When Susanne Butscher was just 15 years old, she went through menopause. But thanks to her twin sister?s donated ovary, Mrs. Butscher is now the proud mum of Maja Charlotte Shasa Butscher, born last week in London.

Because Mrs. Butscher was suffering the effects of early menopause, especially osteoporosis, but was concerned about the long-term effects of hormone replacement therapy, she and her identical twin decided to try the pioneering surgery. The German-born British woman received the organ at a clinic in St. Louis, Missouri.

“At the time my primary concern was to treat my osteoporosis, but at the back of my mind it was also about fertility, even though I had been told so many times I couldn’t have children.? That was in January 2007. Soon, Susanne began ovulating. The transplant had been a success. “After the surgery there was this tiny flame of hope that I might have a child, but it was difficult trying to balance hope with realistic expectations.” That sentiment is common among women undergoing fertility treatment.

But when she skipped a period earlier this year, she feared the organ had failed.

Happily, she was wrong. Mrs. Butscher had conceived naturally, and her baby, who is named for the Roman goddess of fertility, was born by cesarean without complications?just 13 months after the transplant. A fellow surgeon said he was ?awestruck? at the success.

Although there are examples of women receiving strips of ovarian tissue, this full transplant and pregnancy was a first. Strangely, the British Fertility Society does not support transplants for treating typical infertility. Rather, they are suggesting it only be used when women have their own ovary removed and stored for later re-implantation following cancer treatment.

Of course, transplants couldn?t treat infertility caused by anything but ovary failure. And of those candidates, many women would have difficulty finding a tissue match. But why would the Brits be against pursuing ovary transplant when it is a viable option? I think this is such a hopeful story. And I hope that many more women are able to bear children by this procedure. My husband pointed out that technically, the eggs aren?t the mother?s. But does that matter at all? Certainly it doesn?t to the Butschers.

Have you and your partner decided to get pregnant? If you have, congratulations. Trying to get pregnant can be a snap for some couples, but for others, it may take awhile. Before you and your partner take the plunge however, you’ll be ahead of the curve if you try to at least do some of the following. You’ll not only feel healthier, it may even better your chances of conception and a healthy baby in the end.

1. Make a visit with your ob/gyn or general physician. Tell them of your plans, they’ll most likely due a routine examination and then tell you of anything you should work on. Whether it be weight, blood pressure, diabetes, etc. If you’re given an all-clear, they’ll most likely prescribe you some prenatal vitamins.
2. Regularly take the prenatal vitamins. Physicians usually recommend taking the vitamins for at least two months, so you’re body is nice and stocked with the essential vitamins that helps you while pregnant. The most important of this is folic acid, which aids in the baby’s brain development for the first few months and helps avoid any potential brain defects. You need at least 400 grams of folic acid and you’re prenatal vitamins is the one that will pack the appropriate punch.
3. Start exercising and stick to it. It’s more important now than ever before to get healthy. I wish I had gotten ultra-fit before I tried to get pregnant. Studies show that the fitter you are before getting pregnant, the faster you’ll get back to your pre-pregnant weight. And let’s face it, that’s mom’s top desire immediately following the desire to have a healthy and happy baby. You’ll also be able to carry the added weight of pregnancy if you’re exercising, be less stressed, and more limber. All of which could greatly help in labor.
4. Avoid alcohol and cigarettes, even second-hand smoke. Both can get in the way of getting pregnant, and it’s not healthy having any of the carcinogens in cigarettes or any alcohol in your system even at the very beginning of conception.
5. Start eating healthy. The healthier you are, the better your body is prepared to start conceiving and nurturing a baby inside you. Getting into a habit now will help stave off the “I’m pregnant so let me eat what I want” excuse. Your future baby will soon be ingesting everything you put into your mouth, so watch what you eat.
6. Start saving. Babies cost money. A LOT of money. Even with generous parents or friends, you’ll want a nice cushion to help you once the baby comes. You’ll suddenly find you absolutely need that new and top of the line infant swing once you heard it helps babies get to sleep faster. It’s also nice to have savings so you are not beholden to your company’s stingy maternity leave (for those who aren’t as lucky as others).
7. Start looking at your health insurance policy. The earlier you’re forearmed with knowledge, the better. I had a top-notch insurance policy. All I had to pay, literally, were $300 out of pocket. My best friend’s brother’s family however, had to fork out $2000 because their policy wasn’t as inclusive.
8. Start investigating your work-place’s maternity leave? How much money will you need to save up if you plan to stay home for 6 months after the baby’s born? Is your job save if you wish to stay home that long? Be in the know.
9. Find out when you ovulate. There are many different methods. You can time your periods, take your temperature (there’s a small spike in body temperature when ovulating), etc. Research the different methods and time your bedroom forays on the right day.
10. Last but not least: Relax! Do yoga, practice meditation, and breathing exercises. The more relaxed you are, the better your chances at conceiving.

