Christy Jones

Article / Updated 06-01-2022

Infertility has long been a silent struggle for some people trying to start a family. But this June, Infertility Awareness Month seeks to help those suffering learn more about conception and become more vocal about their journey. The prevalence of infertility Infertility is usually defined as not being able to get pregnant after one year of trying. It also refers to women who are able to become pregnant, but struggle to carry their pregnancy to term. Six million women are diagnosed with fertility troubles each year in the U.S., which equates to roughly 10 percent of women ages 15 to 44. Moreover, around 1 in 8 couples deal with infertility on their way to becoming a family. It’s a common problem, but it’s often kept quiet, as many couples feel shame, fear, or judgment around the issue. Overall, Western culture is becoming more open to discussing infertility. Maybe you’ve seen it addressed on TV shows like This is Us, Parenthood, or Friends. Maybe you’ve heard about the infertility journeys of celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Emma Thompson, and Gabrielle Union. Or, maybe you saw a friend post “I am 1 in 8” on social media. Though it’s not as taboo as it once was, it still can be difficult to know how to discuss such a personal issue. Infertility Awareness Month is meant to help others see the wide reach of this disease and to give those struggling with it a way to start conversations with friends, family, and other loved ones. Not just a woman's issue Though people tend to think of infertility as a woman’s struggle, its causes are split equally between women and men. A third of infertility cases are caused by female reproductive issues, another third by male reproductive issues, and the remaining third by a combination of male and female or unknown issues. Male infertility issues tend to be a bit more straightforward; they’re usually caused by low sperm production, slow sperm movement, or variant sperm shape. Female infertility problems, on the other hand, can be very complex. Because many different organs and systems need to work together to produce a viable pregnancy, just one irregularity may prevent fertility. Checking out the organs Doctors will often check a woman’s uterus and fallopian tubes first to see if any tumors, polyps, or scars are present. The fallopian tubes can also be damaged in some way. The roles they play in fertilization are vital: Think of them not only as the intersection where the sperm and egg have their “meet-cute,” but also the romantic bistro where the relationship incubates and, finally, the minivan that carries the fertilized egg to its new home: 1000 Uterus Place. Unfortunately, fallopian tubes can swell, dilate, or even burst. If there’s anything wrong with them, it’s likely the woman will need to look into in-vitro fertilization (IVF) to get pregnant. Parsing PCOS Another common cause of infertility in females is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). It’s unknown what causes this mysterious syndrome, but it’s quite prevalent, affecting 1 in 10 women of childbearing age. PCOS can manifest in myriad ways. Women with PCOS may experience irregular periods, excessive hair growth on their face, chest, or thighs, or male-pattern baldness on their head. Often, women with PCOS will develop multiple cysts on their ovaries (sometimes referred to as a pearl necklace — because of the appearance of the “chain” of circular cysts on ultrasounds). However, the presence of cysts isn’t necessary for a PCOS diagnosis. Doctors may also measure hormone levels, such as insulin, androgens, and progesterone. Since PCOS interferes with ovulation (that interference is what can cause irregular periods), women with PCOS may have trouble growing the follicles that produce an egg to full maturity, and thus, have issues becoming pregnant. Thankfully, there are fertility medications that can aid ovulation, such as Clomid and Letrozole. If all else fails, IVF is another option for women with PCOS. 'Outside' fertilization (aka in vitro) You’ve probably heard of in vitro fertilization (IVF) before, but what does it actually mean? In vitro is a Latin term that literally translates to "in glass." This refers to a glass test tube or petri dish where a doctor or scientist observes or performs an experiment. In contrast, in vivo is a Latin term that translates to "in the living." So, when something happens in vitro, it happens outside of a living organism. But to get to that “outside” fertilization, a lot of stuff needs to happen inside first. An IVF treatment cycle involves different courses of drugs and hormones meant to stimulate egg production and egg maturation. If the drugs work as planned, an egg collection and sperm collection are scheduled, and an embryologist will put the egg together with the sperm (this is the in vitro part). If this is successful, the egg fertilizes, and an embryo begins to form. A few days later, this embryo is placed in the uterus, and a pregnancy test is performed after a few weeks to see if the implantation worked. Sadly, it often takes many cycles of treatment for IVF to be successful, and each procedure can be very expensive, time-consuming, and stressful. However, there are things people wanting to start a family can do to help. Explore this IVF cheat sheet to discover ways to improve chances at IVF success, learn common abbreviations and procedure names, and view ways to keep high spirits on this journey. Infertility support Whether those struggling with infertility are in and out of doctors’ offices, calculating an ovulation window, or trying to discreetly inject themselves with hormones in public, it’s easy to feel alone when undergoing infertility treatments. But there are organizations that exist to help women and families on this journey: RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association exists to help all people on a family-building journey find knowledge, community, advocacy, and eventually, resolution. In addition to providing important facts about infertility, RESOLVE also helps connect people with medical professionals and support groups. Fertility Out Loud helps people struggling with infertility to understand cryptic insurance policies, learn how to reply to insensitive comments (like “Your clock is ticking! Better hurry up!”), and connect and share stories on social media platforms. Rescripted is an online community for those trying to conceive (TTC) founded by two women who underwent their own IVF journeys. Aside from articles and support stories, this site also has videos on how to perform common hormonal injections and a digital pharmacy where users can search for inexpensive fertility medications. For general information about how to assess fertility and nurture pregnancy, check out Getting Pregnant for Dummies.

