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Only 14 in 100 women of childbearing age (15-49) choose the pill as their birth control method. Many women are looking for non-hormonal alternatives like diaphragms and spermicidal films. But, when deciding which method to use as your primary contraceptive, it’s important to consider all the facts. Here, we compare VCF Films and Diaphragms as birth control methods to find out which one comes out on top.
VCF is short for vaginal contraceptive film. Think of it as those Listerine breath strips that melt in your mouth—but instead of giving you fresh breath, VCF melts inside your lady parts to prevent pregnancy. It’s a paper-thin, flexible square of material containing the active ingredient in spermicide (nonoxynol-9). To use it, a woman inserts the square into the vagina prior to sex. Within 15 minutes, it turns into a gel barrier that covers the cervix, standing by to kill sperm.
Diaphragms are reusable contraceptive devices made out of latex, silicone, or other soft materials that are prescribed by a doctor for female birth control. A diaphragm acts as a physical barrier, preventing sperm from getting through. They work best when used together with spermicide.
There are two major categories of diaphragms available today. Traditional diaphragms come in multiple sizes and must be fitted by your doctor, while the Caya Contoured Diaphragm is a one-size-fits-most option that does not require an in-person fitting with your doctor.
Related: Diaphragms as a Contraceptive: What’s It Like to Use One?
The same woman might consider both options for meeting contraceptive needs. They have a lot in common. Here are some of their similarities:
Both birth control methods can be a great choice for a woman who wants a non-hormonal, fast-acting, reversible birth control that’s 100% under her control. The drawbacks to using these products are also similar, offering no STD protection, both containing Nonoxynol-9 which can be an irritant, and requiring vaginal insertion at just the right time prior to sex to maximize effectiveness.
By now, both options seem like a pretty great choice for some women. And while you can switch between using either method from one day to the next, you should know what the differences are between the two.
Your up-front cost for a diaphragm will be higher than VCF film. That’s because a prescription is required for the device, but not for the film. At My Virtual Physician, we try to keep your costs affordable. That’s why we’ve partnered with Caya to provide a hassle-free experience in getting your prescription from us. Sometimes insurance will cover 100% of the cost for your consultation and for the diaphragm as well. If not, you can get your appointment for $49.99 with MVP, and your diaphragm out-of-pocket cost will be under $100.
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Diaphragms last about two years, so the initial cost will reoccur every couple of years if you continue to use this method for birth control. Contraceptive films have no device or prescription requirement, so you’ll just need to purchase the films over the counter for around a dollar per film.
A small amount of spermicide gel is also required for the diaphragm, so it will need to be continually purchased while you use a diaphragm. Spermicide that is compatible with diaphragms includes Gynol II, which comes in tubes with a re-fillable applicator, and VCF Gel pre-filled applicators. The cost varies from one to two dollars per application. Keep in mind, though, that less spermicide is required during the initial insertion of the diaphragm—only one to two teaspoons, so your tube of spermicide can potentially last longer than single-use films.
According to VCF’s packaging, they boast a 94% effectiveness and up to 99% effectiveness when used with condoms. That outpaces Caya’s published effectiveness rates of 86% when used perfectly. However, there is no data about how effective the Caya diaphragm is when used together with condoms. Since condoms alone are 87% effective, using them along with spermicide and a diaphragm plummets your chances of unplanned pregnancy.
It’s hard to compare apples to apples, but it seems both methods are quite effective when used together with condoms, and VCF films are slightly more effective than diaphragms with spermicide if not using condoms.
With both contraceptive films and diaphragms—timing is important, along with following the instructions carefully. For the film to work properly, it needs 15 minutes after insertion to activate. The diaphragm, on the other hand, doesn’t require any downtime, and you can get into the action right away.
When it comes to round two, both diaphragms and films need some attention. Never remove the diaphragm between rounds, but add more spermicide with an applicator before each one. For the contraceptive film, a new film must be inserted every time you have intercourse, plus add the 15-minute waiting period.
The film may be easier when it comes to managing the after-care because there is nothing more to do once you’re done having sex. The chemicals are naturally removed through bodily fluids. Diaphragms, on the other hand, must be left in place for six hours so that the spermicide works completely, and then removed, cleaned, and put back in the case for next time.
Related: The Do’s and Don’ts of Using a Diaphragm for Birth Control
Both methods of birth control have a learning curve when it comes to inserting them. Some complaints about the film include:
The diaphragm can also be challenging to learn how to insert. But, the Caya Contoured Diaphragm was designed with a woman’s body in mind and comes with grips and a removal dome to help with the insertion and removal process.
Looking at the comparison laid out above, there are definite pros and cons for each method. Deciding which one is best for you is a personal decision between you and your doctor.
There are a lot of options out there when it comes to pregnancy prevention. Luckily, non-hormonal options are becoming more accessible, giving women more control over their reproductive health. If you’re considering a change to your birth control method, contact our doctors to talk about your options.
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Suppose you’ve been dealing with bladder leaks when you cough, laugh, or sneeze. In that case, you’re probably well aware that you’re dealing with stress urinary incontinence, or SUI. And you’re ready to do something about it.
There are many natural remedies that we’ve discussed previously in this article: Why Do I Get Bladder Leaks When I Cough and What Can I Do About it? But if you’ve already given a good try with the Kegels, lifestyle changes, and pessaries like Uresta, only to find that you’re still struggling to keep your bladder in line, then you may be contemplating surgery to fix the problem.
While surgery isn’t for everyone, it is an option on the table for those with persistent stress urinary incontinence that have tried other treatments without success. There are three major types of surgical interventions used to treat SUI. Let’s find out more about each one to find out which option is right for you.
Before resorting to full-blown bladder surgery, there is an in-between step that is more drastic than natural remedies—but less invasive than surgery. This option involves injecting synthetic bulking material (similar in consistency to natural collagen) into your tissues around the urethra in order to plump and tighten the bladder neck opening and keep urine inside the bladder when you cough or apply pressure.
These injections are done as a minor, outpatient procedure in your local doctor’s office in less than half an hour. Here’s how it’s done:
It’s important to note that these injections are not a permanent solution. It may take multiple injections and must be repeated to maintain the results. These injections usually help decrease leaks, but ultimately, they are not a cure. The success rate is around 80% of women showing an improvement after three injection visits, but only 10-30% are cured of leaks for up to a year.
A more invasive surgical operation for treating stress urinary incontinence urethral sling surgery. Think of a sling as a supportive hammock that lifts your pelvic organs, particularly the bladder and urethra, into position for proper alignment. Sometimes with age, childbirth, and other factors, our bladder organs sink and move from their original positions, resulting in incontinence and other issues like pelvic organ prolapse.
Related: Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) Explained by Your Las Vegas OBGYN Team
Urethral slings are used to realign your anatomy so that your bladder organs can function properly. The material for the sling can either be made of synthetic mesh (called a mid-urethral sling) or from donor tissue removed from your belly or thigh (traditional or autologous sling).
Surprisingly, mid-urethral sling surgery can be completed as quickly as half an hour and can be done as an outpatient procedure because it has a quick recovery time. However, there are risks to using a synthetic mesh, including mesh erosion which affects 2% of women and leads to long-term problems until removed. It is also not advised for patients who wish to give birth in the future.
While the synthetic mesh is the most common type of SUI sling surgery with a success rate of around 75%, the traditional sling is the solution in the event of a bad reaction with the synthetic version. This surgical procedure is more in-depth and requires a short hospitalization stay during your recovery time. There is a higher risk of UTIs and incontinence after undergoing traditional sling surgery.
Sling procedures can be performed through a variety of methods, from one or more incisions in the abdomen, through the vagina, or even laparoscopically. Your surgeon can guide you through where any incisions will be made for your procedure. Be sure to ask your doctor questions about success rates and risks for the procedure that you’re considering.
See the FDA’s list of specific questions to ask your surgeon before proceeding with a sling surgery, including:
Colposuspension, also called the Burch procedure, is another surgical option for treating SUI in women. This is a procedure where stitches are used to align the bladder neck (where the urethra meets the bladder) back to its proper place and can be done either through an abdominal incision or laparoscopically as an outpatient procedure.
Complications are usually less severe than sling procedures and include the possibility of having to go back in and loosen stitches if you have trouble emptying the bladder after the operation. The success rate of bladder neck suspension for SUI treatment is around 85%.
Living with stress urinary incontinence certainly puts a damper on life. If you’ve tried everything and nothing has worked, surgery may be your next plan of action. If you’re considering bladder surgery for your SUI, talk with your doctor about which surgical option is best for your situation. Your doctor will help you consider factors like your age, future plans for childbearing, medical history, and the root cause of the problem in order to come to the best treatment option.
My Virtual Physician supports patients through counseling and patient education when making big decisions like undergoing bladder surgery. We can also see you virtually from the comfort of your own bed in the event that you’re recovering from surgery and have concerns. Please don’t hesistate to reach out to us today.
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When it comes to sexually active men and pregnancy prevention, there are not a whole lot of options on the table. Other than condoms and the withdrawal method, a vasectomy is a man’s only other choice for birth control. This method is nearly 100% effective, much more effective than condoms or most female contraceptive options.
The only thing is, it’s permanent. So you’ve got to make sure you feel strongly about your decision before proceeding. If you’ve decided that you’re done fathering children for good, then a vasectomy as a permanent form of pregnancy prevention might be coming up in the near future.
A vasectomy is a minor surgical procedure with a speedy recovery time where a doctor cuts, removes small segments, and seals off the vas deferens so that sperm no longer make their way into a man’s ejaculate. So, if you’ve decided to make the call—below, we’ll cover what to expect when you schedule your vasectomy.
The first step to getting a vasectomy is what you’re doing right now: researching the process. You may not have committed to the procedure yet, but you’re learning about the process. You should consider all aspects to make the most informed decision about whether or not to get a vasectomy. Here are a handful of things to look into:
Once you’ve decided that a vasectomy is the best option for you, then the next thing to do is proceed with scheduling an appointment to consult with a Urologist.
Most men don’t have an established Urologist. In that case, call your regular primary care physician to request a referral to a specialist who performs the vasectomy procedure. It’s likely that you’ll need to schedule a pre-vasectomy consultation appointment before coming in for the actual procedure.
During your consultation, your doctor will discuss with you things like:
Pre-procedural instructions include things like avoiding certain medications that may thin the blood and increase bleeding before the procedure, such as aspirin. You may also be asked to shave your scrotum a few days before arriving for the procedure.
At the end of your consultation, you’ll be able to schedule your appointment to have the procedure done.
Most often, vasectomies are done in a standard doctor's office, and you’re able to go home right afterward. Before your appointment, read your pre-procedure instructions again to ensure you’ve followed all of your doctor’s instructions. Plan ahead and have a friend or family member drive you to your appointment so that you have a safe ride home.
