Robyn and Ann, Pathway authors

1. Addition to Small Rant: “Resist the temptation to watch A Baby Story on TLC! It does not portray birth accurately, as they condense 15 hours of labor into 30 minutes and play up the drama so that you will be on the edge of your seat! In the majority of women, birth is not that dangerous.”

2. Regarding: When does conception occur? “This is a really interesting post… I love the discussion about at what point conception occurs! Personally, I like the Biblical notion of quickening. Even though this varies from woman to woman and can range anywhere from 16 to 22 weeks gestation, it seems like the most natural theory.”

Dear Reader:  What do YOU think? Did you read the conception post on March 23, ’09?

3. About sperm & preeclampsia. “Is the connection between barrier methods and preeclampsia actually established? I have read studies stating the contrary — that barrier methods have no effect on preeclampsia rates.”

HURRAY! THIS REQUIRES FURTHER CONSIDERATION.

More information: The immune maladaptation theory suggests that tolerance to paternal antigens, resulting from prolonged exposure to sperm, protects against the development of preeclampsia. Thus, barrier methods and being young may predispose women to this major disorder of pregnancy.

Evidence exists on both sides of this theory. Here are two recent studies (one of each) that readers may find helpful in understanding this idea. Keep in mind that other factors than just sperm exposure may be affecting research findings. But, it does seem that under some conditions, barrier methods and amount of exposure to sperm can affect the pregnancy itself.

Ness RB,  Markovic N, Harger G, Day R. Barrier methods, length of preconception intercourse and preeclampsia, Journal: Hypertension in Pregnancy 23(3):227–235. 2005.  Results did not support the immune maladaption theory.

Yousefi Z, Jafarnezhad F, Nasrollai S, Esmaeeli H. Assessment of correlation between unprotected coitus and preeclampsia, Journal of Research in Medical Sciences 11(6):370–374. 2006. In a matched controls study, women with <4 months cohabitation or who used barrier methods had higher risks of developing preeclampsia than those with >4 months cohabitation. Oral contraception users had a lower preeclampsia rate than those who used no oral contraception.

In a commentary article in OB/GYN News ‚  July 1, 2002, the following note was made by Dr. Jon Einarsson: With insufficient exposure, pregnancy may induce an immune response and preeclampsia in some women with predisposing factors such as an endothelium that already is sensitive to injury due to age, insulin resistance, or preexisting hypertension.

Is there a plain and simple truth about sperm exposure and pregnancy risks? Alas, no. But, know your circumstances. If you are young, protect yourself. Wear a condom. When you are ready to be a mom, you will be ready to figure out your risks. So, this, too follows the axiom:

Events in life are rarely plain and never simple.

This is the message summary from our first two areas of discussion:  Preconditions and Conception — the green and sand colored sections on the chart below.

COMING ATTRACTIONS: We are about to move on to the blue section — Pregnancy!!  So, bookmark this Blog for future reference!

Also, you can subscribe to this Blog by clicking on Blog Info in the upper right corner and then clicking on Subscribe in the drop down menu.

But, yes, you guessed it, first we have a small rant!

SMALL RANT: When we note that fitness, nutrition and a healthy immune system play significant roles in the outcome of pregnancy and the future health of mother and child, we are appealing to young people of childbearing age to be careful about your bodies. The alliance of egg and sperm shapes the world. With 6.5 Billion egg/sperm combinations (yes, people) presently living on earth, our resources are stretched. With time, either we get more picky about doing this, or the 3rd rock from the sun (remember that show?) is cooked.

Humorous incursion: In case you need further enlightenment on this whole area, there is a great website that will help you out. Be prepared to be amused and amazed!

The Truth about Eggs and Sperm

Hopefully, this gets you in the right mood and keeps you smiling. After all, once you actually are pregnant, we have more serious matters to discuss.

For complete graphic, see Feb. 5 or 23 post.

The mother’s prior sperm exposure can affect her pregnancy.

Not every sperm is your friend! Sperm exposure — like so many exposures — affects our immune system. Women who have babies with more than one father may be at risk for disorders of pregnancy because the challenges to their immune system have been extensive. And, very young women who become pregnant are at increased risk of some disorders because they have had very little exposure to sperm.

In addition, women who have primarily and extensively used barrier methods of contraception may be at risk for disorders for reasons similar to young women with little exposure. Unlike women whose immune system has had too much challenge due to pregnancies by several men, women with little exposure may not have a strong defense against foreign DNA. Please do not take this as a reason to not use a condom — one of the barrier methods along with a diaphragm and cervical cap. Rather, if you use a barrier method of contraception, keep in mind that your body’s adjustment to pregnancy may take time.