Good luck!

A recent scientific review shows evidence that acupuncture might increase the odds of conceiving when done right before or right after embryos are placed in the womb.

Acupuncture, or placing very thin needles at specific points on the body, has already been used to control pain and stress. Eric Manheimer, a researcher at the University of Maryland?s School of Medicine, led the recent analysis. He claims that in fertility treatment, acupuncture is thought to increase blood flow to the uterus, relax the cervix and inhibit stress hormones that make it difficult for an embryo to implant.

The review is a collection of results from seven studies in 1,366 women in the US, Germany, Australia and Denmark who are undergoing IVF (in vitro fertilization). IVF involves mixing sperm and eggs in a lab dish and creating embryos, which are then placed in the womb.

While some studies suggest that the odds of conceiving go up about 65% when women are given acupuncture, experts warn that this number is not certain. More conservative numbers suggest that while IVF results in pregnancy about 35% of the time, adding acupuncture might increase this to 45%.

Among experts, there are very mixed opinions on the topic. Dr. Ann Trevino, a 37-year old family physician, believes that acupuncture does help women to conceive. After three unsuccessful attempts with IVF alone, she tried acupuncture with IVF at a fertility clinic in San Antonio, Texas, and is now pregnant.

When treating fertility patients, acupuncturist Kirsten Karchmer says she places about a dozen needles in the ears, hands, feet, lower legs, abdomen and sometimes the lower back. It costs $500 a month for twice-weekly treatments and her patients usually receive treatment for three months.

As IVF costs around $12,000 per attempt, a treatment that increases its effectiveness, such as acupuncture, may save money, along with some of the struggle of those who are trying to conceive.

Here`s a riddle:
Two babies, a boy and a girl, were conceived 3 weeks apart and shared their mother`s womb for almost nine months and were born just a minute apart. Are they twins or are they not twins?

According to the Daily Mail and FoxNews, these UK-born babies aren’t actually twins because they weren’t conceived at the same time. The older sibling had a ?real? twin embryo which was lost just before the detection of the third younger embryo.

As a mom of twins (identical) who has done extensive reading on this topic, I would tend to disagree with this report. The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines a twin as ?either of two offspring produced at a birth? Another definition is that twins are 2 individual human beings who shared a uterus during pregnancy. Another term used for twins, triplets, etc. is multiple birth (vs. single birth), which literally means giving birth to multiple babies in one go. There is no mention whatsoever that they should have been conceived at the same time.
Non-identical or fraternal twins develop from 2 different eggs fertilized by 2 different sperms.
Usually, conception/fertilization occurs at around the same time. However, there are rare cases when the following could occur:

1. Superfecundation – 2 eggs are produced in 1 ovulation cycle are fertilized at different times (e.g. 2 sexual acts in closely succession) to produce 2 babies.

2. Superfetation – 2 eggs are produced in 2 different ovulation cycles and are fertilized at different times (e.g. 2 sexual acts weeks apart) to produce 2 babies.

These unusual occurrences have actually resulted in fraternal twins with different fathers! The case of the Mullineux babies in the UK is superfetation.

So what`s the answer to the riddle? I would say these 2 babies are twins. Before the days of ultrasound, they would have been labeled as twins and nobody would have known any better. So what do you think?

A married British couple recently found out they were twins separated at birth. When they found out the heart wrenching news, a court immediately annulled their marriage, but it hasn?t been reported yet how long the couple was married or involved. This discovery brings up issues surrounding the rights of adopted children and children conceived from donor eggs or sperm.

Many childless adults seek adoption or donors to help them become parents, but children might not learn their true origins.

The twins? sad story was revealed at a debate about human fertility and embryology law, adding to concerns raised about laws surrounding donor conception.

What is the right course of action? Parents have to consider how their child might feel if they knew they were conceived from a donor. On the other hand, traumatic situations like British couple?s might continue to happen if there isn?t full disclosure.

Adoption groups point out that today?s adoptions are much more open, and the twins are less likely to be separated now. But what about donor-conceived children? Is it fair to have the fact of their conception printed on their birth certificate (a public document)?

I think this issue brings up more questions than answers. Even if there are no adoptions or donors, many children have half-siblings they may never know about. Is it really something that government needs to get involved with? Or should it be left up to the parents?

As a single woman, I knew I wanted to have children one day, and I considered using a sperm bank. Though I didn?t choose that path to motherhood, I still know that my daughter may have siblings and cousins that neither of us will ever know about. Am I worried? Not really. There are billions of people in the world, so the likelihood she will ever marry a close relative is like finding a needle in a haystack.

What do you think? If you have an adopted child, are you concerned he may one day marry his sister? If you?ve used a donor egg or sperm, do you think it would be better for your child to know this information or not?