Saturday, March 2, 2013

World Class Hospitals in Dakar, Senegal


Dakar is the capital and largest city of Senegal and homes National Assembly of Senegal. Dakar, located on the western edge of Africa is a major regional port and also a well-known commercial and administrative center. Dakar is a member of the Organization of World Heritage Cities. Dakar was the finishing point of the famous Dakar Rally ('Paris to Dakar Rally') up to year 2009.

Dakar has a number of hospitals in both public and private sectors. Nevertheless, health care centers of global standard with modern facilities are not so common in the city. Still some of the leading hospitals in Dakar are well equipped and offer good quality health service.

This is a note on some of the popular hospitals in Dakar.

The Principal hospital?is the oldest and most popular public hospital in Dakar and is located?at 1, Avenue Nelson Mandela, Dakar. This huge hospital established by the French Empire in 1890 belongs to the Great Colonial Hospitals, the world famous?network of hospitals in former French colonies. The hospital which was operated by the?Colonial Health Service with the help of French government has a small beginning as a military hospital and then, after more than a century of existence, developed in to an internationally renowned modern hospital that offers best and cost effective?health care service to a very large number of native and foreign people. They have also established a second general hospital in Dakar named Le Dantec?Hospital with more than thousand beds in 1912.The hospital offers modern medical service in all major disciplines and employs eminent doctors including some famous French doctors. The hospital has all sophisticated?medical equipment and is keen to keep international standard in all their operations. The dense vegetation and tropical gardens around the hospital as well as the comfortable rooms provide a very pleasant stay for the patients. This famous research and training center has a separate school for nurses and midwives in the same campus. Tel. (+221) 33 839-5050. Emergency Services Tel.: 839 5050 Ext. 5294

Clinique du Cap?is one of the major private hospitals in Senegal and the hospital is situated?at Avenue Pasteur, near old Palais de Justice. B.P. 583. Dakar. This excellent hospital offers high quality clinical, diagnostic and surgical service in all major areas of medicine like departments of general medicine, cardiology, neurology, ophthalmology, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, dermatology, orthopedics, trauma, respiratory allergy, anesthesia, urology, rheumatology, proctology, radiology, plastic and reconstructive surgery and oto-rhino-laryngology. The hospital is well equipped with four operating rooms, maternity unit with modern facilities, pediatric and neonatology?unit with various incubators, Intensive Care Units and special adult ICU. Their general biology laboratory and reproductive biology laboratory?provide service in hematology, immunology, bacteriology, biochemistry, parasitology, hormonology, cytology?and Vitro Fertilization (IVF).The hospital has all sophisticated medical equipment needed to deliver effective health care which includes medical imaging unit, dental X-ray device, two mammography, three mobile X-ray, a bone densitometry?unit, an apparatus color doppler ultrasound, a helical CT.,two image intensifiers?for surgery and MRI magnetic imaging unit. Clinique du Cap offers excellent accommodation in spacious and air-conditioned rooms as well as various delicious dishes. Special Deluxe (VIP) rooms are also there. Their urgent medical assistance?service (S.A.M.U) is also remarkable with fully equipped ambulance and modern devices like cardio scope, respirator and pulse oximetry.. Tel. (+221) 33 889-0202

Clinique de la Madeleine?is another renowned hospital in the city that offers quality health care service of global standard. This seven-floor multidisciplinary hospital is situated at 18, Ave. Des Jambaars, Dakar. This modern private hospital has 70 beds provided in 50 air-conditioned and comfortable rooms. In these 35 rooms are single, five are suites and 12 are two bedded rooms. Clinique de la Madeleine offers effective diagnostic, clinical and preventive medical service in all major departments of medicine and their well equipped Department of Surgery with two operating theaters and one post-operation observation room provides service in areas like emergency surgery, elective surgery and plastic surgery. Eminent psychologists, dieticians, speech therapists and osteopaths are also practicing in the hospital. The operation theaters and allied rooms are equipped?in accordance with?the recommendations of the SFAR?and perform?720-800 regular and emergency operations annually, of which 30-40 % are laparoscopic. The hospital has modern ICUs?and 3 delivery rooms where about 1,000 deliveries are conducted?each year. Their pediatric unit is also noteworthy with various types of incubators and intensive phototherapy lamp, all manufactured by the MEDIPREMA. The Laboratory of Clinique de la Madeleine is remarkable with excellent service in hematology, biochemistry, serology, and bacteriology. The hospital has discovery room, radiology unit and hemodialysis unit. Clinique de la Madeleine is well known?for using the?latest medical technology and possesses all modern medical equipment ike cardiac and vascular ultrasound Doppler, Holter?ECG and Holter blood pressure, a helical CT, an MRI, stress test echo Doppler, ultrasound endoscopy, scanner etc. Tel (+221).33 821 9470/ (+221) 33 821 9476

Give Birth a Chance


In our culture, birth is unfortunately presented as a scary illness where something can go wrong at any second. If you buy that then you should know that many elderly people die on the toilet due to straining while, well, you know why people strain on the toilet. (This is a result of stimulating the vagus nerve, which causes a big drop in heart rate; not so good if you've got a bad ticker). Why then are people over the age of 65 not strongly advised to go to the hospital or their clinic whenever they have to poo? Because it's ridiculous, that's why. Because it's a normal, natural process...

I firmly believe that healthy pregnant women have the right to have their babies at home or in birth centers attended by midwives. Why is that? This is how they do it in many other areas of the world. But just because everyone else does something doesn't mean we should follow suit, right? Wrong. The United States has higher fetal and maternal death rates than some third world countries and since only 1% of babies are born at home, one can only deduce that this is happening in the hospital. How can this be when we have so much wonderful technology available? It's that technology that gets us in trouble. Women are no longer taught to trust their bodies. We are given the message that we need a machine to tell us when we have contractions or when the baby is ready to come out. Trust me, you know.

Continuous electronic fetal monitoring keeps women strapped to the bed when the only conclusion that has come from numerous studies is that EFM leads to many unnecessary c-sections. Not to mention the fact that all these wires keep women stuck in bed to labor on their backs, which is the MOST uncomfortable position to have your baby in. The only worse position would be to do it upside down. However, if someone were able to profit from it, I'm sure it would be suggested that women give birth that way.

There are other reasons for our terrible statistics: hospital-acquired infections, inducing too early, induction period that causes way too much stress on the baby with harder and faster contractions. Using Cytotec, an ulcer drug used to soften the cervix that has been proven to rupture a woman's uterus and cause fetal death. This of course leads to more epidurals earlier in labor, which leads to exhaustion and higher vacuum and forceps use and c-sections. Not to mention the fact that women aren't allowed to eat when they are about to face the most grueling work their bodies can do. Would you set off on a cross-country road trip on an empty tank of gas? Didn't think so. This used to be done to prevent women from aspirating during surgery but today most women are awake during a c-section and fully aware of when they will be sick.

The domino effect of medical intervention is staggering considering that most of them are completely unnecessary. Birth is a normal, natural process. Women have historically tended to other women during labor and birth. It wasn't until male practitioners came along that everything took a turn for the worse. Don't get me wrong. Doctors are great. Women with high-risk pregnancies need those doctors and the technologies that the hospitals provide. But most women aren't high risk. And the ones that are told they are should really do their research and be fully educated on the reasons for their high-risk classification before they take anyone's word for it. A woman has the right to decide how she wants her birth to go. We need to throw the fear out the window and give birth a chance.

Resources include: Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, by Ina May Gaskin. Misconceptions, by Naomi Wolf and The Business of Being Born, produced by Ricki Lake and directed by Abby Epstein.

5 Invaluable Tips on Becoming Pregnant Fast


How to become pregnant fast? Many people want to know the answer to this question. There are some tips which will definitely improve your chances on becoming pregnant fast. Let's look at the 5 main ones, but you should only follow these tips if you know that there are no other medical problems with you and your partner. But if you or your partner do have medical problems then you should address them first by checking it out with your doctor.

Tip 1: is to generally improve your health before trying to conceive. Very often people suffer infertility as a result of a bad life style. Things like regular moderate exercise; healthy eating, avoiding contact with chemicals and normalising your weight can help enormously in trying to conceive.

Reducing (or better still eliminating) alcohol and nicotine consumption will play a positive role in your efforts to conceive a healthy child. Relaxation and feeling happy are also major points in your preparation for a healthy pregnancy. Remember that it is extremely difficult to become pregnant if you are stressed and horribly unhappy. Falling pregnant will simply not happen for you if you are in a bad mood all the time.

Tip 2. Don't try to have sex all the time during the cycle. It will make you and your partner tired and then sex becomes a chore. Remember that it is not the amount of sex that will get you pregnant; it is having sex t the right time that will do the trick. For younger women it is only 1 or 2 days in a month when they are able to become pregnant (if your ovulation comes monthly). But for older women (above 35 years) ovulation may come once in a few months and the older you get the less your chances of having regular ovulation are. It could become even as rare as once in 6 months. That's why it becomes more difficult to get pregnant when you are older. It is still possible just more difficult.

Tip 3. According to a new research study of University of North Carolina the best predictor of the time to have sex that will lead to a pregnancy: is sex that occurs when fertile cervical mucus is present. Fertile cervical mucus helps sperm to swim easier and faster it also makes the penetration of the egg easier because of the special environment the fertile cervical mucus produces around the egg. Unfortunately fertile cervical mucus is not present for a long time. It can be 1 to 2 days only, so it is very easy to miss the exact time. The best way to detect fertile cervical mucus is to do self-examination and measure basal body temperature. One big problem with ovulation prediction kits is they are not very helpful in predicting fertile mucus, so if you use this kind of kit you can miss out.

