women's health

FertilityPlus.org offers information regarding at home insemination. Although it's not intended to be taken as medical advice (always ask your doctor) - the instructions provided will aid intended parents by providing a foundation for their journey into artificial insemination.

The site outlines these 3 ways to possibly achieve pregnancy via artificial insemination at home:

• cervical cap/diaphragm
• cervical cap and access tube

The LA Times is reporting a new trend in parenting. Some women are hitting their mid-40's and suddenly feeling the desire to have a baby.

"Egg donation and fertility treatments make having children in your 40's more possible. But you start getting into progressive difficulties for mother and child," said Dr. Ingrid A. Rodi, a Santa Monica fertility specialist.

Because of legislation passed in late 2006, U.K. fertility clinics can no longer deny treatment to lesbians and single mothers.

By KEVIN FREKING, Associated Press

President Bush's nominee for surgeon general insisted Thursday that he harbors no bias against homosexuals in spite of his 1991 writings viewed by some as anti-gay.

Dr. James Holsinger faced tough questioning at his Senate confirmation hearing over his views on homosexuality and how he would react if he were pressured to put politics ahead of science in his role as the nation's doctor.

PREVIOUS STORY HERE

"I would resign," Holsinger said emphatically.

Gay men and lesbians have unique health concerns. Many LGBT people are reluctant to seek care information, because they fear insensitivity, dismissal, and discrimination from the medical community.

One of our unique health concerns is insufficient support for same-sex partners using alternative insemination (AI). We found a great website that is developed and monitored by experts in LGBT health care. Appropriately, it's called lgbthealthchannel.

The Human Rights Campaign recommends women consider the following five factors when exploring the option of insemination:

1. Age. A woman's ability to become pregnant declines and risk of an early miscarriage or Down's syndrome increases.

Specifically:

• The risk of infertility rises dramatically as women reach their mid-30s.
• The risk of early miscarriage rises significantly with age, with the average 40-year-old facing a one in two chance; and

"The Essential Guide to Lesbian Conception, Pregnancy and Birth" is a book written with lesbians in mind. Lesbians have special needs when it comes to pregancy and birth, and this book is targeted toward our lives.