Excess Weight during Pregnancy

Excess Weight during Pregnancy

When you are expecting, you get to eat as many inflatable donuts and Chips as you want, right? Wrong! You only need about 300 extra calorie consumption a day during maternity to support your child's growth. So you do not need to be chowing down everything in sight!


Be cautious about the quantity of pounds you obtain during your maternity. Getting too much or too little pounds can be dangerous to you and your child.


Is gaining the right quantity of pounds essential during pregnancy?You bet. It's essential to obtain the right quantity of pounds for your system. Doing so can help secure the wellness of your child. In comparison to females who obtain a proper and balanced quantity of pounds during pregnancy:Ladies who obtain too little are more likely to have a child with low birthweight (less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces), Ladies who obtain too much are more likely to have a large child or an early child. An early child is created too early, before 37 finished several weeks of maternity. These mothers also may also have wellness issues, like diabetic issues and hypertension. These circumstances can cause problems during maternity.


How much pounds should you obtain during pregnancy?

Fragmented DNA, yet another fragment of male infertility

Fragmented DNA, yet another fragment of male infertility


It is certainly very sad, but true that females are considered responsible for the infertility problem and surprisingly the misconception is not limited to our country only. When I get couples across the globe in my infertility clinic, almost 90% of the people are unknown about something like “male infertility”. Thanks to the awareness in the generation next, at least 10% of the couples know that there could be problem in the male partner too!


What is the reason for this pathetic situation? Undoubtedly it is directly associated with the age old concepts of so-called “male superiority” that says a male can reproduce at any age and there are no limitations of health and psychological factors. Although the research and finding of the modern science has debunked the theory, but there are still the majority of people believe on it.


The fact and figures
When I take a new case of infertility, the first thing that I do is counseling and convincing session with the couple to make them believe that there could be a problem in the male partner. They get stunned when I present the statistical findings in front of them that say 30% of the infertility problems are caused by male infertility and interestingly this is exactly same as their counterparts. The information comes out as a blow!


It is a fact that we infertility experts are much comfortable and relaxed while treating the female infertility because there are clear indications of problems and symptoms. The diagnostics can be absolutely pinpointed and the couple can expect a successful pregnancy.  On the other hand, a male infertilityis very complex and difficult to treat.

Celiac illness may be connected to infertility

Celiac illness may be connected to infertility


For partners who are struggling to get pregnant, discovering the underlying cause of infertility can be a long and annoying process. Previously, infertilityissues were considered a female problem, but today's analysis has shown the causes are pretty equally split with one third being female reproduction issues, one third male reproduction issues and the rest are issues related to both the partners.

Celiac disease

Celiac illness is a condition where the coating of the little bowel becomes broken due to wheat understanding. The fine coating or villi in the little bowel is accountable for taking in vital nutrients from the food you eat, and when they become broken it can cause a wide range of medical conditions including rashes, IBS, lack of nutrition and much more. It may be difficult to imagine that celiac illness could have any regards to infertility, but some analysis is beginning to point in that direction.


Over the last ten years, scientists from around the globe have been looking at the possibilities of a celiac link to mysterious infertility issues. What scientists have discovered may provide viable solutions for many partners being affected by infertility. In Chicago physicians discovered the number of repeated natural abortion was four times greater among celiac sufferers. Thanks to these outcomes, physicians now regularly screen for celiac illness in sufferers struggling mysterious infertility.

Zygote Intrafallopian Transfer (ZIFT)

  Zygote Intrafallopian Transfer (ZIFT): An effective solution for infertility

As an infertility expert I always feel that the couple face a really tough time when they struggle with the infertility problems. There are multiple reasons of it, and identifying the exact one is like searching a needle from the pile of husk. Thankfully, there are latest techniques available that help us determine the most likely cause and suggest the best treatment methodology. It enhances the chances of success. ART or Assisted reproductive technology is a very effective method to treat infertility problems. This method involves external assistance to the natural fertilization process and thus it increases the chances of pregnancy. The success rate is much higher and couples are blessed with the most important gift of the life.