Tip 4. It is important to deliver adequate amounts of sperm when you have sex during ovulation. For this reason it is the best to abstain from sexual activities 2-3-4 days before your ovulation begins. If a couple has sex frequently before the fertile time (ovulation time) the amount of sperm delivered when the time is right becomes poorer. Although a man can produce the same volume of sperm at each ejaculation, the quality of sperm decreases if you have sex every day. Abstaining for a few days helps to built up a good amount of sperm. Abstaining means no ejaculation at all. Abstaining also makes sex more enjoyable.

Tip 5. According to many studies your chances of falling pregnant are higher if you enjoy the sex and have an orgasm during sex. When a woman has an orgasm all her genital muscles relax including the cervix and uterus. This relaxation makes it easier for the fertilized egg to imbed in the uterus lining and continue to grow. For women who are stressed and take sex as a chore this phase in conception (when egg imbeds in the womb) does not happen because the uterus is very rigid and tensed.

To conclude, these five tips can help many couples to become pregnant faster. Don't dismiss these rules by saying "I know that all." Try them and follow them for some time, you will see result. All these methods are free to do and don't take a lot of time or effort, but more importantly they improve your health, your sex life and relationship between both of you. Learn more about how to become pregnant fast.

Anxiety and Depression - How You Can Give Up Perfection and Heal Your Anxiety and Depression!


Are you experiencing anxiety and depression? Have you ever thought that the cause may be the fact that you are a perfectionist in an imperfect world? Here are some suggestions to help you let go of perfection and start enjoying life again.

1. Lower your expectations of yourself and others.

Realise that you may be stressing yourself needlessly into anxiety and depression by holding yourself up to a high benchmark that you may not be able to meet. You may also be judging other people as guilty of not meeting your high ideals. People are going to act according to their values, not according to your standards.

You have the power to lower that benchmark yourself by simply noticing where you think you or another person "should" be different and just decide to allow whatever is, to be exactly as it is right now.

2. Decide to let go of the way things should have been.

If you are depressed, you may be angry or sad that something did not turn out the way you would have wanted it.

Just realise that you may still be holding on to the way things "should have been" rather than letting go and moving on. If they could have been that way, they would have been. Acceptance is the key to progressing in life. You can do that right now by giving up perfection for acceptance and health. Just try it now and see how you feel.

3. Challenge your thinking.

If you are anxious and depressed, maybe it's time to ask yourself who said you need to walk with fear everyday as your companion? You can choose to have faith by your side each day instead, if you so choose but you have to make that a conscious choice.

Are you constantly worried about someone or maybe you are worried that something bad is going to happen?

All that is happening is that you are living in a possible future where you are resisting whatever may or may not happen and frightening yourself in the process.

Bring your focus back to the present moment and just realise "right here, right now, all is well as it is". Be willing to accept, rather than resist, whatever may or may not happen in the future, when it occurs, to save yourself needless worry.

Trust that you will be able to deal with whatever happens, if and when it does.

Anxiety and depression can be alleviated if we choose to start believing that everything happens for a good reason in our lives to help us grow in some way. Just putting the above suggestions into practice will help you feel lighter and begin shifting your life for the better.

Fertility Supplements That Help You Get Pregnant


When trying to get pregnant, many times we can fail to conceive because our diets are lacking in the nutrients necessary for a successful conception and pregnancy to take place. Even when we are very careful about our diet and "eat well", our diet can still be insufficient.

When trying to get pregnant your main objective should be is to try and create the healthiest eggs and sperm possible, and in the woman, the most fertile environment possible so conception can occur.

Often, with many couples, an ordinary diet lacks the necessary nutrients a healthy pregnancy requires. The body knows this, and until the nutrient levels are there, doesn't conceive.

So in order for the body to receive the nutrients it needs to conceive nutritional supplements are often required to supplement even the best most carefully planned diets.

There are a wealth of supplements available. A short stroll through you local supermarket or health food store reveals an array of choices; Fertility Supplement, Prenatal Vitamins, Fertility Blend, Natural Fertility Supplement, and so on.

The key is not so much what brand you buy, although quality is important, but more important is that the supplement you buy contains all the nutrients needed for high fertility. To achieve this you may have to buy more than one supplement to make sure you cover every nutrient.

Whether you buy a single supplement product or you need to buy quite a few different ones, it or they should contain the following:

- Vitamins A,E,D

- Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12

- Biotin, Cholene, Inositol, PABA

- Folic Acid

- Vitamin C and Bioflavinoids

- Calcium

- Magnesium

- Potassium, Iron, Manganese

- Zinc

- Chromium, Selenium, Iodine

- Evening Primrose Oil

- MaxEPA

After taking supplements containing all of these, apart from giving your body everything it needs to conceive, you should feel greater well-being and notice higher levels of energy. How these supplements benefit you in terms of you conceiving are as follows:

Vitamin A - For men, vitamin A is necessary for sperm production and production of testosterone. In women it keeps the cilia in the fallopian tubes healthy, and deficiencies in either men or women could lead to infertility and miscarriage. Vitamin A is a known antioxidant so it plays an important role in detoxifying your body.

Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, PABA, Folic Acid, Inositol, Choline - These vitamins usually occur together and are necessary for balancing estrogen and progesterone, as well as the production of sex hormones. For male fertility the B group is especially important. Vitamin B5 is needed for the testes to be healthy, high sperm count and motility require Vitamin B12, and Inositol is needed for a healthy prostate gland. A deficiency in Vitamin B can result in a miscarriage or risk of the baby being stillborn.

Vitamin C and Bioflavinoids - Because Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant it works to eliminate toxins in your system, like lead for example. Vitamin C encourages ovulation in women who haven't been producing eggs and who may be anovular. In men it prevents the sperm from clumping. However a deficiency of Vitamin C during the period of conception and early pregnancy can result in a miscarriage.

Calcium - You need calcium for producing fertile mucus in the vagina. You know it's fertile when it is stretchy. Calcium deficiency can result in toxemia while pregnant.

Magnesium - Estrogen and Progesterone require Magnesium if they are to be produced. If a woman has a Magnesium deficiency the muscle contractions of the Fallopian Tubes can be affected, interfering with the movement of eggs and sperm within the uterus. You know you have a Magnesium deficiency if you crave sugary foods, chocolate in particular.

Potassium - Potassium is necessary for sperm motility and the general wellbeing of glands. Iron - Iron is essential for hemoglobin production and the correct formation of fetal blood. Without enough iron infertility can result.

Manganese - Manganese is involved with building and breaking down genetic material, like nucleic acids. It also plays a part in the secretions from glands that affect a womans' maternal instinct, her desire to love and nurture her child. Deficiencies in Manganese reduce sperm count and can result in infertility.

Zinc - Zinc is required for a healthy sperm count and for the sperm to be well formed. Zinc deficiency can result in chromosomal abnormalities in the sperm and low levels of testosterone. For women, low zinc can lead to a miscarriage. Whether male or female zinc is very important to your reproductive health.

Chromium - Chromium helps with glucose metabolism, which stabilizes blood sugar levels.

Selenium - Healthy levels of Selenium help males with sperm production and motility. It is a known antioxidant and can help remove toxins from the body. Low levels of Selenium reduce sperm production and sperm motility.

Iodine - The thyroid gland the balance of hormones in the body and for it to function properly it needs Iodine. When a woman has a thyroid gland that is not sufficiently active she may not ovulate during her cycle.

Evening Primrose Oil and MaxEPA - These two contain Omega 3 essential fatty acids which are important for providing what body needs for building cell membranes and body structures. They are also necessary for correct hormone balance and prostaglandin production. In females they help with bloodflow in the uterus. Deficiencies of essential fatty acids can lead to chromosomal defects and miscarriage.

Search your local health food store or supermarket for a supplement product or a combination of products that contain all of the vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids mentioned above. Taking the recommended daily doses of these will provide your body with all the nutrients it needs for it to become a highly fertile environment where conception can occur.

Copyright 2006 Helene Kvist

7 Free or Low Cost IVF Treatment Programs That You May Not Know About


A major obstacle for many couples considering IVF is the cost. Here are some options you may not know of that would help with the cost of IVF treatment.

IVF Research Trials for Free or Inexpensive Treatment

Some infertility clinics have IVF research or treatment trials that receive IVF funding and grants. Research your area or online to see if there are any you qualify for. You will want to do your research on the fertility clinic to make sure that it is reputable, as well as check out the facility to make sure the staff is friendly and the rooms and equipment are clean. An IVF trial will be inexpensive, and you may even able to get free IVF treatment.

Find an Infertility Clinic That Does Shared IVF Cycles

A shared IVF cycle is where two women go through the first part of the IVF process at the same time, then one woman donates some of her eggs to another woman who cannot use her own eggs in exchange for a reduced rate determined by the fertility clinic. You could save up to 50% on your IVF costs. The only negative with this is that you may end up not having any eggs to freeze if your cycle isn't successful.

Find a Infertility Clinic That Does Shared Donor Egg Cycles

With a shared donor egg cycle, two or three women share a donor's eggs, and they all share in the cost of the IVF treatment. The only negative to this is if the donor doesn't have enough eggs for a shared cycle.

Consider Undergoing IVF Treatment Outside the US

IVF costs outside the United States can be significantly lower. IVF treatment is cheaper in many countries, including most of Europe, Asia, and Mexico. Costs can be as low as $5,000 and there are excellent doctors, facilities, and treatments abroad.However, you need to do your research to determine exactly what is covered in the price of the treatment, just as you would do for treatment in the US, as well as take into consideration the cost of travel and room and board while you are there. Additionally, if you are unable to travel, you can also look into getting your IVF medications abroad. This could also reduce the cost of your IVF treatment.

