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new infertility treatment & solution

Infertility is an issue that can be heart-breaking for a family, difficult to discuss socially, and hard to emotionally process as a woman. It’s also an issue that impacts 6.1 million American women, ages 15-44 (according to www.womenshealth.gov, a website run by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

Being such a widely experienced issue, we recently consulted one of our state’s leading experts on addressing- and resolving- infertility. Here, Dr. Hugo Ribot, surgeon and co-founder with Dr. Malcolm Barfield of the Georgia Advanced Surgery Center for Women, weighs in on infertility and a largely unlooked, yet easily resolved, cause.

the common issue

LBD/LRW: Dr. Ribot, do you see infertility as an increasing phenomenon?

Dr. Ribot: The incidence of infertility is not necessarily more common as the years go by, but the reason it seems more common now is that maternal age has crept further and further into late 30s and early 40s for childbirth, which means we’re getting a decline in ovarian reserve. A woman can be in great shape, eat organically, not have a single wrinkle, and still have ovaries that produce eggs that are harder to fertilize.

LBD/LRW: Infertility can also be the result of the male partner, correct?

Dr. Ribot

Dr. Ribot: Absolutely. Thirty to 40 percent of the time, it’s a female factor. But, 30 to 40 percent of the time it’s a male factor. And then 10 to 15 percent of couples have unexplained infertility. They’ve been tested from head to toe and everything seems normal: eggs are released, they’re timing intercourse correctly, there’s regular ovulation, and still no pregnancy.

This is a discouraging category for a couple because if they’ve truly been tested from A to Z, there’s not a lot of hope for pregnancy unassisted.

the causes

LBD/LRW: What are the primary causes of infertility?

Dr. Ribot: Causes can vary, but a very common cause of infertility— and often of unexplained infertility–is endometriosis. Here’s why: A lot of more educated ladies who have heard of endometriosis assume it entails painful periods or painful intercourse. That’s actually not the case in many women. Dr. Barfield and I (us “old guys”) have been doing laproscopic surgeries for many, many years, and we’ve seen many women who do not experience pain, are not surviving on Advil. The only way endometriosis has manifested itself is that they couldn’t get pregnant.

LBD/LRW: What are the “hidden” signs of endometriosis?

Dr. Ribot: Here are the symptoms, but not all of these may be present. Painful periods and painful intercourse are common. But other lesser known symptoms include painful bowel movements, especially during periods, or past experience with painful periods.

If you don’t have any symptoms currently, but when you were 14 you did, or if you had to be put on the pill as a teenager due to painful periods, or if your mom had to take you to the doctor because you were crying from pain during your period, those are all signs–even if you haven’t had pain in decades. And sometimes there is no pain, only a failure to get pregnant.

LBD/LRW: Isn’t endometriosis something that is considered first in a woman who is having difficulty conceiving?

Dr. Ribot: Surprisingly, no. The reason is that the only way to truly discover endometriosis is through laparoscopy: the use of a tiny scope inserted through the

Laparoscopy in action.

belly button that has a high-def camera attached that shows a blown-up, 3D image of the entire abdomen and pelvis. This used to be an automatic part of an infertility workup; doctors automatically scoped everyone to look for blockage and endometriosis.

But now that the success rate of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is so high (there used to be a 10 to 15 percent success rate, but now it’s almost 60 percent), the same doctors who used to be the super stars of minimally invasive surgeries like laparoscopy, go straight to In Vitro for two reasons: First, to be honest, it’s a very lucrative procedure, costing $10-12K per cycle—sometimes more; and second, they know that, despite the high cost, it usually works. So, they go straight to the big guns to get everyone pregnant. But, a simple outpatient procedure may have been all that was needed. Truly.

the solution

LBD/LRW: So if a couple is struggling with infertility and frustrated at their options (or lack thereof), what should they do next?

