Category Archives: Полезные статьи

Dear friends, in an in vitro fertilization procedure the oocytes which are extracted, fertilized and develop well can either be transferred to the uterus of the woman (the so-called fresh embryo transfer – usually on Day 3 or 5 after the puncture) or frozen and transferred in a subsequent cycle (frozen embryo transfer).

In an embryo transfer procedure (fresh or frozen), 1 to 3 embryos are returned to the uterus. The number of embryos to be returned depends on many factors like the age of the woman and the quality of the embryos and is decided by the treating physician together with the patient(s). If a patient has more good quality embryos than those returned in the fresh embryo transfer, those embryos usually go for freezing. They can be warmed and transferred in subsequent cycle(s) in case the patient does not become pregnant from the fresh transfer or wants to become pregnant again. The frozen embryo transfer gives the patient the opportunity to become pregnant without going through every step of the IVF process once again, which saves a lot of time and money.

The procedure of embryo vitrification has been perfected to such an extent than pregnancy rate from frozen embryo transfers is the same as pregnancy rate from fresh transfers.

Do not despair if you do not get pregnant from the fresh embryo transfer! If you have frozen embryos, use them!

Chemical pregnancy is a type of early miscarriage which happens around the menstruation date, which is why many women never find out they were pregnant.

Symptoms are heavy bleeding and cramping. It is devastating to have a chemical pregnancy after a positive test. However, chemical pregnancies are a sign that you can get pregnant.

Embryos with chromosomal abnormalities are the primary cause of chemical pregnancies. Other causes include clotting problems (the so-called thrombophilia), thyroid problems, endometriosis, chlamydia, syphilis.

Many women who are trying to conceive experience a chemical pregnancy. If you have had 3 consecutive chemical pregnancies, you need some further testing. Other than that, this does not mean you’ll never be a mother and the good news is that you can continue with your attempts to get pregnant immediately.

When they hear the word “stress,” most people think of something bad and harmful. In many cases, however, stress is useful – it helps us better adapt to our environment and become better at what we are doing. A good example of this is working out, which subjects our body and muscles to stress but it is the only way to get stronger and more resilient. So, you should not be concerned about stress per se but rather about it becoming too much.

Pregnancy is accompanied by a number of changes, some of which invariably increase the level of stress in your life.

For pregnant women too much stress increases the risk of premature birth, low birthweight and high blood pressure. Stress hormones such as cortisol reduce your body’s ability to deal with pathogenic bacteria and viruses. This results in an increased risk of infections which lead to pregnancy complications.

HOW to DEAL with STRESS during PREGNANCY?

1. TALK TO WOMEN who HAVE GIVEN BIRTH! For many pregnant women, pregnancy itself becomes a source of stress. The baby’s health and delivery pain are among the most common causes of stress. Fortunately, a conversation with someone who has already been through it all can be very calming for most pregnant women.
2. DO NOT WORK TOO MUCH! If you decide to continue working while you are pregnant, it is better not to overload yourself with additional tasks. You are growing a whole new person inside of you and that is worth slowing down for.
3. EAT HEALTHY and WORK OUT REGULARLY (with your doctor’s permission). Proper nutrition and regular physical activity will improve your mood and ease the discomforts of pregnancy.

Beware and remember that the period of pregnancy is one of the most wonderful moments in life before birth. Have fun and enjoy every moment!

Dear friends, most of you love the aroma and taste of coffee, but how it аffect over our body will be discussed in the following publication.

A cup of coffee in the morning?

Sure, but you have to be careful if you are trying to conceive.

HOW MUCH COFFEE is TOO MUCH?

According to apopular research article published in the prestigiousmedical journal the Lancet in 1988 “women who consumed more than the equivalent of one cup of coffee per day are half as likely to become pregnant, per cycle, as women who drank less”. This finding was explained by the fact that caffeine, present in coffee, tea and chocolate, is a vasoconstrictor (e.g. it makes your blood vessels constrict). This was thought to result in reduced blood supply to organs, including the uterus, which in turn meant lower chances of becoming pregnant.

The subject was further investigated in a number of research articles published more recently and none of them find scientific evidence for such a correlation between coffee and fertility. It has been proven, however, that women who consume more than 900 mg of caffeine per day are more likely to have an early abortion.

So, in conclusion, it would be wise to cut back on caffeine when you are trying to conceive. That way it would be easier for you to stay away from it once you are already pregnant.

What is the ALTERNATIVE?

Psychologists claim that decaffeinated coffee can work as a placebo and give you a boost of energy. In order to «trick» your brain, put decaf coffee in a «normal» coffee container. This way you can enjoy your drink without worrying it will affect your chances of getting pregnant.

Dear friends,

Cancer is undoubtedly a very serious diagnosis. Prophylaxis and timely diagnostics are the best routes to successful treatment. We should not forget, however, that quality of life following treatment is not any less important. What contributes more to a good quality of life than family and children?

That is why fertility preservation is especially important for patients who have not had children yet.

WHY CHEMO- and RADIOTHERAPY DECREASE FERTILITY?

Cancer treatments aim to destroy rapidly dividing cells. However, this group of cells is not limited to cancer cells. It includes the cells of the gastrointestinal tract, of hair follicles, the ocytes and the spermatozoa. Therefore, there are many side effects associated with chemo- and radiotherapy, including a decrease in fertility. The extent of this decrease depends on the medications and the dosages used, the doses of radiation used in the radiotherapy as well as the fertility status of the patient before the start of the therapy and her/his age.

In all cases, however, the safest way to preserve your fertility is to freeze your eggs/ sperm before the chemotherapy/radiotherapy commences.  The frozen samples can be used at a later time for in vitro fertilization or intrauterine insemination depending on the case.

If you or someone you know finds themselves in a situation like this, share this information with them! Unfortunately, it is still not common practice amongst oncologists in Bulgaria to refer their patients for gamete freezing.