Find a Fertility Clinic that has a Refund or Shared Risk Program

A refund or shared risk program is a prepayment plan where you would get a partial or full refund if a pregnancy (or in some cases, a live birth) does not come out of your IVF treatment. You would pay a flat fee up front for a certain number of IVF cycles. If you don't get pregnant after your cycles, you will get 70-100% of your payment back. There are some limitations depending on the fertility clinic's policies in terms of age and services covered.

Consider Mini IVF

The only difference with Mini IVF is the drug and hormone regimen that take place first. There are less drugs used for ovary stimulation. With Mini IVF, less but more high quality eggs are produced. The rest of the IVF process is the same in that the woman is monitored throughout the drug regimen process, and egg retrieval, embryo fertilization and embryo transfer all take place, just like in traditional IVF. The costs of Mini IVF are significantly lower, costing $3,500 to $7,000 per cycle instead of $12,000- $15,000 per cycle.

Check Your Insurance Plan

Check to see if your insurance company covers any costs of fertility treatment. Some insurance companies do cover some, if not all of in vitro fertilization treatment. 15 states actually require insurance companies to have some sort of IVF coverage, usually in the form of infertility diagnosis and treatment. The states are: Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas and West Virginia.

I hope this has given you a starting point in finding ways to make IVF treatment affordable for you. There are low cost IVF options out there, you just need to know where to look to find the option that works best for you.

Friday, March 1, 2013

Hospitals - Various Types of Services That Are Provided


For proper diagnosis or even to perform various types of surgeries, at times it gets important to admit people in hospitals. In some of the major cities in the US, like Pocatello (Idaho) and Idaho Falls (Idaho) you would find that most of the doctors are, in one way or the other, affiliated with one or more hospitals. Such healthcare facilities provide different types of services that mainly cover both inpatient and outpatient procedures and surgeries.

In almost all hospitals you would find that there are various types of services that are offered. Some of them are:


  • Maternity: In most of the hospitals, in some of the major cities in the US, like Pocatello (Idaho) and Twin Falls (Idaho), you would find maternity care being provided. Such healthcare institutions have rooms that have all the necessary facilities for expectant mothers to give birth to their babies, nurse them, and also to recover from the delivery. For pre-mature babies you would also find newborn intensive care facilities.

  • Surgery: Surgery facilities are one of the most common things which you would find in almost all hospitals. They have all the necessary equipments to perform any type of surgeries like transplants, dealing with broken bones, and also heart surgeries. Some hospitals employ full-time surgeons, whereas some have affiliated doctors to take care of surgeries. Some of the most common surgical services include nursing care, anesthesiology services, and rooms for both pre and post-operations.

  • Emergency Care: You would notice in a number of major hospitals, availability of provisions for emergency care for a number of serious cases. There would be a number of emergency rooms where staffs help the patients to stabilize till they are good enough to be shifted to a room and finally released after proper treatments.

  • Nursing: In any healthcare facility, you would find quite a number of nurses being employed. They have to work in various sections of a hospital and have to take care of the regular needs of those patients who stay in the rooms of the healthcare facility.

If you are looking for reliable hospitals - Pocatello (Idaho) and Hailey (Idaho) are some of the cities in the US where you can visit Bingham Memorial Hospital. They strive hard to improve the overall health status of the community. In case you want to know more about their numerous services, feel free to check out their official website.

Analyzing The Different International Health Insurance Policies


Canvassing is a good way of qualifying an international health insurance policy. This is very crucial especially in these times of economic difficulties when people measure their expenses and try to save on money whenever possible.

It is recommended that you find out what are the provisions of the insurance policy given to you by your employer. Without the appropriate international health insurance could mean stellar costs in medical treatment for you and your family. There are certain aspects in analyzing policies for its price, coverage and services.

Although there are many insurance companies which provide international insurance coverage, it is wise to first check on the integrity and performance of the company, especially when you are traveling abroad and are not used to such service providers. It would be well worth your time to browse over endorsements of different companies and their regulations, including client referrals with satisfactory feedback. This would be good starting points in making a prudent analysis of your insurance company.

It would also be ideal for you to weigh the amount of insurance you need or desire, including the scope of services you will need when you are traveling abroad. The different health insurance companies give a wide array of coverage, from the simplest to the most comprehensive, and with this range of choices, it would be prudent to check and verify the different provisions included in a particular international travel health insurance policy.

There are basic policies which include limitations to medical treatments like consultations with a physician and the simple in-patient services and emergency care. While some companies offer maternity care as part of its basic services, other companies offer the same as additional coverage. Checking for the basic provisions of your international insurance policy would be most appropriate.

Insurance companies also offer additional policies to your basic insurance coverage. This enhances your benefits but at the same time adds up to your price tag. Additional services may include maternity care, prescriptions, substitute treatments, eye care, dental care, and outpatient treatment and services in the course of your travels abroad.

Comprehensive coverage can also be chosen by the discriminating people. While this may vary depending on the service provider and the location of the policy coverage, this international insurance package normally covers a whole range of medical treatments and services greater and more significant than the basic insurance package. This could include peripheral health services such as full dental services, dietary consultations, and wellness programs.

Additional considerations are worth checking, such as the policy coverage for different locations and destinations. Some services are not applicable in certain territories, so it would be wise to check on this matter. You should also check the coverage in terms of reimbursement of costs with regards to hospital room accommodations. The reimbursement amounts should also be considered in relation to the premiums to be paid, to verify if these are cost effective.

Natural Endometriosis Treatment Which Can Help You Get Pregnant!


Natural endometriosis treatment is by far and a way the best method of trying to improve your fertility. Infertility medication has been shown to be quite unsafe and not terribly effective. On the other hand, the natural methods you can use have minimal side effects and have been shown to have a 70% success rate amongst Asian couples.

I strongly advise investing in a renowned guide teaching you exactly how to use herbal medication for your specific needs. There is one in particular that a client of mine suffering from endometriosis found extremely useful. I will talk about this book later.

Natural Endometriosis Treatment - How does it work?

This treatment is designed to facilitate  proper hormone balance in the body. This is absolutely crucial for conceiving and getting rid of ovarian cysts and endometriosis. An overabundance of estrogen is a typical cause of cysts and endometriosis. This mix of herbs will help to regulate this.

Natural Endometriosis Treatment - What else will happen?

Endometriosis sufferers often experience bleeding, muscle cramps and pain. These usually are the result of inflamed tissue in the uterus. Particular herbs are selected specifically to target and reduce these inflammations therefore eliminating the pain and the bleeding.

Natural Endometriosis Treatment - How Long Does it Take?

This obviously depends on your specific condition but most women can see improvements and even conceive within 8 weeks of using such medication properly.

The guide that I recommend has a 2 month guarantee so that if you don't see sufficient gains after 2 months of using the guide properly, you can claim your money back and let me tell you, the refund rate is under 1%! Learn more about it; natural endometriosis treatment.

All in all, it is best to give herbal treatment a go before embarking on the long and uncertain path of IVF or IUI treatment. The beauty is there is almost zero cost and zero risk of side effects if you follow the guidelines properly.

Parenting Book Review: (Misconceptions) Truth, Lies and the Unexpected on the Journey to Motherhood


Naomi Wolf's newest book, Misconceptions, is a testament to her own experiences and prejudices about childbirth. Ms. Wolf shares her own culturally-learned fears about childbirth but fails to recognize that this is in response to 100 years of medical society propaganda. Although she has access to research and studies documenting the safety of homebirth and non-medical midwifery, she paints birth outside an institution as dangerous. She chose to give birth with obstetricians in high risk hospitals and had cesareans both times. I think the book could have been more aptly titled, "(Misrepresentations) My Pain Phobia and Justification for My Cesareans."

I heard about this book through discussions on the internet which praised it for setting the record straight about childbirth. After looking at the book myself, however, I have come to an entirely different conclusion. It is simply another book, written to justify the unwarranted use of medical intervention and sequelae, unnecessary cesareans, and excuse bad maternity care decisions. Instead of accurately depicting birthing choices in America, Ms. Wolf used this book as a vehicle to promote her own opinions and discredit traditional midwives, homebirth, full-time motherhood and ecological breastfeeding.

Ms. Wolf places great importance on the book "What to Expect When You're Expecting", as though this is some highly regarded research book or the childbirth Bible. Sadly this book is written to promote the medical model of care and justify the many interventions foisted upon women who choose to have hospital births. She carefully goes through the many routine hospital procedures and explains the many risks and few benefits of each, yet she apparently did not believe her own research.

Those who have fought for years to eradicate the meaningless term "lay midwife" will immediately recognize Ms. Wolf's superficial understanding of birth attendants. Her repeated use of this term is a clear indicator of her lack of research and knowledge of childbirth. I half expected to see the terms "redskin" or "nigger" pop up during discussion about minority statistics.

She writes as a fact, "homebirth is now as safe as hospital birth." Now as safe? It has always been at least as safe! An entire book, The Five Standards by David Stewart, gives thousands of studies and statistics which conclude that homebirth is safer than hospital birth.

I took great offense at her term, "Naturalists," (pages 182-186) to describe anyone who would dare to promote or give birth without high-technology. She explains that this option "has been presented as so rigid .with such extreme requirements of courage and faith. It was for that reason that my husband and I would not consider it as an option." I wonder, what research led her to this conclusion? Judging from many comments which salt her book, it would seem she is her own source of "factual" information.

