Are Unmarried Frenchwomen doomed to childlessness...?

If you are a French woman and not yet married or you just have not met those only one man with whom you want to have a good innings - you has as little chance of seeing own child as of seeing your own ears. One will be surprised and ask: "And what about the so popular IVF and egg donation procedures, with the help of which person can have children without marriage?» France strongly denies use of assisted methods of reproductive medicine by single women. Accordingly, infertile Frenchwomen who have not legalized their relations can only dream of infertile problem solving with the help of modern medicine. In addition to human rights violation such French legislation pushes women to create bogus marriage. In order to have so long-awaited child woman stands ready for anything in particular bogus marriage. But what does it give rise to? Unhappy family, frequent quarrels and recriminations caused by an innocent child. Brave and desperate women go abroad and visit clinics situated in countries where such procedures are allowed by national law. Thus, in Italy single women are offered programs conducted with frozen biological material. BioTexCom Clinic is always one step ahead. Doctors here conduct programs using assisted methods of reproductive medicine only with fresh material! Such practice multiplies chances of success pregnancy.  In addition you have not got married without love only because it’s needed. BioTexCom Clinic! We care about the welfare of our patients!

Letter written by man who was involved during childbirth

We went upstairs on the 5th floor of the maternity clinic, holy of holies where no man has gone before. We were allotted a separate room. From next doors it was heard how birthing mothers whimpered, cried and I realized where I am and what was coming … Love for my wife won the the battle of my mind and fear. My wife had weak labor so doctors decided to start “needle”. I even can’t describe and retell the whole process of labor… The only thing I can say is that it was so hard for me and I have never in my life went through such feelings. Sick nurse put my wife on a drip but after a while something went wrong. I went out into the hallway and cried: “Sick nurse!!!!!Come here!!!” Due to my loud cry at first some birthing mothers went quiet and then rapid labor started. After childbirth they even expressed me thanks. From 5 am. to 1 pm. I was together with my wife. I couldn’t have a smoke break or to go to the WC. My wife said doctors that she must quickly give birth because at 6 p.m. workers must bring us a refrigerator from shop))) By 1 p.m. I was so much exhausted as after ton of dirty diapers unloading. When we left the ward and went to the delivery table I wished to disappear, curl up and die, go off into a faint. But my awareness didn’t want to throw over me. Expulsive pains!!! Oh my God, can it possibly be true??? I fell to pieces together with my wife. My eyes and face arteries were red. I felt that a little more and I will give a birth together with my woman. Crazy cry of the last expulsive pains… then silence… (for some moments it was a complete silence but it seemed to me that hours passed). I felt hairs on the back of my neck bristle and turn gray. And at last our little miracle gave notice with the most excellent and clear voice for the whole humanity that she was born!!! She is ready and wants to live and let things rip! I was announced that my wife gave birth to a girl. I stood and tears came to my eyes when I realized that I became a happy father. All who were in the maternity barn at that moment looked at me with a great respect and congratulated me. Dear women!!! Thank you so much!!!!      

Medical Tourism. Patients Without Borders

People who visit foreign country in order to use assisted methods of reproductive medicine have a great opportunity to combine medical program and interesting acquaintance with a new country. Ukraine and Kiev in particular is worth seeing. Kiev is one of the oldest cities in the world. It originated in the era of the Slavic nation formation. In a few centuries, city became a political center of the powerful state of medieval Europe - Ancient Russia. Kiev is the capital of Ukraine and one of the oldest and the most beautiful cities in the world. It has a rich history of more than 2500 years. Mixture of architectural styles and historical monuments, modern buildings and contemporary architectural figures- all these form appearance of modern capital. One can see Ukrainian Baroque, constructivism and classics working down Kiev streets and squares. New buildings and monuments appeared during the last decade in Kiev. It can be seen high-rise buildings according to the latest designs. In 2012 Ukraine held matches of the European football championship and proved foreign tourists that it is developed, beautiful and welcoming country which is opened to the world in a positive way.