Dr. Ribot: Schedule a laparoscopy procedure with a surgeon who specializes not only in laparoscopy, but in also excising and removing endometriosis. We see women all the time who have tried Clomid, fertility treatments, the works. Then they come to us as a last resort before In Vitro, and we scope them, find and remove endometriosis, and bam! They get pregnant. We see this, literally, all the time.

LBD/LRW: We know there are different ways to “remove” endometriosis, but excising it is the most effective in resolving infertility, correct?

Dr. Ribot: Absolutely. Unless a surgeon does laparoscopy very often, they’re not comfortable excising (cutting out) the endometriosis, which is the only way to truly remove the endometriosis below the surface that may be causing the infertility. Most surgeons will simply do ablasian or coterization, where they timidly burn off the endometriosis on the surface. This is a terrible way to approach it because endometriosis is like an iceberg: most of it resides below the surface.

LBD/LRW: What’s involved with excising endometriosis? Is it painful?

Dr. Barfield

Dr. Ribot: Dr. Barfield and I do this day in and day out. It’s a brief outpatient surgery, covered by insurance, where we make a tiny incision inside the belly button, pass a tiny scope (5 milimeters) into the abdomon, see inside with the scope’s high-def camera, blow it up on our screen, and then use tiny instruments to remove tissue without disturbing any blood vessels or causing any bleeding.

We literally remove all traces of endometriosis. Then we put in tiny stitches, wake up the patient, and they’re out of the office in 30 minutes. Within a couple of days, they’ve fully recovered. Much less recovery, stress and cost than IVF!

And the best part is that within a matter of months, these women get pregnant unassisted!  

the success

LBD/LRW: And you honestly see success with this all the time?

Dr. Ribot: All the time. One of our patients is a nurse. She went to infertility specialists at age 32 or 33. They told her she had a diminished ovarian reserve and did insemination and a score of other very expensive procedures–everything short of In Vitro. They she came over to me. We scoped her and found endometriosis all over. We excised the endometriosis, and boom, she got pregnant. After that pregnancy, we scoped her again when she wanted to get pregnant a second time and found a few more little new spots in different areas and removed them. Bam, she got pregnant with twins at age 36. Unassisted!

LBD/LRW: The moral of the story?

Dr. Ribot: Definitely try this first. It’s a totally clean, easy, safe outpatient surgery covered by insurance. To date, we have zero percentage of complications, which very few surgeons in the nation can say. Zero percentage of infections, organ injury, hemorrhage, readmission to the hospital, transfusion needed, etc: zero percent since day one.

LBD/LRW: So, to summarize, the risks are incredibly low. And the payoff is incredibly high.

Dr. Ribot: Absolutely.

the guide

Dr. Ribot practices at the state’s leading surgery center specifically designed for women, Georgia Advanced Surgery Center for Women:

958-A Joe Frank Harris Parkway

Building 2, Suite 107

Cartersville, GA 30120

678-605-9399

www.ga-advancedsurgerycenter.com

 

prom she wrote {and won}

Alisha McKellar is a local photographer who had an idea to help one young girl get to prom. See, the thing is that every high school girl wants to go to prom, but not every high school girl can afford to go to prom. Add up the costs: tickets, dress, shoes, hair, makeup, nails, flowers, transportation, dinner. It ain’t cheap. And there’s simply no way to chintz out when you’re talking about your prom, ya’ll.

So Alisha launched a “Win Your Way to Prom” writing contest, inviting any junior or senior girl currently enrolled in the show choir at North Paulding High School to enter to win a virtually expenses-paid night to their prom. Here’s how it went down, in Alisha’s words:

the contest

To win the contest, all the girls had to do was write an anonymous essay about why this experience would mean so much to them. The winner would win the things they needed for prom. I can tell you that I probably went through an entire box of Kleenex reading through these girls’ essays. Choosing a winner from this group of amazing girls was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my business so far. There wasn’t a single bad essay, and each girl had their own incredible story to share.

the community outpouring

Before I share the winner, and her photos from prom day, I would love to thank all of the people who helped make my crazy idea a beautiful reality!

