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Deciding you’re ready to start a family is a big decision for any couple. So once you’ve decided – what are the next steps for both moms and dads-to-be? And what should you know if you’re struggling to conceive? Dr. Myron Bethel, OB/GYN with Renown Women’s Health, offers key insights about fertility. What’s the first thing couples should do when they decide to start a family? For the mom-to-be, it’s important to meet with your obstetrician before you get pregnant. This appointment gives you an opportunity to discuss your family medical history, any past or current health problems, immunization history, medications you’re taking and any issues with previous pregnancies. Your doctor can also provide helpful tips to ensure your body is ready for a healthy pregnancy and help guide you on how to monitor your period, basal resting body temperature and other important factors to help you get pregnant more quickly. How can couples who are trying to get pregnant make sure they’re healthy to conceive? Of course it’s important to maintain a healthy lifestyle all the time, but it’s especially important if you’re trying to get pregnant. There’s no magic pill or single food, but women should start focusing on nutrients they’ll need during pregnancy. Before trying to conceive, start taking folate and folic acid to help prevent birth defects. You can get good sources of these nutrients from cereal, spinach, beans, asparagus, oranges and peanuts. Lifestyle changes can also help improve fertility. For both men and women, extra weight can reduce fertility. Both sexes can increase their chances of conception by not smoking, not drinking alcohol and exercising regularly. And for men specifically, take a daily vitamin containing zinc and selenium to support healthy sperm. What is the average timeline for conception, and what do you suggest for couples who may be struggling to conceive and start a family? First, remember getting pregnant can take longer than you expect. Do not to get stressed out about it or place blame. Seventy percent of couples conceive within six months and 85 percent within one year of trying to get pregnant. To help improve your chances of pregnancy, monitor your ovulation closely. You can do this by tracking your period, watching your body closely and logging symptoms, logging your basal body temperature or using ovulation kits. If you still aren’t sure when you’re ovulating, try to have sex every other day to improve your chances of conception. If you’ve been trying for nine months to a year, you can talk to your OB about options and discuss meeting with a fertility specialist.

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Watch as two dads look back on their newborn adoption process. They reminisce about discovering their newborn was on his way — and how Renown Health subsequently helped them navigate the process.  During Memorial Day weekend, Chris Mulhern and his husband, Jeffrey Bodimer, learned a set of birth parents chose them to parent their unborn baby boy. After writing a letter to the birth parents, they were chosen over other applicants in a private adoption. The adoption agency took care of many details, like connecting Mulhern and Bodimer to the birth mother and dad. In fact, they could participate in nearly all the phases of the pregnancy. The mother's prenatal care and delivery took place at Renown Health, where Mulhern and Bodimer attended her appointments and took childbirth classes. "Our experience was wonderful at Renown," says Mulhern. "We thought it was absolutely incredible how nice and accepting everyone was." The Nuances of Newborn Adoption Their son, Bradley, was born via cesarean section. And the adoptive parents got to see him an hour after he came into the world. The labor and delivery nurses even helped coordinate everything between them and the birth mom. Mulhern and Bodimer stayed in a room at The Inn at Renown. The closeness of the facility on the Renown campus made it possible to feed Bradley every two hours. Incredible Nurses "They were great, the nursing staff. If we weren't sure about doing something right, about burping him right they would say 'It's okay. He's not going to blow up. He will eventually do it'," says Mulhern. The nurses also made arrangements for the two dads to participate in skin-to-skin contact with their newborn baby. Experts agree parents and babies should be in direct contact for at least the first 1–2 hours after the birth. Taking Baby Home Chris and Jeffery took Bradley home after three days at Renown. “It was the most joyful thing to be chosen as his parents, even before we met him,” says Chris.

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There are a few simple ways to encourage healthy aging that can translate to an improved quality of life. Here are some expert tips.  What does healthy aging mean to you? If you’re like most people, you’re looking forward to removing the negative from your life — negative energy, thoughts, people and activities that don’t contribute to your best life.  And while that’s a noble goal, too often we forget about ways to strengthen the positive parts of our lives. Expert Herbert “Buddy” Coard III, Ed.D, psychologist with Renown Behavioral Health, provides us with five positive behaviors to focus on to improve happiness and life satisfaction. Healthy Aging in 5 Easy Steps: 1. Connect – Make connections with friends, family, colleagues and neighbors. When you build strong connections, they can help enrich your life with new experiences and opportunities. Besides, having a support system to call upon when you need a favor is valuable as you age. 2. Be Active – Make time to get moving and work those muscles. Being active can include walking, practicing yoga, playing a game of pickleball or dancing. Exercise makes you feel good and keeps you health. Pick a physical activity that you enjoy, and don’t make excuses. Not only will being active help you build stronger muscles, it also helps you build strong connections with others. If you need a workout buddy, Meetup is a great resource to find like-minded people that share common exercise goals. 3. Take Notice – Be mindful and become more curious. Like a child, see the wonder and beauty of the world. Notice the things around you — the weather, the landscape, the mood and feelings of the people around you. By taking notice, it’s easier to learn to appreciate the things that matter. 4. Keep Learning – We never stop learning. Keep trying something new — a new course you’ve always wanted to try or a more challenging task someone has solicited for your help. Challenges keep us on our toes and increase our confidence and excitement in our day. OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Nevada, Reno), brings diverse educational and social opportunities to active older adult learners (50+). EPIC (Educational Programs Inspiring the Community), offers a divers curriculum ranging from art classes to Accelerated training certificate courses. 5. Give – Be generous with your time, your knowledge and your talents by giving to friends, family and even strangers. Some easy ways to give is to show thankfulness, smile at people and volunteer. Sharing of yourself to a wider audience gives you a greater reward than just doing things for yourself. Nevada Volunteers Volunteer at Renown Health Practice these five tips to improve happiness and quality of life at any age.

