My Fertility Plan Blog: Your Conception Action Plan

How is the iPad and iPhone affecting your web design?

My good friend Desiree Scales, social marketing and web design expert, just posted this on her website www.thebellabuzz.com.  I thought this was especially interesting for the fertility community since patients and potential patients are changing (yet again!) the way they seek information and locate fertility-related services.  I think these are some very important issues to consider as we update our own websites and improve oru communication with the public.  It's always best to be ahead of the curve. 

Let me know what you think and as always, let us know if there is anything My Fertility Plan can to to help you better connect with patients.  As professional patient educators, we are here to help!  Email me at [email protected]

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As I was reading an article this morning on my iPad a CNN article popped up about “How the iPad Changed 2010.”  There was a statement about how the iPad is actually changing how websites are designed. This couldn’t be more true from what I’ve personally seen with our own client sites this year. I thought I would expand on this idea. Here’s what I’m seeing:

Flash is dead (until they reinvent it). Flash is no longer considered a web compliant medium. If you have flash on your site, the iPad and iPhone will not show it. You’ll end up with a site that has empty space where the animation should be. Worse, if your whole site is in Flash, it will be completely invisible and no navigation will  render the site useless.

Websites will look more like apps. This is already happening to sites you visit on a regular basis. Look at Twitter’s recent major design transformation on an iPad or iPhone and you’ll see what I mean. The whole site looks like an application and is even better than it’s official iPad app, in my opinion. On the other hand, apps are designed more like the websites they represent. It’s all a matter of branding. Branding should be consistent including colors, logos and layout between both an app and its website.

Navigation is widgetized. If you look at an iPad application, you know exactly which buttons to push to get to where you need to go. Same with websites being designed to work on these platforms. There are more sections of information with larger buttons to get you where you need to go on websites which are iPad compliant. No more little text links to deal with which are hard to navigate with large fingers.

Video is sexy, images are beautiful. Site owners are investing in tools which will enable them to create HD video and images to set their site apart from the pack. Everyone knows it’s the images that really make a website shine. If your images are blurred, don’t kill your chances of making a good impression. Delete ‘em! Video will also continue to make strides on sites as it is a natural on the iPad and iPhone. A professional video on your site will impress more visitors than just plain text. If you can speak the words, why not videotape them being spoken by a company representative, or better yet, the owner? It will make a much more lasting impression.

So my question to you is, have you viewed your site on an iPad or iPhone yet? Are you afraid to see what you might find? I would encourage those who don’t own these devices to go to the Apple store and take a look. Why should you care? Over 9 million iPhones have been sold and this holiday season looks to add millions more to the 6 million iPads already out there. The most important marketing real estate right now is the mobile platform. If your own site doesn’t represent your company well on all popular platforms, you might think about hiring someone who can can change that.  (You might also look into creating an application that can further help your customers, but that’s another blog post forthcoming. Stay tuned!)

 

Joining Stirrup Queens and RESOLVE in What IF?

In the spirit of the fabulous What IF? campaign sponsored by Melissa Ford and RESOLVE, My Fertility Plan offers the following What IF?

What IF everyone was open and honest about the real costs of infertility...do you think more people would get the message? 

The REAL Cost of Infertility

Infertility is something none of us expects or plans for.  It hits us at our very core…emotionally, physically, spiritually and financially.  No matter who you are or where you are on your fertility journey, you will spend more time, money, and energy than you ever anticipated when building your family once you are faced with difficulty conceiving.

Unfortunately, many outside infertility circles have a hard time understanding the impact infertility makes.  Let us help inform and educate others about the high costs of infertility.  Please leave us a post about  WHAT HAS INFERTILITY COST YOU?  Since all of these posts are anonymous, be as open and honest as you can about all that you have paid throughout your experience with infertility.

We look forward to reading your posts and sharing them with others so we can finally change people’s attitudes and perceptions about the real price of infertility. 

Fertility Savings Tip #11 – Stay Organized

Often, we feel that our infertility is way out of our control.  Appointments, tests, treatments, medications, ovulation, instructions, bills – it is all one big blur!  But, one thing we can control is how we keep up with all of this.  Believe us, this is a critical step in saving time, money, and frustration during your fertility journey.  Without good organization, a lot can happen which may affect your ability to get pregnant.  Important appointments missed.  Tests confused.  Treatments mishandled.  Medications messed-up.  Poorly time sex. Instructions misunderstood.  Billing errors.  You get the idea. 

It’s up to you to make sure things run as smoothly as possible and nothing is overlooked.  Fortunately, there is help.  Thanks to the ingenuity of many former infertility patients, there are a number of great products available that can aid you in your fertility organization and overall treatment cycle management.  Be sure to check out these fabulous fertility organizers and find the one that works for you!