First of all, Mrs. Wernette, the choral director at North Paulding High School. She was the entire reason this was even possible! Even though I’ve only just met her, I can tell she is an amazing person by the type of students she is teaching. They all seem to love her and they speak so highly of her.

the sponsors

Ed Long, with BB&T at 7 Hills, for the two Prom Tickets

Urban Renewal Consignment, located in Marietta, for the beautiful dress

La Bella Spa & Salon, located in front of Seven Hills, for hair and makeup

King Tux Rentals, located near Town Center Mall in Kennesaw, for the tuxedo rental (and also for working with local high schools for music program fundraisers)

And an enormous thank you to Acworth Florist, not only for the amazing flowers, but also for such incredible customer service

Elizabeth, at Little Black Dress Little Red Wagon Magazine, for all of her support and help

The winner also received a gift certificate for a manicure/pedicure from a private sponsor.

And, although the winner already had shoes she loved, I would still love to thank Kristi, at Lola Rose Boutique in Ivy Walk, Vinings, for offering one of their gorgeous pairs of shoes!

the winner

Here are two favorite pics of the winner, Brittany~

To view a full gallery of Brittany’s photos, check out Alisha’s blog. 

Taste of Marietta Photo Gallery and Winners!

the gig:

Once again, Taste of Marietta was a huge success! Tents full of scrumptious fare, hordes of eager hungry people, and great live bands filled the Marietta Square, making for an exciting fun-filled day of tasting.

 

the grand champs:

Here are the 2012 Taste of Marietta food winners. The judging was TOUGH (LBD|LRW’s Elizabeth Cossick was a judge)…everything was delicious. But here’s how the votes fell:

 The Big Chicken

Hottie Hog’s smoked wings

The Grillmaster

Dave Po’s St. Louis Ribs

Finger Lickin’ Good

Grand Champion BBQ’s ribs

All American

Delightful Bitefull crab sliders with mac-n-cheese

Best International Cuisine

Taqueria Tsunami shrimp tempura taco

Most Unique

Fusco’s Via Roma’s fried mozzarella cheese curd

Best Comfort Food

Keegan’s Pub Grilled Mac-n-Cheese Pulled Pork Sliders with Tomato Bisque

Dangerously Delicious Dessert

Chocolate and Spice Eatery’s brownie raspberry crepe with fresh strawberries, peanuts and Nutella

Tastiest Taste

Chicago’s shrimp ‘n grits

Blazin’ BBQ

Sam’s BBQ-1 spare ribs

a new national sponsor! 

Plus, TUMS was a national sponsor for this year’s Taste of Marietta! You probably saw their team walking the square, bags on their shoulders, passing out their new TUMS Freshers to thankful, indigestion-suffering tasters (you might have been one yourself). And, if you were a recipient, you noticed the refreshing minty flavor of TUMS’ newest brainchild. We talked to Mandy Hennebry at TUMS and got the lowdown on their new product…and why this national superstar chose to sponsor our very own Taste of Marietta.

LBD|LRW: Why did TUMS decide to sponsor Taste events around the nation?

Mandy: This is a very big year for TUMS. We’ve got the biggest launch in 80 years – the TUMS Freshers. It’s one of those ah-ha products that has been a while in the making. We know that over ninety-percent of people who suffer from heartburn, also suffer from bad breath and Freshers address that problem. So, naturally we thought of the Taste events to tell people about this! Thousands of people are indulging in food and drinks, getting heartburn and bad breath – what better way to introduce Freshers?

LBD: So, why Taste of Marietta?

Mandy: It’s definitely an excellent event – one of the best taste events in the South. It’s perfect timing, great weather. And it’s got a ton of great food.

LBD: And these TUMS Freshers are primarily targeted to women, correct?

