From Black History month to Valentine’s Day, there is much to celebrate in February. We at Arizona Center for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility invite you to celebrate one more extraordinary day with us on February 21st, International Mother Language Day. Though Mother’s Day isn’t until May, International Mother Language Day, declared official by the United Nations in 1999, seeks to honor the diversity of language and our ability to connect through speech with strangers and loved ones alike.

This holiday began following a political and cultural divide in Pakistan in 1947 in which borders drawn between East and West Pakistan threatened the erasure of the Bangla language, which had been the primary language spoken by the population of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) to this point. With the Pakistani government enforcing a mandatory change to the Urdu language, many brave protesters, including students from the University of Dhaka, united to stand up to this forced eradication of their culture and language. Five of these protesters were tragically killed on February 21st, 1952. This holiday, intended to bring awareness to the gradual extinction of lesser-used languages, honors the lives of those lost on February 21st and the importance of language in all our lives.

How Language Connects us as a Global Community 

We know that language is integral to culture from generation to generation. From the bedtime stories we learn as children to hearing our grandparents’ experiences from 50 years ago, language unites us and allows us to see the world from another person’s perspective. 

With an ever-evolving global community, we’ve witnessed a merging of cultures within neighborhoods and individual families. Many children will grow up with two cultural backgrounds and may speak one language within their house and another in the broader world. According to data collected in the US census, the rate of bilingual children in the United States has doubled in the last 30 years:

• 1980: 10.68% 
• 2018: 20.55%.

Though this rate is high, it pales compared to countries like Switzerland, whose population, according to Psychology Today, includes 42%, bilingual citizens. In a world more connected than ever through technological advances like social media, language plays an ever-more vital role in our lives and understanding of cultural backgrounds.

We also recognize that verbal language isn’t the only form of communication that should get celebrated on a day like International Mother Language Day. Many people worldwide use sign language as their primary means of communication. As you look towards parenthood yourself, you may have noticed a rise in the number of parents choosing to instruct their children in sign language at a young age. Research has shown that allowing a child to express themselves physically before verbal speech has developed can reduce stress and tantrums when the frustration of an inability to express a need is alleviated by being able to communicate it manually. 

On the topic of non-verbal communication, paralanguage is how we communicate through our vocal pitch, body language, and sounds. Though there is a great deal of global overlap and commonality between these paralanguage indicators, many of the ways we communicate nonverbally are culturally dependent and learned behaviors.

Infertility Patterns in Certain Ethnic Groups

When examining the various cultures that can make up a single household or a child’s community, it is essential to recognize that infertility can affect people of one ethnic background differently. Research has proven that African American females, on average, are less likely to be correctly diagnosed with endometriosis than their white female counterparts. Certain medical conditions lead to infertility that proportionally affect more ethnic groups than others, including polycystic ovary syndrome and tubal factor infertility, among other causation factors. Studies show that birth rates among females who have undergone IVF treatment vary widely between nationalities. In one study conducted in the United Kingdom, Black African females had lower odds of live birth following IVF than Black Caribbean women. However, these differences in birth rates and health diagnoses may be more concerned with environmental factors such as socio-economic status and access to affordable healthcare. 

Our staff at Arizona Center for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility strives to be one of the best fertility clinics in the United States by making our treatments accessible and affordable to aspiring parents from all walks of life. We recognize that many people may feel that treating their fertility issues may be out of their means. Yet, we strive to work with you to provide a reliable estimate of the costs involved in the process, ensuring we only recommend the procedures you need – not what benefits us the most.

The Development of Language

Though the stages of language development vary widely from child to child, on average, babies will begin formulating their first articulate sounds and eventual first words from about 6-11 months, according to Stanford’s Children’s Health. Children ages 12 to 17 months will develop a vocabulary of between four to six words, through which they can begin labeling and describing the world around them. These are the stages of development that every parent eagerly awaits, hoping to get an insight into how their children see the world around them. Our staff at Arizona Center for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility believe that every loving person aspiring to be a parent should have the opportunity to witness these stages of development in their babies joyfully.

Keep in Touch

We would love to have you stay in touch with us at Arizona Center for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility so that we can show you why our clients feel we are one of the best fertility clinics in the United States.

If you are interested in reading articles like this, please sign up for our newsletter and follow us on Instagram (@azcenterforrei). We invite you to contact us. 

Happy Father’s Day from Arizona Center for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility! This is a time to celebrate all the amazing dads and dads-to-be. Our team of specialists is dedicated to helping families start and grow, and we know that fathers play a crucial role in that process. 

A Brief History of Father’s Day

The modern Father’s Day was created in the early 20th century when Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington, heard a Mother’s Day sermon. Dodd’s mother had died when she was young, but she still had a father, and she felt that he deserved to be honored too. 

Dodd proposed the holiday to several churches in her area, and on June 19, 1910, the first Father’s Day celebration took place at the YMCA in Spokane. In 1916 President Woodrow Wilson went to Spokane to speak at a Father’s Day celebration; soon thereafter, Congress passed a joint resolution designating the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day. In 1972, President Richard Nixon established a permanent national observance of Father’s Day to be held on the third Sunday in June.

Father’s Day is now recognized all over the world. It’s a day to reflect on the importance of fathers and father figures in our lives and to celebrate the joys and challenges of fatherhood.

Trends and Instances in which Men Could Struggle with Infertility

Unfortunately, infertility is a problem that affects millions of men. About one-third of couples struggling to conceive are facing male infertility. There are several trends, lifestyle choices, and medical circumstances that can cause the problem.