On the day of the appointment, dress comfortably in loose-fitting clothes with brief-style underwear to hold the gauze in place. Gauze is used as an extra layer of protection over your incisions and to soak up any drops of blood or fluids.
You can expect the entire procedure to take around 30 minutes. Your doctor will begin by having you undress and applying a local anesthetic to the scrotum, where he will make one or two incisions to access the vas deferens. The most painful part is over after the injection of the anesthetic. From there, patients will have some temporary discomfort, including tugging and mild nausea, while the doctor performs the procedure of cutting and sealing off each vas deferens.
After about half an hour, you’re free to go home and recover.
You’ll want to clear your calendar for the day plus one or two days after your procedure and spend this time resting on the couch or in bed. You’ll experience some mild aching, swelling, and bruising during this time, which should get better over the next week. Over-the-counter pain medications are usually recommended during this time to ease your discomfort and reduce swelling.
After about a week of taking it easy, you can begin to return to your normal activities, including physically demanding work or exercise. Followup appointments directly after the procedure are uncommon unless there are complications. Be sure to report any concerns to your doctor. Congratulations, if you’re this far, the hardest part is over.
Now, over the next three months, you’ll want to use backup methods of birth control, such as condoms, because your vasectomy is not immediately effective. It can take several months for all of your body’s sperm to leave your seminal fluid for good. But don’t worry, this is only a temporary precaution, and you can stop using the backup as soon as you complete the last step of the process: getting confirmation of a successful vasectomy.
The last step after getting a vasectomy is the most important one. This step verifies that the procedure was successful. To confirm a successful vasectomy, you’ll need to have a lab test done that shows a sperm count of zero.
Wait about 12 weeks after the procedure to get your post vasectomy semen analysis done. My Virtual Physician has partnered with Orchid Crew. They offer an at-home post-vasectomy confirmation kit for just over $100. That’s right—you can collect your semen from the privacy of your own home and have it sent to a CLIA-accredited lab to confirm azoospermia (no sperm in semen).
Using the five steps outlined above, you can see the whole vasectomy process from start to finish. Once you’ve completed your post-vasectomy confirmation, you’re officially good to go! If you recently had a vasectomy and wish to speak with a doctor online about your recovery or testing options, schedule an appointment with My Virtual Physician today.
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If you’re new to using a diaphragm as your chosen method of contraception, you’re not alone. That’s why we’ve crafted this handy list of do’s and don'ts so that you can quickly learn how to handle your new device so that it works best for you. Let’s dive right in…
If you have health insurance, don’t forget to check with your provider about covering the cost of your diaphragm. From the initial appointment to the device itself and the spermicide that you’ll need on an ongoing basis, many insurance companies cover these costs in full.
Diaphragms are relatively inexpensive, costing around $100 for a device that is designed to last a couple of years. My Virtual Physician offers affordable appointments for just $49.99, where you can get your Caya prescription. If this is still unaffordable, talk with your doctor or your local health department; many have outreach programs that will help you attain affordable contraception.
Diaphragms are more effective when they are used together with spermicide. Spermicide comes in a tube and is a gel that you’ll apply to the rim of your diaphragm (or as instructed by the manufacturer). The diaphragm blocks most sperm from entering a woman’s reproductive system, but the spermicide finishes the job by killing the sperm, which could live for several days, increasing the chances of pregnancy, if it weren’t for the spermicide gel.
Related: 4 Things You Need to Know About Using a Diaphragm for Birth Control
Much like when you used tampons for the first time, there’s a learning curve when it comes to inserting your diaphragm. The first few times, the insertion and removal process will likely be uncomfortable and awkward. But as you learn to finesse it just right, you’ll become a pro at putting it in and taking it out with ease. Give it a couple of weeks of practice before you give up on your diaphragm.
Spermicide gel is most effective within two hours of applying it. So, say you insert your diaphragm (with spermicide gel) at 4 pm and go to dinner but don’t get home until 7 pm, you’ll need to insert another applicator full of spermicide gel before sex for the best pregnancy protection. Don’t remove your diaphragm to do this; instead, simply use the applicator that came with the gel to add spermicide into the vagina.
Using a diaphragm takes a little bit of planning. Think ahead about what time you might have sex and plan accordingly. Make a mental note of the time of diaphragm insertion and after sex so that you can reapply spermicide and remove the device in proper timing.
After sex, your diaphragm needs to remain in place for six hours to give the spermicide time to disable any remaining sperm. Taking it out too soon puts you at a higher risk for pregnancy, essentially opening the doors to live sperm.
But you also don’t want to wear a diaphragm continuously for days on end. Most diaphragms recommend that they be removed at least every 24 hours. Leaving it in longer than a day can lead to vaginal infections such as bacterial vaginosis (BV).
Related: Our Las Vegas OBGYNs Cure Your Bacterial Vaginosis Fast
It can be tempting to skip reading instruction manuals, patient care guides, and package inserts and jump right into using your new diaphragm. But when it comes to something as important as family planning, we encourage you to thoroughly review these documents before your first use. It’s also a good idea to keep them on hand in case you need to review them later down the road.
Taking care of your diaphragm isn’t difficult. Most come with a protective case to store your clean diaphragm in when not in use. After each use, rinse your diaphragm with mild soap and water, let dry, and put in the case. Never use any chemicals on your diaphragm and do not boil or steam it in an attempt to disinfect it. If you feel the diaphragm needs to be disinfected due to odor or staining, contact your doctor about getting a replacement.
Cleaning your diaphragm is a quick and simple process. Simply wash with mild soap and water and air dry or blot with a clean cloth. While you’re cleaning, you should periodically inspect your diaphragm for any signs of damage, including cracks, wrinkles, or weak spots. You can also fill it up with water and look for drips. Any signs of damage and you should use backup contraception and contact your doctor for a replacement.
Related: Is it Time to Replace My Diaphragm? Here’s How to Know
Our last tip for proper use of a diaphragm for contraception is to always have clean hands when handling the diaphragm. Wash your hands both before and after you insert the diaphragm, as well as before and after removing it. Frequent handwashing will reduce your chances of unintentionally inviting unwanted bacteria to the region, which can lead to infections.
Using a diaphragm for birth control takes a little bit of extra preparation, but for some, it’s well worth the extra effort. If you’re interested in trying the fitting-free Caya Contoured Diaphragm, book an appointment to speak with our OBGYN team today!
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One in three women lives with bladder leaks caused by stress urinary incontinence (SUI). SUI is when you leak a little urine when pressure is applied to the bladder—like when you cough, laugh, or sneeze. As you age, your chances of developing SUI increase. The main cause is a lack of muscle tone and a weakened structure. And there is a simple solution: the pessary. Let’s explore the pessary.
A pessary is a medical prosthetic that helps to provide structure to the pelvic organs in an attempt to restore the natural shape for proper functioning. As you know—with age, everything starts sagging, and internal organs are no exception. A pessary is essentially a bra for your bladder organs.
These devices have an ancient history, originally made of wax and string until rubber was available in the 1800s. Today, the prosthetic is made of flexible, hypoallergenic material, such as silicone. To use it, a woman inserts the pessary into her vagina. If you search for images of pessaries, you’ll see that these devices come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes.
Pessaries aren’t just for sealing up bladder leaks. Pelvic organ prolapse warrants another common use for the devices. Since both conditions are caused by a gradual change in anatomy, a prosthetic that restores the original anatomy works. Furthermore, pessaries can even be used to administer medication.
RELATED: Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) Explained by Your Las Vegas OBGYN Team
There’s a reason for all that variety you see when looking at pessaries. Each unique shape is designed to support different pelvic organs. Here’s a rundown on the different shapes you might find, but not all of them are used for urinary incontinence:
Resembling a ring you would wear on your finger, the hole in this shaped pessary allows urine to flow through while wearing the device—on your terms. This type is not used for urinary leaks but works to support the internal organs near the cervix. Sometimes the center hole is covered with a thin layer of material with smaller holes.
A less often prescribed shape is the lever pessary. This one is used for correcting the positioning of a tilted uterus and resembles a caribiner.
A tiny saddle-looking pessary is the Gehrung version. It’s used in supporting the rectal and bladder anatomy and is inserted near the cervix.
Used for pelvic organ prolapse, Shaatz pessaries are shaped like a washer that has additional pinholes around the perimeter.
Cube pessaries look like small dice (like playing dice) with concave sides and a string attached. These are used for mild pelvic prolapse.
Severe pelvic organ prolapse requires the Gelhorn pessary, which resembles a kitchen sink strainer plug. The flat side rests against the cervix, with the protrusion facing the vaginal opening.
Inflatable pessaries can be used for mild conditions. The shape conforms to your body as you inflate it with a hand pump.
Other uniquely-shaped pessaries have been developed over the years. One example is Uresta, a pessary that is shaped like a small cylinder with nubs on the sides. The shape keeps the device in place and puts minor pressure on the urethra to prevent bladder leaks.
With so many different types of pessaries available, it can be challenging to pick the right type for your body and may require some trial and error. Let our doctors assist with the process by giving you our expertise and the tools to try out a pessary to see if it helps you with your stress urinary incontinence.
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Once you and your doctor pick the right pessary to try, the first step is to get the right fit. With Uresta, our partner in managing urinary incontinence, there are five sizes available for you to try in a self-fitting at home. Other pessaries may require fitting inside a doctor’s office. Pessaries are inserted similarly to a tampon without an applicator or similar to a diaphragm.
With a proper fit, you will:
Patients can self-manage their use of the pessary. Read the instructions on how to insert and how long the pessary can remain in place, as well as cleaning steps. Some women choose to only use the pessary during workouts, while others wear it all day long and remove it before bed. Your pessary will need to be replaced every year or as directed.
If you’re living with annoying bladder leaks when you cough or put any pressure on your abdomen, you’re probably fed up with the nuisance. A pessary can allow you to return to a normal life, enjoying all of the activities that you once did. If you’re interested in trying Uresta or another pessary for stress urinary incontinence, reach out to our team today.
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Couples are waiting longer to start their families; most new mothers today are around 27 years old when they have their first child. Our bodies, both male and female, are most fertile the closer we are to puberty, and fertility tapers off as we age. That’s why many couples that are preparing to have a baby decide to get their fertility checked beforehand. This gives each partner peace of mind to know that everything is in working order when you begin trying.
Fertility testing sounds expensive. And it used to be, but not anymore. Technological advancements have allowed the development of lab testing so that it can be done from the privacy and comfort of your own home. Let’s talk about the different male fertility testing options that you can get done at home.
If you have no indications of fertility problems and you’re just curious about whether your semen contains a normal amount of sperm, then you might consider purchasing an at-home sperm test from your local drugstore.
This type of sperm screening test works by detecting a minimum amount of a particular protein that is only found in the head of mature sperm. So the result comes in as pass or fail.
