Women’s Wellness Day at Saratoga Race Course 2009

Our Latham, NY, CNY Healing Arts and CNY Fertility along with Albany Gynecology were excited to recently be a part of Women’s Day  B-95.5  at the Saratoga Racetrack. Each facility had a booth displaying information about the services they provide. CNY Healing Arts displayed several pictures of the interior spa as well as a beautiful gift basket worth over $500 in goodies from our retail boutique. It was an exciting day being a part of our local business community, meeting many prospective clients and enjoying the time at the track. Cheryl Anderson (CNY Healing Arts Spa Manager, Latham, NY) and Justine Taylor (CNY Fertility Nurse Manager, Latham, NY) presented an award to one of the Jockey’s in the winner’s circle. Cheryl was also interviewed by Capital News 9, speaking about the new Latham location for the CNY Healing Arts. Below you can watch the interview and also enjoy the photo gallery.

Words of Support and Encouragement Week of August 31, 2009

Good morning!  I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.  It seems as though autumn has crept in a bit over the past few days here in Central New York.  While the weather is likely to warm up again, we are nearing the Autumnal Equinox on September 22.  This is historically a season of celebration and thanks.  Especially in our region of the world, we are blessed with bountiful gardens and beautiful changing leaves.
Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.

-Albert Camus

In preparation for this year’s equinox, try to focus your mind on what you have, and what you are grateful for.  Often we can get blinded by our goals and what we think we need.  It is wonderful to have goals and dreams, but we should not let them tunnel our vision, because there is a beautiful and ever-changing world just outside our window.

Many times it is easy to feel guilty when you have moments of happiness and enjoyment throughout your journey of infertility.  You may feel that you don’t deserve it, or that you are losing track of your goal, especially if you have experienced moments of great sadness and loss.  Although it is a great challenge and you may not remove the feeling of guilt completely, it may help to remember why you want to bring a child into this life in the first place.  Is it to see the world around you?  To experience the joy and love that surrounds us?  These are beautiful reasons to want to have a child, and maybe taking the time to observe the beautiful changing leaves and crisp autumn air will help to focus your priorities, and return a bit of happiness and childlike awe to your day.

Have a wonderful week,

Lisa

Lisa Stack

Lstack@cnyfertility.com

315-744-8073

April’s journey to fertility: Week fourteen

April is a CNY Fertility Center patient and has been on her journey to fertility for approximately two years. April will share candid stories and a unique perspective on the fertility challenges many women and couples face.

Week 14: Keep at it

I was recently reading through Dr. Rob’s past daily intentions and one was titled Keep at it. A few days later, I found notes from a past conversation with Kristen Magnacca which included three encouraging remarks: 1.) do not stop 2.) keep going and 3.) remember that we (those who are helping me work toward my goal of becoming a mother) are going to finish it together. What encouraging thoughts!

For this cycle my husband and I added a number of western fertility treatments to our routine (Intra Lipids, Lovonox, progesterone, timed IUI), and I went in for my blood pregnancy test today. On my way out of the office, I told the nurse that if my results were not positive this time, that I was simply going to keep at it. The nurse later informed me that the test results were negative. Since my husband and I are going out of town next week, I told her I would have to get back to her once this cycle officially began so we could figure out what would make the most sense in terms of fertility treatment, if any,  for this cycle. When I hung up the phone, I noticed the twins across the street playing with their mother, and I recalled a little bit of that mom’s journey to fertility, which is somewhat similar to mine. Now she has two beautiful four year olds and is living out her happily ever after. If she and her husband had not kept at it, they would not have gone through the IVF cycle that led to the birth of their son and daughter. She and the twins often remind me that my journey to fertility will be well worth the wait. Read more

Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD)

The latest in IVF technology is now available at CNY Fertility Center!

Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) is a procedure for screening for genetic diseases in an embryo prior to transfer to the uterus. PGD can be used to detect embryos with single gene defects. This allows us to screen for diseases like Tay-Sachs, Cystic Fibrosis, Huntington Disease and Sickle Cell Anemia. PGD can also be used to detect embryos that have chromosomal disorders such as Down’s Syndrome.

PGD must be done in conjunction with IVF. After the eggs are retrieved, they are inseminated with the partner’s sperm via ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) where they take a single sperm and directly inject it into an egg. If the egg becomes fertilized, it should develop into a 6-10 celled embryo by the third day after fertilization. At this point 1-2 of the embryo’s cells (or blastomeres) are biopsied and then the genetic information is analyzed. The laboratory can then tell which embryos are unaffected for the disease
being screened. Only those unaffected embryos are transferred back to the uterus in hopes of a pregnancy.

For more information on PGD, contact CNY Fertility Center, or visit these websites:

http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic3520.htm
http://www.dnapolicy.org/

Rochester Circle of Hope Support Group Date Change

Starting September 2009 the Rochester CNY Fertility Support Group will meet the 3rd Tuesday of each month instead of the 2nd Tuesday.  Join us on Tuesday September 15th at the Rochester CNY Fertility Center at 2244 East Avenue from 7-8 PM.  You may sometimes feel as if you are the only one having trouble getting pregnant.  Our group provides support from others going through the same experiences.  Whether you are just beginning your fertility journey or you have had several years of trying, the emotional aspects of infertility can be the most difficult part of the entire process.  Sharing with others you can learn how to cope, gather strategies, ask your questions and learn about different paths to obtaining your goal of becoming a parent.  This group is open to anyone; you do not need to be a medical client of CNY Fertility to participate in our group, all are welcome.

