Study explores possibility of Viagra for women. 

New research might be bringing science a bit closer to a female version of Viagra.

In a study that explored the underlying processes of female sexual arousal, British-based researchers say they have learned more about how new treatments might be developed to help women with sexual arousal disorder.

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First time was a charm, but now that you want a second child…or a third…it’s taking forever.  What’s going on?

You’ve tried everything – rhythmic timing, hormones, IVF. You’ve even gyrated to the music of some exotic fertility dance. Meanwhile, your older child is in grade school pleading every day for a baby sibling. 

It turns out an easy first pregnancy does not equate with easy conception the second time around. Struggling with this condition – known as secondary infertility – is often a long and disappointing road.

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Improving your fertility after 35 is possible with a few lifestyle changes.

Making babies is the most natural thing in the world. It is also sometimes the hardest.

Unfortunately, women’s eggs have a shelf life.  Women are born with a million eggs in stock—a number that declines to about 300,000 after puberty.   At the age of 35, the window of opportunity for having a perfectly healthy, full-term pregnancy becomes smaller.  Eggs become more susceptible to  genetic defects like Down’s Syndrome, and the risk of miscarriage is greater.

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The FDA warns food companies to be honest with their marketing claims.

Don’t take that food label as truth. U.S. health regulators have warned units of Nestle and more than a dozen other foodmakers over nutritional claims made for baby food, nuts and other products on food labels and product websites, according to letters made public last week. The warnings came as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is set to push for new package labeling geared toward making it easier for consumers to understand the nutritional content of the foods they eat.

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Can’t get pregnant? A few lifestyle changes may be in order.

Like we said, it’s never really as simple as have sex, get pregnant. Even a few lifestyle factors can mean boost or bust if you want to have a baby. If you’ve decided you’re ready to be a parent, consider our fertility don’ts. If you want to get pregnant and have a healthy head-start for your baby, time to start kicking some bad habits — or a least practice some self-control.

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Trying to get pregnant? Here are a few To Do’s.

Having a baby is not really as simple as have sex, get pregnant. I realized this myself when it took us four years of trying before we had our first child. So many aspects of our bodies and minds are actually involved in the wonders of procreation. One thing off-kilter and your body is out of whack. Fertility treatments can be quite daunting, but before you get there or as soon as you’ve decided you’re ready for a baby… we have some advice on how to prime yourself for pregnancy.

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More reason to get healthy even before the baby comes.

We know that obesity is associated with many illnesses, from diabetes to heart conditions. Now we can add an increased risk for birth defects in babies carried by overweight mothers. This comes from an analysis conducted by US researchers and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Obesity is defined as those who have a BMI or body mass index of 29 or higher.

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PBS series promotes resiliency and happiness.

A happy home with happy kids starts with happy parents. As caregivers, an important goal is to promote emotional well-being in the home. Enhancing relationships, helping our kids learn to cope with challenges, and nurturing optimism and resiliency are important for all families.

So here’s something for all of us striving for happiness for ourselves and our loved ones. This month, PBS launched a television series and multi-media project designed to share the newest, most useful information on emotional well-being to help people in their daily lives.

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What’s true and what’s an old wives’ tale?

When you announce you’re pregnant, the unsolicited advice and information pours in. It can get confusing and overwhelming. You can even be misled to do the wrong thing. We can be worried about what we shouldn’t be bothered with. We know more about medicine and health these days, but myths still abound. We sort out what’s fact and what’s fiction.

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Stress and lack of support puts expectant moms at risk.

Some expectant mothers are more prone to depression than others. A University of Michigan study reports that factors such as stress, mental health history, social support and whether a pregnancy was planned contribute to putting a woman at risk for depression during pregnancy.

This is important because women who are depressed have higher risk for dangerous complications during pregnancy. In fact, attending doctors are being encouraged to identify depression and its risk factors to minimize pregnancy complications.

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