Anyone who promoted birth without drugs is included in this Naturalist group and portrayed as romanticizing the birthing event. Ina May Gaskin, however, is somehow exempt from this group and given the title, "The Patron Saint." It is obvious that Ms. Wolf is in awe of Gaskin, yet wasn't converted by her to better educate herself and choose a less interventive childbirth. It is also apparent that Ms. Wolf did not read the original Spiritual Midwifery book. If she had, she would have learned that Ina May wasn't exactly "a self-taught, lay midwife" but that her earliest training had come from an obstetrician (who also provided medication and instruments) and a local physician who provided friendly back-up for years. She also would have learned that the Farm clinic included a physician.

It is curious that Ms. Wolf is intrigued by free-standing birth centers and offers them up as a perfect choice for women. She is somehow under the impression that pain-relieving drugs are readily available for those who give birth at these centers, yet her depiction of Elizabeth Seton indicates a transport to the hospital for those who wish an epidural. How this is an improvement over one's own home is a mystery to me. Perhaps it is her fascination with institutions? and her phobia about pain?

Complete Mother readers will find her descriptions of breastfeeding revolting: "become someone's addiction." And quoting Sarah Hardy, "once nursing begins, bondage is a perfectly good description for the ensuing chain of events (and) lives on a mammary leash." How sad she didn't bother to go to a Le Leche League meeting or meet someone who was content breastfeeding. We can only guess that she probably was bottle fed, and lacking the nurturing of being breastfed herself, is compensating by portraying breastfeeding in a dim light.

Her social programs which would improve the world basically abdicate parental responsibilities to the government. She wants paid extended maternity leave, tax deductions and benefits to relatives who come to help the new mothers, on-site day care and nurseries, lots of hospital support programs, hospital statistics disclosure, parentless playgrounds monitored by "young people" so "an active, thoughtful mother, father. (won't be) uncomfortable at the playground." Basically she wants the government to act as nanny so she can get her work done. "Work" being something far more important than caring for her children herself.

Save yourself a few hours of frustration wading through this tripe. Instead, make a pot of raspberry leaf tea, give the older kids a fun project to do, put your feet up and put baby to breast and read the books she ignored: The Five Standards, Under the Apple Tree, The American Way of Birth, Being Born, Birth at Home, Your Baby, Your Way, Special Delivery, Labor Pains, Silent Knife, Malpractice: How Doctors Manipulate Women, Obstetric Myths Versus Research Realities, Gentle Birth Choices and back-issues of The Compleat Mother Magazine.

Post Pregnancy Exhaustion


Many first time mothers are very surprised to find how much their lives change after the birth of their new baby. They tend to imagine that their lives will be structured in a peaceful way around the routine of caring for the baby and that every thing will run smoothly and efficiently. However, they soon find once reality kicks in that nothing goes like clockwork once you have a new baby in the house, that nights and days turn upside down and they even discover TV shows in the early hours of the morning. And of course one of the biggest problems for a new mother with this new lifestyle is exhaustion.

Fathers can suffer from exhaustion too! It is said that parents in general miss out on about 10% to 20% of their normal sleeping hours during the first year of their baby's life.

Unfortunately, such fatigue for new mothers can last for months depending on how well your baby sleeps and how good you are at napping when you can. Most new mothers start to feel less exhausted after 2 to 3 months. Although, recent research has found that contrary to popular belief that such post natal exhaustion is in the first 6 weeks after birth, it was actually found that many women were more exhausted at 14 to 19 months post partum than they were at 6 weeks. Could it be that this is linked to those months when your baby first starts to walk and you are having to watch them so carefully and are literally following their every move?

Some of the symptoms of severe exhaustion in new mothers are:

o Inability to concentrate

o Difficulty thinking

o Nervousness

o Lack of self-confidence

And these symptoms may well be linked to possible postpartum depression or anemia.
If you were anemic during your pregnancy or you lost a lot of blood at delivery, you may well need to continue taking prenatal vitamins and separate iron supplements. It is best to have a check up with your doctor in these circumstances.

The high prevalence of fatigue among women who have given birth is a concern that should not be taken lightly because sometimes it can be a symptom of larger medical problems such as postpartum thyroiditis (PPT) which is a thyroid dysfunction. Apart from exhaustion, some of the other symptoms for PPT are goiter, dry skin, constipation, weight gain and cold intolerance. And there are certain risk factors in some women for developing PPT such as:

o Goiter and the presence of antithyroid antibodies in the first half of pregnancy.

o A previous history of PPT.

o A family history of thyroid disease

o The presence of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

If as a new mother, you suspect that you may be experiencing a thyroid dysfunction you should contact your doctor for treatment to improve this condition.

Five Benefits of Breastfeeding for Mother and Baby


Breast milk is the ultimate food source for infant development, and has benefits that will help the mother maintain life-long health. When we consider these benefits, it becomes clear why the World Health Organization and other medical organizations are stressing the importance of breastfeeding. New mothers, who choose to breastfeed, are encouraged to do so through at least the first 12 months of the child's life. During this year, the infant experiences the most growth and development it will experience over the course of its lifetime.

Breastfeeding Boosts Brain Power

The fatty acid DHA is plentiful in breast milk and helps to stimulate healthy brain function. While it is replicated chemically in infant formulas, it not as easily absorbed by the infant's stomach and is therefore less effective. Additionally, studies have shown that the strong bond between mother and baby, formed by breastfeeding, may contribute to increased intelligence. This strong bond encourages the infant to explore the world safely, within the mother's reach and spurs the ability to learn.

Illness Protection

Mothers that breastfeed their children pass important antibodies through their breast milk that help to develop immunities to disease. These antibodies teach the infant's immune system how to fight off the infection and prevent them from getting ill. The suction associated with the infant's latch on the mother's breast can help to keep ear passages clear and can prevent a child from developing ear infections.

Reducing the Risk of Depression

Postpartum depression, ranging from mild to severe, affects 70% of new mothers every year. Its effects can be straining and can put both mother and baby in danger. Breastfeeding releases oxytocin into the mother's blood stream. Oxytocin is the hormone associated with happy emotions, and euphoria. These calming hormones are an effective natural treatment for postpartum depression.

Beat the Odds of Breast Cancer

Studies have shown that women who breastfeed for at least one year have a drastically reduced risk of getting breast cancer. The link may be associated with the reduction of estrogen during the breastfeeding period; high amounts of estrogen in the body have been linked to some cancers in women. Researchers are still studying the potential links between breastfeeding and cancer prevention.

Customized Super Food

Breast milk is amazing, and it is constantly transforming to suit the needs of the infant. The mother's body acts as a sensor for the environment and makes adjustments to the fat content, water content and particular antibodies needed to keep the breastfeeding child as healthy as possible. This is a truly remarkable advantage over infant formulas!

When mothers breastfeed their children, they provide them with the absolute best, and natural, food source possible. Some women are deterred from breastfeeding because of social stigmas or, most commonly, a frustrating experience in the nursing process. It's important to consult a specialist or a volunteer lactation advocate to assist during a difficult situation. Breast milk is proven best, and every attempt should be made to provide this benefit to every child.

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Guide to Employment Law in China


I. EMPLOYMENT LAW LEGISLATION

1. What legislation governs employment law in China?

Employment law in China is governed by a relatively comprehensive set of laws, more recently supplemented in late 2007 to strengthen workers' rights.

Major laws include:

- Labour Law of the People's Republic of China (1994) ("Labour Law")

- Labour Contract Law of the People's Republic of China (2007) ("Labour Contract Law")

- Labour Arbitration and Dispute Resolution Law of the People's Republic of China (2007) ("Labour Arbitration Law") (effective May 1, 2008)

- Trade Union Law of the People's Republic of China (1994)

These laws and then supplemented by a myriad of national and local laws, regulations, measures and circulars.

2. Are there different laws which govern foreign-invested employers and domestic Chinese employers?

The Regulations on Labour Management in Foreign Investment Enterprises (1994) governs employment by Sino-foreign equity and cooperative joint ventures, along with Sino-foreign joint stock companies. The Regulations very much mirror that of the Labour Law. Additionally, as any inconsistency with the Labour Law will be resolved according to the higher-level law, little reference is made to these Regulations.

II. LABOUR AGREEMENTS

1. What are the different types of employment contacts?

Employment in China, like most other jurisdictions, is divided into full-time and part-time. According to the Labour Contract Law, part-time employment is defined as a labour relationship in which the employee works, on average, no more than 4 hours per day and no more than the aggregate of 24 hours per week.

Employment relationships which exceed the hours in this definition are termed full-time employment, which is further divided into 3 types:

1) fixed term: expiry date agreed upon at outset;

2) open-ended / non-fixed term: no expiry date stipulated; or

3) project-based / completion of defined task: contract to expire on completion of pre-defined project or task.

2. What are the requirements of a labour contract?

According to the Labour Law and the Labour Contract Law, other than part-time employment, all labour contracts must be in writing and contain the following terms:

- name, address and legal representative of the employer;

- name, address and identification number of the employee;

- term of labour contract;

- job description and work site;

- working hours, rest and vacation;

- labour remuneration;

- social insurance;

- labour conditions, working conditions and occupational hazard prevention; and

- other matters stipulated by laws and regulations.

If the labour contract contains a probationary period only (sometimes called "a probationary period contract"), then the probation term set out therein is deemed to be the term of the labour contract and the probationary period is invalidated.

3. What are the penalties associated with not signing a written employment agreement?

A labour relationship commences on the date on which the employee commences work for the employer, and by law, it is required that a written labour contract be concluded within one month of this time.

If a labour contract is not concluded within the one month of commencement, the employer will be liable to the employee for double labour remuneration, of up to 1 year. After 1 year with no written labour contract, fixed-term labour contracts are deemed to be open-ended.