IVF Companion  

A Personal Organizer for Your IVF Cycle

by Stephanie Fry

http://www.ivfcompanion.com/

 

The Fertility Journal

A Day-by-Day Guide to Getting Pregnant

by Kim Hahn and Editors of Conceive Magazine

http://www.thefertilityjournal.com/

 

The Infertility Assistant

A Practical Planner to Help You through Your Infertility Journey

by Dr. Chantal Caviness and Ann Montalvo Guillerman

http://www.infertilityassistant.com/

 

The Essential Fertility Log

An Organizer and Record-Keeper to Help You Get Pregnant

by Suzanne Scholsberg

http://www.amazon.com/Essential-Fertility-Log-Organizer-Pregnant/dp/0738210846#noop

Fertility Savings Tip # 10 -- Techno Baby-Making

In this fast and exciting world of technology, it was just a matter to time before fertility and baby-making was included.  Now you can even use your phone to optimize you chances for success. 

A BIG thanks to

http://nursepractitionerschools.org/50-useful-iphone-applications-for-your-pregnancy/

for this great list of iPhone applications that will follow your body’s cycle and help you know when it is the right time to conceive --

1. Fertility Friend.com’s Menstrual Calendar  This free iPhone app is a light version of the calendar available at Fertility Friend.com. You enter in your last period and cycle length and the calendar displays your predicted period start days as well as your expected ovulation and most fertile days in color. 

2. iPeriod.  Do you remember the last day of period when the doctor asks? Predict ovulation and fertility while you keep track of your dates. 

3. Am I Pregnant Quiz *Wondering if you’re pregnant? Take our quick and easy pregnancy quiz and get a personalized answer in no time. Answer just ten short questions and our quiz will evaluate your chances of pregnancy. Have questions about pregnancy? Check out our detailed Pregnancy FAQ section and find answers to all of your biggest questions. 

4. Period & Fertility Calendar If you’re trying to get pregnant, the straightforward fertility icon lets you know instantly when the best time is. You can also record intimacy dates so you can track the best dates for conception. 

5. MeFertil  This application tracks a woman’s fertility cycle with an easy-to-read color-coded body graph.  MeFertil also keeps track of medications taken and other fertility relevant information.  

6.  Early Signs of Pregnancy  Access helpful information on the early signs of pregnancy, including tips on how to conceive, pregnancy tests and choices of how to deal with planned and unplanned pregnancy. All information is free, easy to access and private. 

7. FemiCycle For women wanting to either become pregnant or avoid a possible pregnancy. It also provides a guide to help increase your chances of conceiving a boy or girl. 

8. iFertility Log Unlike other applications, this one helps you manage your weight so that you can also control your fertility. This tool not only works in order to benefit your fertility, but your health over all. 

9. Mon.thly.Info This free service charts your menstrual cycle. You input important dates, and this app will predict let you know when your cycle will start again. It will even email you with an alert so you know when to get it going with your significant other. 

If you have others to add to the list, please feel free to leave the information in our comments section and we will be sure to pass along. 

Do you have information or advice that you want to share with families who need fertility care, but are concerned about the costs?  Please email us at [email protected] and let us help you get the word out.  My Fertility Plan -- Giving people the tools they need to build their families!

Fertility Savings Tip #9 Research Clinical Trials

Besides the good feeling of contributing to the wider body of medical knowledge, people participating in trials often receive free or reduced medical care, medications, or other tangible benefits.  Even if you do not live near the study site, some studies will pay travel expenses.

For example, for men with sperm issues, there is a study recruiting men with fertility issues who are obese (defined as having a BMI over 30.  It is studying the role of aromatase inhibotors in treatment.  While some men in the study will receive a placebo, some will receive medication, and all will receive blood tests, semen analysis and other medical care from fertility researchers.  For more information, contact:

Ahmad O Hammoud, MD

801-587-3795

[email protected]

Another study focuses on managing hormone levels in women with PCOS using Diamel.  Again, some women will receive a placebo, but all will receive bloodwork and some medical care.  For more information, contact

Contact: Miguel Aguilar Charara, MD

53 7 8334821

[email protected]

For more information on clinical trials (including risks), go to www.clinicaltrials.gov

For a current list of clinical trials, go to www.centerwatch.com.

A few I found:

New Hope Fertility Center (NY)     http://www.ivfclinicaltrial.com/

conducting IVF studies

Southern California Reproductive Center   http://www.scrcivf.com/

Conducting trials on fertility medications and egg freezing

You should, of course, do your homework and make sure the study is being supervised by in institutional review board and meets all safety criteria. 