Managers of our clinic can always recommend you sightseeing attractions that are worth seeing and offer you a convenient route. Flight, visit to the doctor, acquaintance with medical program, medical tests, etc. All these can adversely affect patient's emotional condition. That’s why walk round a new city will have a good relaxing affect and make you happy. As psychological calm and positive thinking always help to pass all the procedures easier and achieve needed positive result. Visiting our clinic you can receive fairy priced qualitative treatment which is much less than in European centers of reproductive medicine and without huge queues to a specialist.

BioTexCom welcomes foreign clients!

Today, Ukraine is at a critical time in its history – revolution that took place in the downtown (Maidan), declassification of political activities conducted by country’s president and his deputies, signing of the political part of the Association Agreement with the EU, early elections and as a result power shift in Ukraine. Unfortunately, not all mass media cover the news concerning events in Ukraine and its capital truthfully and impartially. Due to such misinformation a lot of foreigners are falling under a false impression that situation in Ukrainian cities is rather terrible and dangerous. We hasten to dispel all doubts of patients who want to visit our clinic but are afraid of coming to Ukraine because of frightening news from local media. We will not keep the truth away from you that today tumultuous times can be seen in some cities of our country. In general, mostly it concerns south- east part of Ukraine. BioTexCom clinic is located in the capital of Ukraine, Kiev. Here the situation is calm on the streets, there are no military or revolutionary actions, Maidan (downtown where revolution took place) is reconstructed and tidied up, public transport as well as airports and train stations operate smoothly. Our drivers always meet patients in the airport (they wait for clients holding a tablet with the name and surname of the client they meet). Drivers help clients to bring bags and take them from the airport to the clinic or home where they will live. At homes housekeeper welcomes clients, make a meal and help if it needed in any case (call a taxi, help to cope with newborns, contact the clinic manager, buy things or urgently needed medicines, etc.). Our clients, at loose hours have a walk around the city, go shopping, visit cafes and restaurants. We always take care about our guests, so their safety and peace of mind are our priorities. Managers who lead couples always got online and client can contact his manager at any time of day or night, if it will be necessary. BioTexCom is the only clinic which offers its patients the "all inclusive" package. It means that from the moment you step on the Ukrainian land and to day you go home you are in good hands of our center workers. And if safety stay of foreign citizens in Kiev is in ambiguo you will know about it first! As of today you can safely buy tickets to Kiev and visit our clinic without the slightest fear.  

How to Prepare for Pregnancy After 40

Many women decide to have children later in life, but pregnancy after 40 can pose additional risks and complications to the mother and baby. Although a healthy pregnancy after 40 is very likely, preparing yourself before you become pregnant can help you get your body in optimum condition for a successful pregnancy. Women who want to conceive after 40 also need to prepare for a higher risk of complications during the birth, difficulty conceiving, and the greater likelihood that their babies may experience Down syndrome or other chromosomal birth defects.

·        Schedule a physical or pre-conception consultation with your primary caregiver or gynecologist. 

As people age, the likelihood of suffering from common health conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes increases, and older women may also be more likely to have conditions that impair fertility such as polycystic ovary syndrome or endometriosis. A doctor can help you identify health problems.

·         Make sure you tell your doctor you want to conceive. Ask for a realistic time frame in which you can resolve or manage any existing health issues before trying to conceive.

·         Discuss whether you will be able to continue using any medications you are currently taking while you try to conceive and while pregnant or breastfeeding. Ask your doctor about alternate therapies or medications safe during pregnancy, and be realistic about whether you can manage your health problems without medication if that is the only option for a safe pregnancy.

·         Evaluate with your doctor which health problems are most important for you to address before pregnancy. Because fertility begins to decline after 35 years in most women, many women preparing for pregnancy after 40 are balancing the need to manage health problems with a rapidly diminishing fertile period.

·         Get any immunizations your doctor recommends. Your doctor may perform blood work to check for immunity to diseases such as rubella and chickenpox--wait 1 month to try conceiving after you get a vaccine.

·        Manage any existing health problems before conceiving. 

Health issues that have a mild effect on your everyday life currently may become major complications once you are pregnant. For example, unmanaged diabetes can greatly increase your risk for miscarriage and moderate high blood pressure can quickly worsen.

·         Get treatment for sexually transmitted infections and diseases immediately as these can lead to infertility.

·         Work on getting to a healthy weight. Overweight and underweight can both cause significant problems while pregnant or trying to conceive. For example, women with unhealthily low weights can have anovulatory cycles making it impossible for them to conceive.