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Participating in a clinical trial is voluntary and a personal choice. Clinical trials are research studies that involve people and are an important part of patient care. What is a clinical trial?  Clinical trials are research studies that involve people, and they are an important part of patient care. There are several different types of clinical trials; some are designed to understand trends in a disease or identify better ways to diagnose a condition, while others determine if a new treatment is safe and works when treating, improving or preventing a health condition. There are over 400,000 clinical trials currently being conducted in the United States, and even more across the world. This includes health conditions such as heart failure, cancer, Parkinson’s Disease, respiratory conditions like COPD, common infections, cystic fibrosis, and many more. Clinical trials lead the healthcare industry to new discoveries that contribute to reliable and exact care, improving healthcare quality and saving lives. Clinical trials are conducted by a team of researchers, including doctors, pharmacists and clinical research coordinators. These research teams are highly skilled in their specialty areas, often providing traditional patient care and seeing research patients in the same day. These teams are responsible for making sure the clinical trial is completed correctly, and their patients are their top priority. Why should I consider participating in a clinical trial? Participating in a clinical trial is voluntary and a personal choice. There are many reasons why patients decide to get involved in clinical research. While many clinical trials are designed for patients who have a certain health condition, many studies also ask healthy volunteers to contribute in order to compare health outcomes. Clinical trials are also for patients at all different stages of their diagnosis. Depending on the specific study, the patient may receive access to a new cutting-edge treatment before it is widely available. When patients join a clinical trial, the research team becomes a health partner dedicated to their health and well-being. When patients join a clinical trial, they make an informed decision in their healthcare by weighing all available options in addition to routine treatments. Research participants know that they are contributing meaningfully and helping other patients like them. Where can I find more information about clinical trials at Renown Health? Renown Health’s mission is to make a genuine difference in the health and well-being of the communities we serve. Renown’s clinical trial portfolio offers leading care options to patients in northern Nevada, close to home, in a variety of specialties. Contact the Renown Clinical Research Office for more information on clinical trials available to you!

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We talked to Heidi Nicol, licensed aesthetician with Renown Dermatology, Laser and Skin Care, to learn about the 7 best morning skincare tips that will provide all-day protection. “Your skin uses the nighttime hours to repair itself, secreting oils and toxins in the process,” says Heidi Nicol, a licensed aesthetician with Renown Dermatology, Laser and Skin Care. “Cleansing your skin in the morning is very important. It removes these oils and toxins and any nighttime products you use that are not suitable for daytime use — such as retinol and exfoliating acids.” Nicol’s process includes choosing the right products for your skin type, using them in the proper order and applying them correctly. Steps to Perfect Your Morning Routine Step 1: Cleanser. Use a cleanser tailored to your skin type. Many lines of products produce unique formulas for your specific skin, including dry skin, oily skin, and a combination of the two. Be sure to rinse, rinse, and rinse again! Step 2: Toner. After cleansing, you should apply a toner quickly. This is like a big drink of water for the skin and helps trap moisture into your skin and prevent evaporation. Step 3: Serum. Choose a serum that addresses your skin’s needs. If you use more than one type of serum, alternate them instead of layering. Nicol recommends using a Vitamin C serum, an antioxidant serum, and hydrating serums. Step 4: Moisturizer. Select a daily moisturizer that fits your skin type. Step 5: Eye Cream. “A good eye cream is refreshing and can help the delicate skin around the eyes,” says Nicol. Step 6: Sunscreen. This is the most essential step when it comes to protecting your face. Some sunscreens come tinted, which can replace foundation. “Do not forget to also apply to the neck, chest, and hands,” says Nicol. “It is important to reapply every few hours when you are out in the sun.” Step 7: Makeup. After you’ve completed the above steps, proceed with your make- up routine. This is a crucial step for protecting your skin. Many aestheticians recommend wearing makeup every day.

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There are many misconceptions about clinical research, so we have unpacked a few common myths we hear to help you make an informed decision in your healthcare. Misconception #1: If I join a clinical trial, I’ll just be a guinea pig. Quite the opposite is true! Through honest and respectful conversation, we ensure all participants are informed of the benefits and risks associated with the clinical trial during the informed consent process. Being in a clinical trial is voluntary, and we respect our patients’ decision to join or decline to participate in the clinical trial. You can always change your mind at any time as well. When patients join a clinical trial, they receive an additional team of healthcare professionals, including additional physicians, pharmacists and research coordinators, dedicated to their safety and well-being. This means that clinical trial participants often receive more support than they would in the standard treatment setting. Misconception #2: Clinical trials are too dangerous because they use new treatments that haven’t been tested. We recognize that there are different levels of risk associated with participating in a clinical trial depending on the type of study. However, new treatments are only reviewed through clinical trials after they have gone through extensive testing. New treatments that do not show promising results for safety and potential benefit during laboratory testing do not receive approval to begin clinical trials. Your research team reviews any expected benefits and risks identified from previous studies during the informed consent process, as well as any updates that occur throughout the duration of the clinical trial. The research team stays in close contact with you during the entire process, documenting and treating any side effects that you experience for both your safety and the safety of participants like you. Misconception #3: I don't want to join a trial because I could be wasting my time receiving a placebo. A placebo is a substance that has no therapeutic effect, sometimes called a “sugar pill.” Participants who receive a placebo during a clinical trial are very important, helping researchers definitively determine the specific good and bad effects of the new medication. Many clinical trials that involve a placebo also offer what is called an open label extension or cross-over study. Cross-over studies ensure that anyone taking the placebo can begin receiving the new medication, often for several years. Cross-over studies help clinician researchers understand the long-term effects of a medication while also giving patients free access to novel care for several months and even years.

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