This fact sheet was developed in collaboration with The Society of Reproductive Surgeons

Miscarriage, or spontaneous abortion, occurs in about 15 to 20% of all pregnancies, regardless of how they were conceived. Most early losses are a result of the conceptus being genetically abnormal. As few as one in three human conceptions is genetically normal, but most of the genetically abnormal conceptions are lost before the woman even knows she is pregnant. Even so, some genetically abnormal conceptions do survive long enough to result in a recognized pregnancy.

There are certainly some things that you as a couple can do on your own to enhance and improve your chances of conceiving. We would strongly encourage you to initiate each of these steps as soon as possible.

For modern moms-to-be, preparing for the birth of a child involves physical training in addition to childbirth education classes and decorating the nursery. Comments by women who continued to exercise throughout their pregnancies support the theory that staying fit eases labor and delivery. According to Amy, a pilot for a major airline, exercise made a big difference. She says, "In contrast to my first pregnancy where I did almost no exercise, this time I gained less weight and remained more agile and active in every phase of my life." Betsy, an attorney and amateur tennis player, agrees.

Pregnancy: Help Keep Teenage Pregnancy Rates Down by Making Responsible Choices With over one million American teenage girls becoming pregnant every year, the United States holds the title for having the highest rate of teenage pregnancy in the industrialized world. To gain a clearer picture of this statistic, that breaks down to one out of five sexually active girls becoming pregnant. However, while those numbers are a bit overwhelming, pregnancy rates have been on the decline in the past few years. Helping Young Women Decide

Ovulation induction is a term that refers to the administration of medication to stimulate ovulation. These medications range from clomiphene to gonadotropins to combinations of the two. Gonadotropins are injectable ovulation stimulating hormones that are identical to the hormones secreted by the body. With the administration of these injectable medications, the circulating levels of these hormones are increased, resulting in the stimulation and growth of multiple eggs.

Actos, the latest drug in a long line of medications used for treating various blood sugar disorders, may offer hope to infertile women suffering from Type II diabetes or polycystic ovarian syndrome/disorder (PCO)**. In short, the theory behind PCO is that the body does not effectively use the insulin it produces, usually leading to, among many other problems, irregular menstrual cycles and high blood glucose levels, making it very difficult to conceive a child.

Ms. Elizabeth Paul (not her real name) was my last appointment of the day, and she brought a thick medical file that described all the medical tests and treatments she had been through. She had consulted doctors on three continents, and was now seeking another medical opinion for her problem of unexplained infertility. She had had four laparoscopies, performed by various doctors in different parts of the world - and had been through six insemination treatment cycles.

A few weeks ago we were at the county fair. While roaming around the exhibit buildings, we ran into a couple we sang with in choir a few years ago. Sheîs 40, heîs 30; theyîve been married over a year. They donît have kids, but would like to. When I asked her about it some time ago, she said they werenît having any luck. I inquired as to what they had tried, and she replied they were just -winging it.° I told her of my own infertility struggles and offered help as someone who writes about fertility issues as a profession, but she politely refused, saying -winging it° was just fine.

Life is not fair. I don't know how many times in the course of a week that I have to say that. It's the only simple explanation I have as to why some folks must endure rigorous testing, invasive procedures, drugs and, sometimes, pure utter emotional hell in their efforts to conceive a child, while others can practically just look at each other and - Poof! - another little bundle of joy is on the way.

Any woman who has been trying to conceive for very long soon develops a love-hate relationship with pregnancy tests. Last year, consumers spent $191.0 million on home pregnancy tests (HPTs). This has increased from the previous year's figure of $180.6 million.

I have always heard that there were women out there with regular-as-clockwork cycles, those who could set their calendars by their menstrual cycles. There are also those who can even pinpoint the moment of ovulation by the familiar aches of mittleshmirtz, or ovulation pain. Then there's me. I can go six, nine, and even 12 months without having a menstrual cycle. Because it happens so rarely, it is almost impossible for me to detect ovulation pain.

It was 7 AM. My husband whisked himself out of bed and hopped into the shower. Trying to make up for lost time, he skipped his usual shave. Meanwhile I laid in bed for the next 20 minutes with my hips hiked up to what felt like the ceiling. Maybe, this time would be the month.

Your body is a wonderful creation. If you are just now beginning to plan pregnancy, then you probably do not realize how many steps it takes for your body to conceive a child. If you have been at this a while, then you probably never thought you'd know so much about your body.

So, you are ready to get pregnant. You have your finances and medical insurance in order, your partner is supportive of the decision to have a child, and you feel ready to begin a new journey. Before you begin trying to conceive, there are some things to consider. Healthy moms, healthy babies

A miscarriage, or spontaneous abortion, is a pregnancy that ends by itself within the first 20 weeks, usually because the pregnancy is not developing normally. A baby is considered stillborn when it dies after the first 20 weeks. Experts estimate that about half of all fertilized eggs die and are miscarried, usually even before the woman knows she is pregnant.

I have been trying to conceive for two years now and recently I read an article about dysmenorrhea. I feel that I have some signs of this, like painful periods that bring me to tears. I also read that it can cause infertility. How true is this? Should I discuss this with my doctor before getting fertility tests done?

Mercury is a chemical element, often found in the environment, either as part of it, either as a result of the pollution. In water, air and soil, mercury easily takes place in food and in large quantities is highly toxic, causing serious health problems. Thus, mercury can irreversibly impair neurological function, and if you are pregnant, baby is affected nervous system. Also, children who eat more than rich in mercury are put in jeopardy the development of cerebral. The fish, a food rich in mercury

Asherman's Syndrome is a gynecological disorder causing a decrease in menstrual flow, abdominal pain, cessation of menstruation and infertility. In females with the disorder, such symptoms and findings occur due to inflammation of the lining of the uterus (endometritis) and the development of bands of scar tissue abnormally joining portions of the uterus (intrauterine adhesions and synechiae). Dr. Stefan Semchyshyn describes Ashermanîs Syndrome as -a house that is being overrun by cobwebs.° The scar tissue becomes so dense that is impossible for a baby to grow.

Causes There can be many reasons why you don't easily become pregnant. Only a third of those trying fall pregnant each month, although some of these will miscarry before they even know they're pregnant. The most common reasons include hormonal problems and blocked fallopian tubes in women, and a low sperm count in men. What will your GP do?