These screening tests don’t give any detailed lab numbers; instead, the results look very similar to a pregnancy test for women, shown as lines on the indicator window. For example:
Over-the-counter sperm screening test kits are an affordable way to rule out low sperm counts, costing less than $50 per test. If you have an abnormal result, then you should consider moving on to the next step up in at-home male fertility testing: a lab-reviewed semen analysis.
If you have reason to believe that your fertility is not up to par, whether for biological reasons or trauma-related injuries, then you may consider having an at-home semen analysis done. For just under $200, with this type of test, you’ll receive a test kit to collect your semen sample at home and then send it into a lab for professional analysis. Here’s Orchid’s version, our partner in fertility testing.
The lab will look at your sample under a microscope, make observations about your sperm quality, and then send results, in the form of real numbers, back to you. The typical parameters that the lab looks at during a semen analysis include sperm count, shape, movement, and other measurements of the seminal fluid.
Read more about the at-home semen analysis test in this blog: Testing Male Fertility: How to Get a Semen Analysis Done At Home, which goes into more depth on this male fertility test, including normal ranges for each measurement.
If you receive an abnormal result from your at-home semen analysis, read this post: What Do I Do If My Fertility Test Comes Back Abnormal?. The first step is usually to re-test. If you’ve received an abnormal semen analysis, consult with our doctors for personalized medical advice to get your fertility back on track.
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Semen analyses are not the only fertility testing available for men. You can also get male hormones and blood glucose levels tested to identify whether those are impacting your fertility.
Orchid offers a male hormone test kit that tests your blood with a fingerprick for testosterone, prostate health, and hemoglobin A1C. Like the semen analysis, this test is also collected at home and then sent into a lab to be read by lab technicians who provide numerical results. This affordable option is less than $60 and can show a bird’s-eye view of male hormonal health.
For less than $300, guys can run all three tests above from the comfort of their own homes in order to get a good picture of their fertility. If everything checks out, that’s just reassurance that you’re body is ready when you are.
If not, these tests give you and your doctor insight to work together toward correcting your fertility. If you’ve had an abnormal result and want to consult with our doctors about your fertility, schedule your appointment today.
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Diaphragms used for birth control are unique because they offer an inexpensive, low-maintenance, and long-lasting solution that you can’t get from other types of contraceptives. If you’ve been using a diaphragm for a while now, you may be wondering how long it should last and when you should replace it. Let’s talk about the lifespan of a diaphragm.
The longevity of your diaphragm’s usability varies depending on which type of diaphragm you are using. Traditional-style diaphragms available today—such as the silicone Milex Omniflex or Arcing styles—have a useful life of up to two years. Other latex diaphragms have boasted up to a 10-year lifespan. The new one-size-fits-most Caya diaphragm has a lifecycle of up to two years. Always read the instructions that come with your diaphragm to confirm how long your device is designed to last.
Just because your diaphragm’s box says that it can last up to ten years, doesn’t guarantee that you won’t have to replace it before then. Here are some reasons that you should consider replacing your diaphragm before the expiration date:
With childbirth, everything changes. Your body, cervix, and vaginal canal will change from your birthing experience. Avoid using a diaphragm for six weeks after childbirth because it takes that long for your cervix to return to its normal size. And your new normal may be different from your size before you got pregnant. That’s why you should consult with your doctor about getting a new diaphragm after giving birth, particularly if it’s not the one-size-fits-all style (Caya).
Whether you’ve gained or lost weight since you were initially prescribed your diaphragm, a drastic change in weight might affect the fit. While it may be on the traditional package insert to get re-fitted when your weight fluctuates more than ten pounds, it may not be true for everyone. At least one study has shown that there is no correlation between weight and diaphragm size change. It never hurts to consult your doctor after a major change in body weight to verify that the diaphragm is still working properly.
Pelvic surgery is sometimes done to correct the following conditions and can affect the fit of your diaphragm:
Be sure to discuss your birth control options with your surgeon to set up a contraceptive plan that works for you and that will be compatible with your body.
Trust your gut. If you feel like your diaphragm is no longer fitting tightly and securely as it did when you first received it, then it’s probably time to replace it. Signs of this include being able to feel the diaphragm after insertion, pain during intercourse, and the diaphragm moving or coming out when you walk, sit, lay down, or have sex. Talk to your doctor if you want to replace your diaphragm or check its fit.
Related: 5 Tips to Supercharge Your Contraceptive Diaphragm’s Effectiveness
Changes to your body are not the only reasons that you may want to replace your diaphragm before its expiration date. Check your diaphragm every time you use it for signs of wear. This includes:
At the first sign of the above, discontinue using your diaphragm and consult with your doctor about getting a new one ordered. In the meantime, be sure to use another contraceptive method.
If you’ve just realized that it’s time to replace your diaphragm, you may be wondering if you should switch from a traditional diaphragm, which requires in-person fittings, to the Caya Diaphragm. Caya is a one-size-fits-most diaphragm that doesn’t require a fitting and works for most women.
Here are a few reasons that some women prefer Caya over traditional diaphragms:
If you’re ready to upgrade to the no-fitting-required diaphragm, we can facilitate that. My Virtual Physician has partnered with Caya to provide this hassle-free birth control option to our patients who desire it.
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You may have heard of doing Kegels to improve your sex life, but did you know that these intimate exercises can help improve bowel and bladder problems too? If you’ve got bladder leaks when you cough, laugh, or sneeze, then doctor-approved Kegels may help. Let’s explore the truth about Kegels.
The term “Kegels” was coined in 1948 by Dr. Arnold Henry Kegel. He was a specialist looking for a natural remedy for urinary incontinence. Kegels are a category of exercises that are designed to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. These muscles can be identified easily by stopping the flow of urine while peeing.
A woman’s pelvic floor muscles and tissues are similar to a hammock, supporting these organs inside her pelvis from underneath:
Pelvic floor exercises were originally developed to target this group of muscles that weaken with aging, pregnancy, and prolapse in women and to prevent and treat certain types of incontinence, including stress urinary incontinence.
To help gauge the effectiveness of Kegel exercises for the treatment of urinary incontinence, Dr. Kegel invented the perineometer, a device that measures the strength of contractions of the pelvic muscles. This device also helps trained physical therapists validate that female patients are performing the exercises correctly.
Related: Why Do I Get Bladder Leaks When I Cough and What Can I Do About it?
Now that you know that Kegels are just a group of pelvic exercises, let’s talk about specific exercises and programs that are often used to treat stress urinary incontinence.
Anyone can add Kegels to their daily routine to strengthen pelvic floor muscles. As with any exercise program, start out small and work your way up to longer durations and if you experience any discomfort, stop and discuss it with your doctor. Before you begin, empty your bladder.
There are two main Kegel exercises to work on from home, they include:
Alternating between the long and short contraction exercises is recommended for best results.
Long-hold exercises require you to tense your pelvic floor muscles constantly for several seconds, release, and then repeat. Starting out, you can go with:
Continue this on a daily basis once per day. Once you get into a routine, you can increase to 10 seconds of contraction, 10 seconds of release, and 10 reps. After that, you can further increase your pelvic floor muscle tone by adding up to three sessions of 10 reps per day.
Short Kegels work out the same group of muscles, but the contraction period is much shorter, at one or two seconds. These are especially effective at improving bladder sphincter function. As with long-hold pelvic floor exercises, you can start small and work your way up to three sets of 10 seconds per day.
While you complete these exercises, be sure to continue breathing and avoid tensing other muscles in your body, such as your abdomen. You can add intensity to your routine by performing the exercises in different positions: sitting, standing, or lying down.
For consistency, associate these exercises with certain times of the day or write them down. For example, you may designate the first pee of the day as your time to complete your Kegels—after you’ve emptied your bladder and while you’re still on the toilet.
Related: Stop Bladder Leaks: Get Your Life Back with This Doctor-Approved Device
It usually takes about a month to notice an improvement once you consistently exercise your pelvic floor muscles. That means that you’ll want to commit to a solid month before deciding if it worked or not, but the recommended minimum training period is eight weeks.
If you don’t feel comfortable doing Kegel exercises on your own, struggle with consistency, or you’re still not sure you are doing it right, you’re not alone. Studies have shown that treatment is more effective when you complete these pelvic exercises in a supervised plan. Work with your doctor to find a physical therapist (called a pelvic floor therapist) who will personalize a plan to fit your unique anatomy.
Signs that the Kegels are working include:
While it’s true that Kegels are effective at preventing and treating stress urinary incontinence, not every woman is able to contract the pelvic muscles correctly. Three out of ten women are unable to perform Kegel exercises properly. If this is you, other effective options are available for treating SUI. A few other natural solutions to leaky bladders include to:
Pessaries can be used alongside performing Kegels or as a standalone solution. These small devices are inserted into the vagina in order to support your anatomy and keep your pelvic organs and muscles aligned to reduce leaks.
If you’d like to try a pessary for your leaky bladder, My Virtual Physician has partnered with Uresta to provide a solution to stress urinary incontinence. Book an appointment today to get your bladder back under your control.
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You may have considered getting a vasectomy if you’ve decided you’re done fathering children. A vasectomy is permanent male sterilization. It’s accomplished by snipping the vas deferens, the tubes connecting each testicle to the rest of the male reproductive system. The vas deferens is the highway connecting sperm to semen during ejaculation. So essentially, a vasectomy blocks that highway—for good.
Vasectomies are a simple outpatient procedure that can be done in your doctor’s office. Still, there are some things you should know before you go for your appointment. Below, we cover the factors to consider for post-vasectomy care so that you have the best chances of success and an easier recovery.
The first two days post-vasectomy will be the most painful and delicate, so plan to take it easy and rest on your back in bed or on the couch. It’s normal to experience some:
Moderate pain
Mild swelling
Scrotal Bruising
Redness at the incisions
Minimal Discharge
Protect your incisions by wearing loose cotton briefs lined with gauze. You can manage your pain with over-the-counter painkillers (acetaminophen) and ice packs (separate the ice from your skin with a towel). Gently clean the surgical site after the first day with mild soap and water. Follow your doctor’s instructions about bandaging and bathing. After two days, you should see signs that your body is healing.
You’ll still be sensitive for a while, so give yourself a full week of taking it easy after having a vasectomy done. If you have a desk job, you can return to work, but avoid heavy lifting or strenuous activity. Your body is healing and vulnerable to damage. Minimizing physical activity can help ease pain and discomfort that you experience as your incisions heal. Avoid exercise, heavy lifting, and water immersion during this time.
After the first two days post-vasectomy, your pain and swelling should taper off. If you experience the opposite, contact your doctor to prevent infection and ease your symptoms. Report any of the following to your doctor:
Bleeding after 48 hours
Discharge after 48 hours
Increased swelling after 48 hours
Blood in urine
Nausea
Fever
Problems with urination
Pain that doesn’t go away or ease up
A vasectomy cuts and cauterizes your vas deferens. While the wound is fresh, you’ll want to avoid applying added pressure to the area. That means foregoing masturbation or other sexual activity while you recover. This will allow the cut ends to heal fully without interruption or irritation. Usually, you can begin having sex again about seven days post-vasectomy.