4. What is the maximum probationary period allowable by law?

Maximum probation periods allowed by law are as follows:

- less than 3 months: no probation period;

- 3 months to 1 year: 1 month;

- 1 year to 3 years: 2 months; and

- 3 years or more or open-ended: 6 months.

5. If I am in the process of establishing a company in China, however, need to hire employees in the interim, what can I do?

Technically, as your China company cannot yet contract, it cannot hire employees until it meets all the formal registration requirements. However, as business requirements dictate that you will need staff immediately or soon after you get started in China, many foreign companies contract with a labour services provider such as CIIC or FESCO to hire the employees and then second them to their start-up operations. They then, either transfer their employment contracts when established or continue to maintain the labour services relationship.

III. WAGES, BENEFITS AND SOCIAL SECURITY

1. What are the components of wages or salaries?

According to the Provisional Regulations for the Payment of Wages (1994), wages or salary are composed of:

- wages based on time;

- wages based on piece-work;

- bonuses;

- subsidies;

- allowances;

- overtime payments; and

- wages paid under special circumstances.

According to the Minimum Wages Provisions (2004) and based on the minimum wage standards promulgated locally, employers may not pay their employees less than the current minimum wage standard.

2. What are the standard working hours and when am I required to pay overtime?

The standard working hours in China are 8 hours per day, 5 days per week, for a maximum working period of 40 hours, with 2 rest days (typically Saturday and Sunday). Any additional requirements by the employer must be compensated according to the standard set out below:

- Working days: 150% standard wages;

- Rest days: 200% standard wages; and

- Holidays: 300% standard wages.

3. What are the national public holidays?

National public holidays (as of 2008) are set out below:

- New Year's Day (January 1): 1 day;

- Spring Festival (lunar new year, typically January or February): 3 days;

- Women's Day (March 8): half day for women;

- Qingming Festival (April 5): 1 day;

- May Day (May 1): 1 day;

- Dragon Boat Festival (5th day of 5th lunar month): 1 day;

- Mid-autumn Festival (15th day of the 8th lunar month): 1 day; and

- National Day (October 1 - 3): 3 days.

4. What are the social security payments required by law?

Employers are obligated to provide the following benefits and social security payments to employees:

- Basic old age insurance;

- Unemployment insurance;

- Medical insurance;

- Maternity insurance; and

- Work-related injury insurance;

The employee and employer jointly contribute to the first 3 types of insurances, while the employer alone contributes to the latter 2, with rates varying based on location of employment.

IV. NON-COMPETE AND CONFIDENTIALITY

1. Can all employees be subjected to non-compete obligations?

Not all employees can nor should be bound by non-competition obligations. The Labour Contract Law limits employees who may be bound by non-compete obligations to:

- senior management;

- senior technical personnel; and

- those employees who have access to business secrets of the employer.

It is required that the employee and employer conclude a written agreement, either separately or in the labour contract, with regards to term, scope, territory, compensation during the non-compete period and liquidated damages for employee breach.

The maximum term for the non-compete is 2 years.

2. What are the typical compensation requirements for non-competes?

Although it is required that compensation be paid on a monthly basis to the employee during the non-compete period, the law does not state a standard amount. In practice, it is common to pay at least 50% of the employee's wages.

3. Are liquidated damages permissible for breach of non-compete obligations?

Yes.

V. TERMINATION AND 'LAYOFFS'

1. Under what circumstances can an employee be terminated without notice?

An employer may terminate an employee without requirement for notice in the following situations:

- during the probation period, if the employee is determined to be unfit for the position;

- employee materially breaches employer's rules and regulations;

- employee engages in serious dereliction of duty, graft or corruption causing substantial damages to the employer's interests;

- employee has established an employment relationship with another employer and that relationship affects the completion of his tasks and he refuses to appropriately remedy the situation after employer notification;

- employee used fraud in concluding the labour contract; or

- employee is subject to criminal investigation.

2. Under what circumstances must an employee be given notice of termination?

An employer must give 30 days' prior written notice or payment in lieu thereof, if it terminates the labour contract under the following situations:

- the employee is unable to perform his original duties or re-assigned duties, after returning from medical leave or non-work-related injury;

- the employee is incompetent and remains incompetent after training or adjustment of position; or

- the occurrence of a major change of objective circumstances which were relied upon when signing the labour contract, and the employee and employer are unable to agreed on modified terms of the labour contract.

3. Under what circumstances may an employee terminate the labour contract without notice?

An employee may unilaterally terminate the employment contract without requirement for notice in the following instances:

- employer fails to provide labour protections and working conditions in accordance with the labour contract;

- employer fails to pay remuneration in full and on time;

- employer fails to pay social security payments in accordance with the law;

- employer's rules and regulations violate laws and regulations, harming the employee's rights and interests;

- employer uses fraud, coercion or the employee's unfavorable position to conclude the contract; or

- other situations set out in laws and regulations.

4. In what instances is compensation required and how much?

Severance compensation is due in a number of situations, which are summarized below:

- termination by employee under situations which result in his right to terminate the contract immediately (Item 3, discussed previously);

- termination by employer under situations which require 30 days' prior written notice (Item 2, discussed previously);

- the employee is terminated due to restructuring or difficulties in business operations;

- the labour contract is terminated after being proposed by employer and there is mutual agreement on termination;

- a fixed-term labour contract expires (except where employee refuses to renew the contract on terms equal to or better than previously concluded);

- termination of labour contract due to revocation of employer's business license; and

- termination of labour contract due to bankruptcy.

Employers must pay severance in the amount of one month's salary for each year of service, with half a month's salary for each partial year.

If the employee earns more than 3 times the average monthly wage of the locality, then the compensation will be capped at 3 times the average monthly wage, up to a maximum of 12 months.

5. Can employees be 'laid off'?

Under the following circumstances, labour contracts may be terminated due to business difficulties:

- restructuring due to the Enterprise Bankruptcy Law;

- serious difficulties in production or operations;

- a staff reduction is necessary due to changes in production, technical innovation or adjustment of management operation style; or

- other major changes in economic circumstances relied upon at the time of conclusion of the labour contract, rendering them non-performable.

For large-scale layoffs (20 or more employees, or in smaller organizations where employee layoffs are less than 20 employees but this accounts for 10% or more of the total employees), the employer must first explain the circumstances to the trade union or all employees (where there is no trade union) 30 days in advance, and may reduce the workforce only after consideration of the opinions of the trade union or employees and reporting the restructuring plan to the labour administration.

VI. LABOUR ARBITRATION AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION

1. How are labour disputes resolved in China?

Like most jurisdictions, mediation is the preferred method of dispute resolution, however, this is a voluntary process. The Labour Arbitration Law provides that mediated settlement agreements for salaries, medical fees for job-related injuries, severance and penalties may be entered into court for enforcement.

Labour dispute claims, according to the Labour Law and the Labour Arbitration Law, must first be submitted to the local labour arbitration committee located in the jurisdiction of the employer. The labour arbitration committee must then render its award within 45 days after the dispute has been accepted.

Arbitration decisions are final for employers in the following instances: salaries, medical fees for job-related injuries, severance, and penalties, where the disputed amount does not exceed an amount equal to 12 months' local minimum wage.

Employees and employers (with the exception of those instances set out previously) may within 15 days of the arbitration award submit the dispute to the people's court for hearing.

2. What is the statute of limitations for bringing a labour dispute claim?

The limitation period is 1 year after the employee knew or should have known that their rights have been infringed, however, if the dispute occurs under an existing labour contract, the limitation period does not start until the labour contract has expired or has been terminated.

Pregnancy Over 40 - The Risks and Benefits


You must be excited to conceive a baby. It is really delightful to watch mothers having a baby; the social research data report that a person raise little children very likely to do best at school and become experts. it doesn't mean that you are unable to do a great job if you are more younger, however the possibility of "highly effective" children parenting is better with age.

However, you will still find a small amount of potential risks that may increase due to your age related to your pregnancy. The biggest will be the increased possibility of chromosome issues such as Down syndrome symptom. For your age, the possibility of a chromosome issue is 1 in 42. By having an average level 2 ultrasound, the risk might be cut down about half, to around 1 in 80. This is exactly very safe. There are 79 in 80 probabilities that your baby is not going to born with a chromosome problem, but significantly increased when you were much younger. So, some company offers additional tests to determine and see if the newborn baby carries other chromosome problem such an amniocentesis. This has a lower risk of losing your baby (about 1 in 200), but it is important to consider the health risks as well as health benefits wisely before making a decision.

Any other potential risks depend on your overall health. Some researchers have revealed a higher health risk including growth problems, preterm labor, preeclampsia, hypertension and also diabetic issues. It is actually difficult to factor out the connection between your ages alone with the elevated risks of those health problems becoming obvious when we go through our life, which will make the pregnancy greater risk just by the diseases you have. For this reason, when you are in excellent health, the potential health risks seem to be minimally increased above normal. We currently observe much more carefully for problems. However, usually you would probably have normal treatment except if an issue found during your routine visits.

For anyone who is over 35 years old and currently pregnant, a doctor might recommend to you to be of advanced maternal age group. Many women from age 35 - 40 years old have healthy pregnancies. Mainly because the majority of women above 35 are usually have an excellent health condition. Very good prenatal care and attention and also healthy and balanced lifestyle help you minimize some specific potential risks. When issues do happen for pregnant women over 35, most of them will be successfully cured. It doesn't matter how old you are, contact your doctor before trying to have a baby

For today, simply be enthusiastic about your pregnancy. You'll discover that perhaps you may be a little more tired unlike the time you were twenty year old that you'll have more pains and aches, and then there will probably be days and nights you ask yourself the reason why you did this. But the good news is, you're going to be the mature stable mom each and every child needs to have.

