dr. jen ashton is here. your wheelhouse. ob/gyn.hink it's important as a society and medically we shift this paradigm from one of infertility to for felt and helps to do that. two, you have to remember there are multiple factors that go on in fertility, so a good result on a test doesn't mean you'll get pregnant just like a bad result doesn't mean you won't get pregnant. in fact for any average healthy young couple their chances of conception per cycle only about 20%. so that's important and lastly it takes two. male factor in fertility contributes about 30% of the time. a lot of these home testing not all focus on women. we need to include the men on these as well. >> so when you talk about this this isn't in lieu of going to the doctor. >> no absolutely. it's just the beginning. i want you to think of it as this analogy of this beautiful rose. the rose -- see, it took me weeks to grow this at home. the rose signifying a live birth or a pregnancy and we have to remember soil leave, water, sun, a lot goes into fertility including an

dr. jennifer ashton and, jen, we have been talking about this. we havknsue owe thfor n atso lo.heard doctors say this is the most severe case in someone this age ever, what does it tell you? >> it gets your attention for sure. we have to remember, cte, neurodegenerative brain disorder caused by repeated head trauma, causing symptoms of memory loss, aggression, depression, in some cases suicidal behavior. we can only diagnose this on autopsy. now, there is no screening test yet for this.g udy in jama out in july found evidence of cte in 99% of deceased nfl now, there could be bias involved because those players may have been having symptoms, therefore donated their brains for study or other involved in terms of the pathologiment >> in the meantime, it's friday morning. "friday night lights" and so many going to the games to watch their kids play and see stories and wonder about the risks. n'r. there are other sports. this is not just football that has a risk of head trauma. a recent study out just this week showing that children who play contact football before the age of 12 have

dr. ashton here with the latest. >>> and we're getting animated.'s the most anticipated new movie about it in theaters, and we're lucky enough to be on it. >> everyone is on pins and needles. >> the cast of the new lego movie taking over times square this morning. they're here to say -- >> all: good morning, america. >> so nice that our co-stars could be here. wasn't it, michael? >> i'm a little hurt. the cast of "lego ninjago movie" here this morning. as you said, you guys made the final cut. >> yeah, we made the final cut. co-stars may be pushing it but we were hosts of "good morning ninjago" or "gmn" in the movie. >> we were surprised we made the cut because you never know. it's great to have the whole cast here and we'll talk about that. >> i keep telling them we've all worked together. you know i worked with you in the movie. >>> we do have a lot to get to this morning. it is homecoming time for a lot of students. what would you do if your child's school asked them to turn in photos of what they're wearing before they go to the dance, the prom

dr. jen ashton in a moment. but first, a look at the new report.o opioids. 30% more prescriptions written for women than for men. 40% for female surgery patients become persistent users like 39-year-old christina cruz miller, mother of three daughters. >> i did exactly what they said. i followed up with my doctor. i trusted him. >> reporter: christina says he was prescribed oxycontin after having a procedure to remove cysts from her ovaries and had never even heard of the drug before. but became addicted to prescription pills for three and a half years. overdosing twice before beginning her road to recovery. >> i hated what i was, and i was embarrassed and ashamed and was content that my family would be better off without me. >> reporter: that new report funded by pharmacological company and conducted by quinntiles ims. and the united states for non-dependence, and opioid overprescribing, finds seven common surgeries are often being prescribed far more pills than they need. >> what's startling and really bothersome in the study is the number of pat

dr. jennifer ashton is here. you can be in pain after post-surgery. are there any other options though?ecause an informed patient is the most ideal patient, but it's a catch 22 here because pain delays surgical healing and recovery so there's the balance about giving other options. if you are facing surgery, you want to ask a couple of questions. could you make inflammatories or use ice therapy. sometimes that's an option. you should always request the lowest dose if you need an opioid narcotic for the shortest period of time. it's basic pharmacology, and our awareness needs to be ratcheted up and we're talking about this class of medication. >> this number will startle people. according to the cdc, 33,000 died from overdoses in 2015. many what do we know about the going on, robin in the area of research medicine. it's the reward system in the brain is hijacked and we don't know why people are prone to become addicted. we know it happens, and you have to be aware of the warning signs. if you are taking more opioid narcotics and you can't cut down, that's a sign. if you are constantly na

