1. Fertility: The ability to conceive and have children, the ability to become pregnant through normal sexual activity.
Infertility is defined as the failure to conceive after a year of regular intercourse without contraception.
Infertility is on the rise in many countries. The proportion of women in the US having their first baby at or after age 30
has quadrupled since the mid-70s. This is important because the probability of having a baby decreases by 3 to 5% a
year after age 30 and even faster after age 40. The switch from condoms and diaphragms to nonbarrier methods of
contraception has also raised the risk that an STD (sexually transmitted disease) will compromise the ability to
conceive and bear a child.
Fertility depends on many factors including the production of a sufficient number of healthy sperm by the male,
delivery of the sperm into the vagina, passage of the sperm through the uterus up into the fallopian tubes, and
penetration of a normal ovum (egg) by one of the sperm. A successful pregnancy also requires that the fertilized
ovum become implanted in the lining of the uterus.
To conceive a child, a woman must ovulate -- she must release a mature egg from one of her ovaries --and her male
partner must ejaculate tens of millions of mature, motile sperm. While sperm form throughout a man's reproductive
life, a woman is born with all the eggs she will ever have. Over the years, her supply is depleted (of about 7 million
eggs present at birth, only 400 make it to ovulation) and the remaining eggs age, diminishing their reproductive
capacity.
A sperm must be reach and penetrate the egg as it travels from the ovary to the uterus. The fertilized egg must then
be able to divide many times, implant in the uterus, and form the placenta that is its lifeline until birth. If the fallopian
tubes have been damaged by pelvic infection, or there is endometriosis (misplaced growth of the uterine lining),
fertilization or implantation may not be possible.
A normal menstrual cycle involves the release of an egg once a month. That egg can survive up to 24 hours. The
easiest way to know the fertile time is to chart the menstrual cycle on a calendar. A woman is most likely to be fertile
10 to 14 days after the start of menstruation.
A woman can better detect ovulation by recording her basal body temperature, using a special thermometer
(available at pharmacies) to take her temperature each morning after waking, before doing anything else (including
going to the bathroom) and record the reading on a chart that comes with the thermometer. When a woman ovulates,
her basal body temperature rises about one degree and remains elevated until her next period.
Definition:
1. [noun] the ratio of live births in an area to the population of that area; expressed per 1000
population per year
Synonyms: birthrate, birth rate, rate, natality
2. [noun] the state of being fertile; capable of producing offspring
Synonyms: fecundity
3. [noun] the property of producing abundantly and sustaining growth; "he praised the richness of
the soil"
Synonyms: richness, prolificacy
Synonyms:
 Search for synonyms for FERTILITY

2.  Welcome to Fertility Concepts, a specialty practice offering Total Fertility
Care.
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tailored to your needs, from the simplest information about the "facts of life" to
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8 Ways to Boost Your Fertility
Trying to get pregnant? Pay attention to simple things -- diet, timing of sex, even your
lubricant -- and you may conceive faster.
By Kathleen Doheny
WebMD Feature
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
If you're like most couples who are trying to conceive, you want to get pregnant sooner rather than later.
Having intercourse as close as possible to ovulation can definitely help. But fertility experts say there are
other ways men and women can boost their fertility. These simple measures can increase the chances
that next month will be the month you'll squeal: "We're pregnant!"
Read on for the best suggestions culled from fertility specialists who often recommend these measures
before turning to assisted reproduction.
See When You're Most Fertile During Your Monthly Cycle
1. Her Fertility Booster: Weight Control
Being underweight or overweight can delay the time it takes a woman to conceive, research suggests.
Preconception weight is often an overlooked factor in fertility, says William Gibbons, MD, director of the
division of reproductive endocrinology and infertility at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and
president-elect of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. But research suggests keeping a