Tips on Preparing For an IVF Cycle


Infertility is termed as failure to conceive after months of trying for pregnancy without the use of any contraceptives. When you are diagnosed with infertility then the first thing you need to find out is the reason behind this infertility. IVF treatment is pursued once other treatments have failed to achieve pregnancy. Starting IVF treatment can be an exciting but nerve wracking experience. IVF treatment is the very first treatment tried when an egg donor is being used, there are severe cases of male infertility or a woman's fallopian tubes are blocked.

IVF treatment is often successful, though, it may take more than one try. Studies show that the potential for success with IVF treatment is the same for up to four cycles. IVF treatment is quite stressful. Just looking over the schedule of ultrasounds, blood work, injections and so on can make you feel fragile. Even the fertility drugs may change your moods.

Infertility and IVF can be pretty stressful and at times you may feel sad and worried; you and your partner may even struggle in your relationship together.

Following question and answers will help you to easily manage your IVF treatment.

What is the history and success of IVF?

The first successful IVF pregnancy in the world occurred in England in 1978 by Doctors Step toe and Edwards. Now, almost thirty years later, IVF is accepted as a standard treatment and in many cases as a first-line treatment for infertility, resulting in the birth of more than one million babies worldwide.

Is IVF treatment required for you?

IVF is recommended for women with blocked tubes or missing fallopian tubes and it is the best treatment available. It is also used when other conditions are present, including endometriosis, male factor infertility and unexplained infertility in which no medical cause for infertility can be found.

What is the age limit for women to undergo IVF treatment?

Successful pregnancy outcome with treatment is largely related to female age, particularly when using the woman's own eggs. Most clinics have a certain upper age limit after which they will not perform in vitro fertilization (IVF) with the woman's own eggs. The age limit for ivf treatment is somewhere between 42 and 45 in most programs. When donor eggs are being used, the age of the egg donor is the important issue. With egg donation, the age of the recipient does not seem to affect the chances of success. There are instances of pregnancy with the age above 60 also.

What's involved in IVF?

IVF is a complex procedure. That is why prior to undergoing IVF treatment, patients have an IVF orientation with their physician who will fully explain the IVF process, including pre-IVF investigations and processes. All IVF patients will receive instructions on the proper timing and administration of the fertility medications involved in the IVF treatment cycle.

Whether to transfer one embryo or more than that?

It is in the hands of the patients to decide how many embryos to transfer. It cannot be ensured that each embryo transfer will become a baby. One easy way of improving the chances of achieving a pregnancy in an IVF cycle is by transferring more embryos. However the risk of having a multiple pregnancy also increases with more embryos transferred. Normally the number of embryos to be transferred should be decided based on patients age and how many times they have tried IVF previously. If you are under 35 and have never tried IVF before, then transfer of 2 embryos is suggested.

How can you improve the chances of IVF Treatment?

If a success is required in an ivf cycle one should avoid alcohol and tobacco, medications, lose weight and maintain BMI, avoid caffeine or control its consumption, follow balanced diet and take folic acid supplements. IVF treatment should be started early as the age plays an important role.

When to go for pregnancy test after IVF Treatment?

About two weeks after embryo transfer blood test is carried out to find whether the treatment has worked. If the test is positive, first pregnancy scan is taken two weeks later. If the test is negative, you need to talk to your doctor and decide whether to try the treatment again.

How long should one wait after failure of IVF Cycle?

Medically, you can usually start up again immediately in your next cycle. Many clinics advise to take break for 2 or 3 months.

Is hospitalization required in IVF procedure?

A patient undergoing IVF does not require admission in the hospital. The patient has to visit the center 3-5 times during monitoring cycle. On the day of egg collection Patients can go home after the effect of anesthesia weans off which takes about 2-3 hours. After the embryo transfer, which again takes about half an hour patients are free to go home after resting for one hour.

Is in vitro fertilization treatment expensive?

This price will vary depending on where you live, the amount of medications you're required to take, the number of IVF cycles you undergo, and the amount your insurance company will pay toward the procedure. Compared to the UK and USA, IVF treatment is much economical in India, and the quality of the treatment is excellent. This is because doctor's charge very less as compared to the developed western countries. As per international standards, IVF in India is very cost-effective and more and more foreigners are travelling to India for availing ivf treatment.

Studies show that the potential for success with IVF treatment is the same for up to four cycles. Generally, the live birth rate for each IVF cycle is 30 to 35% for women under age 35, 25% for women between the ages of 35 and 37, 15 to 20% for women between the ages of 38 and 40 and 6 to 10% for women after age 40. (When an egg donor is used, however, success rates remain high even at age 40, with a 45% success rate.)

Know all about IVF Procedure, IVF Cycle, IVF Cost and Starting treating infertility today by contacting Rotunda Clinic:All Appointments are scheduled according to your convenience at Rotunda Fertility clinic.

You can contact for further assistance at http://wewantababy.com or email at rotunda.tchr@gmail.com or simply a phone call at +91 22 2655 2000 or +91 22 26405000.

Affordable IVF Treatments - Courtesy of Supplemental Insurance


If your health insurance plan does not cover in vitro fertilization use a two step approach to make your IVF treatments more affordable. First, find an IVF clinic that will provide a refund program. If you qualify medically for the refund, apply for supplemental insurance coverage. You will cover yourself in three ways: rebates if you fail to conceive, a triple return for your normal delivery, and extra protection just in case.

Many couples undergoing in vitro fertilization find that their health insurance plan will not provide coverage. If you find yourself in this situation you may be looking at $10,000 or more in out-of-pocket costs. Plus there is the possible cost of the pregnancy, lost income during maternity leave, along with the extra mouth to feed and clothe. Make your in vitro fertilization treatments more affordable by following this two step approach.

Your first step is to find a fertility clinic that will provide you with a refund or rebate programs. The clinic will reimburse some or all of your costs if you fail to conceive or deliver. You must qualify medically for one of these programs in order to participate. In other words the clinic will agree to refund your money if, based on their experience and data, you will have a successful outcome. This step does two things: it allows you to move forward without having to "waste money" on unsuccessful treatments, and it confirms that you are likely to conceive.

Knowing that you are likely to conceive, buy supplemental insurance before starting your next IVF cycle. Supplemental insurance pays cash benefits directly to you for your normal labor and delivery. Your benefit for normal delivery may be three times what you pay in premium if coverage starts three months before conception. For example, $200 per month in premium may yield a $7,800 benefit for a c-section delivery.

But that's not all you may see in benefit. Supplemental insurance may pay additional benefits if you experience pregnancy complications, premature birth from IVF multiples, postpartum disorders, accidents, or an illness.

Five Important Items You May Need During Pregnancy


If this is your first child, it's easy to become daunted knowing what you need during pregnancy. To help, here are five important items that could make all the difference.

1. The first thing you'll need is a good network of support and advice. Other young Mums and even your own mother may be extremely useful fonts of knowledge for you to talk to, while health care professionals and pregnancy books may also be extremely useful resources.

2. Morning sickness may be a problem during your first trimester, so you may want to find some morning sickness remedies to help you. There is no indisputable cure, as different things work for different women, but it doesn't hurt to ask others for suggestions.

3. Your body is going to go through a number of significant changes, both during the pregnancy and afterward. To help your skin, it's a good idea to apply stretch mark creams from an early stage in the pregnancy.

4. As you get bigger, you're going to need new clothes. There is a lot of choice out there, so remember that being pregnant doesn't mean you have to bury yourself in a floral maternity dress. From maternity bras to tops and bottoms, there are many items that you may want to add to your wardrobe.

5. Inevitably, being pregnant means there will be a lot on your mind. As such it can become difficult to unwind and relax, especially at night. To help you sleep, essential oils and candles are perfect, while massage oils may be idea if you're muscles feel sore or you need some revitalisation.

These five items and many more besides could help you during your pregnancy. From morning sickness remedies and stretch mark creams to clothing and books, why not start browsing today?

Where to Find Paid Maternity Leave Benefits


In the U.S. paid maternity leave benefits can be hard to find. And many women miss out. They might assume things are already in place, wait too long, or think they can easily find the right programs when needed. This does not need to happen this way. There is a simple paid maternity leave for U.S. women, but you must look in the right place: voluntary individual short term disability insurance via employers.

No U.S. Paid Maternity Leave Policy

Many industrialized nations have paid maternity leave policies in place, but the U.S. stands alone: there is no federally mandated program in place. Five states have mandatory short term disability insurance programs for most workers, but that leaves forty five states with no such program. Unfortunately, many couples assume that government mandated paid leave programs are in place. Around delivery time, they begin looking for ways to apply for benefits, but find there is no government program available to help. By then it's too late.

Others have the option of purchasing short term disability insurance at work, which will replace a portion of their income during their maternity leave. Normal pregnancy is covered when coverage begins before conception. The typical policy pays a six week benefit for vaginal delivery and an eight week benefit for c-section delivery.

Coverage Must Start Preconception

But many couples wait too long before buying coverage. They look at the premium cost and get scared away; failing to realize that the benefit for normal delivery may cover several years' worth of premium cost. Once pregnant, it is too late to purchase coverage. Or they pass up on the opportunity to enroll during their employers' open enrollment period and then during the middle of the year decide it's time to get a policy just before getting pregnant. There is only one problem: they have to wait for the next open enrollment period to sign up.