Mandy: Yes, if you think about a woman being out to dinner with friends or at a potluck dinner – anywhere food is involved – and she’s indulging, she’s having fun, she doesn’t want to have to deal with heartburn or bad breath. We like to call these times “moments that matter.” The Freshers are perfect for those moments. Also, the pocket-size packs make them perfect for on-the-go moments, because they fit in a purse!

If you didn’t try the Freshers at the Taste of Marietta, you can also go to TUMS.com or their Facebook page to get a coupon. Hint: They like to run contests with fabulous prizes {such as Tori Burch clutches} on Facebook, so check regularly!

the gallery:

 

 

 

Race for Wishes 5K & Family Festival!

Register for the Race for Wishes 5K HERE: http://bit.ly/IDeoZH

the gig:

Join us for Race for Wishes 5K! Runners, walkers, stroller-pushers and leashed pets are welcome!

The Make-A-Wish foundation needs your help to grant pending wishes for children in the Georgia-Alabama chapter (our chapter!) of Make-A-Wish. Each wish costs approximately $6,000-$8,000 to fulfill. To help meet this need and give a child an incredible blessing, Little Black Dress|Little Red Wagon Magazine has teamed up with PTS Sports and PT Solutions to help Make-A-Wish Team Taylor raise some much-needed funds.

Taylor is an inspiring 11-year-old who lives in Kennesaw with her parents (her mama Kim works for LBD|LRW, pictured right). She is also a childhood cancer survivor and former Make-A-Wish recipient. Every year, Taylor helps raise funds both for childhood cancer research and to grant the wish of another child. If you’re inspired to help, join us for….

the guide:

Race for Wishes 5K and Family Fun Day!

When: Saturday, May 5

Where: Bentwater Activities Field, 3730 Cedarcrest Road, Acworth, 30101

What time: 8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Race check-in begins at 8:30.

5K will start at 9:30.

Festivities will continue until 1:00 p.m.

Race sponsor: The 5K will be run and organized by PTS Sports and PT Solutions.

Activities: After the race, the {free!} Family Fun Day will be open to the entire community from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Festivities include a live band, Williamson Brothers BBQ, bounce houses, a children’s and women’s fashion show, dance performances by CK DanceWorks, a large silent auction, snow cones, glitter tattoos…and much more!

Cost: Festival is FREE! 5K registration is $25 for race; $35 for race, t-shirt and BBQ

100 percent of proceeds go directly to Make-A-Wish

Register to run, walk or stroll: www.active.com/running/acworth-ga/team-taylors-race-for-wishes-2012

To give: www.walkforwishes2012.kintera.org/teamtaylorwishes

For information: e-mail Kim@BlackDressRedWagon.com

 

Taste of East Cobb

the gig:

Now, don’t get us wrong: we don’t need an excuse to head to the Avenue East Cobb. The unparalleled array of shops tucked into this of-the-moment corner of Cobb is clearly enough to do the trick. But if you add in getting to try tantalizing tidbits from dozens of the area’s top restaurants, well now a Saturday spent there is a complete and total no-brainer. And that’s exactly what’s in store on Saturday, May 5, at the 2012 Taste of East Cobb.

Here’s what else you can expect from “the most delicious Saturday of the year”:

  • Tastes from the area’s finest restaurants
  • Huge bounce inflatables
  • Sand art, spin and face painting
  • Ongoing live music & entertainment
  • Area vendors, products & services
  • Raffle and silent auction
  • “Best of Taste of East Cobb” competition
  • And much more!

the guide:

Taste of East Cobb

www.tasteofeastcobb.com

Saturday, May 5, 2012

11:00 am – 5:00 pm

Cost: Free admission; Tastes are $1 to $5

Rain or Shine! – We’re under tents!

Proceeds benefit the Walton High School Band Booster Club 501(c)(3)

 

Meet Tara Shaia, LBD’s 2012 Cover Contest Winner!

We’ll give you three guesses as to which celebrity our summer 2012 cover model Tara Shaia often gets mistaken for. Ready, set, guess.