For example, men who smoke are more likely to have lower sperm counts than men who don’t smoke. Obesity can also lead to decreased sperm count and motility. And while it’s not necessarily a trend, age can also play a role in male fertility; as men get older, their sperm quality declines. Certain medical conditions such as diabetes or an undescended testicle can also cause fertility problems. 

Factors that may increase the likelihood of male infertility include: 

• A family history of infertility
• Exposure to certain chemicals or toxins
• Certain infections
• Previous surgery in the groin area
• Use of anabolic steroids

Treatments for Men at Arizona Center for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility

In honor of Father’s Day, we wanted to take a moment to highlight some of the procedures offered at our clinic that are designed for dads-to-be. If you or someone you love is dealing with infertility, know that there is help available. Every deserving man aspiring to be a father should have the opportunity to experience that blessing.

Fathers day occurs during June, which also happens to be Pride Month! In the spirit of all deserving men wanting to be fathers, the LGBTQ community may benefit from our services as well. We offer a variety of procedures and services specific to men or that apply to men. These include: 

• Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)

ICSI is a procedure in which a single sperm is injected directly into an egg. This is often used when there are problems with sperm motility or morphology (shape).

• Testicular sperm extraction (TESE)

TESE is a surgical procedure in which sperm are retrieved from the testicle. This is often used when there is no sperm in the ejaculate.

• Microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration (MESA)

MESA is a surgical procedure in which sperm are retrieved from the epididymis (a tube near the testicle that stores and transports sperm).

• Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)

PGD is a procedure in which embryos are tested for certain genetic conditions before they are implanted. This may be used when there is a family history of a particular genetic condition.

• Egg Donation 

Egg donations and gestational carriers help same-sex male couples become parents. Once the egg is fertilized, the embryo is implanted into your chosen carrier using IVF. 

• Sperm and Egg Freezing 

Sperm and egg freezing helps transgender men and women control their reproductive destiny.  This way, they can have children that are genetically related to them at a later time.

We understand that starting or growing a family is a very personal and sensitive decision. Our goal is to provide you with the information and resources you need to make the best decisions for your specific situation. If you have any questions about our services, please don’t hesitate to contact the clinic. We’re here to help! You can also follow us on Instagram.

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Mother’s Day is an opportunity to celebrate the importance of mothers and express gratitude to the women who have raised us. This special day dates back to the 1850s and wasn’t always a day centered on heartfelt cards, bouquets, brunches, and gifting. 

History of Mother’s Day

The idea of Mother’s Day began when women in West Virginia organized Mother’s Day work clubs that fought to reduce infant mortality rates and improve sanitary conditions for mothers and families. These groups also tended to wounded soldiers during the Civil War. After the war was over, the women organized Mother’s Friendship Day picnics to bring Union and Confederate loyalists together progressively and harmoniously. Many of these events were organized by Ann Jarvis. After she passed, her daughter Anna Jarvis, held the first Mother’s Day observances in 1908 to honor her memory. Other cities followed suit, and by 1914, President Woodrow Wilson named the second Sunday in May an annual national holiday. 

These days, Mother’s Day is widely celebrated in a myriad of ways. Regardless of how you celebrate, the primary goal of Mother’s Day is to express respect, honor, and love towards our mothers. The day is an opportunity to honor the selflessness of mothers, and acknowledge the importance of maternal bonds and the role maternity plays in our society. While we should always take time to appreciate family, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are still nice days to set aside to make the people who raised us feel extra special. 

Our Mission at Arizona Center for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility

At Arizona Center for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, we want to celebrate deserving mothers. We believe that aspiring mothers should have an opportunity to raise a child and start the family of their dreams. We welcome people from all walks of life and all genders and sexual orientations. In our experience, LBTQ+ couples are often unaware of the variety of fertility options available to them. Our specialists are happy to work with those couples and help them understand how they can have a child of their own. Fertility treatment is not limited to heterosexual couples, which is why we’re committed to providing our services to LBTQ+ couples worldwide.

While motherhood doesn’t always come easily, if you have been struggling to get pregnant we want to assure you that you’re not alone! Studies show that about 1 in 6 couples struggle with fertility. The medical expertise at Arizona Center for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility is guided by advancements in science and technology and enables our fertility specialists to help women struggling with fertility issues. We work closely with our patients to develop a treatment plan that is unique to their case and provides the best outcome for them. Dr. Gelety, Head Doctor of Arizona Center for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, always takes a peer-reviewed, clinical-trial-based approach to fertility treatments—and the results speak for themselves. 

What does this mean? Our process for recommending treatments and offering counsel involves looking at each patient’s circumstances and evaluating them as a whole. We do not recommend gimmicky, non-clinically proven procedures like assisted hatching and PGT-A. Oftentimes, procedures like these are uncorrelated with increased fertility or rates of pregnancy. These expensive IVF add-ons tend to be pushed by fertility clinics to hopeful mothers willing to try whatever it may take to get pregnant. At Arizona Center for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, we understand why many women explore these IVF add-ons and want to assure you that we will use our expertise and understanding of your unique case to determine a fertility treatment plan that will increase the likelihood of pregnancy. 

Dr. Timothy Gelety has helped countless people make their dreams of a child come true. He believes that motherhood is a beautiful experience, which is why our facility is open to all. If you’re ready to take the first step towards another chance at parenthood, give us a call at (520) 326-0001, or set up a consultation by filling out this form. For even more informative blogs on pregnancy, fertility, and more subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on Facebook. 

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