Article / Updated 04-07-2022

Ever since its inaugural season in 1950, Formula One — also known as F1 — has captured the attention of fast car fans across the globe. And for good reason: the prestigious series of races, held internationally on both custom circuit courses and closed public roads, features the fastest open-wheel, single-seat race cars in the world. It’s an engaging sport that draws tens of millions of eyeballs each race — but those new to Formula One may feel as if they need a GPS to navigate it. To celebrate the recent start of the 2022 racing season, here’s a crash course on F1: what it is, how it works, and what you need to know to earn your racing stripes. What is Formula One? “Formula” refers to a set of rules that must be followed by participants and their cars. Prior to Formula One, there were no formal limitations on the power or size of racing cars, leading to unfair (and sometimes fatal) outcomes for the competing drivers. The introduction of F1 rules — sanctioned by the governing body of racing events, Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) — created a more level playing field, placing limits on the size, weight, and power of race cars. Formula Two rules were created shortly after Formula One rules to apply to cars with a smaller engine capacity. You can think of it as Formula One’s younger sibling. Even with these regulations (or, perhaps, because of them), Formula One stands as the epitome of motor racing throughout the world. It’s the most difficult type of racing to master, and the most expensive. It’s also the most international — occurring in more than 20 different countries — and the most dangerous, with speeds regularly reaching or topping 200 mph. In every aspect, Formula One reigns supreme. Another distinction of Formula One racing in the world of sports is its focus. Football and basketball tend to fixate on a superstar player or team (think Tom Brady or the 1995 Chicago Bulls), but there isn’t much innovation happening with the balls, courts, or fields. While Formula One has more than its fair share of celebrity, much attention also lies on the cars and tracks themselves. Teams are constantly improving their technology to shave tenths of seconds off their space-age vehicles' times, and each track has its own eccentricities to keep the race interesting. Not your average racing car Many people think of a racing car simply as a more aerodynamic type of sedan you’d see on the road. But Formula One cars have more in common with a fighter jet than a Ford Taurus. Drivers are often dubbed "pilots," and their masterful vehicles are sometimes referred to as “rockets on wheels.” They’re agile, they contain a central cockpit, and they even boast front and rear wings. The wings help push the car down onto the track, and they’re painstakingly tested in high-pressure wind tunnels. These cars are also incredibly lightweight due to their use of high-tech materials like carbon fiber. Check out these features on the F1 car below. Unique racing tracks and venues In addition to having cars that are in a league of their own, each F1 racing track boasts a completely unique design. Rather than being cookie cutter copies, every track has a different top speed, corners, and layouts. While some venues have been on the schedule for decades (like Silverstone and Monza), new ones pop up all the time. In 2022, Formula One announced that the U.S. will host a night race in 2023 where cars will speed past casinos down the famous Las Vegas Strip. This track will run 3.8 miles and drivers can expect to hit speeds up to 212 mph. Off to the races Each Formula One Grand Prix (its fancy name for a race) takes place over three days. These days are usually scheduled over the weekend — Friday to Sunday. Typically, on Friday and Saturday, the venue hosts practice and qualifying runs, while the main race occurs on Sunday. There isn’t a set amount of laps the cars must complete in F1 races. Instead, the race is finished once the first car