 |
|
|
|
Welcome
to your March 2006 issue of Connections,
The American Fertility Association’s monthly e-newsletter.
In this issue, you’ll find:
- Message
from the Executive Director
- Reproductive
Rights Endangered in Arizona
- 60
MINUTES - "Families Ties"
- Save
the Date! Sunday, May 7, 2006 - Family Matters Annual
Conference
- Save
the date — Illuminations fundraiser in Los Angeles
- Fertility
Dream races and walks
- Ask
the Orphan Doctor - a candid conversation with Dr.
Jane Aronson
- Natural
Ways to Prepare Body & Mind for Conception
- Manhattan
Support Group
- Connections
Online Educational Sessions
|
A
Message from the Executive Director
Pamela
Madsen |
Dear Friend,
The American Fertility Association is standing up to
protect egg donation from legislation in Arizona that
will effectively eliminate this family building option.
If it can happen in Arizona, it can happen in your
state too.
As a national fertility advocacy association, we
will continue to advocate on behalf of all patients,
allowing their voices to be heard loudly.
Further details about the legislation and its potential
impact appear in our press release below. The AFA
will continue to raise issues and fight for the family-building
freedoms we deserve.
Warm Regards,
Pamela
|
|
|
REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS ENDANGERED IN ARIZONA
The American Fertility Association Raises Concerns over
Egg Donation Legislation
March
12, 2006, New York – The American Fertility
Association is alarmed that the Arizona House of Representatives
has passed bills that will significantly impact the ability
for women with reproductive difficulties to build families.
If bills HR 2142 and HR 2681 are enacted into law when
voted on by the Senate this week, it will become a felony – punishable
by a term of up to one year of incarceration and a fine
of up to $150,000 – to compensate a woman to donate
her own eggs to help another woman conceive.
“Reproductive rights are under siege in Arizona.
These bills are going to effectively shut-down a woman’s
right to bear a child through the use of donated eggs,” said
Pamela Madsen, Founder and Executive Director of The American
Fertility Association. “Legislators need to understand
that egg donation provides the best and sometimes only
hope of having a child for many couples,” added Madsen.
This legislation is misguided on two fronts. First, to
expect a woman to be both altruistic as well as carry the
financial burden for a minimum of 60 hours for egg donation
medical treatment is not reasonable. Second, the legislature
inaccurately believes that this bill may prevent human
cloning because it will limit the supply of eggs needed
for stem cell research. Not one fertility specialist in
Arizona uses donated eggs for stem cell research or somatic
cell nuclear transfer cloning (SCNT). Rather, donor eggs
are used exclusively for helping infertile couples start
families.
“If preventing human cloning is the goal, the Arizona
legislature should re-write the bill to address the concerns
of human embryo cloning and not to eliminate a treatment
option for infertility patients who need donor eggs to
conceive,” said Barbara M. Faber, MD, Arizona Reproductive
Medicine Specialists.
Infertile women in Arizona will be negatively affected
if HR 2142 and HR 2681 become law. In 2003, about 12% of
women in Arizona used assisted reproductive technology
involving egg donation. Most do not have a family member
who can donate eggs or prefer to use an anonymous donor.
For 20 years, egg donation has been a viable and trusted
option for these women. Donors undergo the same procedure
as women who choose in vitro fertilization (IVF).
“The young cancer survivor whose ovaries are damaged
by chemotherapy or the woman with a genetic disorder who
doesn’t want to pass it to her offspring need egg
donation to start healthy families,” said Holly Hutchison,
Practice Director, Reproductive Health Center. “Arizona
legislators should pass laws that increase the chance of
having a child, not inhibit it.”
Egg
donors are compensated for their time and effort, not
for the “buying” of
eggs. Donors do need to be compensated for the valuable
time they spend away
from work or school to help infertile individuals and families.
The average Arizona egg donor receives between $2,500 and
$3,500. The American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM)
Ethics Committee has determined that egg donor compensation
up to $5,000 is appropriate, and even $10,000 can be justified
in certain circumstances.
“While some ads for donors emphasize the monetary
gain, women who are solely donating for money are weeded
out in the screening process,” says Laura Troche,
RNC, Egg Donation Program Coordinator, West Valley Fertility
Center. “Donors also meet with an objective mental
health professional to determine the donors' understanding
of the procedure and motivation. Being an egg donor is
not a quick way to earn large sums of money.”