·        Improve your nutrition. 

Good nutrition is especially important during the preconception period as healthy levels of folic acid and other vitamins can help prevent certain birth defects.

·         Although vitamin supplements are available, try to increase your intake of foods naturally containing folate including citrus fruit, legumes, and dark leafy greens. Folate can help prevent anemia and birth defects.

·         Eat whole grain, complex carbohydrates and cut down on the amount of refined carbohydrates you consume.

·         Get protein from lean meats and fatty fish rich in omega-3 such as salmon, eggs, and low-fat dairy.

·        Reduce the amount of sugar you eat.

Begin exercising or increase your activity level. 

Exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight and may allow you to have a more comfortable pregnancy and labor.

·         Include both aerobic and resistance training in your exercise program.

·        Stop smoking and avoid secondhand smoke. 

Smoking can lower fertility, even leading to early menopause, and causes a number of complications during pregnancy such as low birth weight and increased rates of respiratory distress in infants.

·         Talk to your partner about quitting-secondhand smoke is also harmful, and men who smoke have lower fertility than their non-smoking counterparts.

·        Consider the risk of chromosomal birth defects. 

Although many older women have healthy pregnancies, the reality is that the rate of chromosomal birth defects is much higher in infants born to women over 40. One out of 100 women who are 40 years old will have a baby with Down syndrome, and the risk increases with age, rising to 1 in 30 women at age 45.

·         Discuss the possibility of birth defects with your partner and/or family. Decide whether you want to take the risk, and plan out how you would cope with a diagnosis.

·         Research the additional diagnostic tests available during pregnancy. You may be interested in amniocentesis or chronic villus sampling (CVS), but both tests do carry a slight risk for miscarriage.

·        Take into account the higher rate of pregnancy loss. 

The estimated miscarriage rate for women between 40 and 45 is 35 percent and this rises to over 50 percent for women over 45. Older women also experience a rate of stillbirth 2 to 3 times higher than that for women in their 20s. Stillbirth is death of the fetus after 20 weeks. Evaluate whether you feel emotionally prepared to experience pregnancy loss, possibly multiple times, while trying to have a baby.

·        Make an appointment with a genetic counselor. 

If you are especially concerned with the risk for birth defects or other health problems for the infant, a genetic counselor can help you assess the likelihood of problems.

·         Gather together information on maternal and paternal family members including any illnesses, health conditions or reproductive issues. The counselor will review your family history as part of the assessment.

·        Follow up with your doctor while trying to conceive. 

Since the probability of fertility problems is so much higher for women over 40, you should consult a doctor if you do not conceive within 6 months of trying to conceive. Waiting longer may diminish your chances of conceiving, as your fertility may be declining and alternate treatments also become less successful as you age.

Happy 50 years old mom

"There was a time when I thought I would never want children. Now, I can’t imagine a life without the two beautiful boys I had in my 40′s. When I was younger, I didn’t expect to need help conceiving. I started trying at 28, but after a year nothing had happened. My husband and I went for all of the necessary testing and I was finally diagnosed as having “unexplained infertility”.

 Our fertility specialist suggested Intrauterine Insemination (IUI). Since we didn’t know the cause of our infertility, we figured it was a crap-shoot as to what would finally bring us a baby! While our first IUI was a success, it turned out to be a blighted ovum—a fertilized egg that implants but never turns into a baby. Devastated doesn’t begin to describe the feeling I felt when I received the news! We tried again…and again…and again. We must have blown through eight or nine more IUIs before I realized that I was turning 31 soon. At this point doctor suggested to go for an IVF consultation with a Reproductive Endocrinologist.

 After the consult, we decided we would proceed with an IVF. We were, like most newbie IVF’ers, positive it would work the first time! Well, it didn’t. The second attempt was a bust as well. This is when the doctor unceremoniously told me that my eggs were shot, and that I had to use donor eggs.

I just couldn’t fathom not using my own eggs, not seeing some part of me, or my family, in this wee little face. We decided to go to another attempts and two IVFs later I received the same news at the age of 33, though this time it was with a bit more compassion.