Did you guess Kelly Ripa? Tara gets that comparison often. Maybe it’s the petite frame (both clock in at under 5’3″ and about, oh, 95 pounds)…or the sparkly blue eyes (holy lashes, Batman)…or the Tabitha-on-Bewitched-esque smile…or the particularly adorable sense of humor…or the precious kids…or the cute hubby (sorry, Jeremy, we had to point out that coincidence, as well).

We already know how Kelly Ripa spends her mornings, so let’s meet Tara, shall we? This busy mom of two (Chloe, 4, and Madeline, 18 months) answered some questions for us: some deep and insightful, others just plain fun.

LBD|LRW:  So, do you see the resemblance to Kelly Ripa?

Ha! No, I think people are crazy, but it’s very flattering!

LBD|LRW: How did you and Jeremy meet?

Tara: We met at UGA near the end of my freshman year in college, when I was just 18! We’ve been together for 13 years and married for seven. I can’t believe how far our lives have come.

LBD|LRW: What’s your advice for keeping a marriage close, even in the midst of hectic lives?

Remember to continue to “date” each other and keep things fun!

LBD|LRW: Have you always been a Georgia girl?

Yes, I have! I was born in Atlanta and have lived here ever since. I “grew up” in Snellville.

LBD|LRW: What’s your favorite thing about your life right now, in this stage?

I love having young children and watching them discover new things and ideas for the first time. There’s nothing like that sweet, innocent, child-like wonder.

LBD|LRW: What’s your least favorite thing about this stage of your life, right now?

Probably discipling. We have a lot of that going on right now with the toddler “tests of wills.” Discipline is definitely a necessary evil, but no one enjoys doing it!

LBD|LRW: What was your life like prior to being a mommy?

I went to UGA to study advertising. Right after college, I began working with the Georgia Force Arena Football team while I waited to get my foot in the door of an advertising agency. After a couple of seasons, I finally got an internship at Cole Henderson Drake. Thankfully, the internship eventually led to a full-time media buying position within the company. I was a media buyer for almost four years for Wendy’s…until I became a mommy.

LBD|LRW: How do you most enjoy spending your time?

Being with friends and family, running, photography, painting, traveling, and shopping!! I have also started a new venture of writing a children’s book!

LBD|LRW: How, as a woman and mom, do you try to truly shine?

I think shining as a woman means staying true to the person you are, and always striving to be the best version of you that you can be.

To me, shining as a mother means celebrating the little moments in life. Celebrating and cherishing the time we have together because it goes by SO fast!! I want my girls to know how proud of them I am, how much I love them, and that I am always behind them. Ultimately, I am here to love, support, and help them grow into the people God has made them to be.

Some fun facts:

a. What’s your favorite book: The Help

b. Favorite movie: Gone With The Wind and Father of The Bride

c. Favorite quote: I have several favorite Bible verses, one of which is Jeremiah 29:11-13. “For I know the plans I have for you, “ declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart.”

d. Favorite food: Anything Mexican! My favorite restaurant is Nava in Buckhead.

e. Favorite way to unwind: Vacation!!

f. Favorite things to do with your family: As simple as it sounds, we LOVE getting ice cream together…frozen yogurt is our favorite!

g. Best advice you’ve ever received: To keep God in the center of your marriage always.

h: When you look at your life, what are you most proud of? My family! It has been a tremendous blessing to see what God has done in our lives since Jeremy and I met.

cover guide

Photography by Mia McCorkle of JTM Photography Atlanta, www.jtmphotoatlanta.com

Hair by Dyer & Posta Salon

Wardrobe by Love Street at Cedarcrest

Styling by Laura C. Styles

best tortillas: OTP and ITP

the grub:

This girl loves to eat. Top on my list: really good (like really good) Mexican food. On my perpetual quest for the perfect tortilla, I’ve discovered two share-worthy purveyors who rank above the rest. One is OTP and one ITP, so whether you’re roamin’ the ‘burbs or exploring the urban jungle, your tortilla needs are covered.