“These Arizona bills must not become law,” added
Madsen. “They would set a frightening precedent.”
[back
to top] |
60
MINUTES - "Families Ties"
On Sunday, March
19, Steve Kroft from "60 Minutes" examined
the growing
phenomenon of "donor sibilings."
Every
year, an estimated 30,000 children are born in the U.S.
to mothers who
have been artificially inseminated with sperm from an anonymous
donor. Most
of these children grow up never knowing their biological
fathers. But now,
with the help of sperm bank records and the Internet, some
of them are
finding half brothers and sisters they never knew they
had, half-siblings
sired by the same anonymous donor. "Donor siblings" are
forging family ties
they never knew existed, and the definition of "family" is
once again
undergoing a transformation.
For further
details, visit the "60 Minutes" web
site and click here.
[back
to top] |
Save the Date!
Sunday, May 7, 2006, 7:00 am - 5:45 pm, The New York
Grand Hyatt Hotel
Family
Matters is largest annual U.S. fertility and
adoption educational event, featuring over 45 workshops,
90 world-renowned speakers and over 60 exhibitors. Please
click here to for more information or register.
Meet
leading physicians as well as top-notch heath care,
legal and adoption professionals; attend workshops
and get support. Register now for the Family Matters
conference now and click here.
[back
to top] |
|
Save
the date — Illuminations fundraiser in Los Angeles
An Evening of Stars Under the Stars
3RD ANNUAL
ILLUMINATIONS AWARDS
Benefiting the American Fertility Association
SATURDAY, MAY 13 AT 7:00
PM
AT A BEAUTIFUL HANCOCK PARK ESTATE
 |
BRENDA
STRONG (Desperate Housewives)
Mistress of Ceremonies
AFA National Spokesperson |
HONORING
Jo Champa
Italian Screen Star
World Fertility Awareness
Month Chairwoman
Andrew Vorzimer, Esq.
CEO, Egg Donation Inc.
Partner, Vorzimer Masserman,
A Professional Law Corporation
Cappy M. Rothman, MD
Co-founder and Medical Director,
California Cryobank
[back
to top]
|
Fertility Dream
Join the American Fertility Association at the Fertility
Dream races/walks in your area.
The Fertility
Dream is breaking new ground, promoting health and is
a rallying point for the entire fertility
community and our supporters nationwide. Our 2006 goal
is to build fertility awareness and raise research and
advocacy funds. Remember, "together we can do what
we can't do alone.”
Anyone can participate in the Fertility Dream races and
walks, no matter you age or fitness level. We can help
find a pace that is right for you. Click here for
more information and to register.
Support the Fertility
Dream race/walk near you:
Chicago - August 13th
Danbury, CT - September 10th
Boston September 30th
Los Angeles - December 18th
Visit the American Fertility Associations web site
at www.theAFA.org or call 888
917-3777 to register
or donate.
[back
to top]
|
Ask the Orphan Doctor
A candid conversation with Dr. Jane Aronson about the health
and development of children adopted from abroad. Everyone
who has ever considered adopting child has wondered
about the health of the child they are bringing
into their family. When parents consider international
adoption, the fear of unknown medical issues can be even
greater. This month we are fortunate to have Dr. Jane
Aronson, a leading pediatrician specializing in children
of inter-country adoption, addressing some of the most
common concerns about adopting children from outside
of the United States.
Q: In considering an international
adoption, what health issues are expected? There
is so much conflicting
and
frankly, frightening information about the health and
development of children in institutions outside of
the U.S. It isn’t clear what the facts are.
A: First, the health issues may differ
depending on the child’s country of origin. Children
from China may arrive in the United States with different
issues
from children from Guatemala. Most children from abroad
are healthy although many of them have nutritional
deficiencies. However, it is not uncommon to see infectious
diseases
and parasites, fetal alcohol syndrome, environmental
diseases along with dietary deficiencies. In the vast
majority of cases these children can be successfully
treated, given any immunizations they have not received,
and evaluated for the developmental delays common in
internationally adopted children.
Q: Is there anything that can
be done to anticipate a child’s medical needs
prior to coming home?
A: Adoption Medicine is a rather new sub-specialty
in medicine, and my suggestion is that you contact
someone in this field (The American Academy of Pediatrics,
www.aap.org ).