ART is a broad term and there are two very effective methods come under this category. The first is known as GIFT (Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer) or GIFT and the full form of ZIFT is Zygote Intrafallopian Transfer or ZIFT. ZIFT is very effective in treating various types of male and female infertility issues and it has been recognized as one of the most successful methods. I use both techniques to cure infertility problems and it depends on the individual case.

ZIFT is a technique when the eggs are fertilized with the male partner’s sperms in the laboratory. We insert these fertilized eggs 0directly in the fallopian tube by a laparoscopic surgical process. Fertilized eggs traverse through the fallopian tube as their normal journey and reach to the uterus. Meanwhile the uterus is prepared by us to welcome the pregnancy. There are special hormones given to the mother so that environment gets ready before the conception happened. As soon as the fertilized egg reaches to the uterus and gets implanted, the pregnancy becomes successful.

ZIFT: The procedure in detail
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What is PGD?

What is PGD?
Posted by Rita Bakshi on Thursday, 16 May 2013 in Infertility Articles
What is PGD?

There are many complicated cases where people have specific inherited problems that they do not want to transfer to the next generation. As an infertility expert I will be able to help them by conducting a special test known as Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). This is a special technique of identifying genetic problems in the embryo that get created through IVF techniques.

I will recommend PGD when the female is facing multiple abortions or a family history of genetic disorders or you already have a baby with genetic disorder. There are more than 100 genetic conditions that will require PGD test.

Are there any risks?

Well in my opinion there are no particular risks in PGD. There are a few risks that are common in IVF treatment as well. For example there may be damage to the embryo while removing cells for testing or the test results may not be 100% reliable and conclusive.

The ABC of cryopreservation

The ABC of cryopreservation

Every case of infertility opens a new horizon of knowledge and expertise for me. As an infertility expert I need to take every problem carefully to understand the actual problem. Technology comes to rescue and there are many complex techniques that help a lot in making various steps simpler and quicker.

Normally, infertility treatment goes for multiple iterations and the couples need to undergo several rounds before the final success comes. There are a few steps that are complex and painful. It is very much cumbersome to repeat those steps every time. Techniques like cryopreservation help us in preserving the precious samples so that they can be used effectively in the subsequent iterations.

Cryopreservation is the method of keeping the embryos, sperms, gametes, tissues from ovaries or testicles in an extremely low temperature with an intention of the use in future. Samples can be kept intact for the future use and there is a huge saving of cost and resources. There is increased efficiency and reduced discomfort and inconvenience to the couple.

We perform the task in two steps. Firstly, the sample is collected from the female or male partner and kept in special tubes that look like straws. These tubes are stored below zero degree Celsius temperature and there is a special solution used to prevent the specimens from getting frozen. This solution is called cryopreservant and the specimens are thawed before they are used.

There are multiple protocols for cryopreservation and they vary in terms of the storage temperature, type of cryopreservant, time required for freezing and thawing and the type of specimen.

Infertility – A Cause of Concern For Many

Infertility – A Cause of Concern For Many

According to a study, around 7.3 million people alone in US are affected by infertility. Out of which 1/3 of the cases are credited to the female partners while 1/3 to the male partner and rest 1/3 are known to cause by the blend of factors that are common and have no scientific explanation up till now.

According to a reputed magazine, a treatment called vitro fertilization is a standard treatment for infertility and it was used around 15 years ago. Earlier than that, traditional surrogacy was the sole duos who were not able to become parents.

Nowadays as science and technology has taken many shapes and turns, new and latest trends are coming into existence. One of the latest trends for infertility is Embryo adoption. It is the newest method of building a family. It combines assisted reproductive technology with adoption. So what infertile duos can do is adopt an embryo in place of a child.

Another trend in infertility is Egg donation. It is the most recent occurrence in the field of medical science. It is a more elaborated practice that is required to haul out eggs from a woman’s ovaries. This method is adopted when the male partner has no sperm production capability or has low sperm count due to which pregnancy is implausible. Also this method can be espoused by single woman and lesbian couples in order to conceive.