Usually, after about a week, if your incisions are healing, your stitches will dissolve, and you can return to your normal physical activities. That includes moderate exercise, swimming, work, sports, and sex (but see the next post-vasectomy recovery tip before you jump back in the sack).
Vasectomies are not immediately effective at eliminating sperm from your semen. In fact, it can take up to 16 weeks for men who have undergone a vasectomy to show results of zero live sperm in their ejaculate. To confirm that you are, in fact, sterile—a post-vasectomy semen analysis is required.
Here’s the post-vasectomy at-home test kit that we prefer from Orchid, a partner in at-home fertility testing. Wait for at least 12 weeks before testing your sperm after having a vasectomy. Don’t skip this step!
In the meantime, you’ll want to use alternative contraceptives, such as condoms, until your test results show successful azoospermia (no sperm in semen). Once you get the go-ahead, your surgery can be considered a success. Although vasectomies are extremely effective; still, one in 2,000 men can father a child after a vasectomy.
Take your post-vasectomy care seriously so that you can recover quickly and enjoy the perks of permanent male sterilization. If you’re considering a vasectomy or are experiencing any complications from surgery, our experienced doctors are standing by to help. Schedule an appointment below to be seen as soon as today.
When it comes to family planning and pregnancy prevention, you’ve got options. In fact, you’ve got twenty options. There are 20 different contraceptive methods to choose from today. From birth control pills to patches, rings, or condoms, there’s bound to be a method that works best for you.
One of these methods is making a comeback. It’s been around for centuries and got placed on the back burner for a while, but it’s starting to gain traction again. It’s the diaphragm.
Diaphragms offer benefits that other methods lack. Let’s see why women are starting to take a second look at using a diaphragm for their chosen method of birth control.
When choosing a birth control method, we may have taken for granted the simplicity of the diaphragm. As a barrier method, its job is to block sperm from entering the cervix. That’s it. The great thing about this simple method is that it comes with very few side effects, if any at all.
Hormonal birth control methods, like the pill, were introduced in the 1960s and offered a better effectiveness rating than barrier methods. But what we didn’t take into consideration when making the switch to hormone-altering contraceptives was the addition of harmful side effects.
Many women are now facing all sorts of negative side effects from hormonal contraceptives, which include:
Diaphragms offer an alternative to hormonal contraceptives without serious side effects. The short list of potential side effects from diaphragms includes the possibility of irritation, allergic reaction, increased risk of UTIs and vaginal infections, or toxic shock syndrome in rare cases.
Another factor at play for the increase in popularity of the diaphragm is when it comes to fertility. Diaphragms require no waiting period once you’re ready to try to conceive. This barrier method is immediately reversible, so once you stop using it, you are good to go. That’s because diaphragms do not alter your body’s natural reproductive cycle. Women who use a diaphragm continue to ovulate normally.
That is in direct opposition to other non-barrier contraceptive options, which in a sense, “break” the body’s normal cycles in order to prevent pregnancy. Hormonal contraceptives alter a woman’s reproductive hormones, and it takes a while for her body to return to normal after discontinuing birth control. Here’s how long you may have to wait for your fertility to return after discontinuing hormonal birth control:
Couples are switching to the diaphragm so that they can be in charge of their own fertility.
Related: Diaphragms as Birth Control: A Couple’s Perspective on Barrier Methods
Diaphragms are easy and painless. Similar to a condom, you just use it when you need it. Before you have sex, you put it in. If you’re not having sex, you don’t need to use it. That’s what makes the diaphragm a great solution for those of us who don’t want to have to have to:
All of these uncomfortable, annoying situations can be avoided completely for those of us who decide to use a diaphragm for our contraceptive method.
It seems that culture is trending back toward natural products, foods, and other choices. So it follows that natural birth control should also gain in popularity. Since diaphragms do not alter your body’s chemistry, they can be considered natural, along with the other non-hormonal methods. While you may hear people say that natural birth control methods are not as effective, keep in mind that when you combine diaphragms with other family planning strategies, like fertility awareness-based methods, it can significantly increase effectiveness.
Related: 5 Tips to Supercharge Your Contraceptive Diaphragm’s Effectiveness
While many couples are turning to the diaphragm to meet their contraceptive needs, there are some women who should avoid this method of birth control. If any of the situations listed here apply to you, then you might want to seek another alternative to the diaphragm:
If you’ve ever considered trying a diaphragm, now may be one of the best times in history to try it out. A new type of diaphragm was released on the market within the last decade. It comes in a one-size-fits-most model and patients are able to skip that awkward in-person fitting that is required with the older style diaphragms.
My Virtual Physician has partnered with Caya to streamline the process of getting your diaphragm prescription fulfilled so that this new method of contraception is readily available to you.
Take charge of your reproductive health today and schedule your appointment to discuss contraceptive options that work for you.
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Just over half a million men get a vasectomy each year in the United States. You may have heard that getting snipped is a simpler procedure than a woman getting her tubes tied. While it may be true that the permanent sterilization procedure itself is much less invasive for men, it’s important to note that it’s not immediately effective. The official effectiveness in the first year is over 99%; however, there is an important waiting period required after surgery in order to get there. Let’s talk about how to confirm your vasectomy’s effectiveness.
When a man ejaculates, his semen contains sperm. Sperm is what meets with an egg to cause fertilization and pregnancy. If you remove sperm from the equation, then you technically can’t get a woman pregnant. That’s what a vasectomy aims to do.
Vasectomies cut off the access for sperm to get into the semen. The vas deferens tubes connect the testes, where sperm is stored, to the other male sexual organs like the prostate, seminal vesicles, and the urethra. A vasectomy is an out-patient procedure that cuts both vas deferens tubes so that sperm cannot get into the semen.
So, what happens to your sperm if it can’t get out? It gets reabsorbed by your body, just as it would if you didn’t naturally expel it over a long period of time. But it doesn’t cut off the access immediately. It takes a few weeks to a few months for all sperm to be removed from a man’s reproductive organs after having the procedure completed. That’s because there is still sperm that is stored in the semen that’s already been produced in the body before the procedure.
Here are some important post-vasectomy care tips to increase the effectiveness of your vasectomy.
The goal of a vasectomy is to reach azoospermia. This is the condition of having no sperm in the semen. The timeframe of achieving azoospermia ranges for each patient, but usually by three months or about 30 ejaculations, your semen should be sperm-free. The American Urological Association recommends waiting between eight to sixteen weeks before ordering your first post-vasectomy semen analysis. A vasectomy is considered successful if no live sperm are present six months after the procedure.
A lab test called a post-vasectomy semen analysis is the only way to verify azoospermia. Although this is a crucial step in verifying that your vasectomy was successful, not all men return to complete the recommended post-vasectomy semen analysis.
That’s pretty understandable, considering the awkwardness required to get the sample if you’re going to a traditional lab or doctor’s office. However, now these tests can be done at home. At-home semen analysis kits are available online. My Virtual Physician has partnered with Orchid to provide our patients easy access to at-home semen analysis testing like this one.
Post-vasectomy semen analysis kits are more affordable than a complete semen analysis since they are only looking for the presence or absence of sperm in your semen sample rather than a full analysis of sperm. These kits allow you to collect your sample from the privacy of your own home and mail it into a lab for results in less than 24 hours.
You’ll want two consecutive results showing azoospermia before you can consider your vasectomy fully in effect. Even if you had your vasectomy done years ago, you might want to re-check your sperm counts periodically since there is still a 1 in 2,000 chance of pregnancy with men who achieved azoospermia after one post-vasectomy semen analysis. That’s because sometimes the body puts itself back together, a phenomenon called recanalization.
Related: Testing Male Fertility: How to Get a Semen Analysis Done at Home
Vasectomies are one of the most effective methods of birth control. However, it’s important to remember that this procedure is not 100% effective and requires time after the procedure to work. The only way to verify your vasectomy was successful is by a post-vasectomy semen analysis. Get yours ordered today by clicking below to speak with our doctors.
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Prenatal vitamins are supplements specially formulated for pregnant women to supply the needed vitamins and minerals. These vitamins and minerals are necessary for the health of both mother and baby.
A healthy diet is the best way to get these vitamins and minerals. However, taking prenatal vitamins help cover any nutritional gaps in your diet. Moreso, you may require more than your diet may offer during pregnancy.
Before you take any prenatal vitamin, discuss it with your healthcare provider. You may also contact us at My Virtual Physician.
During pregnancy, there are certain vitamins and minerals you need more than ever. These vitamins and minerals are what to look out for when buying prenatal vitamins.
These vitamins and minerals include:
Folic acid is perhaps the most important ingredient in a prenatal vitamin. Folic acid is a vitamin B that helps prevent neural tube defects (NTDs). Neural tube defects are birth defects of the brain and spine.
Experts recommend that women of childbearing age get 400 micrograms of folic acid daily. This is because neural tube defects develop early in pregnancy, even before many women know they are pregnant.
You can get folic acid naturally from green leafy vegetables, nuts, citrus fruits, and beans.
Your body needs to make extra red blood cells when pregnant. These red blood cells help carry oxygen around your body and to your baby. Iron is an essential mineral that helps your body make more red blood cells.
Also, iron helps prevent anemia, a condition where your blood has a low number of healthy red blood cells. You should get 27 milligrams of iron every day.
Calcium is important for you and your baby. Calcium is vital to the growth and development of bones, teeth, muscles, nerves, and organs in your baby. If you do not have enough calcium, you may suffer bone density loss and increase your risk of osteoporosis later in life.
You should get at least 1,000 milligrams of calcium daily.
Vitamin D helps promote healthy bones, teeth, eyes, and skin. It also improves your and your baby's immunity. You need about 600IU of vitamin D every day.
Food sources of vitamin D include fortified dairy products, fatty fish (salmon and mackerel), fish liver oils, and egg yolks.
Iodine is important for developing your baby's brain, bones, and nervous system. Also, mothers need iodine for adequate thyroid function.
Iodine deficiency has been linked to miscarriage, preterm delivery, stillbirth, stunted physical growth, and congenital abnormalities.
During pregnancy, you need 220 micrograms of iodine daily. Iodine can be found in dairy products, seafood, and eggs.
B vitamins, including B1, B2, B6, B9 (folic acid), and B12, are key nutrients during pregnancy. These vitamins give you energy, help with nausea (morning sickness), improve your baby's nervous system, help build the placenta, and promote good vision.
Good sources of B vitamins include liver, whole-grain cereal, bananas, chicken, beans, and pork.
Vitamin C promotes iron absorption and fortifies your immune system. It also helps develop your baby's skin, bones, joints, and connective tissue. Vitamin C can be found in fresh fruits and vegetables. You should get at least 85 mg of vitamin C daily.
Vitamin A promotes eye development, good vision, and a healthy immune system in your baby.
