the dosing regimen easy to fit into their daily routine. When asked to describe it in three words, the most common were easy, convenient, painless and comfortable.
• The vast majority found the vaginal inserts more convenient (87 percent), comfortable (89 percent) and easier to administer (95 percent) compared with injections, taken by 154 respondents. Of the women who needed a partner to administer the shots, most (65 percent) said their partner felt anxious about it.
• Of the 62 women who used the capsules administered vaginally, most said ENDOMETRIN was more convenient (74 percent), comfortable (nearly 70 percent) and easier to administer (83 percent).
• Patients found suppositories, made by the pharmacy, awkward to administer without an applicator. Of the 83 women who used them, nearly 90 percent said they melted or leaked, and more than half said they caused irritation.
• Nearly 80 percent of the 26 gel users said gel created build-up, nearly 50 percent found gel messy to administer and more than one-third said it caused irritation.
• While 20 of the 40 women who used the oral form preferred the administration convenience of ENDOMETRIN and 13 preferred the oral supplement, the oral form is widely considered less effective than other options.

(9-23-08)

Lamaze International and the International Childbirth Education Association (ICEA) will hold a joint conference in 2010 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of both organizations. This marks the first time the two organizations will combine their forces to create an optimal, comprehensive conference experience for childbirth educators around the world.

The conference will be held September 30 – October 3, 2010, in Milwaukee. This united meeting will aid in promoting the shared vision of these two organizations: to educate women and their families about pregnancy, birth and early parenting. As maternal deaths and medical interventions in labor continue to rise, the conference comes at a pivotal time in maternal-child health care.

"Together, Lamaze International and ICEA will celebrate a half-century of educating women about birth and their options," says ICEA President Jeanette Schwartz, ICCE-CD, LCCE. "The joint conference will create a beautiful synergy whereby both organizations can draw upon each other's strengths to create an unparalleled conference experience for those who share our passion."

"We're thrilled this partnership will create a potent event, robust in both educational and networking events," says Lamaze International President Allison J. Walsh, IBCLC, LCCE, FACCE. "Childbirth educators, doulas, nurses, midwives and doctors who are interested in attending should save the date and plan on joining us for this one-of-a-kind event."

For more information, visit www.lamaze.org or www.icea.org.

(9-23-08)

Families who eat together are more likely to stay together, as the saying goes. One University of Missouri researcher has discovered that the importance of mealtime also applies to newlywed couples, not just families with children.

After surveying 1,000 newlyweds, David Schramm, assistant professor of human development and family studies in the MU College of Human Environmental Sciences, discovered that the No. 1 complaint for newly married couples was balancing both jobs and "togetherness" time. "There are so many demands for our time and the first thing to go are meals together," says Schramm, who also is an MU Extension state specialist.

Schramm said that while more couples are dining out, simply eating together may not be enough. The tasks surrounding mealtime – food preparation and cleanup – also can be beneficial to a relationship. "The purpose of the task is not just to get the task done, but also to strengthen the relationship with time spent together," Schramm says.

Couples who start this pattern before having children are more likely to eat together when they do have children. According to the American Dietetic Association, children who regularly eat meals with their families eat more fruits and vegetables and less saturated fat than children who do not. Studies from The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse show that teens who eat dinner with their parents six times a week are less likely to smoke cigarettes or marijuana and less likely to consume alcohol. Eating as a family helps foster a sense of connectedness in the family, and provides an ideal setting for adults to encourage positive communication and social skills in their children.

Whether there are six chairs around the table or two, one piece of advice remains the same: Turn off the television. "Eating together in front of the TV is crowding out family," says Schramm. "It's time to excuse the TV. It's not welcome at the dinner table."

(9-23-08)