No Individual Coverage Sold Direct

The largest segment of couples have no short term disability option available at work, and many go in search of an individual policy they can buy directly. Many women are reluctant to ask their employer for maternity benefits for fear of job discrimination. But there is one very big problem: there are no individual short term disability insurance options sold directly that cover pregnancy and maternity. You may be able to find individual coverage, but pregnancy and maternity will be excluded or there will be long waiting periods. Many women seek out a direct option, only to get pregnant before finding the coverage needed.

Voluntary Employee Benefits is The Answer

This does not have to keep happening. Women can have paid maternity leave in the U.S. by purchasing individual short term disability insurance via voluntary employee benefit options. Several insurers sell individual policies with maternity coverage through employer groups on a voluntary basis. There is no direct cost to employers, and the policy is owned by the policyholder - not the employer.

So it's easy to ask employers to make the option available, and if a woman were to leave her employer, she can keep her policy. Since the policies cover accidents and illnesses in addition to pregnancy and maternity, there is no stigma attached to asking employers to offer voluntary individual short term disability insurance.

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

The Unexpected Costs of Pregnancy


Pregnancy can be an exciting and fulfilling time for parents. Hundreds, if not thousands of hours will be spent preparing for the birth of their child. Baby names will be discussed, baby products will be researched and purchased, the entire home will be baby proofed and of course many parenting books will be read. But there is one aspect of having a baby that too often goes overlooked. The medical costs of pregnancy and delivery are often not covered under many private health care plans.

To some it may come as a shock. It seems illogical that pregnancy wouldn't be considered a medical condition. However, some health insurance providers rationalize that pregnancy is a normal and healthy part of being human. Additionally, pregnancy is not due to random chance like an illness or disease, and thus shouldn't be covered under insurance.

Regardless of why it isn't covered or whether or not it should be, medical coverage for pregnancy is something you need to be prepared for. For most people who have their medical insurance through an employer with more then 15 people, maternity coverage is required by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. This does not, however, apply to individual plans which are growing in popularity. There are a dozen states that now require coverage be extended to pregnant women with private plans. For those in the other 38 states, there are often a few providers that will offer coverage under their health plans, though the premiums are generally higher.

If you think there is a possibility you may become pregnant and you have private insurance, make sure you are covered. If there is any doubt at all, call your provider and ask specifically what is covered. Even for those with plans that do cover pregnancy, the costs are likely subject to your deductible and coinsurance. Having coverage still may result in high out of pocket costs.

If your plan does not cover pregnancy, see if they offer a maternity rider. Maternity riders are policy add-ons that cover the costs of prenatal care and delivery. These are generally paid for with an extra monthly premium and often require a waiting period before you can get pregnant, some as long as 12 months. The cost for a maternity rider is often high and it is likely that with a long waiting period, you will wind up paying as much for the rider as you would for the pregnancy on your own.

Paying for prenatal care and delivery without insurance can be very expensive. If you go without coverage, contact several local hospitals and ask what they charge. The differences in costs can be dramatic. Also, consider switching to an insurance plan with a health savings account. The costs of pregnancy can be paid for out of your HSA, leading to significant income tax savings.

If you are already pregnant and discovered that you do not have insurance that covers pregnancy, it will be difficult to find a plan that does. Pregnancy is considered a pre-existing condition and will often result in a denied application. In such a case, check what the qualifications are to join your state's high risk insurance pool. You may be able to gain coverage with reasonable premiums. Another option is the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan offered by the Federal Government. The PCIP is designed for people who can not get coverage through the private market due to a pre-existing condition.

In 2014 due to the Affordable Care Act, all health care plans will be required to cover maternity and none will be able to deny coverage due to pre-existing conditions. But until those laws are put into place, make sure you have proper coverage.

Alcohol Consumption and Radiation Exposure


Several studies suggest that drinking alcoholic beverages, even in moderate amounts, may increase breast cancer risk. Regardless of the type of drink - beer, wine and hard liquor, all of these drinks contribute to breast cancer risk and as consumption rises, so does the risk. Women under 55 years of age with no other risk factors who have more than 9 drinks a week have a more dramatic increase than those over 55: they have a 2.5 increase - two and a half times the susceptibility to breast cancer of non-drinkers with no risk factors. Studies in France and Italy, where wine is consumed on a regular basis by almost everyone, have supported this connection. Women in these countries do have a higher incidence of breast cancer than do women in the U.S., though it is a fairly slight increase - only 1.2 to 1.9 times.

As with fat consumption, the main effect of alcohol in increasing breast cancer risk may be during the vulnerable stage of youth. More accurate information as to when and how the effect manifests itself is needed before any concrete recommendations can be made. Whether to stop drinking or not is unfortunately one of the many decisions we all must make based on inadequate information. The risk increase isn't that high, but it definitely exists. Although it may be wise for a number of reasons to discourage children from drinking, it is an area, like many in parenting, where you may not have a lot of control.

Another known risk factor for breast cancer is radiation. At least three major studies have confirmed that there is indeed a link between radiation and increased risk of breast cancer. The first study came out of one of the major tragedies of the 20th century - the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II. The residents in the immediate area of the bombings died instantly. But it has become evident that those within a 10-kilometer radius of the bomb site developed far more cancer than others in comparable populations and researches began studying these survivors to learn more about the dangers of radiation. Another study composed of Canadian patients looked at women who had been treated for lung tuberculosis with fluoroscopy. This is a common method for treating the disease during the 1930s and 1940s. When the women were studied in the 1970s, they were found to have an increased incidence of breast cancer. A study in New York examined a group of 606 women who had suffered postpartum mastitis (inflammation of the mammary glands within the breast) - and had been having radiation therapy averaging 50 and 450 radiation doses to alleviate their pain. They too had a rate pf breast cancer higher than that of the general population and the risk is radiation dose-related.

Radiation to treat cancer places us at the other end of the spectrum: very high levels of radiation are used, on the order of 8,000 rads. In these cases, however, the risk of radiation is far outweighed by the risk of cancer. For example, radiation is used to treat Hodgkin's lymphoma, a type of cancer affecting the lymph nodes. By itself and in conjunction with chemotherapy it has been responsible for many cures. However, some women who had this treatment many years ago are now showing up with breast cancer. It seems that radiation to the chests, which saved their lives, is now responsible for their second cancers.

It won't be surprising if some if the children treated today for cancer with radiation in the chest region will also eventually have an increase in breast cancers. It is unfortunate, but since radiation is probably responsible for their being around long enough to get a second cancer, a few of these patients are likely to have regrets.

Post Pregnancy Workout - 3 Questions That Will Help You Embrace Exercise After Pregnancy


Do you believe you can regain your pre-pregnancy body? I mean do you really believe? I ask this question because most of the women that subscribe to my weekly newsletter say they believe they can slim down however when you ask these same women if they really believe, the answers you get back are quite surprising.

Many feel that while they are confident they can lose some of the baby weight they gained during their pregnancy, a large number of them honestly don't think they can drop more than 15 pounds.

So, here is my question for you. If you have a person that is not convinced that they can achieve a goal, how hard do you think they will work toward it? The biggest obstacle I see is in the quality of the internal questions these ladies are asking themselves.

Question #1 - How Come I Can Never Lose Weight?

This level of question is not only unproductive but is very destructive. It forces your mind to come up with every reason why you can't lose weight. Every negative belief you have about yourself or your genetic makeup comes to your remembrance to give you ample ammunition as to why you are a sloppy pig.

You reflect on these ideas and you feel sad and depressed and of course if you are like most, you turn to food as your comfort. A better question is our second question.

Question #2 - How Can I Lose Weight?

This question is a higher caliber question than question number one however it is not the best question. Rather than focus our minds on what is wrong, this question challenges our minds to come up with a solution.

The problem is that the answer to this question is almost as painful as the answer to question number one. Take a moment and answer question number two silently to yourself.

All done?

Great, well if you are like most people you had two thoughts diet and exercise. Now, do either of those ideas sound like fun? They sure don't to me and I teach this stuff.

So, while this question is does pull our mind in the right direction, it still does not motivate us to take action to improve our fitness condition. Keep reading to discover the best question that we can ask ourselves.

Question #3 - How Can I Lose Weight and Enjoy The Process?

This is our highest level question but it can be challenging as well. The reason for this is because the answer may not be as easily obtained as the answers to the first two questions were. This question may actually require you to spend some time thinking and rethinking until you are able to come up with a few really good responses.

As an example if you thought a post pregnancy workout was unappealing, what if in your answer to question number three, you said to yourself, "you know I really always loved playing racquet ball or some other sport or activity that requires physical effort. In these cases, soon you'll be losing weight and enjoying the process.

Perhaps it is not a sport per se but an action that involves your baby in the workout itself. The key is simple, if you ask a better question; you will most certainly get a better answer.

How To Take Care of Yourself While Pregnant and After Birth


How to tell when you are pregnant
Pregnancy signs include: the lack or the delay of menstruation, enlarged or painful breasts, sudden unexplained fatigue and increased need of sleep, frequent urination, and nausea. If you think you might be pregnant, take a pregnancy test.

A urine pregnancy test can be made after 10 to 14 days after the disappearance of the menstruation. Most urine and blood tests can even be made earlier, even at the date the menstruation should appear. Also, a doctor can confirm the pregnancy if you go and pay him a visit. But still the simplest way is to buy a home designed pregnancy test so you can find out for you self whether you are pregnant or not in the privacy of your home.