Omega-3 fatty acids help promote your baby's brain development, reduce your risk of preterm delivery, and having a baby with low birth weight. Omega-3 fatty acids occur naturally in fatty fish, nuts, flaxseed, kidney beans, spinach, broccoli, and cauliflower.
Choline (about 450mg daily) is necessary for healthy brain growth in your baby. Although your body can make some choline, you get most of it from your diet. Foods rich in choline include eggs, fish, soy products, chicken, beef, peanut, and pork.
A visit to us helps you get your prenatal care started while you await your appointment with your local OB doctor. Your virtual physician can help to electronically order prenatal care labs and/or send an order to the nearest radiology facility for you to get an ultrasound.
At My Virtual Physician, we are available to help guide you through your pregnancy and answer any questions that may arise. We are in network with many insurance health plans, including Medicaid, Medicare, United HealthCare, and Blue Cross.
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Our last blog detailed how to read your at-home fertility results. If you’ve recently taken an at-home fertility test and the results weren’t what you expected, or something was out of whack, you may be wondering what to do with that information. This blog is the last in our four-part series that explores everything you’ve always wondered about testing your fertility at home.
This series includes:
First things first. Stop. Now, breathe…
A less-than-normal result doesn’t mean you’ll never have kids. Abnormal results are not uncommon with fertility testing, and if you have one, there are things you can do to get your levels back within the normal range.
If your fertility results aren’t perfectly within normal range, don’t panic! Realize that at-home fertility testing is just one tool that can help you identify hiccups early on. Although we believe in the accuracy of Orchid test kits, it’s still important to recognize that it’s normal for hormones in our bodies to fluctuate. Hormones in a woman’s body can be particularly unpredictable throughout the phases of the menstrual cycle. And men’s semen samples can vary greatly with each ejaculation, dependent upon many circumstances.
My Virtual Physician has partnered with Orchid to provide synchronistic support to patients who test their fertility at home with Orchid tests. Our online OBGYNs can help interpret your results and guide you through steps to take to improve your fertility. If you have an abnormal result, we recommend a virtual visit with our physicians. We may encourage re-testing during a different point in a woman’s cycle or after a few lifestyle changes are introduced. Certain medications can help correct some infertility problems. Next, let’s cover some common abnormalities that both men and women might find on their at-home fertility test results.
There are two main culprits of infertility for couples:
Evidence that a woman is experiencing a problem with ovulation can be shown in abnormal fertility results. In particular, an abnormal follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) level in women can indicate a problem. Higher than average levels of FSH can mean that a woman’s body is having trouble bringing eggs to maturity. On the other hand, low FSH levels might mean that you are not ovulating.
Luteinizing hormone (LH) is another chemical that indicates ovulation in women. Abnormal LH levels can mean that a woman is not ovulating. Many disorders, including PCOS, may cause a woman’s LH levels to be high and affect fertility. Low LH can happen if your BMI is too low.
Abnormal prolactin levels in women are a common cause of fertility troubles. Non-pregnant women should have very low levels since the hormone is primarily used for milk production in nursing mothers. If you have a high prolactin level, it can hinder your fertility if not corrected.
Men who have an abnormal semen analysis should repeat the at-home fertility test before taking action. There are a few common problems that can show up in a semen analysis, including:
The results are in, and now you can start working to correct any abnormalities that showed up on your at-home fertility testing. Below we cover some common solutions to abnormal fertility values.
Women with abnormal FSH levels may be advised to change medications or start a new medication in order to bring their levels into the normal range. Medications can also be used to correct abnormal LH levels. Lifestyle changes affecting your weight may also improve LH levels for some women. Your doctor may want to run further tests to rule out other disorders that could affect your LH levels.
High prolactin levels can be reduced with medication. Sometimes further testing is required to confirm the cause of the increased levels. Abnormally low prolactin levels may not need to be treated.
Low sperm count in men is the most common abnormality found during fertility testing. It can be caused by many things, including certain medications, untreated diabetes, or hormonal imbalances, among others. Solutions may include testing for and managing these conditions or switching medications.
Abnormal sperm movement can be caused by alcoholism, toxins, smoking, and some medications. Lifestyle changes are often required to correct this abnormality.
Your doctor may run additional tests for men with two abnormal results, including at-home hormone testing for men, which is available through Orchid. Other tests include advanced semen analysis or genetic testing.
At-home fertility testing can be an effective way to reassure yourself that your body is in proper working order. But if the results come back abnormal, which is not uncommon, there are steps you can take to get things back to normal. With early, at-home fertility testing, you now have more time to correct abnormal levels before they become a problem. So, when you’re ready to start your family, your body is ready when you are.
Diaphragms come in sixth place when it comes to contraceptive effectiveness with typical use. Check out the lineup of current pregnancy prevention methods recognized by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and see how they rank up below.
| Effectiveness Ranking | Contraceptive Method | Pregnancies per 100
Users in 1st Year |
Effectiveness |
| 1 | Implant | .05 | 99.95% |
| 2 | Sterilization (Permanent) | .2 to .5 | 99.5 to 99.8% |
| 3 | IUD | .2 to .8 | 99.2 to 99.8% |
| 4 | Injection (Hormonal) | 6 | 94% |
| 5 (tied with patch & ring) | Pill | 9 | 91% |
| 5 (tied with pill & ring) | Patch | 9 | 91% |
| 5 (tied with pill & patch) | Vaginal Ring | 9 | 91% |
| 6 | Diaphragm | 12 | 88% |
| 7 | Male Condom | 18 | 82% |
| 8 | Female Condom | 21 | 79% |
| 9 | Cervical Cap | 17 to 23 | 77-83% |
| 10 | Sponge | 12 to 24 | 76-88% |
| 11 | Natural Fertility Awareness | 24 | 76% |
| 12 | Spermicide (alone) | 28 | 72% |
You’ll see that the contraceptive diaphragm is around the middle of the pack when it comes to preventing pregnancy. But it doesn’t necessarily have to get stuck in the middle—there are several ways to supercharge your diaphragm’s efficacy to move it further up the list, creating a closer-to-perfect method of birth control. Let’s see how it’s done.
Even if you’re not any good at math, it’s easy to see how combining different contraceptive methods can make your chances of pregnancy plummet. So if a diaphragm has an effectiveness of 88% and male condoms have an effectiveness of 82%, using a diaphragm with a condom will drastically improve your protection against pregnancy, with the added bonus of shielding you from certain STDs.
You can get even better results from using the diaphragm together with a hormonal contraceptive. Talk to your doctor about your options and never combine multiple hormonal contraceptives (see chart: all of the methods above the diaphragm are hormonal, except sterilization).
Diaphragms are versatile and can be used with many other contraceptive methods, including natural family planning methods like the FAM or FAB methods. Even the withdrawal method (also known as “coitus interruptus” or “pulling out”) will significantly increase your diaphragm’s success rate. Combining other contraceptive methods with your diaphragm is a surefire way to amp up your pregnancy prevention effectiveness.
Related: Natural Birth Control: Fertility Awareness Pregnancy Prevention
Using spermicide with a diaphragm is a MUST. That’s because sperm can survive inside a woman’s body for up to two days. That means that simply barricading the cervix with a diaphragm alone for six hours after ejaculation may not block or remove all sperm. Spermicide kills sperm and it takes around six hours to get the job done. That brings us to tip #3.
Never remove your diaphragm less than six hours after sex. Doing so puts you at risk for pregnancy since the spermicide may not have killed all the sperm, meaning some live sperm may still be left inside your body. Carefully read your diaphragm’s instructions for timing when to insert and when to remove it.
For insertion, you need to know that spermicide is most effective if applied less than two hours before sex. If you insert the diaphragm earlier than this, you can add more spermicide.
As with all birth control methods, consistency is key. Since we’re all human, it’s possible that sometimes we aren’t perfect. That’s why many studies show two rates for effectiveness: typical vs. perfect use. Typical allows for human error, while perfect is reserved for those who have immense self-control. For example, the Caya Contoured Diaphragm has an effectiveness of 86% for those who use it perfectly every time and 82% for typical use. Using your diaphragm every time you have sex, and following the instructions perfectly, can increase the effectiveness by up to 4% for this particular type of diaphragm.
Our final tip for maximizing your diaphragm’s pregnancy-preventing powers is to make sure it’s in place properly. Inserting a diaphragm can definitely take some getting used to and practice makes perfect. There are some things you can do to verify that you’ve got it in right.
Once you’ve inserted your diaphragm based on the instructions provided, you can feel with a finger to verify that your cervix is covered by the diaphragm’s barrier material. Another way to check that your diaphragm is correctly placed is to move around—squat, jump, twist, and turn! You shouldn’t be able to feel the diaphragm and it shouldn’t get dislodged with movement. If you can check these boxes off, you’ve got it inserted correctly.
Related: Diaphragms as a Contraceptive: What’s It Like to Use One?
Pregnancy prevention is an important part of women’s health. Birth control should be effective and manageable without causing you any additional health problems. My Virtual physician is here to help you find the method that works best with your body. If you’re considering the diaphragm or any other methods, reach out to our team today to discuss your options and get your prescription.
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“You want me to do what?!” That’s a common reaction when a lady partner asks her man to get his sperm tested. With infertility being a valid concern affecting one in five couples, lovers are looking for ways to proactively identify fertility issues before they try to grow their families. This increases their chances of conceiving once they are ready.
Since men are half the equation when it comes to fertility, verifying potency is a critical step in confirming fruitfulness. And one of the best ways to test male fertility is through a sperm analysis. Unfortunately, that usually means an awkward visit to a facility where the holder of the sperm masturbates to produce a sample. This has been an inherent part of the process—until now. Today, you can get the job done at home.
Read on to find out more about at-home semen analysis.
Semen, also called seminal fluid, is the ejaculated fluid and its contents, which includes sperm. In order to identify whether your sperm are healthy, evaluating the seminal fluid is also important because it helps the sperm travel more easily.
A semen analysis measures and observes your semen and sperm characteristics. A lab looks at your semen under a microscope and writes down its characteristics, some of which include:
Compare your results to normal ranges so you can easily see if any sperm or semen qualities are out of whack. Having a semen analysis done helps couples identify whether there will be any hiccups when they try to conceive. Or, for other couples who have already been trying for a baby for a while, a semen analysis can help determine which partner needs help restoring their fertility.
If you’ve ever looked into getting your semen analyzed, you have felt nervous about masturbating in some private room of a facility in order to produce your sample. The days of awkwardly handing over your cup of semen to some technician in a medical facility are over. Now, you can get a semen analysis done at home. Here’s how it works:
When you collect your sample at home, you can expect to receive a collection cup, preservative, temperature control pack, and prepaid shipping label so that your precious goods make it to the lab safely.
Also, make sure to follow any instructions before you use your kit. Some things to know before you test:
You’ve done the deed, and now the results are in. What do they mean? Let’s take a look at normal ranges of characteristics for semen.