3. healthy weight can help with conception. "I am not sure women think about it as an issue for their fertility,"
he says.
In one study, researchers evaluated the body mass index (BMI) of 2,112 pregnant women. A BMI of 18.5-
24.9 is considered normal weight, 25-29.9 is overweight, and 30 or higher is obese.
Women in the study who had a pre-pregnancy BMI of 25-39 had a twofold increase in the time it took to
get pregnant. A lower BMI is even worse, the researchers found. Having a BMI below 19 increased the
time to conception fourfold. The study was published in Fertility and Sterility in 2004.
Gibbons tells women to stay at a healthy weight when trying to conceive.
2. His Fertility Booster: Protect Those Sperm
Over the years, researchers have investigated whether everyday exposures -- to such things as tight
underwear, heated car seats, laptop computers, or cell phones -- may impair male fertility.
The idea that changing to looser underwear -- boxers instead of briefs -- will boost fertility by keeping
genital temperatures down is now somewhat of an old wives' tale, says Dale McClure, MD, president of
the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. He is also a clinical professor of urology at the
University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle.
Although earlier studies seemed to point to boxers as the better choice for preserving fertility, McClure
says, ''some of the more scientific data in the past few years didn't show a major difference.''
What about exposing the testicles to other sources of heat? The American Society for Reproductive
Medicine says controlling temperature doesn't play much of role in boosting fertility. But some doctors,
including McClure, do recommend staying away from certain sources of heat. Sitting in a hot tub day after
day, even if a man has no known fertility problems, should be avoided, McClure says.
8 Ways to Boost Your Fertility
Trying to get pregnant? Pay attention to simple things -- diet, timing of sex, even your
lubricant -- and you may conceive faster.
By Kathleen Doheny
WebMD Feature
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
If you're like most couples who are trying to conceive, you want to get pregnant sooner rather than later.
Having intercourse as close as possible to ovulation can definitely help. But fertility experts say there are
other ways men and women can boost their fertility. These simple measures can increase the chances
that next month will be the month you'll squeal: "We're pregnant!"
Read on for the best suggestions culled from fertility specialists who often recommend these measures
before turning to assisted reproduction.
See When You're Most Fertile During Your Monthly Cycle
1. Her Fertility Booster: Weight Control
Being underweight or overweight can delay the time it takes a woman to conceive, research suggests.

4. Preconception weight is often an overlooked factor in fertility, says William Gibbons, MD, director of the
division of reproductive endocrinology and infertility at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and
president-elect of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. But research suggests keeping a
healthy weight can help with conception. "I am not sure women think about it as an issue for their fertility,"
he says.
In one study, researchers evaluated the body mass index (BMI) of 2,112 pregnant women. A BMI of 18.5-
24.9 is considered normal weight, 25-29.9 is overweight, and 30 or higher is obese.
Women in the study who had a pre-pregnancy BMI of 25-39 had a twofold increase in the time it took to
get pregnant. A lower BMI is even worse, the researchers found. Having a BMI below 19 increased the
time to conception fourfold. The study was published in Fertility and Sterility in 2004.
Gibbons tells women to stay at a healthy weight when trying to conceive.
2. His Fertility Booster: Protect Those Sperm
Over the years, researchers have investigated whether everyday exposures -- to such things as tight
underwear, heated car seats, laptop computers, or cell phones -- may impair male fertility.
The idea that changing to looser underwear -- boxers instead of briefs -- will boost fertility by keeping
genital temperatures down is now somewhat of an old wives' tale, says Dale McClure, MD, president of
the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. He is also a clinical professor of urology at the
University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle.
Although earlier studies seemed to point to boxers as the better choice for preserving fertility, McClure
says, ''some of the more scientific data in the past few years didn't show a major difference.''
What about exposing the testicles to other sources of heat? The American Society for Reproductive
Medicine says controlling temperature doesn't play much of role in boosting fertility. But some doctors,
including McClure, do recommend staying away from certain sources of heat. Sitting in a hot tub day after
day, even if a man has no known fertility problems, should be avoided, McClure says.
8 Ways to Boost Your Fertility
Trying to get pregnant? Pay attention to simple things -- diet, timing of sex, even your
lubricant -- and you may conceive faster.
By Kathleen Doheny
WebMD Feature
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
If you're like most couples who are trying to conceive, you want to get pregnant sooner rather than later.
Having intercourse as close as possible to ovulation can definitely help. But fertility experts say there are
other ways men and women can boost their fertility. These simple measures can increase the chances
that next month will be the month you'll squeal: "We're pregnant!"
Read on for the best suggestions culled from fertility specialists who often recommend these measures
before turning to assisted reproduction.
See When You're Most Fertile During Your Monthly Cycle
1. Her Fertility Booster: Weight Control

