Friday, 25 April 2014

Causes and Treatments for Infertility

Modern science has ensured that men and women who are hoping to have a baby can do so with advanced treatment options. It is important to understand what defines infertility before you decide to consult a doctor. It is essentially the inability to conceive even after a prolonged period with unprotected sex. Infertility also defines a scenario where a woman is unable to carry her pregnancy till the full term.


Fertility Problems (Photo Courtesy: http://www.sheknows.com)

If you are looking for advanced fertility treatments, there are many options in Bangalore. After examining both you and your partner, your doctor will explain to you all the options on hand, depending on the causes of infertility. Some of the causes of infertility are as follows:
Among women, one of the most common causes is the presence of ovarian cysts or the occurrence of polycystic ovarian syndrome. The other reasons could be the presence of growths in the cervix or uterus, age, thyroid problems, smoking, alcoholism, presence of cancers or tumours, use of some medications, obesity or hormonal imbalances. The causes of male infertility include staying in high temperatures for an extended period, defects at birth, cancer treatment, impotence, obesity, old age, hormonal imbalances or vasectomy.




Male Infertility (Photo Courtesy: http://maleinfertilityrx.com)
Among the many tests for infertility are blood tests, ultrasounds, thyroid tests, and sperm testing. The treatments include in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intrauterine insemination (IUI). The IVF programme involves eggs being removed from a woman’s body and put together with the sperm in a laboratory to create an embryo. Some of the medications are oral, human chorionic gonadotropins. Women can also take recourse to egg donation programme where egg donors and recipients are matched. Surrogacy is also one of the options, where there is no genetic link between the carrier and the child.

Infertility Treatment (Photo Courtesy: http://www.fssc.com.au)
 An option for female infertility is surgical treatment, where fallopian tubes are repaired and blockages removed. However, there is also the risk of ectopic pregnancy, where it occurs outside the uterus. Surgical treatment is also recommended for endometriosis or fibroids. Assisted reproductive technology (ART) is an option when the sperm count is low or fallopian tubes are blocked. Other procedures such as sperm injections or gamete intrafallopian transfer or zygote intrafallopian transfer, GIFT or ZIFT, can help solve infertility.

An integrated programme to cure infertility would involve providing stress relief through yoga, meditation and acupuncture. Often, infertility issues can be solved through lifestyle changes.

  • If a woman is overweight, the first step would be to lose weight by way of a good diet and exercise program. Obesity and menstrual problems sometimes go hand in hand. The chances of miscarriage are greater if you are obese. Among men, obesity could cause abnormality in semen production and its parameters.


Diet & Fertility (Photo Courtesy: http://www.topnews.in)
  • If you are trying to get pregnant, you should let go of anxiety, because stress can make an impact on ovulation. Take up a yoga or meditation course, and learn to relax!

Impact of Stress on Fertility (Photo Courtesy: http://www.parents.com)
In spite of all these measures, if you don’t find yourself pregnant, maybe it is time to make enquiries about the best fertility hospital in Bangalore and seek an appointment with a counsellor.