Some IVF Patients Don't Follow Doctor's Orders

Choosing to undergo infertility treatments to conceive is a big decision to make. Couples must consider all of the factors involved: risks to the mother and child, costs, and of course, chances of success.

Because in-vitro fertilization (IVF) can cost tens of thousands of dollars, this is a procedure not to be taken lightly.

However, a recent study out of Boston shows that IVF patients don't seem to follow doctor's orders, and it has the infertility community concerned.

Before embarking on an IVF cycle, infertility specialists recommend that women cut back or eliminate the following habits: smoking, drinking alcohol, caffeine, stress, exercise and herbal medications. These guidelines are in place to ensure the comfort and safety of the patient and her potential child, but the patients in this study didn't take this advice too seriously.

The researchers found that patients continued to drink alcohol and caffeine, take herbal remedies, and exercise, despite the risk that their chances for success could be lowered because of these behaviors.

Alice Domar, lead study author and executive director of the Domar Center for Mind and Body Health of Boston IVF in Waltham, Massachusetts told Reuters Health, “We said let’s look at what women are actually doing. Are they doing what we’ve been recommending? The answer is, no they are not.”

To learn more, read the full article: Follow Doctor's Orders for a Better Chance at IVF Success

America's Rising Health Care Costs: Are Doctor's Salaries to Blame?

In a perfect world, health care wouldn't cost a thing.

Many countries around the world offer free health insurance coverage to their citizens, and these systems have proven to be quite successful for patients and health care providers.

Yet, the United States, a world leader, is not ahead when it comes to caring about the health of their citizens.

While technology and quality standards are top notch, the cost of health care in the United States has become just about unaffordable for many Americans.

A recent study, performed by two researchers at Columbia University, concluded that one of the main reasons health care costs so much in the USA is the very high salaries that doctors earn.

When compared to their European counterparts, American doctors make twice as much or more annually, and the American people are paying for it.

To learn more about the differences between US doctors' pay and those of other countries, read the full article: Are US Doctors Paid Too Much?

Body Dysmorphic Disorder and Plastic Surgery

In a recent NPR and CNN report, Dr. Anthony Youn, a board certified plastic surgeon, exposes the dark side of plastic surgery.

He doesn't want to talk about scarring or botched jobs however, but an issue that goes more than just skin deep.

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a psychological condition that causes people to have a skewed view of themselves. They often go to great measures to look "perfect", and usually are never satisfied.

The occurrence of BDD in plastic surgery patients isn't really surprising at all. About 20 to 30% of patients exhibit some symptoms of BDD, but plastic surgeons weren't really talking about it until now.

Recognizing BDD is important for a patient's health and well-being, and it can also protect plastic surgeons as well. Dr. Youn actually turns down one out of every five cosmetic surgery patients for this reason alone, mainly because no matter how good the surgery is, the patient will never be happy with the result.

If you or someone you know if suffering from BDD, it's important to seek psychological counseling, because changing your insides (contrary to popular belief) is the only effective way for a person to feel truly good about themselves.

To learn more, read the full article: Mirror, Mirror - Body Dysmorphic Disorder and Plastic Surgery

Patient-Doctor War of Words

 How far should patients go to seek medical information? Millions of patients use the internet to learn about a specific medical topic or research their condition; but it becomes a sticky situation when patients start challenging their doctors with the information they manage to get their hands on.

Doctors express their disapproval of such practice, dismissing it as discernible sources of information. In return, doctors also use the internet to vent and complain about their patients.

Should patients be educated on medical topics or leave it to the pros?

Find out what patients and doctors can do to reach a middle ground: The Patient-Doctor War of Words: Which Side Are You On?