The shape of sperm can affect its ability to travel and penetrate an egg. The shape includes the oval head as well as the midsection and tail. Some men who struggle with fertility may have abnormally shaped sperm. If more than 50% of your sperm are irregularly shaped, then it is an abnormal result that might be the cause of infertility.
Each load should contain a lot of sperm! A normal sperm count ranges between approximately 40 million to 900 million per sample, or a sperm concentration of 15 million to 260 million per mL. Even though it only takes one sperm to fertilize an egg, your chances drastically decrease if your sperm count is below 20 million during your at-home semen analysis.
Semen should be slightly alkaline at between 7.2 and 7.8 on the pH scale. If your semen’s pH is off, it can affect your fertility. Abnormal seminal pH can also be a symptom of an infection or other malfunction with a man’s reproductive organs.
Similar to the sperm shape, at least half of your sperm need to have normal movement. If your sperm isn’t moving, it will have a hard time making it to the target to fertilize an egg. Look for this result to be above 50% of sperm with normal movement.
A normal range for ejaculate volume is between 1.5 to 7.6mL. This is the amount of liquid measured from the sample. A high volume, along with a low sperm count, may mean that your sperm is diluted. Low volumes can also make it more difficult to conceive if there is not enough seminal fluid.
Collecting your sample for your semen analysis is easier than ever today with at-home testing kits. If you’re ready to get your male fertility tested, you have the option to get it done with dignity from the comfort of your own home. Schedule an appointment with My Virtual Physician today to get your test ordered.
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Smoking is bad for anyone, pregnant or not. However, if you smoke, you should quit once you become pregnant or find out you are pregnant.
There is no "safe" level of smoking during pregnancy. Cigarettes contain nicotine, carbon monoxide, and other toxins that affect your and your baby's health when inhaled. When you smoke during pregnancy, you:
Secondhand smoking happens when you inhale smoke from a burning cigarette and smoke exhaled by a smoker. Secondhand smoking, also known as passive smoking, is more harmful than smoking itself. The reason is that the smoke from the end of the cigarette or exhaled by the smoker contains more harmful poisons than the smoke inhaled by the smoker.
If you are exposed to secondhand smoke, you and your baby are at risk of health complications before, during, and after your baby is born. These include low birth weight, stillbirth, congenital disabilities, respiratory problems, allergies, ear infections, and many others.
When pregnant and after childbirth, don't let anyone smoke in your house, car, or anywhere around you. Also, avoid going to places where people smoke.
If you are finding it hard to quit smoking, you can talk to us at My Virtual Physician or your health care provider. We will provide information about smoking cessation programs that can help you.
You may also want to put the following measures in place:
Nicotine is the addictive substance in cigarettes that your body gets used to. When you quit smoking, you may manifest withdrawal symptoms. These include:
Withdrawal symptoms are often transient. They are strongest during the first week after quitting and go away within two weeks. It may, however, last for a month or a few more for some people.
Dealing with withdrawal symptoms requires discipline, and you can get all the support you need. You can try the following to help you:
You may experience frequent urges to smoke even after quitting, and the withdrawal symptoms disappear. Don't give in to the cravings. They are short-lived and will go away on their own.
If you relapse into smoking after quitting, don't lose hope. Quit again.
A visit to us helps you get your prenatal care started while you await your appointment with your local OB doctor. Your virtual physician can help to electronically order prenatal care labs and/or send an order to the nearest radiology facility for you to get an ultrasound.
At My Virtual Physician, we are available to help guide you through your pregnancy and answer any questions that may arise. We are in network with many insurance health plans, including Medicaid, Medicare, United HealthCare, and Blue Cross.
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Barrier methods are old school. There’s a reason for that–it’s because they provide a simple solution that can be effective without the major side effects of hormonal birth control.
Two of the oldest barrier methods that have been in use since the 1800s, and are still in use today, are the diaphragm and cervical cap. These two methods sound very similar, but they are a little different. Here, we will be covering those differences.
If you’ve ever seen a diaphragm, you’ll notice it looks like a miniature version of the invisible dome in the Stephen King-based television series “Under the Dome.” It’s basically a half sphere with a sturdy, flexible rim.
It takes two components to make up the diaphragm’s dome shape. First, a large, flexible spring or wire forms a circular structure about four inches in diameter. The second component is the latex or silicone material laid across the spring and encapsulating it so that the entire diaphragm is soft and rubbery.
In the past decade, a new shape has entered the arena. Caya is the first contoured diaphragm. This means that both the spring and the silicone material are shaped to fit a woman’s body, rather than forcing the traditional circular shape to fit.
So what do cervical caps look like? They are much smaller than diaphragms and cup-shaped. FemCap is the only cervical cap available in the United States, and its shape can be described as looking like a tiny sailor’s hat. The material is 100% medical grade silicone with no wire or spring required. FemCap was designed to use its special shape to trap sperm.
The diaphragm covers a larger area which includes the cervix; it depends on the walls of the vagina to stay in place, and spermicide goes on the cervix-facing side. The cervical cap only covers the cervix and the “hat brim” touches the walls of the vagina to trap sperm inside a crevice. Spermicide is not always required, but it’s usually recommeded for the cervical cap on the outside facing side.
Related: Why You Might Want to Ask Your Online OBGYN about Diaphragms
When it comes to getting fitted for your diaphragm or cervical cap, these both used to require an in-person exam and fitting by your doctor. That’s because both barrier methods previously came in
multiple sizes. Traditional diaphragms come in around eight different sizes!
However, the diaphragm has evolved to include the contoured option that is labeled as one-size-fits-most and therefore requires no awkward fitting, as mentioned earlier, this version is called Caya. Since we are all unique, if you find that this single size doesn’t fit you, there are still other barrier options available to you.
FemCap, the modern cervical cap available on the market, has three sizes. The great news is, despite the options, no in-person fitting is required by your doctor. You can get your prescription sized based on whether or not you have been pregnant and whether that birth was vaginal or cesarian.
Both the cervical cap and diaphragm are similar in doing the job of covering the cervix to prevent pregnancy when used properly; however, one of them is slightly more effective. Used with spermicide, the diaphragm has an average failure rate of 18%, and the cervical cap has a failure rate of 20%.
Both methods become more effective when spermicide is used together with the devices. It’s also notable that the cervical cap may have decreased effectiveness for women who have given birth.
The modern version of the diaphragm, Caya, has a 14% failure rate with perfect use, and 18% with typical use. The modern version of the cervical cap, FemCap, has a failure rate of about 8% during clinical trials, meaning it actually might be even more effective at pregnancy prevention than a diaphragm.
It’s notable that FemCap can be left in place for up to 48 hours while the diaphragm must be removed every 24 hours. Both methods require a six-hour window after sex before removing the device. These timeframes are important to keep in mind when deciding which method will work best for your lifestyle.
Related: Hormonal Migraines: How Your Las Vegas OBGYN Can Help
Both the diaphragm and cervical cap have very limited side effects when compared to hormonal birth control methods. The main side effects of a diaphragm are the possibility of irritation and increased urinary tract infections (UTIs). The cervical cap has listed irritation as a side effect, as well as allergic reactions and the possibility of abnormal pap test results.
The FemCap claims to have a lower risk of urinary tract infections, but traditional cervical caps have a history of some other side effects, including:
It’s also important to consider that spermicide can cause some side effects as well. Since both the cervical cap and diaphragm recommend adding spermicide to their devices, don’t forget to factor this into your decision as you’re choosing the right barrier method.
If you’re looking for a non-hormonal birth control method, both cervical caps and diaphragms are worthy options to consider. Using the information above, we hope that we’ve cleared up what the main differences are between the two.
At My Virtual Physician, we are here to support you in choosing the right contraceptive option for you. Set up an appointment today, and we’ll help you get the prescription that is right for your body and lifestyle.
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Disclosure: My Virtual Physician has partnered with Caya to make it easy to provide a simple, hormone-free contraceptive solution to our patients.
Time is ticking, and with each day that goes by, we’re all getting older. When it comes to fertility, that means that a couple’s chances of conceiving fall as each partner ages.
Biologically speaking, there is a window of about 30 years that women have the best chance to conceive, between the ages of 15 to 44. The odds in favor of getting pregnant decrease as a woman’s body approaches perimenopause.
For a man, sperm health peaks in his thirties and wanes as the biological clock ticks, dropping off after 55.
But age isn’t the only factor that affects your fertility. So, if you’re somewhere in the fertility window, there are things you can do now to be proactive and optimize your chances of having a baby. Let’s cover 5 ways to boost your fertility at home.
What you eat has a huge impact on how your body performs. Think about that classic documentary “Super Size Me,” where Morgan Spurlock showed us all the effects of eating nothing but greasy fast food for a month straight. His dietary experiment resulted in weight gain of nearly 25 pounds, increased his cholesterol, and even caused sexual dysfunction.
If you’re trying to optimize your fertility, up your intake of foods that have healthy antioxidants. Antioxidants are healing molecules found in whole foods; their job is to remove free radicals from your system. High levels of free radicals can damage your body’s cells, including egg and sperm cells. Examples of antioxidants include folate, zinc, vitamin C, and vitamin E.
Below is a small selection of the many whole foods that contain antioxidants:
While you’re increasing your antioxidants, don’t forget to incorporate more fiber into your diet. Fiber helps antioxidants get into and travel through your digestive system smoothly so that they can do their job. Fiber also helps keep your blood sugars stable. Studies have shown a correlation between diabetes and infertility. Fruits, vegetables, and legumes generally have high amounts of fiber.
Getting rid of your bad habits can also boost your fertility. It’s no secret that smoking is detrimental to your health. But did you realize that both smoking and alcohol can actually affect sperm counts, shape, and movements in men? Women also tend to have a conception delay with these habits. So if you’re trying to keep your reproductive cells in tip-top shape, you might want to try breaking these vices.
Caffeine is another stimulant that might affect fertility. In order to ensure that you’re giving your gonads the best chances, take it easy on the caffeine. That means consuming only modest amounts of soda, tea, and coffee. If you need to put a number on it, keep caffeine below 200 mg, that’s about one or two cups of coffee per day, so that it’s not messing with your chances of conceiving.
Eating healthy can be challenging in today’s fast-paced world, where convenience seems to trump the health factor. If you’re struggling to get all of your antioxidants and vitamins from your food, consider taking a multivitamin or a prenatal multivitamin if you’re a woman. Talk with your doctor during a regular checkup to see which multivitamin is right for you.
There are also some natural supplements that may increase male and female fertility. Here are a few:
Always talk with your doctor before beginning any new supplements.
Managing your stress levels can be easier said than done. But if you want to naturally boost your fertility, invest time in reducing your stress levels. When your body and mind are stressed, your reproductive hormone cycles can be thrown off, affecting fertility.
Here are some ways to reduce stress:
If you’re unable to get your stress under control on your own, talking to a counselor or therapist is another option that can help you process whatever is causing your stress.