That’s when I made some life changes. I took a few months off from cycling just to wrap my head around everything that had transpired.

I rearranged my life, got a new job in a different field, and tried a few more IUIs just in case there happened to be that one stray good egg in there! But I was about to turn 36 years old—and labeled as “advanced maternal age”. To give birth to another child, I would have to accept and embrace the changes my body had gone through, and decide the best and most acceptable course of action. I was now filled with a new and exciting sense of hope!

We began our search online, and met with several donor agency coordinators. It was a difficult search, and finally we came upon a wonderful woman who seemed to fulfill everything we were looking for in a donor. She even looked a bit like me and had a similar background!

After the legalities, we started a cycle. She and I both followed every instruction from the clinic, and 3 months later, the phone rang, I nearly fell off my chair! It was the doctor with some wonderful news…I was pregnant!

I think I held my breath the entire nine months until my little baby came out healthy and beautiful! And I was 3 months into my 41st year!

But it wasn’t over yet. Three years later we decided to try for a sibling. We had a few frozen embryos left from the last cycle, and two had survived the thaw, so we had them transferred. Unfortunately they did not implant.

Worse, our first donor was now unavailable. It took a couple of years, and two more donors who failed the criteria, before we found the perfect donor who had passed all of her screening tests. With greatest fortune we conceived our second child when I was 49. He was born just 3 months shy of my 50th birthday!

It’s funny, but despite a fertility journey lasting more than two decades, I can’t imagine anything I would do differently! It took all of those experiences to become the mom that I am today! I am so filled with love for my beautiful family—calm, collected, and fulfilled".

Surrogacy as the last throw of the dice

Surrogacy is seldom the first choice on the journey to build a family. Often people come to surrogacy after trying and exhausting other options such as intrauterine insemination (IUI), in vitro fertilization (IVF) and gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT). In some cases medical issues, such as absence of a uterus, impaired uterus, or a chronic health problem, make it impossible or unsafe for the intended mother to carry a child. Sharing a pregnancy with a carrier (the woman carrying the child) may be the right option for you if involvement with the pregnancy and prenatal care, genetics and being present for the birth of your child are important.

Until recently, stories in the popular press were about traditional surrogacy, where the surrogate is inseminated with sperm from the infertile woman’s husband, and the carrier is genetically linked to the child. Today, most couples who build their families through surrogacy choose gestational surrogacy, also known as gestational care. In gestational care, the intended mother or an egg donor provides the egg and the intended father or a sperm donor provides the sperm. The resulting embryo is transferred to the gestational carrier, who has no genetic connection to the child.

After three miscarriages and years of infertility, Sharon didn’t give up her dream of having children. Once it became clear that pregnancy wasn’t a viable option, she and her husband Dan became interested in surrogacy, where they could both be genetically connected to the child. They also investigated adoption and resolving without children.

Sharon: “All my life I expected that I would have children. After years of failed infertility treatment, my husband and I had almost given up. We didn’t have the energy or emotional stamina to keep trying. I thought adoption was my only alternative until our doctor suggested that we consider gestational care. As hard as that was to hear, I realized I could have a genetic child and be very close to the pregnancy even if I wasn’t carrying the child myself. It was so exciting to be at that first ultrasound and see my child’s heartbeat! It has turned a very painful beginning into a very hopeful future.”

Dan: “What a nightmare this has been for both of us, especially for my wife. After each miscarriage, what we took for granted began to seem like it might not happen. I have seen the pain in my wife’s eyes as she has come to terms with the fact that she is unable to carry a baby. I have always supported my wife but have also realized my own deep desire to have a child who will carry on the traits of my family. It may sound selfish, but I wanted to have a child who might be blessed with my mom’s musical talents or have my dad’s sparkly eyes. For me, surrogacy is as close as we can come to having our child in the “usual” way.”

Before deciding to use a surrogate, you (and your partner) should consider the following questions:

Are you ready to move on from current infertility treatments?

How do you feel about someone else carrying your child?

Are both partners ready to do this?

How will you explain the pregnancy and birth to others and eventually to your child?

It is important that you and the carrier speak to a mental health professional specializing in infertility about these and other concerns. A mental health screening can help ensure that all parties have considered all matters. It will also help to determine if you and your carrier are compatible.