Pre-adoptively you can talk with your adoption pediatrician
about which country is likely
to best suit you in terms of the country’s requirements
and your own requirements—some people want toddlers
while others are open to older children—and your
familiarity and comfort with particular cultures.
Talking to an adoption pediatrician beforehand
can help you understand what to expect so that when you
go to
an orphanage to meet your child you will know what to
look for both medically and developmentally. Either before
you go, or once you are there, you can also have the
child’s medical records sent to your pediatrician
as they can be difficult to interpret. You should also
set up an appointment with your pediatrician in advance
so that she can see your child as soon as possible after
your return for a check-up, shots, and any medical care
he may need. Your pediatrician can continue following
up with your child medically, and can observe your child
over time to make sure that he is getting back on track
developmentally—the general rule is that for every
three month your child lives in an orphanage, he will
be one month behind developmentally.
Q: Are developmental delays common in children living
in institutions (i.e. orphanages)?
A: Almost all of the children who have lived in orphanages
have delays due to both a
Lack of stimulation and a lack of physical space to practice
crawling, walking, and talking. There are many children
with few caregivers. The caregivers primarily take care
of the child’s physical needs and little else.
Fortunately, in some countries such as Guatemala the
babies are taken into foster care. In these cases the
developmental lags are not as great.
Q: Do children “catch up” when
they are adopted and given treatment and care?
A: The vast majority of them do. It is
just so important that they be evaluated as early as
possible. You will
want to get in touch with your county’s health
department and get them evaluated for developmental delays
so that professionals can intervene if necessary and
help them with speech or fine motor skills for example.
Don’t wait until your child is three and presents
with behavior problems! It is not uncommon to trace these
behavior issues back to a speech delay which should have
been treated much sooner! The child who is behaving badly
at three may simply be frustrated because he can’t
verbalize his wants and needs or can’t talk to
his peers in pre-school. And don’t overlook the
obvious - be sure to have you child’s vision and
hearing tested.
Q: Do you have any general advice for people who are
considering international adoption?
A: Yes, learn all you can! Get involved with
adoptive parent organizations, read magazines and books
on adoption.
Speak to an adoption pediatrician and be prepared to
work a little harder than most parents when your child
first comes home. Remember, he will find himself in surroundings
that are very different from what he is used to. He may
be eating solid foods for the first time, listening to
a new language, and sleeping alone in
a crib rather than in a room with many children. (If
he was in foster care he may have well shared a bed with
his foster mother, and will be unused to sleeping without
her.) Also, you will often learn a great deal from your
child! My own children have taught me far more than I
have taught them. Good luck!
Dr. Jane Aronson, fondly know as the “Orphan Doctor” is
the Director of International Pediatric Health Services,
in New York City and a Clinical Assistant Professor of
Pediatrics at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University.
She has evaluated well over 4,000 children adopted from
abroad as an adoption medicine specialist. She has traveled
to orphanages in Russia, Romania, Bulgaria, China, Vietnam,
Ethiopia, and Latin America.
Since 1997, she has conducted research
and provided education in orphanages abroad through her
501(3) (c)
foundation, Worldwide Orphans Foundation (WWO). WWO documents
the medical and developmental conditions of children
living in orphanages abroad in order to identify their
immediate healthcare needs and to advocate for their
well-being through the Orphan Ranger Program which acts
as a “Peace Corps” for orphanages by commissioning
university students and healthcare professionals to live
and work in orphanages. WWO has been granted NGO status
in Viet Nam and Ethiopia and has embarked on training
programs for physicians in both countries to care for
HIV-infected orphans. WWO currently treats orphans with
HIV/AIDS in both countries.
She has been featured in many newspapers and magazines,
such as The New Yorker, People and The
New York Times.
She is a recipient of the Congressional Angel of Adoption
Award and most importantly, she is the adoptive mom of
two sweet boys, Ben, from Viet Nam and Desalegn, from
Ethiopia.
For more information check her website: www.orphandoctor.com or
e-mail her at orphandoctor@aol.com.
-- Carolyn Berger, LCSW, AFA Adoption Coordinator
[back
to top] |
Natural
Ways to Prepare Body & Mind for
Conception
By Marc Sklar, DA, LAc, MSTOM
As
the Baby Boomers edge into seniority, much of the subsequent
generation has placed a greater focus on developing
careers than on creating a family. Many have decided
to delay families while getting careers in order, only
to discover that when it was finally "the right
time" to have children, it was no longer easy or
feasible for their bodies.
