Wednesday, 24 July 2013

Cure for Infertility – Gateway to Parental Bliss


Infertility more than being a condition is a menace that devastates the life of a couple and sometimes of family. To add to the woes caused due to this condition, there are social stigmas attached to it, making it even more lethal. However, in the present time, people have started to open up about the problem and have started consulting infertility experts who offer best cure for infertility.

The cure to this condition is multilayered and requires patience. The experts also advise that other than medical treatment and other procedures involved in cure for infertility, the couples should also follow a healthy lifestyle. Several complications causing infertility is directly or indirectly linked to common lifestyle related irregularities.

The cure for infertility is the gateway to parental bliss and therefore only an expert fertility expert should be consulted for the cure. The experts focus on test of both male and female and only then they decide whom to treat. It is not a men or the women problem. It is the problem of the couple and sometimes both of them needs treatment.

In case of male partner requiring the cure, the experts run another round of check and tests. These tests confirm the actual problem, that can be either any one or all of these, namely; premature ejaculation, too few sperms or problem related to sperm movement.

In case of female partner requiring the cure, the problem can vary from, namely; hormonal problems, problems related to inability to conceive, cysts, blocked tubes or even inability to develop eggs. 

Then whatever, the case is, once the problem is diagnosed either with any one of the partner or in the couple, the experts start with medical treatment. Sometimes, medicines can treat the condition and couples who were trying hard to get closer to parenthood, become the proud parent of their own offspring.

In many a cases, advanced treatment methods or the assisted reproductive technology is used to cure the condition of infertility. The doctors and the specialized surgeons for fertility treatment counsel the couple for the assisted reproductive technology. And once the couple agrees for the treatment, the doctor starts with IVF, which is most successful and most widely used assisted reproductive technology.

Though this technique is widely practiced and one of the most successful cures for infertility, but it is highly advisable that a couple should move ahead with any type of cure for infertility, only in guidance of an expert infertility treatment doctor. In absence of such guidance, the cure is not appropriate and it could also lead to various other complications.

Tuesday, 9 July 2013

Thyroid Disease and Its Impact on Fertility- A Must Read


What is thyroid?

Thyroid gland is a small butterfly shaped gland that is located in the lower part of the neck. It is the largest endocrine glands in the body and secretes hormones like triiodothyronine also called T3, and thyroxine which is known as T4. The basic function of these hormones is to deliver energy to cells of the body. Some dysfunctions of the thyroid gland can cause many complications like Hypothyroidism where thyroid gland is underactive and Hyperthyroidism where thyroid gland is overactive. In most of the cases these disorders usually go unnoticed because they do not have any obvious symptoms, while as in case of diseases like Goiter the disorder can be blatantly obvious.

Thyroid and Infertility, how are they related?

Thyroid dysfunction may or may not affect fertility, but it can halt ovulation in women by upsetting the balance of the body’s natural reproductive hormones. Studies also indicate that maternal presence of thyroid antibodies can lead to early miscarriage. There are no findings as to indicate the exact reasons for miscarriages in women who suffer from thyroid dysfunction, but the relation between thyroid dysfunction and miscarriages is confirmed.

How does thyroid disease affect fertility in men?

In men thyroid disease may cause problems like low sperm count in men or may significantly reduce sperm motility (movement).
How does thyroid disease affect fertility in women?

In case of women, hyperthyroidism can lead to miscarriages, premature births and intrauterine growth retardation but timely treatment cut the chances of miscarriages to a significant level. In case of Hashimotos (a form of hyperthyroidism) separate treatment is to be followed. In case of women with Hypothyroidism disorders like hyperprolactinemia, luteal phase defect (LPD), anovulation (no ovulation, or release of an egg) and menstrual irregularities may occour. Hypothyroidism may also lead to polycystic ovaries, or cysts on the ovaries, which hamper ovulation and cause fertility issues. It can also lead high blood pressure, and are at greater risk of heart conditions.

Why is it important to treat thyroid and what happens if the disease goes untreated?

If thyroid goes untreated it may lead to various complications like heart rhythm irregularities, mental disorders, emotional disturbances like anxiety and depression, various eye disorders, excessive loss or gain in weight besides causing infertility. It also leads to complications like mental retardation and stunted growth in the newborns of mothers with thyroid disease.

