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Ask an Expert
Ask the Expert Team
Sutter Health
My partner and I have been trying to get pregnant for a while. Are there any non-medical approaches, such as relaxation or meditation techniques, that could improve my chances of becoming pregnant?
That question is best answered at an individual level. Infertility can be the result of a number of impairments of varying nature and severity. For this reason, we recommend a basic evaluation and individualize... continue reading about My partner and I have been trying to get pregnant for a while. Are there any non-medical approaches, such as relaxation or meditation techniques, that could improve my chances of becoming pregnant?
Ask the Expert Team
Sutter Health
I'm 38 and have been in a relationship for three years. I've been on the pill for 20 years and don't want more kids, but I don't like the melasma side effect of birth control pills. I've considered an IUD but know someone whose device migrated. Options?
If your major goal, in addition to reliable contraception, is to reduce the menstrual flow and frequency of periods, then a Mirena IUD, which secretes progesterone-like hormone locally in the uterine cavity wit... continue reading about I'm 38 and have been in a relationship for three years. I've been on the pill for 20 years and don't want more kids, but I don't like the melasma side effect of birth control pills. I've considered an IUD but know someone whose device migrated. Options?
Ask the Expert Team
Sutter Health
What are the risks of having a baby if I am 35 or older?
About 10 percent of all pregnancies occur in women 35 or older. The age of 35 being defined as "advanced maternal age" was created to describe when the risk of a having a fetus with Down syndrome surpasses the ... continue reading about What are the risks of having a baby if I am 35 or older?
Ask the Expert Team
Sutter Health
What medications are safe to take during pregnancy?
One of the most common questions asked of an obstetrician is, “ Is it safe to take medication during pregnancy?” The answer is yes, for most over-the-counter drugs, even though they may contain the ... continue reading about What medications are safe to take during pregnancy?
Ask the Expert Team
Sutter Health
What are the proper steps to take when researching unexplained infertility?
Infertility may be called unexplained only after the standard evaluation yields no obvious cause. The three major factors causing infertility are: 1. sperm abnormalities; 2. disorders of ovulation; 3. anatomic ... continue reading about What are the proper steps to take when researching unexplained infertility?
Deborah Quinn-Chen, M.D.
Palo Alto Medical Foundation
I am 51 years old. What is my chance of still getting pregnant, and how should I handle birth control as I move through menopause?
Women commonly believe that after a certain age they cannot conceive because they are too old. That is not entirely true. As a woman ages her fertility declines. A 45-year-old woman is less likely to conceive t... continue reading about I am 51 years old. What is my chance of still getting pregnant, and how should I handle birth control as I move through menopause?
Ask the Expert Team
Sutter Health
Do women experience a surge in fertility at any point in perimenopause or just before menopause?
The average age of menopause in the United States is 51 years of age. Unfortunately, the fertility potential in women declines well in advance of this time. But to what extent and how quickly? There are few, if... continue reading about Do women experience a surge in fertility at any point in perimenopause or just before menopause?
P. Adam Dodd, M.D.
Sutter Gould Medical Foundation
I've been trying to conceive for three months now and no luck. Is something wrong with me?
No, you don't need to be worried yet. Seventy percent of all couples trying to have a baby don't conceive within the first three months. The standard would normally be to have a medical evaluation after 12 mont... continue reading about I've been trying to conceive for three months now and no luck. Is something wrong with me?
Ask the Expert Team
Sutter Health
Is a woman undergoing fertility treatments at higher risk of getting cancer than a woman of the same age who has not taken these drugs?
Most of the studies on the use of fertility drugs have examined hormonally sensitive tumors such as breast, ovarian and uterine malignancies. There does not appear to be any association between fertility drugs ... continue reading about Is a woman undergoing fertility treatments at higher risk of getting cancer than a woman of the same age who has not taken these drugs?
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