dr. jennifer ashton spoke about the flu warning on "good morning america." >> the cdc is tracking flu activity now in the southern hemisphere as a predictor to see what we might expect laylater on our flu season. h3n2, very bad actor, vea strai that makes people very sick. concerned it would be hitting people soon. this is not a bad cold, take it seriously. >> the cdc recommends a nearly flu vaccine for everyone over the age of 6 months. >>> the calendar officially says fall, and this week in the bay area celebrating that. still to come on abc 7 news, a sneak peek at the family fun happening where you live. >>> it may look like black friday but that's not the reason people are lining up at stores today. the throwback classic bringing out fans around the world. >>> here's a live look right now at the golden gate bridge. meteorologist drew tuma coming up with today's accuweather forecast. >>> abc 7 news celebrating hispanic heritage month on instagram. she oversees the philanthropy efforts >>> mario k oorksart is the gre video game of all-time according to me. if you're obsessed with that and do

dr. jen ashton is here with that.in fish, grilled chicken, lots of fruits and vegetables, pretty much the way the stephanopoulos family eats in their home every night. and of course, heartburn is caused by acid that goes up into the esophagus, the class of medications, proton pump inhibitors used by millions and millions of americans, study was interesting. it put two groups head to head. those who were on these proton pump inhibitors suffering from heartbun symptoms and those just treated with a mediterranean diet and a specific type of water called alkaline water which is the opposite of acidic. it is alkaline. guess what they found? the group on the dietary changes actually did as well if not in some cases a little better than those on medications. we know while medications are effective they can come with a huge list of side effects, so interesting findings. needs more study. but significant. >> any time you can do away with some medication, it's a good sign. it's not good, acid -- >> so let's do some anatomy. thi

dr. ashton is here with that and lara is upstairs. >>> tory is upstairs. with great fall fashion. guys, the bargains start at $9. come on back, good morning, america. just getting heated up. look at those. i love those. how was practice? good. must've been hot out there today, huh? yeah. yeah. why don't you go put that stuff in the laundry room right now? ok. do your athletes bring home big odors? ...the toughest stains and odors. hey, buddy! hey. woo! somebody ran laps. yup the new tide sport collection. it's got to be tide. but on the inside, i feel chronic, widespread pain.like most people. fibromyalgia may be invisible to others, but my pain is real. fibromyalgia is thought to be caused by overactive nerves. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. i'm glad my doctor prescribed lyrica. for some, lyrica delivers effective relief for moderate to even severe fibromyalgia pain. and improves function. lyrica may cause serious allergic reactions, suicidal thoughts or actions. tell your doctor right away if you have these, new or worse depression, behavior, s

dr. ashton is here with what you need to know. >>> off to school.lliam, right by his side as the 4-year-old heads into class. >>> america, will you accept this rose? you rooted for nick. you cheered for ben. but now who is the brand-new man looking for love? the surprise pick who will blow away bachelor nation as we say good morning, america. >>> and good morning, america. we hope you're well this thursday morning. >> and we have a lot ahead of us this morning. for you this morning we've got that parenting alert as your kids head back to school. there is a new device that can prevent bullying. we'll take a closer look at it. >> some people aren't quite sure about this. all that is coming up. >>> first the latest on hurricane irma. the category 5 storm barreling through the caribbean heading toward florida. ginger, as you know, has new details on irma's track. good morning again, ginger. >> good morning. still the national hurricane center has this beast with 180-mile-per-hour winds moving west-northwest. it is now just north of the dominican republi

dr. ashton is here and lara made her way so excited to share with you our guest this morning from starz'slk to them and this amazing audience so, guys, get upstairs. come on back. "good morning america," coming back. just walk right in and pay zero dollars with most insurance.r. plus, when you get a flu shot at walgreens, you help provide a lifesaving vaccine to a child in need through the un foundation. it's that easy to get your flu shot and make a difference. so swing by your local walgreens today. walgreens. at the corner of happy & healthy. ♪ give extra. get extra. fothere's a seriousy boomers virus out there that's been almost forgotten. it's hepatitis c. one in 30 boomers has hep c, yet most don't even know it. because it can hide in your body for years without symptoms, and it's not tested for in routine blood work. the cdc recommends all baby boomers get tested. if you have hep c, it can be cured. for us it's time to get tested. ask your healthcare provider for the simple blood test. it's the only way to know for sure. heartburn? come on back. let me finish downloading gps:this f