Percutaneous Epididymal Sperm Aspiration

Percutaneous Epididymal Sperm Aspiration

Infertility is a complex problem and there are multiple facets of it. When patients come to me for infertility treatment, most of them do not know that there can be cases of male infertility. It is so common belief that infertility is a female problem and there is no male connection to it. The reality, however, is exactly reverse and statistically one third of the infertility cases are contributed by the male partner.

Treating male infertility is a complex problem in front of us and as an infertility expert I would say it is the most complex problem. Not only because of social issues, but because of physiological issues as well. Treating male infertility is much challenging than the female infertility. Complex testing methods are required to understand the root cause. Inappropriate sperm count; inferior sperm quality and less mobility can be some of the reasons for male infertility.
Percutaneous Epididymis Sperm Aspiration (PESA) is name of the technique used to determine the sperm count in a male. The procedure is very simple where the sperms are collected directly from the epididymis, the part of the testicle where these sperms are stored.

Why there is a need?

I would recommend PESA when:
The man is not able to ejaculate sperms due to the absence of a special tube known as deferens. This tube carries the sperms. The condition is known as azoospermia.
The man has undergone a vasectomy that failed.
There are dysfunctions in the ejaculation process.
The man is having the problem of retrograde ejaculation where the sperms go back to the bladder instead of going out through urethra.
What is the assurance of success?

List of PGD conditions

There are more than 100 genetic conditions that will require PGD test.