Infertility is now a major medical condition amongst
30-45 year olds, affecting about one in every four reproductive-aged
couples, leaving many with heartache and guilt.
The distress, depression and anxiety which
accompany many cases of infertility also can negatively
impact
a body’s physiological reproductive processes
and resulting in multiple impediments compounding an
existing
problem. Concurrently, being infertile leads to more
stress and more obstacles to pregnancy - and so the
vicious cycle continues.
There is a direct interaction between the body and the
mind, making it vital to prepare all aspects of body
and mind in any attempt to create the optimum conditions
for conception and pregnancy. The following steps are
highly recommended to those who want to significantly
enhance their chances for a successful pregnancy:
1. Know your optimum fertility signs and times
This sounds straight forward, but knowing exactly when
you’re ovulating, and recognizing the physical
signs indicating when you’re at the peak time
to conceive are sometimes easily confused or missed.
For example, as long as your periods are regular, you
can calculate that about 14 days after your period
starts is the time when you are ovulating. Secondly,
and usually around the same time, your cervical mucus
becomes very thin, clearer and more stretchy; almost
like egg white in quality. (Note antihistamines
dry up mucus everywhere, not only in the head and
chest).
Just paying attention to these two, simple bodily developments
will incrementally improve chances of conception.
2. Participate in a strong social support system
If you have been diagnosed with “infertility,” are
using IVF treatments or you are experiencing difficulty
conceiving, you have been saddled with a whole myriad
of emotions robbing fostering feelings of frustration
and overwhelming emotion. The ability to share and express
the many emotional peaks and valleys that you may be
going through can provide valuable peace of mind and
a greater sense of control. Stress and depression disrupt
the natural harmony of the body and reduce your chances
for a successful pregnancy. A supportive group of like
minded people will help reduce the stress which is important
to creating a healthy environment for conception.
3. Get a full medical reproductive evaluation
The benefits of having a comprehensive female and male
reproductive evaluation, including any lab work, imaging
and diagnostics will greatly enhance your chances by
giving your reproductive healthcare team the most complete
and necessary information to deliver the best possible
combinations of treatments. Developing a relationship
with a reproductive healthcare provider that you trust
and feel good with is extremely important. This will
also reduce your stress level and further improve your
chances for a successful pregnancy.
4. Explore complimentary therapies with licensed practitioners
that have been proven effective for fertility enhancement,
such as: Acupuncture, Botanical Medicines, Yoga, Qi-Gong,
Deep Tissue Uterine Massage
Many research studies have shown the fertility enhancing
value of complimentary therapies. One clinical Acupuncture
study recently demonstrated the ability to optimize endometrial
receptivity, resulting in almost double the pregnancy
rate than that of IVF or ICSI alone. Complementary therapies
can significantly enhance your chance of conceiving and
delivering a healthy baby. Additional benefits can also
be achieved with the combined use of other complimentary
practices that have demonstrated benefits on conditions
ranging from fallopian tube obstruction, fibroids, endometriosis,
and menstrual irregularities.
5. Developing a daily relaxation discipline can greatly
improve emotional well being
The benefits of being able to access a consistent and
calm personal emotional space, has been demonstrated
by the Harvard Medical School Mind Body Institute to
measurably improve take home baby rates.
6. Developing a nutritional plan to improve your fertility
chances may take a little time, however this is one of
the more important changes you can directly make
As food and air are the primary means of sustaining life,
it is essential that in wanting to create new life that
a specific and appropriate nutritional plan be created
that include the many essential ingredients that help
lay the foundation for optimum maternal and embryonic
health. Consulting with a trained professional with experience
in the treatment of fertility can further improve your
success.
7. Join a facilitated group that explores cognitive
behavioral techniques, enhanced communication skills
and emotional expression
More than 20 years of studies and practice by the Harvard
Medical School Mind Body Institute have shown that by
participating in facilitated Mind–Body therapy
can result in significant and measurably improved take
home baby rates in excess of 50-percent
8. Take the time to reconnect with your spiritual practice
What ever your personal beliefs, set aside time to reconnect
with the practice that provides you with a deeper sense
of control and belonging. One of the biggest complaints
expressed by women suffering with infertility is that
they feel “out of control.” Reconnecting
with yourself and your spiritual practice can help
you regain control of your fertility journey. Having
the tools and knowledge to control and understand your
journey can help reduce the stress and anxiety experienced.