Can I give birth to a healthy baby if I am suffering from Thyroid?   

While thyroid dysfunction is known to complicate pregnancy, but if managed properly you can have a 100% safe pregnancy. All you have to do is take your medications regularly and keep your thyroid TSH and T4 under control. Read everything you can about your condition and ask questions to your doctor about your condition.  There are many women who suffer from thyroid condition and manage to handle it smoothly even during pregnancy, all it requires is a little preparation and care.

Thursday, 27 June 2013

Getting Pregnant At 40: Facts and Fiction


It is such bliss to give birth to your own bundle of joys, but while young couples manage to conceive within a year of trying, the couples who are a bit older do face some difficulties in that. In this blog I am going to share a similar story of one of my friends who lost his wife early in life and he chose to remain a bachelor till he was well beyond forty. He finally found his love after he was forty two and one fine day I was glad to come home from work just to find an envelope waiting to be opened, it was  a wedding  invitation of the same friend that I have mentioned.

I just could not believe that he had done it! His sudden wedding announcement came as a big surprise to me and everyone around him. It was specially the case with me because we were pretty close. At first I thought it was some kind of a practical joke and I literally double checked the name on the card and gave him a call to confirm the same, to which he affirmed with his usual bout of laughter. Anyways, I couldn’t have been happier for him, so I put everything aside (given that he is a bit shy about such matters), expressed my joy about his decision and congratulated him.

I had lost touch with him for some time as I had to move to a different city in connection with my work and we caught up after some two years when I came back on a business trip and called on him. He was a bit distraught and told me about his difficulty in conceiving. Since both of them are above 40 years of age the chances of conceiving at that age are a bit low and that is what troubled him. I suggested him to seek medical help which he was reluctant to do, but after much convincing he did go for fertility treatment at Ridge IVF center and now he is a proud father of cute lithe twin baby boys.
There are a lot of couples who meet late in their lives, but that does not mean they can’t conceive. Advancement in medical sciences has made it possible for us to ‘treat’ if not cure it. Now there are a lot  of fertility treatments available that can make dreams turn into realities. But there sure are some points that need to be kept in mind before going for the treatment. Here is a brief rundown of some facts and figures that may help in getting a clearer vision of the whole thing.

Pregnancy in women above 40, some facts, figures and more: 

Generally, 75% of women under 30 years of age and 66% of women in the age bracket of 35years have a chance of achieving a live baby naturally in one year of trying. The statics drop to around 44% for the women in their 40’s or mid 40’s. The reason for that being that the women are born with a finite number of eggs, from the start of ovulation the number of eggs is keeps on declining all the time, until women go through their menopause at around 50-51.  Nonetheless, women in their 40s do still ovulate each month but the number of eggs is low. 

Risks involved in pregnancy for women above 40

Research indicates that the eggs from older women are more likely to have an abnormal makeup making pregnancy less likely, miscarriage more common in such cases. Another risk of late pregnancy is the risk of Down Syndrome, a condition where a child is born with an extra chromosome number 21, but it occurs in rarest of rare cases. The reasons for the same have not been fully established.

Fertility Treatment for Women above 40 and Results

For women, in their early 40s, IVF is remains the ideal choice of treatment. It significantly increases the chances of conceiving and the success rates are anytime more than trying naturally. However, the success rates fall dramatically after the age of 40 and by the time a woman reaches 45 the success rate is close to zero. But despite of all the facts mentioned above, women who are above the age of 40 do conceive and give birth to healthy kids. 

Women are naturally concerned about having children after 40 years and keep asking questions about the physical and emotional development of the children when conceived after 40. We at Ridge IVF know that these children that grow up to be as healthy and bright as any other child. Our professionally trained staff at Ridge IVF will provide you with the best possible treatment and care.