Fertility Savings Tip #8 -- Ovarian Reserve

Those ovaries are funny little things.  It’s difficult to know exactly how well they are working, and what kinds of egg they are producing.  Most likely, at some point during your fertility journey, you will wonder what is going on with your ovaries.  Most women undergo an FSH test.  While FSH is important, it is not the holy grail.  It is important to look at the entire “ovarian reserve” picture—not only how many eggs you have left, but what is the quality of these eggs.  As a result, do not just stop at FSH.  Check other things, such as AMH and antral follicle counts.  These tests will give you more information about whether or not you should continue down the same path or consider other options.  All very important considerations when you are trying to figure out the most efficient and cost-effective course of treatment.

For more information about Ovarian Reserve Testing visit ReproSource at http://www.reprosource.com/forpatients/index.html and talk to your doctor about appropriate testing.

A BIG thanks to ReproSource, the largest laboratory focused on fertility testing and a leading source of fertility research and information. 

www.reprosource.com

Toll Free Telephone Number:  800-667-8893

 

Do you have information or advice that you want to share with families who need fertility care, but are concerned about the costs?  Please email us at [email protected] and let us help you get the word out.  My Fertility Plan -- Giving people the tools they need to build their families!

 

Fertility Savings Tip #7 -- Know Your Meds

Without a doubt, medication can be one of the most confusing (and stressful!) aspects of fertility treatment.  Whether you are taking Clomid or injectables, questions or concerns will come up.  Often, this happens well after your doctor’s office or pharmacy has closed for the day.   Where can you get accurate information in the middle of the night, on a weekend, during the holidays, or when you just don’t want to bother your health care provider? 

Village Fertility Pharmacy has one of the most comprehensive collections of fertility drug information and video lessons, including injection lessons on their website.   Information and videos are free of cost, and you don’t have to be a patient of Village Fertility Pharmacy to access this information.

For more information about all kinds of fertility medications, check out Village Fertility Pharmacy…

http://www.villagefertilitypharmacy.com/medications-and-video-injection-lessons

A BIG thanks to Village Fertility Pharmacy for all they do to make fertility a little easier!

www.villagefertilitypharmacy.com

Patient Care Center:  877-334-1610

Corporate Office:  Village Fertility Pharmacy
335 Bear Hill Road, Waltham, MA 02451
Phone: (877) 334-1610
Fax: (877) 334-1602

 

Do you have information or advice that you want to share with families who need fertility care, but are concerned about the costs?  Please email us at [email protected] and let us help you get the word out.  My Fertility Plan -- Giving people the tools they need to build their families!

Fertility Savings Tip #6 -- Grant Money

Several organizations offer families grants to help pay for their fertility treatments.  Once such organization is INCIID (The International Council on Infertility Informaiton Dissemination).  According to their website, INCIID has arranged for a number of respected IVF clinics throughout the United States to donate their expertise and state-of-the-art facilities so that patients who do not have the financial resources may have the opportunity to build a family.  This program covers most of the basic IVF expesnes. 

Contact INCIID to find out more information about the application process and if you qualify.  The deadline for the 2010 grant cycle is March 15th. 

http://www.inciid.org/article.php?cat=&id=239

A BIG thanks to Nancy Hemenway and the rest of INCIID for this generous program!

INCIID

Website:  www.inciid.org

Tel.  703-739-9178

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT AVAILABLE GRANTS TO FUND INFERTILITY TREATMENTS, PLEASE CHECK BACK WITH MY FERTILITY PLAN.  WE ARE CURRENTLY GATHERING INFORMATION FOR THE FIRST EVER COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF ALL THESE TYPES OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAMILIES WANTING TO BUILD THEIR FAMILIES.

Do you have information or advice that you want to share with families who need fertility care, but are concerned about the costs?  Please email us at [email protected] and let us help you get the word out.  My Fertility Plan -- Giving people the tools they need to build their families!

Fertility Savings Tip #5 -- Sharing Stories

As a wise man once said, "We stand on the shoulders of giants!"  Take comfort in knowing there have been many, many families who have walked the road of infertility before you.  Now is the time to learn from them --their rich knowledge and vast experiences.  Not only will this help you feel less alone, but you also might learn a thing or too that will make your journey just a bit easier.  And if you should feel so inspired, be encouraged to share with others as well. 

Read all the best the Internet has to offer when it comes to stories written by strong men and women about their experiences with family building...

http://www.stirrup-queens.com/2010/01/creme-de-la-creme-of-2009/

A BIG thanks to Melissa Ford -- blogger extraordinare, host of Stirrup Queens, and author of Navigating the Land of If

http://www.stirrup-queens.com/

Do you have information or advice that you want to share with families who need fertility care, but are concerned about the costs?  Please email us at [email protected] and let us help you get the word out.  My Fertility Plan -- Giving people the tools they need to build their families!