The cost of infertility treatments can quickly add up for couples trying to conceive. New infertility treatment bargains can help couples save cash for when their bundle of joy arrives.

Gainesville, FL (PRWEB) November 12, 2008 — Finding the right infertility treatment is already difficult for many of the seven million US women and their partners diagnosed with infertility. Today’s tough economy can make that task even more challenging.

Treatment is not covered by insurance in most states, leaving many patients overwhelmed with the high costs of medical treatment, surgery, and fertility drugs. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) shows the average price of in vitro fertilization (IVF) is $12,400 per attempt. With a national IVF pregnancy rate of around 30%, several attempts may be required, increasing costs further.

“Several IVF clinics are starting to offer lower cost alternatives, such as a guarantee of success within three attempts or some refund,” said Richard King, MD, a co-author of the upcoming book, Miracle Moms, Better Sex, Less Pain. “Be sure to ask if the program reimburses for fertility medications, which can cost several thousand dollars per cycle.”

“Whether daunted by the high costs, health concerns about surgery or fertility drugs, or by religious beliefs, some couples turn to alternative therapies. “At least three alternative infertility treatments have been shown to improve fertility” according to infertility expert, physical therapist Belinda Wurn and co-author of Miracle Moms, Better Sex, Less Pain.

“Acupuncture, group therapy, and a manual physical therapy (Wurn Technique®) have published peer-reviewed studies showing increased pregnancy rates,” explained Dr. King. Acupuncture increased IVF pregnancy rates when performed 25 minutes before and after embryo transfer, according to a German study published in Fertility and Sterility (2002). Acupuncture sessions generally range from $60 to $100 per session.

In another F&S study (2000), group therapy increased fertility rates. Group therapy can be a real bargain, especially since many organizations and communities offer free sessions.

The Wurn Technique, a manual physical therapy, increased pregnancy rates for women seeking natural conception to 71%. It also increased clinical pregnancy rates for those using IVF to 67%, when used before embryo transfer, according to a study in Medscape General Medicine (2004). The women in the studies averaged five years of infertility before receiving the therapy.

“The Wurn Technique appeals to many women as an infertility treatment because it does not involve drugs or surgery,” Wurn said. “In addition, the treatment costs are significantly less than IVF.”

Wurn developed the therapy with her husband Larry Wurn to help cure her pelvic pain 20 years ago. Wurn states, “I am thrilled that we are now able to offer an affordable infertility treatment that is effective.” Studies and citations on the Wurn Technique® have been published in major medical journals including Fertility and Sterility, Medscape General Medicine, and Contemporary Ob/Gyn. 

To learn more about the Wurn Technique and other less expensive ways to treat female infertility, go to www.clearpassage.com.

Post-surgical adhesions can cause chronic pain and dysfunction if left untreated. In an upcoming book ‘Miracle Moms, Better Sex, Less Pain,’ researchers examine a non-surgical therapy developed to treat adhesions.

Gainesville, FL (PRWEB ) October 29, 2008 –Surgeries save lives, but they often create glue-like adhesions as the body heals from surgery. Post-surgical adhesions can cause pain and even life-threatening problems, such as bowels that become blocked and lose their function.

In an upcoming book, ‘Miracle Moms, Better Sex, Less Pain,’ researchers examine a non-surgical therapy (Wurn TechniqueÒ) that has decreased or eliminated adhesions in many patients, including abdominal adhesions and post- surgical adhesions.

Many pelvic and abdominal surgeries require repeat surgery – to remove the adhesions that formed from the earlier surgery. Abdominal adhesions occur in over 90% of patients after major abdominal surgery and pelvic adhesions occur in 55-100% of women who undergo pelvic surgery, according to a study in the journal ‘Digestive Surgery’ (2001). In a large study published in ‘Lancet’ (1999), over a third of patients who underwent major abdominal or pelvic surgery were re-hospitalized at least twice to treat adhesion related conditions.

The Wurn Technique® was created to treat the adhesions physical therapist Belinda Wurn developed after pelvic surgery. “I had double-over pain,” she said. “I could not work or stand up straight. It hurt to sit and even to breathe; the pain was always there.”

Wurn did not want to undergo a repeat surgery, knowing that more adhesions would likely form. Her husband, Larry Wurn, joined her in a search for a ‘hands-on’ answer. “We basically searched the world for an answer,” he said. “Each new piece we learned brought us that much closer to a cure.”

The Wurns have now published several studies on the manual physical therapy in peer-reviewed medical journals.

“Our biggest surprise was the variety of conditions that responded well to the therapy,” Belinda said. “Post-surgical pain patients responded well – then, we started seeing improvements in infertile women. When the therapy opened blocked fallopian tubes, we named our clinic Clear Passage Therapies.”

Studies in ‘Medscape General Medicine’ (2004) and ‘Fertility and Sterility’ (2006) showed that the therapy improved fertility and decreased or eliminated endometriosis and intercourse pain in most participants. In a study from ‘Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine’ (2008) the therapy opened blocked fallopian tubes in women who had been diagnosed infertile. Most had natural pregnancies after their tube(s) opened, and several had second natural pregnancies – indicating that the results of therapy lasted for years for some women.