dr. jen ashton is here. what's the concern? >> about preparing for the worst and we hope for the best.dc tracking flu activity in the southern hems fear. they're seeing h 3 n 2. that is the bad actor. we saw it here last year. it makes people very sick. they're concerned that's going to be hitting us soon. flu by the numbers. last year about two out of every five americans were vaccinated. this year they made about 166 million doses of the vaccine. encouraging everyone over the age of six months to be vaccinated. no flu mist this year. there is a jet inject or that is needle free for people who want to avoid that. very important to get that vaccination. >> nasal spray not an option. >> that is correct. the flu vaccine widely available. i can't emphasize this enough. it's not a bad cold. take it seriously. >> emotional moment on capitol hill as the return of steve scalise. his first day back after a nas shooting in virginia three months ago. he entered the chamber to a standing ovation. >> i've definitely an example that miracles happen. so many others of you both republican and democra

dr. jen ashton is here. what's the concern?> it's really about preparing for the worst and then we hope for the best. cdc tracking flu activity in the southern hemisphere. as part of a predictor to see what we might expect later on in our flu season. they're seeing again, h3n2. that is the bad actor. it's a very virulent strain. we saw it here last year. it makes people very sick. they're concerned that's going to be hitting us soon. flu by the numbers. last year, only just 2 out of every 5 americans were vaccinated. this year they made about 166 million doses of the flu vaccine, of course encouraging everyone over the age of six months to be vaccinated. there is no flu mist this year. everyone is pretty much going to have to get the shot. there is a jet injector that is needle free for people who want to avoid that. very important to get that vaccination. >> nasal spray not an option. >> nasal spray is not an option for anyone this year. the flu vaccines are out. they are widely available and, again, i can't emphasize this eno

dr. jen ashton is here now, you're, of course, a practicing ob/gyn. good morning.ush about prevention, awareness, screening, diagnosis, treatment. management. you have to remember what the symptoms are, take a look at this list. this involves a woman who has recently given birth having depressed mood. severe mood swing, excessive crying. this is not subtle. difficulty bonding with the baby, withdrawing from family and friends or change in their appetite. you need to jump all over this. this is a true medical emergency. >> you need to get help. this doesn't just affect women. new mothers. >> new research actually substance yachting the fact dads experience this, as well. one in four. it's not known what causes it. it could be the tress from becoming a new parent. it could be lack of social support. it could be feeling excluded from the mother/baby bond but they need support. this affects the entire family and we need to drop the stigma. that's the most important part. >> medical intervention is necessary. dr. jen, thanks as always. >>> want to turn to ginger with th

dr. jennifer ashton is here with that. about 20% of floridians are over the age of 65, 65 or older.nday night there have been about 400 skilled nursing facilities assi assisted facilities evacuated and this is one of the largest of that nature in the state's history and there are special needs with elderly a lot dealing with chronic conditions. you know, we're talking about the potential in a disaster like this for exacerbation of any chronic musculoskeletal, heart, lung condition. a lot need nursing aid with them and certain medical devices. that presents a challenge and just at cute storm. i mean, the stress, the falls, you know, that's a stress test for a lot of these people and we have a saying in medicine it only has to happen once so it's always best to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. >> and there are ways that you can get in touch with your family members down there in if you can't reach them by cell phone there are two sites that people can go to, fema has a site, the national emergency family registry and locator site, the red cross has a safe and well list. if

dr. jennifer ashton and mason is here. she's got your lipstick. >> i see that. >> hello there, mason.ctivity. they put a fit bark on the dogs to measure the dog's sleep activity and followed them over a seven-day period and the findings while they weren't amazing they certainly weren't bad. they found that humans sleep quality was not significantly disrupted if you have had a dog in the bedroom but if you had the dog in your bed, it was a little bit worse but, again, very interesting study. the first study of its kind to really look at sleep quality when dogs are in the room. >> so medically speaking, though, the pros and con. >> itdespends on three big thing, the size of the dog, the size of the bed and the size of the p the dog and need to d it with and multiple dogs. obviously if the human quality of sleep is disrupted that is a hard line in the sand in my opinion medically because our sleep is already not so great as a country. but i think if the dog provides comfort and actually you get a better night's sleep then that's good for definitely good for humans. >> what about mason's

dr. jen ashton right now.alk about metastatic breast cancer there are more people living with metastatic breast cancer today than ever before which is a good thing but it's not such a good thing. we wish that wasn't the case at all. and we had a better cure for the disease but when you talk about how you manage those symptoms you heard her address it a little bit. it's really about the goal. you want to prevent further spread in some cases when that's not possible you do want to manage the symptoms and when you talk about cancer that's spread those symptoms will be determined on what site of the body they spread to. when you talk about metastatic to the bone that is excruciatingly painful. anyone who suffered a broken bonos that pain imagine that times a million. >> and for her, this homegrown marijuana really made a difference. is that for everyone >> that's what's is great. we have another public figure shedding light on something that needs a lot more attention. even though there have been studies out seven