The final straw–pun intended–is how much water you’re drinking. Dehydration can cause damage to eggs and sperm; it can also affect the viscosity of the fluids that carry egg and sperm to the proper meeting place. When you are drinking enough fluids and electrolytes, blood flow is improved, and organs can function better. A good test of whether you’re drinking enough water is by observing your urine. If your pee is light yellow, then you’re getting enough water. If it’s very dark or bright, then you may be dehydrated.
Fertility can be a bit of a mystery. Following the tips in this article, your fertility should be off the charts! If you’re trying to conceive now or in the near future, these steps are a good guideline to follow.
But it’s not uncommon for couples to be clueless about a fertility problem until they are ready to start having children. So you might be wondering if there’s a way to find out if you’re fertile before you’re even ready to start trying. The good news is–yes! And the better news is–you can test it from home!
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My Virtual Physician has partnered with Orchid to provide our patients easy access to at-home fertility testing. Orchid’s fertility test kits are for both men and women, with both hormone and sperm analysis options. Contact us today to get your at-home fertility test kit and remove the mystery of your fertility.
Our last blog covered how fertility testing works and gave some solid options for at-home fertility testing. Now we move to grasp an understanding of your results. This blog is the third of a four-part series where we explore everything you’ve always wondered about your fertility.
This series includes:
You have already taken a step towards getting a definitive answer on your fertility status; now, if you could just figure out what these results mean!
Not all at-home fertility test kits are created equally. So, depending on the fertility test that you use, your results will look very different. Some labs will simply provide you with a list of values for different hormone levels. That will require you to do your own research to interpret your results. Others will give you detailed descriptions of each hormone, along with explanations of what it means if one is outside of the normal range.
Since My Virtual Physician has partnered with Orchid, we will focus on the results that you can expect from their test kits. You can expect personalized results and actionable recommendations. Both are physician-reviewed. For hormone testing, your results will explain each hormone’s function, how it is used by the body, and what it means if your levels are abnormal. Similarly, semen analysis tests provide a detailed explanation of your results.
At-home fertility testing can provide you with one of two outcomes. First, it can give you peace of mind that your fertility seems to be in tip-top shape, and you do not need to do anything differently when you’re ready to conceive. If that’s not the case and you have an abnormal result, it’s a great starting point to share your results with your doctor for further evaluation. Your doctor can use the lab results in order to make recommendations or, if necessary, prescribe medication or order additional diagnostic testing.
Your reproductive system runs on hormones. Hormones are chemicals produced by the body that give instructions to organs and other parts of the body. They are involved in all reproductive stages, from puberty to pregnancy to menopause. That’s why checking your hormone levels can be so revealing about your fertility.
At-home fertility testing is one option that people are turning to in order to get an early look at their fertility with minimal investment of time and money. Having a basic understanding of the reproductive hormones will help you grasp your at-home fertility test results. Most tests look for hormones that indicate ovulation. Let’s cover the basics of each hormone that you might find in your results.
Although found in both men and women, this hormone is most useful to glance into the fertility of a woman’s body. AMH is produced by ovarian follicles, the fluid-filled sacs that hold one egg (oocyte) each inside the ovaries. A higher level of AMH can mean a higher ovarian reserve. Ovarian reserve is the number of eggs in the ovaries, which diminishes with age since women are born with all of their eggs and ovarian follicles.
Here are some fast facts showing how AMH informs you about your fertility:
FSH stimulates a woman’s eggs to mature in preparation for ovulation and also helps produce estrogen, which is required for the chain-reaction of ovulation to occur. Once an egg begins maturing, levels should drop as estrogen triggers ovulation. If the levels never drop, then there may be a problem with egg development. Checking your FSH levels can give you insight into how your ovaries are performing in general, as well as indicating ovarian reserve levels.
FSH facts to consider:
Estradiol, a form of estrogen, is another hormone involved in egg maturation and is critical for the release of the egg for ovulation. This hormone is also responsible for preparing the uterine lining for implantation. Estradiol is useful to determine your ovarian reserve levels. Normal estradiol ranges from 15 to 350 pg/mL. Menopausal women have estradiol levels below 10 pg/mL.
LH is a hormone involved in regulating women’s menstrual cycle and helping with the release of eggs during ovulation. It can help determine whether a woman’s body is ovulating properly. A surge in LH happens during ovulation, so it’s commonly used for at-home ovulation test strips. Normal ranges for women vary depending on which phase of the menstrual cycle, spiking around ovulation. Here are the baselines for normal LH levels:
Also known as the milk hormone, prolactin testing can help determine the proper functioning of bodily systems. Prolactin is produced after ovulation, but having too much can negatively impact ovulation. That explains why women who are breastfeeding are less likely to ovulate; they are producing more prolactin. Normal levels of prolactin in non-pregnant women are in the range of 2 to 29 ng/mL.
Men can also have at-home hormonal fertility testing done. They often include checking levels of:
Fertility testing won’t help much if you aren’t sure how to interpret the results. Now, with a basic understanding of the hormones involved in your fertility, you can see how at-home fertility testing can be an effective way to verify optimal reproductive health quickly and easily.
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So the results are in, and now you can take action if any hormone levels are out of whack. What’s the first step? Our next article sheds light on what to do if your fertility test results come back abnormal.
*These are the three tests included in Orchid’s women’s hormone test.
Childbirth and aging can both wreak havoc on a woman’s body. Several organs and tissues are all located in the abdomen, from the bladder and bowels to the reproductive organs—there’s a lot going on and a lot that needs to be held together. Although it’s natural that growing a child in the womb puts pressure on the female organs and tissues for a prolonged time during pregnancy, it can result in some long-term problems down the road.
It’s not uncommon for women to experience bladder incontinence after having children, especially as she approaches menopause. In fact, one in five women deals with a pelvic floor disorder. Pelvic floor disorders are a group of medical conditions that include both urinary and fecal incontinence, as well as pelvic organ prolapse. In this blog, our team of Las Vegas gynecologists at My Virtual Physician takes a look at pelvic organ prolapse, a condition that some of our patients face.
Pelvic organ prolapse is similar to a hernia, where internal organs move through weakened tissues and out of their normal position. This leaves the organs vulnerable and may require surgery to correct. Women with pelvic organ prolapse have weakened muscles, tissues, and ligaments that are no longer able to hold organs, including the bladder, cervix, uterus, urethra, and rectum, in place. The result can be organs protruding into the vagina, and sometimes even out the opening.
There are different types of pelvic organ prolapse (POP), depending on which organ is bulging into the vagina. The most common prolapsed pelvic organ is the bladder; this type of POP is called cystocele, or dropped bladder. Other common types are rectocele, which involves the rectum, and uterine prolapse, involving the uterus. Although pelvic organ prolapse sounds extremely alarming, it’s not life-threatening.
There are four stages of pelvic organ prolapse:
So now that we’ve defined pelvic organ prolapse, let’s talk about who is at a higher risk for the condition. By and far, it’s older women who have birthed children who commonly suffer this type of prolapse. Other than age and childbirth, a few other factors that increase your risk of POP include a family history, an existing connective tissue disorder, obesity, sustained heavy lifting, prior pelvic surgery, chronic cough, smoking, and frequent constipation.
Strangely, most women with pelvic organ prolapse don’t have symptoms. Often, the condition is identified by a gynecologist during a regularly scheduled pelvic exam. If it’s not caught during a regular exam, patients sometimes don’t notice anything until they are in stage three, when they notice tissue protruding outside the vagina.
Some women do have signs and symptoms of POP, such as:
If you notice any of the above signs of pelvic organ prolapse, get in touch with our Las Vegas Gynecology team at My Virtual Physician to discuss the severity and start a treatment action plan.
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When discovered early on, pelvic organ prolapse can be treated without surgery. Common treatment plans include pelvic floor strengthening exercises, also known as Kegels. These can be done at home to increase vaginal muscle tone and keep organs in their place, preventing your prolapse from progressing further.
The other non-surgical treatment for POP involves a pessary. Pessaries are supportive medical devices that can be placed into the vagina in order to provide more structure and keep your anatomy properly aligned. These devices can also help with urinary incontinence. Talk to your doctor if you are interested in seeing if a pessary works for you. My Virtual Physician has partnered with Uresta, a type of pessary that helps patients with stress incontinence. Your doctor can help you find the best pessary for your particular prolapse.
If your pelvic organ prolapse cannot be corrected with pelvic exercises or a pessary, it may require surgery to restore your anatomy. Reconstructive pelvic surgery is recommended for women whose quality of life is affected by their prolapsed organ.
Pelvic organ prolapse can be an embarrassing condition; often kept in secret. But if you’re suffering from the condition at any stage, the first step is to notice the signs and talk with your doctor about your symptoms. My Virtual Physician has board-certified gynecologists standing by to help you correct your prolapse and get you on your way to getting your life back.
Experts strongly recommend that pregnant women should avoid alcohol during pregnancy. There is no "safe" amount of alcohol during pregnancy, including beer, wine, wine coolers, and liquor.
Alcohol is harmful throughout pregnancy but most during the first three months of pregnancy. Drinking alcohol while pregnant puts your baby at risk for developmental problems, long-term medical problems and birth defects. Women planning to get pregnant are also urged to stay away from alcohol. The more alcohol you drink, the higher the risks.
When you drink alcohol, the alcohol travels through your blood, into the placenta and gets into the blood, tissues, and organs of your baby.
Your baby's liver does not mature until later in pregnancy. Hence, your baby cannot break down alcohol efficiently, and the alcohol level remains high for a prolonged period in your baby's blood. High and prolonged exposure to alcohol seriously affects your baby's development and causes low birth weight, cerebral palsy, and other problems later in life.
Drinking alcohol in pregnancy also increases the risk of miscarriage, premature delivery, and stillbirth.
One serious condition that drinking during pregnancy causes is fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).
Fetal alcohol syndrome disorder (FASD) is a group of defects seen in a baby exposed to alcohol before birth. Symptoms of FASD are lifelong and can range from mild to severe. They include:
How much you drink is as important as how often you drink. Do not take any amount of alcohol during pregnancy. One time is enough to harm your baby.
Avoiding alcohol throughout pregnancy may not be as difficult as you think. If you are planning to become pregnant or once you find out you are pregnant, do give up drinking.
If you already drank before you found out you were pregnant, avoid further drinking. Avoid being around people who drink; it could make it harder for you to stop.
If you find it difficult to stop or have concerns, you can talk to us at My Virtual Physician or your local doctor or healthcare provider. You could also join an alcohol abuse rehabilitation program.
A visit to us helps you get your prenatal care started while you await your appointment with your local OB doctor. Your virtual physician can help to electronically order prenatal care labs and/or send an order to the nearest radiology facility for you to get an ultrasound.
At My Virtual Physician, we are available to help guide you through your pregnancy and answer any questions that may arise. We are in network with many insurance health plans, including Medicaid, Medicare, United HealthCare, and Blue Cross.
