Jeanette Truchsess, PhD and Associates

Out of compassion for everyone, I will be providing tele-psychology rather than seeing clients in my office. May we all be safe, stay healthy and practice kindness to self and others.

Fish Oil Supplements Tied to Sperm Health

nytimes.com Young men who took fish oil supplements had higher sperm counts, a greater sperm volume and larger average testicular size.

Researchers uncover defective sperm epigenome that leads to male infertility

Infertility is attributed to 40% female factor, 40% male factor and 20% unexplained. Most of the research has been done on female factors, so it's important that more research be done on male factor.

phys.org One out of eight couples has trouble conceiving, with nearly a quarter of those cases caused by unexplained male infertility. For the past decade, research has linked that infertility to defective sperm that fail to "evict" proteins called histones from DNA during development. However, the mechanism...

RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association

If you have extra frozen embryos you’ve decided not to use, please devote time to making conscientious, intentional decisions about them.

What to do with your remaining frozen embryos can be a daunting and emotional decision.

Not even sure where to begin? Learn more about the 5 options you have here 👇
http://ow.ly/DDlR50uJ3jn

RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association

A good overview but they neglected to report how important peer support can be. I facilitated a Resolve Support Group for 20 years and taught 31 classes of Domar’s MindBody Program for Fertility over 10 years, and found being with your “peeps” was incredibly significant.

"But while the causes of are overwhelmingly physiological, the resulting heartache — often exacerbated by the physical and emotional rigors of infertility treatment — may exact a huge psychological toll."

It is important that we focus on our minds just as much as we focus on our bodies while dealing with infertility. Everything is inter-connected.

Read more: https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/The-psychological-impact-of-infertility-and-its-treatment

RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association

It's not necessarily the countless doctors appointments, or the rage-inducing hormones or even the progesterone injections that makes the fertility treatment process painful.

It's the two week wait.

Here's some tips on how to survive it: http://ow.ly/iQn850ut1A8

ASRM Mental Health Professional Group - MHPG

As technology advances, ethical and legal questions will arise: https://www.statnews.com/2019/04/18/new-york-researcher-ready-to-start-pregnancies-with-three-parent-embryos/

RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association

"Just as my experience with infertility was a journey, so too is the decision to live our life without children of our own. Along the way a sense of control returned to my life. brings with it a sense of powerlessness. Each month another treatment cycle is attempted, and you hope for the best, knowing you have little or no control over the outcome."

Read more as Jennifer's uncovers her decision process for childfree: https://resolve.org/what-are-my-options/living-childfree/personal-story-a-family-of-two/

ASRM Mental Health Professional Group - MHPG

Smoking's impact on fertility: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-stopping-smoking-boosts-your-fertility-naturally/

RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association

is complex and comes with an array of emotions. "The most unexpected emotion, but one I have felt profoundly, is guilt. I feel nagging guilt that I can’t seem to be content with my already very blessed life." via HuffPost http://ow.ly/srre30orSqX

ASRM Mental Health Professional Group - MHPG

Here are some very helpful suggestions for coping with the difficulties of infertility from our colleagues at Resolve: https://resolve.org/support/managing-infertility-stress/coping-techniques/

ASRM Mental Health Professional Group - MHPG

Some "newer" ways of looking at endometriosis (especially after recurrent pregnancy loss) using known tests: https://www.jmig.org/article/S1553-4650(19)30116-5/fulltext

RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association

“ is a medical condition that does not discriminate based on race, religion, socio-economic status, or sexuality” says CEO of RESOLVE.

Read more via California's Capitol Weekly:

http://ow.ly/w9Zj30obpZf

ASRM Mental Health Professional Group - MHPG

A great article that separates the differences between privacy and secrecy: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/infertility-maintaining-privacy-avoiding-secrecy-2019022515980

ASRM Mental Health Professional Group - MHPG

It can be so empowering to share the story of your journey!

Sharing stories erases stigma: https://theglowup.theroot.com/talking-the-stigma-out-of-infertility-you-dont-have-to-1831062894

ASRM Mental Health Professional Group - MHPG

11 things that might impact sperm count and quality: https://www.thisisinsider.com/things-that-can-decrease-your-sperm-count-2018-12

ASRM Mental Health Professional Group - MHPG

One egg donor's interesting perspective.....

ASRM Mental Health Professional Group - MHPG

Grieving is the way through this journey.

Grief in dealing with a miscarriage is profound and addressing it in adaptive, healthy ways is important in processing it and learning to live with the loss. Here are some good ideas....

ASRM Mental Health Professional Group - MHPG

The first person to find out the identity of their sperm donor through DNA testing did so in 2005. Donor anonymity has been dead for quite some time now.

ASRM Mental Health Professional Group - MHPG

The holidays can be tough while you’re waiting for a child to parent...

During holidays that celebrate life, it can be difficult to celebrate when in the darkness of a fertility journey: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/coping-with-infertility-during-the-holidays-darkness-and-light-2018120515472

ASRM Mental Health Professional Group - MHPG

"...grief is an ocean." "Some days you can sit on the shore and appreciate the depth, the current, the power and accept it -- some days you are sucked in and pulled under by the waves."

ASRM Mental Health Professional Group - MHPG

Mitochondrial DNA was previously thought to be passed on from an egg. Now it appears that it may also be passed on to children via sperm. You may have heard about maternal mitochondrial DNA being replaced with mitochondrial DNA from a donor egg. We're interested to see how this new research influences technology related to sperm.

ASRM Mental Health Professional Group - MHPG

The holidays can be stressful for people on the journey.

Some very interesting ideas and tips for coping with fertility challenges during the holiday season......

ASRM Mental Health Professional Group - MHPG

Dr. Domar is one of our best spokespersons!

member Dr. Domar talks about miscarriage facts.

RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association

Peer support can be priceless!

"Finding support from other people with similar experiences can be helpful. They can offer resources for managing stress, keeping a relationship functioning well, and reassure individuals that they are not alone."-

Read more on how both and can be linked: http://ow.ly/Y2Df30mMLHy

ASRM Mental Health Professional Group - MHPG

Will laws in the US be created about donors and donor conceived children? https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/government-toughens-ivf-laws-to-protect-egg-donors-and-kids-20181024-p50bpb.html

RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association

Adoption is a journey, too...

“A lot of folks that come to adoption, come to adoption after a huge loss themselves,” Parker said, whether it be infertility, lack of a partner or a late decision to parent. “Things look different from the picture they assumed for themselves. And they need time to grieve that, too.”

In the second season of the HuffPost podcast , they unpack some of the hard topics that people who adopt have to consider.

Here's the latest episode, Why Don't You Just Adopt: http://ow.ly/DTRR30myWmj

ASRM Mental Health Professional Group - MHPG

Grieving is the way through losses...

We need to normalize the grief that follows a miscarriage. "The only way to allow pain to dissipate is to make processing and healing all forms of grief open and socially acceptable."

ASRM Mental Health Professional Group - MHPG

This article captures so much of what people experience on the journey of infertility. I hope it is validating and helpful for many of you.
I am a member of ASRM MHPG and know that they capture many excellent articles I would post here. Since there's no reason to "reinvent the wheel," I would refer you to like and follow their posts. Blessings!

One couple’s journey through infertility and the ways in which they worked to strengthen their relationship. Practicing empathy was key.