A happy mommy - not just a dream!
The pregnancy period is a very special period in your life. If you find pout just what to expect while pregnant and when giving birth, you will feel more relaxed and accept the changes you are going through easily. When you are pregnant, treat yourself just as if you would be treating your child. Rest for as long as you want to, go to sleep whenever you feel tired (8 hours of sleep every night are an absolute must!). Try to avoid stress and save some time for yourself every day. You will also fell very good about yourself if you try and remain active through activities like swimming, dancing or simple walks.

When do you have to go to the doctor for prenatal care?
You can prevent any undesirable complications and you can make sure you will have a healthy baby through prenatal care (start it once you've found out you are pregnant). Pregnant women go to their doctor usually once a month during the first 7 month of pregnancy, and then twice a month, ending up to go even every week as the due date approaches. During these visits the doctor can easily follow your baby's growth, can identify any small problem that might appear and can advice you how to stay healthy. The first visit is usually the longest. The doctor will ask you a series of questions to calculate your due date and if there are any risks regarding the pregnancy. You can expect to be asked things like the date of your last period, if you were pregnant before, if you use drugs or alcohol, if you've even been exposed to sexually transmitted diseases.

Then, you will get a complete gynecological exam. During every visit, your medic will check the blood pressure, keep a track of your weight gain, and recommend a urine test for diabetes or infections, blood tests for anemia and kidney problems. The doctor will also follow the growth of the baby by ultrasounds or by measuring the uterus, examine your belly and listening to the baby's heartbeat.

What to eat during pregnancy?
A healthy diet is vital for a healthy pregnancy. It's the best thing you can do to assure the proper growth of your baby. It will also make you stronger and ready to give birth and to breastfeed your baby. Eat healthy, equilibrate and drink lots of water. Limit the consumption of sweets. Don't try to loose weight, it might be harmful. You should expect to gain anywhere from 14 to 30 pounds during pregnancy. Don't forget to take vitamins and iron to prevent anemia.

What to avoid during pregnancy?
Try to stay way from everything that could negatively affect your baby. So you must avoid things like smoking, alcohol and drugs. All these can trigger a premature birth or can create physical or mental problems to your child, even from the period he is still in your uterus.

How to tell something is wrong during pregnancy?
Most pregnancies start out without problems, buy those can appear unexpectedly. If you have any of these alarming signs, you should go to your doctor immediately: sudden weight gain, swallowing of you feel and hands, sever and repetitive headaches that last more than 2-3 hours and don't go away even with medication, fainting, blurry vision, seeing light spots, pain or burning sensations when urinating, exaggerated thirst and troubles urinating, strange and smelly vaginal secretions, bleeding.

Also you should consider seeing you doctor in any of the below listed situations too: if you feel like you baby hasn't moved for more than 8 hours or more (after the 6 month of pregnancy), when you contraction start early (uterine contraction at every 10 minutes or faster, abdominal cramps, pelvic pressure or a descending sensation, changing in you vaginal secretions or the sudden release of a water like liquid)

Do you have to breastfeed?
Breastfeeding is one of the best things you can do for your baby, as it is the most nutritive food he can get. The milk from his mother can protect him from diarrhea cause by medicine, aliment or contaminated water, will help him be immunized, protecting him from disease and infections and will also help building a close relation between you and your baby. If you are only feeding you child with your milk (not even water or tea), and if you feed him every 4 hours during the day and every 6 hours at night while your menstruation did not appeared yet, you are at shelter from a new pregnancy (only under all these conditions) until your baby will be six month old. You can start to breastfeed as soon as your child is born. In the first few days your breast will produce thicker liquid called colostrum. The colostrum gives your baby all the nutrients he needs. At the end of day two or three, regular breast milk will start producing normally.

How to take care of yourself after birth?
Most women can restart their regular activities as soon as a week after giving birth. It's highly recommended that you are as active as possible, excepting the case in witch you've suffered an operation. The movement can improve you blood circulation, help your breathing return to normal and help you regain muscular elasticity. Watch out for the signs of complications like infection and heavy bleeding. If there are any, call the doctor or go to the hospital immediately.

After giving birth, when to start using family planning methods?
It's important to let your body rest after pregnancy and birth. You need time and energy to take care of yourself and your baby. Normally you can regain your fertility and then get pregnant after as little as 6 weeks from birth, even before having your period. Breastfeeding will delay the fertile period. You will have to start thinking of protecting yourself from a new pregnancy even before birth. If you want to breast feed, you will have to choose a method that won't affect your milk like: condoms, the mono-hormone pill, injectable contraceptives etc.

If you are not breastfeeding you can start using oral contraceptives starting 3 to 6 weeks after giving birth. You shouldn't rely on the all know method of recognizing the fertile period. It's hard to tell when this period will come after birth, so don't used this method; it's doomed to fail in the first few months. And remember that if there are no medical problems after birth, you and your partner can start having sex as soon as you feel comfortable about it. After a normal birth, most women start having sex after 4 to 6 weeks, but some do it much earlier or even after 6 months, it all depends on their body and libido.

Setting Up a Business: Knowing What Records to Keep


When setting up a business, it is important to know what records and accounts you need to keep from the very beginning. Starting up any business and dealing with the practicalities makes for a busy time, but neglecting your records can be costly and time-consuming. In the long run, staying on top of your records will ultimately help you to: keep track of your finances and cash flow; avoid penalties; hold accurate information about your business; plan for your business' future.

The records you need to keep will depend on the type and size of your business, however all businesses must follow basic bookkeeping procedures.

All businesses

All businesses need to keep track of two areas: incomings and outgoings. For incomings, you will need to keep hold of any accounting records, till rolls, paying-in slips, sales invoices and bank statements acquired. Important outgoings records will be: receipts, cheque book records, purchase invoices and bank or credit card statements. These are basic essentials which any business must take care to record properly and keep safe.

Limited companies

If you are a starting up as a limited company (i.e not a sole trade), there are further records to keep. All limited companies must keep the following: dividend allocations and payments; articles of association; details of company share ownership.

Any company which is registered limited must also complete and return a number of documents each year. These include: Company Tax Return (with form CT600); statutory accounts; Corporation Tax; return to Companies House; a signed set of accounts to Companies House.

Depending on the nature of your company, there are number of other records which you may have, such as a register of members or directors.

Employers

All businesses employing workers will need to organise their documentation relating to employee payment. This is very important as it ensures that you are paying the right amount to your employees and allows you to keep track of these expenses. You are required by law to keep the following PAYE records: payments to employees; National Insurance, Tax and Student Loan payment deductions from wages; benefits and expenses paid to employees; statutory payments (sick or maternity leave).

VAT

All VAT registered businesses are required by law to keep the following records for at least 6 years: VAT sales and purchase invoices; a VAT account; all export and import documents.

VAT registered business will need to complete and return a VAT return form every quarter (4 times a year). This will include details of the following: what you owe or are owed by HMRC; what you have paid any supplier; what you have charged any customers.

Whatever kind of business you are setting up, getting to grips early on with your records can ensure that your first year of trade runs as smoothly as possible. With modern computing and accessible data programmes, it is easier than ever to produce a bookkeeping system which works for you and your business.

How to Avoid Pregnancy


Most women today are worried about ways to succeed in preventing pregnancy. There are different ways in which one could achieve this but they don't always work. Down below you will find tips and advice that will help you maximize your chances in preventing pregnancy.

Let's look at some common urban myths that must be debunked:

You can get pregnant just from the first sexual intercourse or never! After the first period, women are completely vulnerable.

The chances do not decrease just because this is the first time you've had a sexual intercourse. Once a female gets her first period, she is able to get pregnant from any sexual intercourse and at anytime.

You can prevent pregnancy if the male removes his penis before ejaculation.

If a man decides to do so, it may reduce the chances of pregnancy but it still doesn't affect it enough. All you need is just one sperm to reach the ovum and the pregnancy process will immediately begin! Sperm can actually be released even before ejaculation so this whole idea is completely irrational.

You can prevent pregnancy if the male decides to wash the sperm after intercourse.

This technique is called douching (http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/douching.cfm) and it's also not a very successful technique. As state before, sperm can be released before ejaculation. It is not possible for someone to successfully wash away the sperm because millions and millions of sperms are released. They would have already gotten far into the womb before they can be washed out. There are some better and more successful alternative ways for preventing pregnancy.

Contraception and Pills

There are all sorts of methods of contraception for both women and men to use. They do not promise 100% protection, but still provide protection.

Pills are probably the most unnatural way to prevent pregnancy. There are birth control pills available and you can obtain them through prescription. The morning pill is another emergency pill that can be taken within 24 hours of sexual intercourse.

No Sex During Ovulation Period.

This is a natural way for preventing pregnancy. Instead of using artificial contraception, you can decide to avoid having sexual intercourse during your ovulation period, which occurs around the 14th day of a normal 28 day cycle. This is the time when the eggs are released. So if the eggs are hanging around when the sperm comes in, there is higher chance of getting pregnant.

Despite which method you choose to follow, they will only work if you follow them properly and do not try to avoid cutting corners. Doing it so may lead to a potential unwanted pregnancy and if that ever becomes the case, always remember that it is not the child's fault that he or she was brought to this world and indeed was due to your careless actions. This brings up a subject that requires a lot of time and dedication to be covered, which is abortion.

Deciding to Avoid Pregnancy With Care: Talking About the Issue

Deciding to avoid pregnancy involves much more than just taking medicine and applying techniques which are implemented during, before or after sexual intercourse. Depending with whom you are trying to avoid a pregnancy issue this matter will require a good conversation between you and your partner.

Some man will treat this issue with ease and will support you every step of the way, while other guys will not understand at first and will want you to explain to them exactly what is on your mind and how you came with such a decision to avoid pregnancy or the other way around. In the end a good conversation will leave you both satisfied and there will be nothing else to worry about.