Can I become a father despite low sperm count by Dr. Sarabjeet Singh at Ridge IVF, Delhi

30% of fertility problems, which delay conception, are caused by male infertility, and a low sperm count is one of those fertility problems. Fortunately, a low sperm count doesn’t mean that you cannot become pregnant. Your doctor may take several approaches to helping you overcome the low sperm count. If the sperm count is moderately low, your practitioner may simply recommend that you start using ovulation kits to better your chances of having sperm (regardless of the number!) and egg meet at exactly the right moment. 

Age related decrease in Female Fertility

Women are born with a finite number of eggs. Thus, as the reproductive years progress, the number and quality of the eggs diminish. The chances of having a baby decrease by 3% to 5% per year after the age of 30. This reduction in fertility is noted to a much greater extent after age 40.

 

Guidelines for patient on day of egg retrieval explained by Dr. Nymphea Walecha

Dr. Nymphea Walecha is speaking on Guideliness for patient on day of egg retrieval.

Frequently Asked Questions on infertility.

Dr. Sarabjeet, Fertility specialist at Ridge IVF, Bensups Hospital, Dwarka answers a few commonly asked questions on fertility.

Is infertility a common problem?

Yes, About 10 percent of women in ages 18-44 have difficulty getting pregnant.

What is assisted reproductive technology (ART)?

Assisted reproductive technology (ART) is a group of different methods used to help infertile couples (couples who face difficulty in conceiving, despite trying to conceive for more than 12 months). Various popular ART methods are IUI, IVF, ICSI, Surrogacy, and more specialized methods. ART works by assisting the egg and sperm to come together, fertilize, form an embryo and grow inside the Uterus of the woman, as in pregnancy.

What is intrauterine insemination (IUI)?

Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is an infertility treatment that is often called artificial insemination. In this procedure, the woman is injected with specially prepared sperm. Sometimes the woman is also treated with medicines that stimulate ovulation before IUI. This procedure is often used to treat mild male factor infertility, Women who have problems with their cervical mucus, Couples with unexplained infertility have has successful pregnancy through IUI.

What is in vitro fertilization (IVF)?

Today, in vitro fertilization (IVF) is practically a household word. But not so long ago, it was a mysterious procedure for infertility that produced what were then known as "test-tube babies." IVF involves combining eggs and sperm outside the body in a laboratory. Once an embryo or embryos form, they are then placed in the uterus.

How often is assisted reproductive technology (ART) successful?

Success rates vary and depend on many factors. Some things that affect the success rate of ART include:

·         Age of the partners

·         Reason for infertility

·         Clinic

·         Type of ART

·         If the egg is fresh or frozen

·         If the embryo is fresh or frozen

We do not have collated data for India, in U.S. Centers for Disease Prevention (CDC) collects success rates on ART for some fertility clinics. According to the 2006 CDC report on ART, the average percentage of ART cycles that led to a live birth were: 39% in women under the age of 35; 30% in women aged 35-37; 21% in woman aged 37-40; 11% in women aged 41-42.

Is infertility just a woman's problem?

No, infertility is not always a woman's problem. Both women and men can have problems that cause infertility. About one-third of infertility cases are caused by women's problems. Another one third of fertility problems are due to the man. The other cases are caused by a mixture of male and female problems or by unknown problems. Dr. Sarabjeet, at Ridge IVF says, he encounters more cases of infertility due to the male partner than due to the female partner.

What causes infertility in men?

Infertility in men is most often caused by (a) A problem called varicocele (VAIR-ih-koh-seel). This happens when the veins on a man's testicle(s) are too large. This heats the testicles. The heat can affect the number or shape of the sperm. (b) Factors related to exposure to excessive pollution in the enviournment (like Delhi city), (c) Movement of the sperm. This may be caused by the shape of the sperm. Sometimes injuries or other damage to the reproductive system block the sperm, (d) Cystic fibrosis in males also causes male infertility.

What increases a man's risk of infertility?

A man's sperm can be changed by his overall health and lifestyle. Some things that may reduce the health or number of sperm include: Heavy alcohol use, drugs, Environmental toxins including pesticides and lead, smoking cigarettes, Age, health problems, such as mumps, serious conditions like kidney disease, or hormone problems, medicines

How does age affect a woman's ability to have children?

Many women wait until after a few years of their marriage, often reaching their 30s to have children. Age is a growing cause of fertility problems. About one-third of couples in which the woman is over 35, have fertility problems. Aging decreases a woman's chances of having a baby in the following ways: Her ovaries become less able to release eggs, she has a smaller number of eggs left, Her eggs are not as healthy, She is more likely to have health conditions that can cause fertility problems, she is more likely to have a miscarriage.

How long should women try to get pregnant before calling their doctors?