has driven 305 kilometers (roughly 189.5 miles) and completes its next full lap. Also, races can’t last for more than two hours, so if drivers reach this time limit, officials will end the race after the next full lap. The only Formula One Grand Prix that is shorter than 305 km occurs in Monaco. This race is 260.5 kilometers (roughly 162 miles) and 78 laps. In the pits Another unique feature of F1 racing is the pit stops. These high-pressure intervals last anywhere from 1.5 to 3 seconds, and when teams are fighting for every last tenth of a second, this means that races can be won or lost "in the pits." Drivers used to make pit stops to refuel, since engines could only hold so much gas, and carrying extra made their cars more sluggish. However, due to recent engine developments, refueling during pit stops has been banned and drivers must start with all the fuel they need for the race. Nowadays, pit stops are mostly about fixes and changing tires. New tires are usually much faster, thus giving a speed advantage to drivers. But that advantage must be weighed against the risk of stopping to change them. Without a good pit crew on their side, drivers (and the race) may be lost. This team of about 20 people is vital to their success. Becoming a Formula One fanatic In its early days, if you weren’t able to see a Formula One Grand Prix in person, you weren’t able to see it at all. But now, hundreds of channels broadcast these races, including Formula One’s own channel, F1 TV. Other options for viewing races include ESPN, Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, and SkySports F1 on YouTube. To get into the rivalries, scandals, and personalities of Formula One drivers, managers, and team owners, you may want to check out Drive to Survive, a docuseries on Netflix. If podcasts are more your style, Formula One has you covered! Tom Clarkson and Natalie Pinkham discuss every twist and turn on F1 Nation, and Clarkson hosts in-depth interviews with the biggest Formula One personalities in his F1: Beyond the Grid podcast. And finally, if you're lucky enough to be going to an actual F1 race in person, here’s a pro tip: pack some ear plugs! Experts have measured noise levels at around 140 decibels, which is just below a volume that causes permanent hearing loss.

Article / Updated 04-07-2022

While we wish we lived in a world with kitty cops, sadly, this blog is only an April Fool's Day dream from your friendly Dummies.com team. Ever wonder if your cat has the right stuff to make it as a member of the force? Police work requires a certain temperament from its kitty cops that may not be present in all cats. Look for these telltale signs of blue blood in your feline pal. Stealthiness Especially important in detective work, this skill is useful for tailing a suspect, whether or not you’ve got a tail. But if your cat is more gawky than graceful, he may not be a good fit. Try hiding in a pantry or behind an almost-closed door with a tasty treat in hand. Does your cat place her paw precisely around the door frame, or does she claw at the door with an ungodly yowl? Athleticism The trope of the overweight officer with a donut in hand is true of some cops. But most members of the force must undergo rigorous training to stay in the field. Otherwise, how are they supposed to apprehend cat burglars? If your kitty’s gut shows that he’s had one too many salmon snaps, he may be more suited to a cat nap. Moral uprightness If you’ve ever watched police films like L.A. Confidential or Serpico, you’re aware that crooked cops exist. Still, in a perfect world, we’d love to know that the folks hired to keep us safe have our best interests at heart. Let’s be honest — this may be the hardest litmus test for your cat to pass. Ask yourself honestly: If you had a serious accident at home, would your cat call 9-1-1, or would she use the opportune time to jump on the counter and devour your lunch? If you think the latter, unfortunately, your cat is probably not destined for glory.