Family Planning

f you’ve struggled with infertility, you know it is not especially fun or funny. However, when one Clinic Sofia patient found herself laughing about certain aspects of her own experience, she sought to create a community to share some of the more humorous aspects to what she and others endure on their path to parenthood. Lisa Tuttle recently founded a nonprofit and website called Farcical Fertility—a place where couples can come to “laugh instead of cry” and share their own experiences or read others’ stories. The site also accepts donations, which will be used to provide fertility grants that will be given to help relieve the financial burden of infertility treatments for couples in need.

The 33rd Annual Midwest Infertility and Adoption Family Building Summit, a daylong event with speakers, information and resources to help those struggling to get pregnant, took place Nov. 17. Clinic Sofia’s Dr. David Clay had the opportunity to participate in a panel discussion, “Infertility 101,” as well as a couple of TV interviews leading up to the event.

The signs of endometriosis, where the uterine lining begins to grow outside the uterus, can include painful menstruation, low back pain, discomfort during intercourse, fatigue and gastrointestinal issues – all of which can be mistaken for other issues such as fibroids, pelvic inflammatory disease or irritable bowel syndrome.

While there is no specific scientific evidence on the benefits of placenta encapsulation, some moms report that it aids in recovery, reduces the baby blues, increases energy and even enhances milk supply. The placenta contains both hormones and iron, which leave the body with childbirth, and proponents of placenta encapsulation believe that the pills can support more balanced hormone levels, leading to faster healing and decreased stress.

The Zika virus is transmitted by infected mosquitoes, which generally breed in warm climates. For most adults, the symptoms are relatively mild and short-lived; they can include headaches, fever, red eyes (conjunctivitis) and joint pain. However, the virus can lead to microcephaly in babies, a condition where the head is smaller than expected, and babies with microcephaly often have smaller brains due to lack of development during pregnancy. Microcephaly has also been linked to seizures, developmental delays, hearing loss, feeding issues and vision problems.

Allie recently joined Clinic Sofia as a Physician Assistant and we are thrilled to welcome her to our team. Allie previously practiced as a Physician Assistant for Allina Health at the Family Health/Urgent Care clinic in Minnetonka as well as a Nursing Assistant and Bionutrition Intern for the University of Iowa Hospital. While participating in the Maternity Observation for Medical Students (MOMS) program, Allie honed her interest in family medicine with a focus on prenatal wellness. She brings her gifts of insight, focus, compassion and wellness to each patient she sees at both the Edina and Maple Grove locations.