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As a woman, I have tried what seemed like nearly every birth control method out there, from several versions of the pill–to the vaginal ring–to an IUD–to barrier methods like male condoms and the diaphragm. The problem I had was that the chemicals in many of these methods were negatively impacting my health. My main complaint was migraines, which I believed to be hormone-related. So, I saw non-hormonal birth control as my only option for pregnancy prevention.
When you think about contraceptives in a monogamous relationship, it seems like guys are responsible for condoms, and women are responsible for staying on the pill. Ultimately, couples get to decide together how they want to have safe sex. So whether it’s the fertility awareness method, barrier methods, or relying on birth control pills, you have options.
One of those options is for the female partner to use a barrier method called the diaphragm. And this blog is about a couple’s perspective on the contraceptive diaphragm, which means we’ll take a look at what men have to say about it, too. Let’s cover five reasons that we love this handy little thing called the diaphragm when compared to other non-hormonal pregnancy prevention options, particularly the condom.
Related: 4 Things You Need to Know About Using a Diaphragm for Birth Control
Male condoms have a failure rate of 18 pregnancies in 100 couples using the method, while traditional diaphragms with spermicide hover around 12 to 14 per 100 women. Condoms are made of a thinner material that is more prone to breaking and malformities than diaphragms, which are considered a long-term, reusable barrier method. Some couples may choose to use one or the other, while other couples decide to double up. By using both male condoms and diaphragms, you can drastically reduce the failure rate.
Diaphragms are made of a soft, rubberized material, either latex or silicone. This material only covers the cervical opening, meaning that a couple’s sexual pleasure is unaffected by the diaphragm being in place. Unlike condoms, which cover the male sexual organ completely and can dull sensations, couples who choose to use diaphragms have no physical barrier to interfere with the physical connection. In fact, men report that they cannot feel the diaphragm at all.
Related: Diaphragms as a Contraceptive: What’s It Like to Use One?
Condoms are expensive. At an average cost of around $20.00 for a 36 pack, the cost adds up over time. Over a two-year period, many couples who rely on condoms alone will have spent hundreds of dollars on rubbers. The contraceptive diaphragm, on the other hand, is often covered by insurance. If insurance doesn’t cover the cost, you’ll pay around $100 for a diaphragm that will last for years. The Caya diaphragm can last two years, and traditional diaphragms have a lifespan of up to ten years.
Pausing during the heat of the moment when you’re about to have sex with your partner can be so awkward. Sometimes it can be a major turnoff if there are any struggles to find a condom or get it put on fast enough. With diaphragms, all the legwork is done minutes or even hours before you’re in the bedroom. That means when you’re ready to go, you can proceed without that unnatural delay that comes with condoms.
Couples who choose non-hormonal birth control face a struggle if the material used in barrier methods is irritating to the skin. Some common complaints from men about condoms are:
Sex should be pleasurable and definitely should not cause skin irritation or pain. So what’s a couple to do? A diaphragm is an alternative solution that solves the above complaints. There are even silicone-based diaphragms available, like the Caya contoured diaphragm, in case of a latex allergy.
Related: Why You Might Want to Ask Your Online OBGYN about Diaphragms
Diaphragms are making a comeback in the 21st century with one-size-fits-most options like Caya. For couples who want to keep their fertility unaffected and use barrier methods for birth control, diaphragms and condoms are the two main choices. From a couple’s perspective, a diaphragm can be a superior option for the reasons mentioned above.
So if now you’re wondering, where do I get one? We’ve got you covered. My Virtual Physician has partnered with Caya to provide our patients with a seamless prescription process without any vaginal exam or fitting required. Fill out the Caya prescription form and get yours ordered today!
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It takes two to tango. While that popular idiom is usually reserved for placing the blame on both parties during an argument, it also holds true for many aspects of life, including fertility. If one partner, whether it be the guy or the gal, has a hiccup in their fertility, then the whole process of making a baby gets put on hold.
When it comes to infertility, both sexes can be equally affected. According to NIH, a couple’s infertility is caused by the man a third of the time, the woman a third of the time, and is uncertain the rest of the time.
It’s a sensitive subject, and while neither partner has likely done an intentional thing to cause it, nobody wants to discover that they’re infertile. So if you’ve been trying to conceive, or maybe you’re just curious about your fertility–you may be wondering what preemptive steps you can take toward testing your fertility–and preferably, at home.
In this blog, we’ll cover who should get at-home fertility testing, along with how to do it.
Both sexes are at risk for infertility. Male infertility often is sperm-related, while female infertility can be caused by hormonal imbalances that affect ovulation. You’ll never know whether you’re infertile until you try to start your family. But what if you want to know before then? The first thing to consider is how many risk factors for infertility apply to you or your partner. Below, we’ll talk about who is at a higher risk for infertility.
A woman’s most fertile years are between the ages of 15 and 44. So once you begin to get close to the higher end of that age range, your fertility begins to wane. That’s because you are approaching menopause, the stage of life when you stop ovulating and become infertile, typically beginning in your mid to late 40s. So if you’re hoping to conceive at an age that is approaching perimenopause, you may want to have your fertility tested so that you can be proactive with correcting any problems before full-blown menopause occurs.
Another factor that is related to a woman’s fertility is her menstrual cycles. If you experience irregular cycles, or are not menstruating at all, it’s a sign that ovulation is not occurring properly or that you may struggle with getting pregnant. If you’re experiencing irregular periods, it can bring peace of mind to have your fertility tested at home now so that you know whether or not there are any ovulation concerns.
A third risk factor for infertility is a personal or family history of surgery or disease of the reproductive system. For example, if your mother or aunts experienced early menopause, premature ovarian failure, advanced endometriosis, reproductive cancers, or infertility, then you may be at a higher risk when it comes to fertility problems. Testing your fertility even before you’re ready to start a family is a reasonable measure to take, especially if there is a history of reproductive disease. With at-home fertility test kits, the option is on the table for everyone.
Lastly, we’ll mention that women who have undergone radiation or chemotherapy may be at an increased risk of infertility. Many women want to confirm that their eggs are still in good shape after cancer treatments. Luckily, at-home fertility testing is an affordable option to verify your fertility at any time.
It’s not just women that are concerned about their ability to procreate; men care, too. Since men are half of the equation, it makes sense to consider testing a man’s fertility to get a full picture of a couple’s ability to reproduce. Let’s discuss some reasons that men may decide to get at-home fertility testing.
Smoking increases the risk of infertility for both sexes, but specifically, it has a detrimental effect on sperm. Studies have shown that smoke may decrease sperm density and movement. If you’re a man with a history of heavy smoking, you may be curious about whether your sperm has been damaged. An at-home fertility test for men can help answer that question.
A history of testicular trauma is another factor that gets men questioning whether they are sexually potent. Unlike women, a man’s reproductive organs are more prone to injury from outside forces due to their external nature. They are at a higher risk of injury from hits, kicks, and other traumas. If a man’s reproductive organs are damaged from past trauma, it can affect fertility. Many men are unsure whether past trauma has hindered their testes. An at-home sperm analysis is a great way for men to see if they are still fertile.
Even if the above risk factors don’t apply to you, you can still have your fertility tested for peace of mind. With at-home fertility testing available to both guys and gals, it allows for an affordable way to get the ball rolling in case there are any concerning results. If you’re ready to test your fertility, we’ve got great news for you. My Virtual Physician has partnered with Orchid in order to provide our patients with quality, at-home fertility testing.
Set up your appointment today to get your test ordered and answer that lingering question… “Am I fertile?”
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Our last blog covered the basics of fertility and gave some insight into why it’s so natural for us to wonder if we are fertile before we’re even ready to start a family. This blog is the second of a four-part series where we explore everything you’ve always wondered about your fertility.
This series includes:
So we’ve established how normal it is to want a definitive answer regarding your fertility; now, you are wondering how to get that answer. Read on for your options.
Traditionally, fertility testing was performed only inside doctors’ offices. It was expensive, time-consuming, and ultimately up to your doctor to decide whether he wanted to run the tests for you at all. Many traditional doctor offices won’t even consider scheduling an appointment for fertility testing until you have tried to conceive for at least a year. That can be frustrating for proactive couples who are eager to find out if there will be any hiccups beforehand.
Suppose you find a doctor that agrees to see you. In that case, you must undergo invasive medical and sexual history evaluations, which help to determine if there are lifestyle changes that could improve fertility. Next, a host of intrusive tests may be run, which can include:
No reasonable person would put themselves through that painstaking process if they didn’t have to. Luckily, with new technological advances in fertility testing, there are new ways to circumvent the costly, time-consuming traditional testing methods. Today, we have the ability to test your fertility at home. That means you can get a definitive answer regarding your fertility in a matter of hours, rather than years.
The basic method of testing your fertility at home involves taking a good look at specific reproductive hormones. Certain hormones indicate signs of fertility. Even over-the-counter ovulation strips work by measuring the luteinizing hormone (LH) in your urine, a hormone that spikes with ovulation. Here are a few of those hormones and their roles in female fertility:
For men, fertility can be measured in multiple ways. A semen analysis can check the health and abundance of sperm. Otherwise, men’s hormones, such as testosterone, can also be tested. Blood or urine samples are commonly used in at-home fertility testing.
Women who are curious about their fertility have a range of testing options for at-home use. The first that we’ll talk about is by using at-home ovulation predictor kits (OPKs). It works similarly to pregnancy tests, requiring a woman to pee on a test strip. You can buy these over the counter at most drugstores.
With ovulation test kits, you’ll need to keep track of your menstrual cycle so that you’re only using up your strips during the week you’re most likely to ovulate. This method can take a few months to determine whether you are ovulating regularly and is not always definitive or accurate in determining your fertility.
Couples who are looking for a more immediate answer about whether they are fertile have another option. It’s called at-home fertility testing. This testing is widely available online, can be ordered by a doctor, and shipped directly to your home. Most at-home test kits include the items that you’ll need to collect a blood or urine sample. For men, there are also kits to collect semen at home for analysis which can indicate sperm count, volume, movement, and shape.
Once you’ve collected the sample with your at-home fertility test kit, you’ll ship it back to a lab for analysis. The results will be shared with you shortly thereafter. With so many options available on the market, it can be difficult to pick the right fertility test kit. My Virtual Physician has partnered with Orchid to provide professional-grade at-home fertility testing to our patients. Once you’ve completed your testing, our online OBGYNs will be available to review your results and make a game plan to enhance your fertility if you have any abnormalities.
Fertility testing has gotten an overhaul in recent years. Now, understanding your fertility and getting early fertility testing is a real possibility that is readily accessible for all. If you’re ready to order your at-home fertility test, reach out to us today and schedule your appointment.
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Once you’ve sent your test kit into the lab, you may be wondering what kind of results to expect. Our next article busts through any confusion by breaking down how to read your fertility test results.