For more information on barrier methods, to go the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ online pamphlet: ACOG Pamphlet on Barrier Contracetption.

Another way sperm can affect the pregnancy is that the combination of the mother’s and father’s natural immune responses may be strong against the trophoblast implantation. This is not something  you can know ahead of time. Also, women are eight times more likely than men to develop autoimmune disorders. One reason may be the prenatal exposure to foreign DNA encountered in pregnancy.

Keep in mind that by getting good prenatal care, exercise, sufficient rest, stress managment and healthy nutrition, you do all within your power to have a healthy pregnancy. Your health care provider will determine your risk factors that may affect pregnancy outcome and treat you in an appropriate manner.

Moms and babies enjoy exercise together!

Once your baby comes, there will be time to maximize health for both of you. Exercising together is great fun!

Getting there may require some patience, but the reward is well worth it.

When you are looking around for sperm, use your head. The same behavior that protects you from infections you never want to get, protects you from sperm you don’t really want to meet. When the time comes to adopt some sperm, find out about it’s credentials!

For complete graphic, see Feb. 5 or 23 post.

The Impact of Health Status at the time of conception.

When a woman becomes pregnant, her health can be a major factor how her pregnancy will proceed. If she has been exposed to a virulent infection, it may have an impact on how well the implantation goes. If she has metabolic syndrome, she is at risk for complications such as gestational diabetes.

On the other hand, if she has taken care of herself, is physically fit and well nourished, is well rested and has not been exposed to illnesses that induce dramatic changes in her immune system, she has done her best to create a situation in which her body is best prepared for the rigors of pregnancy.

There are still genetic and environmental factors that can affect the course of the pregnancy, but behavior is the one factor that women have control over. At Dancing Thru Pregnancy we are fond of the notion that if you know a certain behavior is the best for a situation, it is smart to chose that behavior; if you do not, you are sabotaging yourself.

So, if pregnancy is in your headlights, eat right, exercise, and be cautious about exposure to illness and infection. Wash your hands, use one of the hand cleansers, practice safe sex (okay, so if you are trying to get pg, this may change, but in the meantime!).

We welcome comments on what you are doing to be healthy for pregnancy!

Curl-up! Strong abs are part of physical fitness!

For complete graphic, see Feb. 5 or 23 post.

The health of the mother and her prior exposure to sperm have a dramatic effect on conception. To find out why and how, we have to start with this question: 

What is conception?

Is it fertilization, a process by which an egg absorbs a sperm, engulfing the male’s half of the genetic code? Perhaps it is the point at which this egg/sperm concoction (the corpus) reaches the uterus and the trophoblast cells begin to invade the endometrium (uterine lining)?

Trophoblast Invastion? No…Chihuly glass exhibit at the Desert Botanical Gardens, Phoenix AZ

Trophoblast invasion causes spiral arteries in the mother’s circulation to open and form a pool that will nourish the fetus. Depending on the “discussion” between the mother’s immune system and trophoblast, this invasion may go well or poorly. How well it goes will affect the course of the pregnancy.

Or, what about the point around 8 weeks post onset of last menstrual cycle at which the responsibility for nourishment of these cells is transferred from the corpus to the placenta? By this point about 30% of potential pregnancies have spontaneously aborted because of genetic or inflammation problems.

Another candidate is the Quickening, the point the Bible refers to as the start of life. This is  the occasion — around 4 months post onset of last menstrual cycle — when the mother first senses movement in her womb. Is this conception? It certainly rises to the test of consciousness of a phenomenon (otherwise known as a concept).

What if the engulfing of the sperm happens in a dish in the laboratory? What if large doses of egg inducing medications are required to prompt eggs to mature and consider engulfing sperm? What if hormones are required to allow the first few cells to gravitate toward and inbed themselves into a uterine surface not really that friendly to their continuation?

You can see that it is not a simple matter to establish a starting point. There are several processes that must go right to form a viable human. All along the way, the mother’s health plays a key role. Interestingly, the extent of exposure to the father’s sperm also plays a role, as do immune factors in the combined mother’s and father’s genes.

Most important for our         purposes here is that women who are regular aerobic exercisers prior to pregnancy or who begin in early pregnancy show reduced risk for developments of the placenta that produce a dysfunctional pregnancy.

Upcoming posts will discuss maternal health and sperm exposure in more detail.