Take Charge: 7 Things You Can Do in 7 Days

National Infertility Awareness Week is a movement to raise awareness about the disease of infertility which affects 7.3 million Americans.

In recognition of National Infertility Awareness Week, reflect on your own relationship to this disease and take this week to take charge in your own way.

Take Charge: 7 Things You Can Do in 7 Days

***Educate yourself. Do you need to see a specialist?

***Design a plan. Insurance info, options, support, we got you covered.

***Become an advocate. No matter why you care, it’s easy to make an impact.

***Get inspired. Read an entry from our What IF: Bloggers Unite Project.

***Impact your community—volunteer, host a support group, raise awareness.

***Navigate the Costs of Family Building

***Find Support. Do you need help coping with your infertility diagnosis?

Join the movement

Why Israeli gays opt for US surrogate births

Despite the country’s reputation as a world leader in reproductive technology, surrogacy is illegal for same-sex couples. A recently failed appeal challenging surrogacy laws serves as another setback for the gay community in Israel, forcing many couples to seek costly alternatives abroad.

Read the article:http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/israel-and-palestine/100406/gay-marriage-adoption-surrogate

Three-way IVF could one day help prevent serious disorders

A new technique enables scientists to replace damaged mitochondria during IVF. Nuclei from the dad’s sperm and the mom’s egg, which hold the parents’ DNA, are removed, and the defective mitochondria are left behind. The nuclei are then placed into another egg that has had its nucleus removed but that still has its mitochondria.

While mutations in the mitochondrial DNA usually don’t cause serious illness, about one in 6,500 babies is born with mitochondrial disease that’s reponsible for serious and often fatal disorders such as heart failure, according to the BBC.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/health/2010/04/15/2010-04-15_threeway_ivf_could_one_day_help_prevent_serious_disorders_like_heart_disease_in_.html#ixzz0lHsecxoT

First Open Embryo Donation Program to Launch in Canada

Major strides this week in Canada for individuals and couples facing infertility. Canadian law prohibits compensated egg donation and surrogacy, making an infertility diagnosis an even greater struggle than for those in the US. Beginnings Family Services, a not-for-profit charity, has launched Canada's first Embryo Donation Program giving couples the opportunity to donate their remaining embryos to infertile couples hoping to become parents. This altruistic donation offers embryos a chance for life, and hope for thousands of infertile Canadians.

Read on:
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/April2010/05/c7799.html