The Tortilla Masters

OTP: Taqueria Tsunami

Taqueria Tsunami Latin-Asian Kitchen opened in the fall of 2011 on the Marietta Square (they also have a location in Buckhead). The tortillas are the addictively chewy, handmade variety– the kind that, really, you could throw anything on top and they’d still taste dang good. But, when you throw on some thai chicken with fresh slaw, oh man. Watch out. The baja fish taco is also superfine.

And, you really must try the ah-maazing avocado cilantro egg rolls while you’re there. This signature appetizer demonstrates Chef Scott Kinsey’s tantalizing creativity. The housemade sangria ain’t bad, either.

ITP: Chuy’s

The tortilla-making station located in the center of Chuy’s should be a clue. There, a group of apron-clad ladies hand shape made-from-scratch tortillas right before your eyes. And, yes, they taste just that fresh. Again, toppings are really optional, but the fajitas are a great way to enjoy these fluffy floured darlings.

Chuy’s is also famous for its fresh sauces, so get a bowl of chips and enjoy some pico de gallo, green chili, and Ranchero sauces. Yum-o.

the guide:

Taqueria Tsunami 

www.taqueriatsunami.com

70 South Park Square

Marietta 30060

678-324-7491

Chuy’s 

www.chuys.com

118 Perimeter Center West

Atlanta 30346

770-351-7777

doing good in the neighborhood

the gig:

Sometimes doing good just takes one person. And sometimes it takes an army. This week, the army variety took our community by storm, meeting hundreds of needs in just one day. If this doesn’t make you feel good, nothin’ will!

On Wednesday, April 18, over 1,280 students ages 3 through 18 joined over 350 teachers and parents–all from Mount Paran Christian School–to complete 42 community service projects throughout Cobb, Paulding and Atlanta. They made sandwiches at homeless shelters, planted a garden at an inner city daycare, served lunch at soup kitchens, fixed up the homes of people with illnesses, hugged residents at retirement communities, fixed up schools, assembled care packages for the troops, played games and sang songs with the elderly, and did a slew of manual labor from painting to building– even in the rain.

“Mount Paran’s annual Day of Service is something that unites the whole school in a common cause: helping others,” explains Tiffany Westbrook, a Mount Paran parent and the school’s graphic designer. “It’s really rewarding to see parents and students of all ages working side-by-side, all focused on doing good for someone else. Last year, a group of students washed the feet of the homeless and gave them new socks. Wow!”

Other locations that benefited from Mount Paran Christian School’s “army of good” are Safe House, Warehouse of Hope, Camp Gideon, Feed My Lambs, Project Mail Call, Atlanta Day Shelter for Women and Children, Operation Stars and Stripes, Blue Skies Ministry, Compton Elementary School, Atlanta Dream Center, My House, Turnaround Ministries, Good Samaritan Health Center, Wellspring Living (for women escaping prostitution), MUST Ministires, Heritage at Brookstone Assisted Living, My Sister’s House, YWCA Paulding Early Learning, Cobb Stree Ministries, Sheltering Grace Ministries, 7 Bridges, and City of Refuge–and others.

Way to go, Mount Paran Christian School! You’re making an impact in our community and we applaud you. 

the guide:

Mount Paran Christian School

www.mtparanschool.com 

a {great} day to fly kites

the gig:

Mary Poppins would have fully approved of the blustery day that awaited this group of kite-flying children. The kids, who are pre-k, kindergarten, and explorer students from Primrose School at Brookstone in Kennesaw, took their kites (and a small fleet of styrofoam airplanes) to Swift Cantrell Park and had a riotous time flying (and crashing and tangling) them before settling down for a good ol’ fashioned picnic. Here’s a glimpse of the fun.

the gallery:

click pics to enlarge

the guide:

Primrose School at Brookstone

5250 Stilesboro Rd NW

Kennesaw, GA 30152

770.794.1651

www.primrosebrookstone.com

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