Dr. Sarabjeet, Fertility specialist at Ridge IVF suggests at least one year. However, women 35 or older should see their doctors after six months of trying. A woman's chances of having a baby decrease rapidly every year after the age of 30. Some health problems also increase the risk of infertility. So, women should talk to their doctors if they have irregular periods, very painful periods, Endometriosis, Pelvic inflammatory disease or have had more than one miscarriage in the past.

Ridge IVF offers a free consultation with fertility specialists this Sunday, February 2, to couples who are facing problems in getting pregnant. To register, please call 8800100326 

Freeze your sperm preserve your fertility explained by Shibin at Ridge IVF, Delhi/NCR

Investigation of Possible Causes for Failed IVF Cycles

Infertility, more than a physical problem causes emotional turmoil for a person or for the couple. The realization that their happiness as a couple could not translate into parenthood is devastating. A couple who faces such a situation feels cheated by the nature and want to try anything possible to be able to be parents. They long for their kids more than anything in the world. The urge of generativity surmounts any other rationale. 

Assisted Reproductive Technology or ART has brought in new hope in the field of treatment for infertility. This advancement has allowed doctors to improve the success rate of fertility treatment and now couples who earlier could never have gained parenthood are blessed with kids and have a complete life. IVF or In-Vitro Fertilization is one of the most effective ART treatments. Doctors specialized in IVF treatment commit that this method has changed the way couples look forward to infertility treatment. It is like a treatment that will sure bless them with parenthood, no matter what come.

However, there are cases when even IVF procedures have been reported to fail. The failure could be due to various factors, but the sad part is it disheartens the couples beyond state of expression. How could IVFcycle fail? What could we do now? If IVF procedure has failed over me then either the doctor is cheating or I am too sick to be a mother or there is something gravely wrong with the sperm quality of my partner. These are some of the doubts that creep in the couple along with their disheartenment. 

Then, whatever are the doubts created in a patient’s mind, failed IVF cycle remains to be a starting fact of their life. But the reasons for the failure may not be what a patient doubts. It could be even grave or even none. As per experts from the best IVF center in India, low quality of sperm, certain procedural defect during implantation, age of women and uterus defects accounts for main reasons behind failed IVF attempts.

Women after certain age slow down releasing hormones that are conducive to support implantation and further nourish the embryo into a child. Further the body of the women starts treating pregnancy as a burden after a certain age. The defects during implantation are rare, at least when the IVF procedures are carried out at the best fertility center in Delhi. However, the chances are not nil and does account for failures of the process.

Defects in uterus of the woman also hamper the success of the In-Vitro Fertilization process. The uterus wall sometimes is not adaptive and thus rejects the embryo after some days of implantation. Low quality of sperm is also another major cause. Sperm motility is not only attributed to failure of IVF but is also accountable for miscarriage in a number of cases. But, even after aforementioned reasons of failures, IVF is best ART procedure with high success rate if performed by an IVF specialist in Delhi.

Look Out for the “Right” Fertility Centre

Let us understand that you have been getting recommendations from your gynaecologist-- who has been running hormone tests, recording your basal body temperature and making you go through a series of physical examinations. At the same time, your male partner has been going through agonizing checks at the urologist. There comes a stage when you are sick of running from pillar to post and wish to get in touch with specialist who can take care of all your infertility woes –together as a couple.

To get that much required “big-picture advice” and the best modes of treatment, you need to seek an appointment with the best fertility centre in your town/city. 

Why do you need to meet a Specialist?

If you are a woman with a history of 3-4 miscarriages and aged over 35, you need to meet an infertility specialist. It also rings true for men who have poor semen analysis reports or couples who have tried in vain to get a baby –for more than two years.

Questions to ask of people connected with a Fertility Clinic

Now that you have an appointment in place and are waiting to meet the specialist you should go through a check list of questions that need to be addressed. 

•   How long has the fertility clinic been in existence?
• How experienced are the doctors and technicians in treating the issues connected with your infertility?
• What is the turnover rate of the technicians and staff involved with the fertility clinic? A high turnover rate can signal bad management skills and can contribute to irreversible mistakes in handling your case as well.
•   What are the procedures offered by the clinic and how often are they performed on patients visiting their facility?
•   Do they offer the latest technological inputs and sophisticated tools to handle processes like blastocyst transfer and tubal cannulation?
•   Are there any age limits for going through these infertility treatments?
•  How many patients and treatment cycles do you handle every year?
•  What are chances for multiple births in IVF procedures?
•   What does the entire treatment cost and does the fertility clinic offer a money back guarantee if you fail to get pregnant?

These and many more concerns arise in the minds of childless couples wanting to go through proven processes of getting their own child. A careful analysis of all provided answers and further research can guide you to the best clinic for handling fertility problems.

Way Forward...

You can also look for references and testimonials from friends, peers and family members. A careful insight into the working modes of your fertility clinic, doctors on its panel and procedures on offer, can make you feel more confident and geared up to handle the treatment.

So, instead of looking for words to frame your advertisement for “surrogate mother wanted”, simply go ahead and look for the best fertility centre close to you. You will come back happy and elated!