5. Being underweight or overweight can delay the time it takes a woman to conceive, research suggests.
Preconception weight is often an overlooked factor in fertility, says William Gibbons, MD, director of the
division of reproductive endocrinology and infertility at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and
president-elect of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. But research suggests keeping a
healthy weight can help with conception. "I am not sure women think about it as an issue for their fertility,"
he says.
In one study, researchers evaluated the body mass index (BMI) of 2,112 pregnant women. A BMI of 18.5-
24.9 is considered normal weight, 25-29.9 is overweight, and 30 or higher is obese.
Women in the study who had a pre-pregnancy BMI of 25-39 had a twofold increase in the time it took to
get pregnant. A lower BMI is even worse, the researchers found. Having a BMI below 19 increased the
time to conception fourfold. The study was published in Fertility and Sterility in 2004.
Gibbons tells women to stay at a healthy weight when trying to conceive.
2. His Fertility Booster: Protect Those Sperm
Over the years, researchers have investigated whether everyday exposures -- to such things as tight
underwear, heated car seats, laptop computers, or cell phones -- may impair male fertility.
The idea that changing to looser underwear -- boxers instead of briefs -- will boost fertility by keeping
genital temperatures down is now somewhat of an old wives' tale, says Dale McClure, MD, president of
the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. He is also a clinical professor of urology at the
University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle.
Although earlier studies seemed to point to boxers as the better choice for preserving fertility, McClure
says, ''some of the more scientific data in the past few years didn't show a major difference.''
What about exposing the testicles to other sources of heat? The American Society for Reproductive
Medicine says controlling temperature doesn't play much of role in boosting fertility. But some doctors,
including McClure, do recommend staying away from certain sources of heat. Sitting in a hot tub day after
day, even if a man has no known fertility problems, should be avoided, McClure says.
says he still wouldn't recommend that a man who wants to be a father keep his laptop on his lap for
extended periods of time.
In another study, Cleveland Clinic researchers collected sperm samples and found that those samples
exposed to the radiofrequency electromagnetic waves from cell phones for one hour were adversely
affected compared to samples not exposed. In a report published in Fertility and Sterility, the researchers
conclude: ''We speculate that keeping the cell phone in a trouser pocket in talk mode may negatively
affect spermatozoa and impair male fertility."
Despite that finding from respected researchers at a well-regarded institution, McClure says he is "more
concerned about hot tubbing."
3. Her Fertility Booster: Watch the Beverages
Drinking too much coffee or too much alcohol can impair a woman's fertility, the American Society for
Reproductive Medicine says.
Experts say that more than five cups of coffee a day or the equivalent, about 500 milligrams of caffeine,
are associated with lower fertility. In another recent study, the researchers who looked at body weight
also looked at caffeine and tea intake. They found that drinking more than six cups a day had an adverse
effect on fertility.

6. But don't give up your daily cup of coffee just yet. Moderate caffeine consumption, says Gibbons, seems
to be OK. According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, one or two cups a day is
acceptable. His advice for women who are coffee or soda drinkers: "Stay under 200 to 250 milligrams of
caffeine a day."
The studies on alcohol intake and women's fertility have produced mixed findings. But Swedish
researchers reporting in Fertility and Sterility have found that women who drank two alcoholic beverages
a day decreased their fertility by nearly 60%.
Once again, moderation is key, say experts. Although those higher levels of alcohol, such as two drinks
or more a day, should be avoided when trying to get pregnant, "there is no evidence to indicate that more
moderate alcohol consumption adversely affects fertility," according to the American Society for
Reproductive Medicine. And, of course, once you find out you are pregnant, you'll want to cut out the
alcohol completely because drinking can increase the risk of birth defects.