Words of Support and Encouragement Week of August 24, 2009

Good morning, and I hope you had a wonderful weekend!  So often it can feel like our focus is only on those who have never had a child of their own.  Although it may come as a surprise, about one third of our patients are suffering from secondary infertility, meaning they have already successfully conceived and delivered a child.  This challenging situation can bring forth many questions and contradicting emotions.  Often the couple may ask themselves what has changed?  Why are ‘we’ not working anymore?  Even more challenging can be the feelings of guilt, and dissatisfaction in the family that has been already created.  Many couples will say that they know they should be grateful for the child they already have, but can’t help feeling as though their family is incomplete.

All of these questions and emotions are normal.  Just as you felt the initial maternal/paternal instinct to begin your family, so too will you feel that instinctual pull to expand.  This does not mean that you are ungrateful, greedy.  Instead, it is a testament to the great love you wish to share with even more children.  This feeling is a gift and should not be met with shame.

Although we cannot guarantee the outcome of your journey, I can assure you that your love will not go unshared and unfulfilled.  It always has a way of finding that exact person who needs it the most.

Throughout your journey, constantly remind yourself that what you are feeling is normal, and appropriate.  You are not ungrateful, or greedy, and you do not love the child you already have any less.

For more community based discussion and tools for coping with the many emotions experienced during these challenging times, I invite you to join us in our first Hopeful Again Support Group.  Please find a group description and meeting information below.

Hopeful Again: A support group for those experiencing secondary infertility, or difficulty conceiving another child.

The focus of this group is to create a supportive community environment for those who have already conceived and delivered a child, but now find that conceiving is a challenge.  Regardless of how many children you may already have, your family may not yet feel complete, and so you are trying again.  This group is here to support and encourage you throughout your journey as well as provide specific coping mechanisms for the challenging moments.  Our first meeting will be Monday, September 21, 2009 in the Syracuse CNY Fertility Reception Area at 5:30p.  RSVP to Lstack@cnyfertility.com

I hope to see you there,

Lisa

Lisa Stack

Lstack@cnyfertility.com

315-744-8073

CNY Fertility Center launches Embryo Donation Program

We are proud to announce the official opening of our Embryo Donation Program. Embryo Donation is now another option available to our clients seeking to either create, or expand their families.

Often when families undergo IVF treatments, they are left with remaining fertilized eggs (embryos). This can place the parents in a difficult position when they begin to discuss what to do with the remaining embryos. The previous options available have been to donate the remaining embryos to research, keep them frozen, or to dispose of them. We are now able to add a fourth option, Embryo Donation.

The concept of the Embryo Donation Program is to match the remaining embryos to recipient parents who are interested in the concept of adoption, but would also like to carry the child and establish a special bond over the nine month gestational period.

We are so pleased to offer this program and help make the dream of a family available to even more members in our local community, as well as internationally. Click here to read more and view Embryo Donor Profiles.

What is a Semen Analysis?

A semen analysis is an important diagnostic tool that can indicate male factor infertility. The male partner collects a semen sample in a sterile cup, either at home or at the medical center. A small volume of the specimen is placed on a Mackler counting chamber, which has a grid with 100 squares. The sperm concentration is determined by counting the number of sperm in ten squares, then multiplying by 1 million. The motility of the specimen is determined by calculating the percentage of the sperm that are moving in the same 10 squares. The progression of the sperm (forward motion) is graded on a scale of 0 (no motility) to 3+ (moving quickly across the grid in a forward direction). The pH, agglutination (attraction between sperm), viscosity (gelatinous texture of the sample), and number of red and white blood cells are recorded. Read more

April’s journey to fertility: Week thirteen

April is a CNY Fertility Center patient and has been on her journey to fertility for approximately two years. April will share candid stories and a unique perspective on the fertility challenges many women and couples face.

Week 13: Maya Abdominal Massage – You will have to do some work, too!

When many of us think of a massage, we think of relaxation and escape. The Maya abdominal massage, though it does provide relaxation, is not necessarily an escape and works to re-balance the spiritual center (uterus). According to the article, A Time-Honored Alternative: Mayan Abdominal Massage by Jill DeDominicis, MAM helps treat infertility and other issues (irregular menstrual cycles, ovarian cysts, digestion, headaches, etc.) by “addressing and removing blockages in the abdominal area for better chi flow throughout the body.” MAM also works to correctly position the uterus to ensure there is more blood flow to the area and enhances circulation to the ovaries and fallopian tubes. If any of you have been told you have a tipped uterus, MAM also addresses this issue, which may indirectly impair fertility. Additionally, MAM flushes toxins from the body and aids in digestion and helps restore hormonal balance. (See www.arvigomassage.com for additional information.) Read more

Welcome to our home – Rochester CNY Fertility Center

“Welcome to our home.“  This is what our nurse Cathy says when she greets new clients for their consultation. I thought this was a very fitting phrase since the new Rochester CNY Fertility and Healing Arts Center is located in a beautifully remodeled house on historic East Avenue.  The facility is true to Dr Kiltz’s vision of integrating the fertility care services and healing arts treatments under one roof, and as you’ll see on the virtual tour (click here), the relaxed atmosphere is found throughout the center.  The next time you are in the Rochester area, it would be our pleasure to give you a personal tour where you’ll also see our beautiful yoga room, Dr Kiltz’s personal art work on display, and our retail boutique store.   (I haven’t been able to convince Dr Kiltz to sell his pottery in the shop yet, but cross your fingers).  We’ll make sure to take you through the store’s french doors and out onto the spacious mahogany deck to take a moment and relax from your day.

The Rochester facility is open and available Monday through Saturday for fertility consultations, monitoring, yoga, acupuncture and massage.  We hope to see you soon and please call our office with any questions 585.244.1280.

Regards,
Dr. Lana Cain