‘Miracle Moms, Better Sex, Less Pain’ will be published this winter; Larry and Belinda Wurn with research gynecologist, Richard King, MD, are co-authoring the book. The table of contents is available at the Clear Passage Therapies blog to spur discussions with their readers on important topics. A free e-book excerpt from the book will be available soon at Clear Passage Therapies.

Belinda Wurn, PT, Clinical Director

Gainesville, FL (PRWEB) October 23, 2008 — Clear Passage Therapies®, a recognized leader in non-surgical treatment for female infertility, launches the new Clear Passage blog this week in honor of National Infertility Awareness Week.

Clinical Director, Belinda Wurn, says, “We hope this blog will become a resource for people to discuss and share advice on infertility, adhesions, and related health issues.”

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, an estimated six million women in the US experience infertility, and that number is growing. Ovulation problems account for a big part of female infertility; warning signs include irregular or absent menstruation. Adhesions and blocked fallopian tubes are also major causes of infertility. Fallopian tubes can become blocked by adhesions after surgery, trauma, infection, or inflammation.

Adhesions are a by-product of the healing process. Surgery (c-section, D&C, or other pelvic or abdominal surgery), trauma (auto accident, a fall, physical or sexual abuse), infection (bladder or yeast), and inflammation (endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, or STD) can all cause adhesions to form in the female reproductive organs. After they attach and grow, they can restrict normal body function and cause pain and dysfunction, including nearly half of all female infertility.

“Our blog will highlight adhesions and infertility, as well as pain and dysfunction,” says Wurn. “We plan to offer educational podcasts, videos, and polls. Most importantly, bloggers will be able to post comments for discussion.”

Wurn believes the blog can play a pivotal role in helping women discuss important medical concerns. She states, “Twenty years ago, my body was left scared and in pain after surgery and radiation therapy for cervical cancer. I wish a forum like this had existed then where I could speak with other women and experts about the pain and sexual dysfunction I experienced.” Unable to find treatment to relieve her pain, Belinda and her husband, Larry, designed a manual physical therapy protocol that eventually helped her recover.

The Wurns are currently co-authoring a book, Miracle Moms, Better Sex, Less Pain, that examines their non-surgical manual physical therapy (Wurn Technique). The therapy has been shown to reduce adhesions, decrease pain, and restore function in peer-reviewed medical journals. It has proven effective for many people without the risks or side effects of surgery or drugs. It can be used as a stand-alone treatment or in conjunction with other infertility treatments.

The book will be published this winter and includes research gynecologist, Richard King, MD, as a co-author. The authors plan to provide the table of contents at the blog to open discussions with their readers on important topics. A free e-book excerpt from the book will also be available soon at clearpassage.com.

Gainesville, FL (PRWEB) October 9, 2008 — Over 70% of women surveyed in a large study in the Journal of Family Practice (JFP) reported painful intercourse. Yet despite the high prevalence, women frequently do not discuss their sexual concerns with their physicians, according to the journal.

More than half of the women in the study also reported concerns of physical or sexual abuse, and over 40% reported sexual coercion at some point in their lives. “Experiences with abuse or coercion may explain why some women are hesitant to talk about their sexual concerns,” says physical therapist Belinda Wurn, an expert in treating the physical components of sexual dysfunction and dyspareunia.

Still, many other women with no history of abuse often conclude that painful intercourse is a normal occurrence for women and do not think to complain to their physician. They simply live with the pain or become disinterested in sex.

“When sex hurts, intercourse can become a time of silent agony instead of pleasure,” Wurn says. “Many women may attempt to avoid sex altogether due to the pain.”

Wurn should know. After a pelvic surgery and radiation for cancer of the cervix left her infertile and in pain, she searched for years to regain a pain-free sexual life. Now the tables are turned and she is conducting and publishing research on the work that got her out of pain.

The pelvic therapy she uses addresses a wholly physical component; it is designed to decrease vaginal and pelvic adhesions that form after trauma, infection, inflammation, or surgery. Untreated, adhesions can remain in the body for a lifetime where they act like glue, tightening tissues and causing pain.

Wurn’s findings have been published in several peer-reviewed medical journals, but “research is only one step in the right direction in helping women resolve their painful intercourse,” she says. “Healthcare professionals need to be stronger advocates and initiate conversations about sexual health with their patients. Sex should not hurt and women don’t have to live with it.”

”Women might want to keep a journal to assess their pain,” Wurn suggests. ”They should note when the pain first started, how often it occurs, if it occurs at certain times during the monthly cycle or in certain coital positions, and if the pain occurs at the entrance or deeper within the vagina. Women should feel encouraged to discuss their journal with their gynecologist. If their doctor doesn’t listen, they should find another who will.”

Wurn and her husband are currently co-authoring a new book, Miracle Moms, Better Sex, Less Pain, to help bring these issues to the forefront of medical care.