Wednesday, 19 June 2013

5 W’s of Artificial Insemination in India


Artificial insemination or AI was developed in the early 1900s and is considered to be the grandfather of all fertility treatments. Although the success rate of this form of treatment may be lower compared to the latest fertility treatments, it is still recommended by most of the doctors initially, because the procedure is simple and has negligible side effects. There are many centers for artificial insemination in India and you can get help from any of them but before you do that there are some facts that you need to keep in mind which are: 

What is Artificial insemination? 
Artificial insemination or AI is used to treat some types of fertility problems both in men as well as in women. This method helps you to conceive in case of women who have sperm allergy or in case of men who have a low sperm count or poor sperm motility. The process involves direct insertion of sperm into a woman's fallopian tubes, cervix or uterus which enables the sperm to bypass any possible obstructions and make pregnancy possible. There are various methods of treatment that are used in AI and the most common type among them is intrauterine insemination (IUI), in which the sperm is placed in the uterus. 

Why Artificial insemination?
For many couples, artificial insemination is the first step in treatment because it's less expensive than assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatments such as in vitro fertilization (IVF). This type of treatment works better in couples with unexplained fertility problems and has better results than using fertility drugs alone. The procedure is less invasive and allows for fertilization to occur naturally inside your body.

Who requires artificial insemination? 
Artificial insemination is used to treat infertility in men who have very low sperm counts and for women who have endometriosis or abnormalities of any reproductive organs. Artificial insemination is also used to treat women with "unreceptive cervical mucus". In case of problems with male fertility is a better option than just timing intercourse. 

What to expect during artificial insemination?
Women will be required to undergo some medical examination like ultrasound, or blood tests to make sure that they are ovulating when they undergo artificial insemination. In some cases, doctors may advise the use of fertility drugs to induce super ovulation (ovulation of multiple eggs) a week before undergoing artificial insemination. 

The process of artificial insemination takes less than an hour but most women need to undergo three to six cycles before they conceive. Some women may have slight cramps during the procedure and light bleeding afterward. Your doctor will probably have you lie down for about 15 to 45 minutes after the treatment after which you can resume your daily activities
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What is the success rate of artificial insemination?
Success rate of this treatment largely depends on factors like the age of both the partners, egg quality and sperm quality etc. Blockage of fallopian tubes or severe damage to them due to chronic infection may affect the success rate of this treatment adversely. If the treatment is carried out in conjunction with the fertility drugs your chances of conceiving will increase by at least 20 percent with each cycle. In case AI fails in some case and all the other modes of treatment are rendered ineffective a surrogate mother is wanted in that case.

Thursday, 13 June 2013

Female Infertility Treatment In North India


It is such bliss to bring forth a new life and give birth to your bundle of dreams. Giving birth not only imparts a sense being complete to a woman but it also gives her a new purpose and new aspirations in life. Suddenly she finds out that something in her life has shifted and she is not the same. Motherhood is perhaps the most beautiful thing that a woman can ever think of and the feeling of giving birth to a brand new human being can hardly be put in words. But, unfortunately all the women are not lucky enough to conceive and give birth to a baby which gives rise to numerous social, psychological and emotional problems. It is so painful to see women suffer in face of ruthless societal pressures. 

I have seen couples with infertility issues go to great lengths to seek treatment for infertility. While some women experience difficulty in conception there are others that might have clinically established pregnancies that end up in miscarriages. A study indicates that 10-25% of all clinically established pregnancies end up in a miscarriage, hard to digest but it is very true. I have come across women who suffer from one or the other of the above mentioned problems and are rendered as infertile.  

I must admit that it is amazing to notice how women put themselves through the risk and the stress of going for all the infertility treatments and continue to repeat the whole process time and again in case it fails. Although the fertility treatments only guarantees a success rate of 35-40% for women under age of 35, around 13% for women aged 41-42 and only 4% for the women over 42. Women are ready to go through all this for the awe of feeling a baby inside and of course for that glow that is associated with pregnancy.

One of my closest friends had to go through a terrible ordeal as she lost her babies in miscarriages, it was such a heartache that she had to go through. She would think that she was just close to giving birth to her baby when she would lose it. It was then that she went for a treatment and since she was suffering from a genetic abnormality, she was put on a treatment that involved using PGD in conjunction with an IVF cycle.  This treatment involves screening of embryos and only those embryos that are free of the genetic abnormality are transferred to the mother’s uterus. I used this example to make a point that however bad your case may look never give up on your desire to have a baby. All you have to do is to spend some time on the internet and gather some facts about your condition, do some more research and find some more resources about infertility treatment clinics in your vicinity and seek treatment for your condition.  

For More Detail Visit Ridge IVF Center