9. Having a balanced exercise program assures that your
body is functioning at top capacity
It is very important that a correct and balanced personal
exercise regime be practiced, in most cases this means
a consistent light to moderate routine, but in others
it may actually mean less exercise. Consulting with a
trained fertility professional can help balance your
exercise program.
10. Receiving proper pregnancy support
Achieving conception is just the first step. Receiving
the proper support during your pregnancy can help to
minimize the possibility of a miscarriage as well as
other complications. Preparing for the time when you
become pregnant and having the right physical and emotional
treatment and support structure will further promote
a full term healthy pregnancy. For example research
also shows that the use of pre-birth acupuncture can
help reduce labor by almost two hours, as well as a
reduced rate of medical intervention.
Although infertility is affecting more and more couples,
in reality very few women (and couples) are actually
clinically infertile - most women and their partners
are simply not physically and emotionally in full reproductive
homeostasis (balance). Some are having difficulty conceiving,
others may be suffering from recurrent miscarriage, this
is vastly different to true infertility, which is clinically
described as sterility. By incorporating some or all
of the recommendations listed above women and their partners
may have an easier time conceiving, sustaining a full
term pregnancy, and delivering a health child.
Marc Sklar is a Doctor of Acupuncture
(RI) and one of the founders and clinical directors of
Reproductive
Wellness™,
a clinic practice devoted to providing Natural Treatment
Therapies for infertility and pregnancy support.
www.reproductivewellness.com
[back
to top]
|
Manhattan Support Group
Are you experiencing recurrent pregnancy loss?
| Join
our new Manhattan group to: |
| * |
get
support |
| * |
build
resilience |
| * |
alleviate
stress |
| * |
learn
mind/body techniques |
| * |
explore
resources options to help you move forward |
Join Izetta Siegal Stern, LCSW, BCD in an atmosphere of
mutual support!
For
further information, please call 212-691-1266 or
e-mail ISiegalstern@aol.com.
[back
to top]
|
|
Online
Education Session Schedule—March – May
2006
|
Connections
Online
Connections
online education session schedule—March
- May 2006
MARCH
Tuesday, March 21
Donor/Surrogate Relations: Part two
Speaker: Mindy Berkson, Lotus Blossom Consulting, LLC
Tuesday, March 28
Testing, Testing, Testing
Speaker: Harvey Kliman, M.D., PhD, Yale University
School of Medicine, Reproductive and Placental Research
Unit
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive
Sciences
APRIL
Tuesday, April 4
The Art of ART
Speaker: Rafat Abbasi, M.D., Columbia Fertility Associates
Tuesday, April 11
Can't Ask the Doctor - Ask a Nurse
Speaker: Nancy Harrington, RNC, Director of Clinical
Service, ivpCare
Tuesday, April 18
The Health and Development of Adopted Children
Speaker: Michael Traister, M.D., NYU Children's Health
Center
Tuesday, April 25
Boxers or Briefs? - Common misconceptions about conception
All low tech and high tech questions will be answered
Speaker: Serena Chen, M.D., St. Barnabas
MAY
Tuesday, May 2
New Patient Primer
Speaker: Shaun Williams, M.D. Connecticut Fertility
Associates
Tuesday, May 9
Money Matters: Sensible Financing Options
Speaker: Toni Siragusa, MBA, CFP-pending; co-founder
Blossom Consulting, LLC
Tuesday, May 16
Becoming a Foster Parent
Speaker TBD
Tuesday, May 23
Law Review: Gestational Surrogacy
Speaker: Melissa Brisman, Esq.
Click here for
Connections Online
Connections
is made possible by an unrestricted educational grant
from Serono, Inc., providers of
Fertility LifeLines™. For more information,
call 1-866-LETS-TRY or visit www.fertilitylifelines.com.
|
|
|
The
American Fertility Association, 666 5th Avenue Suite 278,
New York NY 10103.
Support Line: 888-917-3777. Fax: 718-601-7722. www.theafa.org
|
|
|
|
|
