Over the past several weeks, you may have seen news reports urging "high risk" groups to get H1N1 swine flu shots. Pregnant women fall into the category of "high risk" for swine flu, and so a logical question is, what about those not yet pregnant, but trying? Should they also get the shot?

While not considered a high risk group, the American Society of Reproductive Medicine and the CDC seem to think those trying to get pregnant should get the H1N1 flu shot whenever it becomes available to non-high risk groups in your area. The logic is that it's better to get it now, before you become pregnant.

Of course, just because they recommend the shot doesn't mean you have to get the shot. It's a choice to make. Some fertility clinics are requiring IVF patients to get the shot before treatment, but from what I understand, it's not that common. Mostly, it's being strongly recommended.

Do you plan on getting the H1N1 swine flu shot? Take our poll, and feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below. I'd love to hear from you!

More about the H1N1 swine flu shot:

• Should Those Trying to Get Pregnant Receive the H1N1 Flu Shot?

If I had to say which two causes of infertility get the most press, I'd say it was age related infertility and polycystic ovarian syndrome, also known as PCOS. PCOS is a common endocrine disorder in women, affecting up to 8% of women.

There are a lot of misconceptions about polycystic ovarian syndrome. For one, some women (and even doctors!) seem to assume if a woman is having trouble with ovulation, and age isn't the cause, then PCOS is an obvious answer. But that's simply not true! There are a range of causes of anovulation, and while polycystic ovarian syndrome is a common cause, it's important to rule out other causes before diagnosis.

Another misconception about PCOS is that only women who are overweight have PCOS. This is one I've run into personally. I had just switched my gynecologist, and had a polycystic ovarian syndrome diagnosis from my previous doctor, based on blood work, ultrasound confirmation of polycystic ovaries, and symptoms.

But when giving over my history to my new doctor, when I said I have PCOS, she said, "No you don't." I didn't even know how to respond to that! I felt like a four year old when I said, "Yes, I do."

My new doctor was looking at me - at a healthy weight - and assuming I could not possibly have PCOS. I eventually had to "prove" it with my old records, but it was an uncomfortable situation.

Learn more about what you need to know about polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) in this article.

Could reflexology become the next alternative medicine option for infertility? According to a news article at the UK DailyMail website, the IVF unit at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, England will be starting a two year clinical trial to find out.

The article says that some women feel reflexology has helped them become pregnant, but as of today, no research has looked into the claims. This will be the first study on reflexology and infertility.

Reflexology is an alternative treatment method that believes certain "reflex" points on the feet and hands correspond to particular organs and systems in the body.

For the trial, 150 women will be offered reflexology treatment instead of treatment with the fertility drug Clomid.

The study sounds interesting, and I'm curious of what the results will be. It's good to see researchers looking into more alternative treatment methods.

Right now, acupuncture is one of the few research studied alternative treatment methods for infertility, but there are quite a few alternative treatment methods claiming their "way" works. My hope is that researchers will take the time to look into these different techniques and claims, so women will not only have more options, but also, so that money, time, and effort isn't wasted on methods that just do not really work.

Have you ever tried reflexology, or any other alternative treatment method? Share your experiences in the comment section below. I'd love to hear from you!

More information:

• Research on Acupuncture
• What is Acupuncture Treatment Like
• All About Clomid

A new article at MSNBC.com reported that a sperm donor from San Francisco passed on a genetic heart condition to 9 out of 24 of his biological children. One of those children died from heart failure at age 2.

The genetic heart condition, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, is apparently not that uncommon of a genetic condition, affecting 1 in 500. The donor bank where the condition was passed on has now started screening all potential donors for this condition (which does not always express symptoms) by giving the men an ECG.

The article also mentioned that most banks screen for genetic disorders via blood test, but this particular disorder has been pretty much ignored. The genetic disorders that have been included in regular screening are actually less common than this heart condition.

The story highlights the need for careful screening of all donors - sperm and egg donors. Of course, when a couple has a baby (without using a sperm donor), there is the potential to pass on whatever health conditions may exist in their families. But they have the benefit of having good access to their family history.

For children of sperm or egg donors, they only have the information made available through the sperm bank, which may or may not be enough if medical problems arise later.

Plus, when choosing a donor, you want the best you can get, healthwise. Why choose a donor who may pass on a serious medical condition, when you can choose a donor with a healthier track record?

What are your thoughts? Please share in the comments below, I'd love to hear from you!