 5 Alpha Reductase Deficiency (5ARD) insofar as that condition affects males, with simultaneous sex determination
Acute Intermittent Porphyria
Acute Recurrent Autosomal Recessive Rhabdomyolysis (ARARRM)
Adrenoleukodystrophy (Adrenomyeloneuropathy)
Agammaglobulinaemia
Aicardi Goutieres Syndrome 1 (AGS1)
Alpers Syndrome
alpha thalassaemia/mental retardation syndrome*
Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency
Alpha-mannosidosis
Alports Syndrome
Alzheimers Disease - early onset
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis 1 (ALS1)
Anderson Fabry Disease
Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome
Angelman Syndrome (UBE3A gene only)
Aplastic anaemia - severe*
Argininosuccinic Aciduria
Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy/ Dysplasia (ARVC/D), Autosomal Dominant
Ataxia Telangiectasia
Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD)
Autosomal Dominant Retinitis Pigmentosa
Autosomal Recessive Dopa Responsive Dystonia
Autosomal Recessive Severe Combined Immunodeficiency with Bilateral Sensorineural Deafness
Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS)
Barth Syndrome
Battens Disease (infantile)
Beta Hydroxyisobutyryl CoA Hydrolase Deficiency (Methacrylic Aciduria)
Beta Thalassaemia*
Bethlem Myopathy
Bilateral Frontoparietal Polymicrogyria
Birt-Hogg-Dubé Syndrome
Branchio-Oto-Renal Syndrome (BOR)
BRCA 1 (increased susceptibility to breast cancer)
Breast Ovarian Cancer Familial Susceptibility (BRCA2)
Bruton Agammaglobulinemia Tyrosine Kinase (BTK)
Calpainopathy
Canavan Disease
Cardiac Valvular Dysplasia
Carney Complex
Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachychardia 2 (CPVT2)
Central Core Disease of Muscle
Cerebral Autosomal Dominant Arteriopathy with Sub cortical infarcts and Leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL)
Cerebral Cavernous Malformations (CCM)
Charcot Marie Tooth Disease
Charcot Marie Tooth Disease Type 2
Charcot Marie Tooth Disease, demyelinating, type 1A (CMT1A)
Chondrodysplasia Punctata
Choroideraemia
Chromosomal rearrangements (various)
Chronic Granulomatous Disease
Citrullinaemia type 1
Classical Ehlers Danlos Syndrome
Coffin-Lowry Syndrome
Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (21 hydroxylase deficiency)
Congenital Fibrosis of the Extraocular Muscles
Congenital Stationary Night Blindness
Conradi-Hunermann-Happle Syndrome
Cowden syndrome (CS)/PTEN hamartoma tumour syndrome (PHTS)
Crouzon Syndrome
Cystic Fibrosis
Cystinosis
Czech dysplasia, metatarsal type also known as Progressive pseudorheumatoid dysplasia with hypoplastic toes
Dentatorubral-Pallidoluysian Atrophy (DRPLA)
Diamond Blackfan Anaemia*
Dominant Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa
Donohue Syndrome
Downs syndrome
Dravet Syndrome
Dyskeratosis congenita (Male embryos only)
Dystonia 1 Torsion Autosomal Dominant (DYT1)
Early-onset Alzheimer disease Type 3 & 4
Ectodermal dysplasia (Hypohidrotic)
Ectrodactyly, Ectodermal Dysplasia, Clefting Syndrome (EEC)
Ehlers-Danlos Type IV
Elastin (ELN)-related Supravalvular Aortic Stenosis
Ellis-Van Crevald Syndrome
Epilepsy, female restricted, with mental retardation (EFMR)
Facioscapulohumeral Dystrophy
Factor XIII deficiency
Familial Adenomatous polyposis coli (FAP)
Familial Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (FHL)
Familial Paranganglioma Syndrome (PGL1)
Fanconis Anaemia A*
Fanconis Anaemia C*
Fragile X Syndrome
Fraser Syndrome
Frontotemporal Dementia
Gangliosidosis (GM1)
Gaucher Disease Type III
Gaucher's Disease (Type II)
Glutaric Acidemia (aciduria)
Glycogen Storage Disease Type 1A
Gonadal mosaicism
Greig's Cephalopolysyndactyly
Haemophilia A
Haemophilia B
Harlequin Ichthyosis
Hereditary diffuse gastric cancer
Hereditary Haemorrhagic Telangiectasia or Rendu-Osler-Weber Syndrome
Hereditary motor and sensory neuropathies
Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer: Lynch Syndrome (for all subtypes)
Holt Oram Syndrome
Homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia
Hunters Syndrome
Huntingtons Disease (Huntingtons Chorea)
Hydrocephalus
Hydroxyisobuyryl CoA Hydrolase Deficiency
Hyper IgM Syndrome - Hypogammaglobulinaemia*
Hyper-IgE Recurrent Infection Syndrome, Autosomal Dominant
Hypochondroplasia
Hypophosphatasia (Infantile/ Perinatal lethal)
Hypophosphatemic Rickets: X-linked dominant (Xlh)
Hypospadias (severe)
Ichthyosis
Idiopathic Arterial Calcification of Infancy
Incontinentia Pigmenti
Juvenile Retinoschisis
Kearns Sayre Syndrome (KSS)/ Pearsons Marrow-Pancreas Syndrome (PMPS)
Krabbe Disease
L–2-Hydroxyglutaric aciduria
Leber Congenital Amaurosis
Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy / Lebers Optic atrophy
Leigh Syndrome (Infantile Subacute Necrotising Encephalopathy)
Leigh's (subacute necrotising encephalopathy of childhood)
Lenz syndrome
Lesch Nyan Syndrome
Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency (Type I)*
Li-Fraumeni Syndrome
Long Chain 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency (LCHAD)
Long QT Syndrome Types 1, 2, 3, 5 & 6

Is ZIFT common across the globe?

Is ZIFT common across the globe?

In my opinion ZIFT is not as popular across the globe as the other methods of ART, but it is certainly very effective in some cases where there is no alternative. It is more invasive process as compared to the other processes. However, in some situations it is the only option to get success in pregnancy and I recommend it for the same reason. Statistically, only one percent of the total ART cases are contributed by ZIFT.

When ZIFT is ideal?

In case of severe problems related to the ovaries
The couple has undergone more than five cycles of IUI, i.e. Intrauterine Insemination.
The fallopian tubes of the female are unblocked
The couple is unable to conceive after continuous efforts of one year
The male partner has very low count of sperms

When ZIFT is not suitable?

There are a few scenarios when ZIFT is not effective at all

Gamete Intra-fallopian Tube Transfer (GIFT)

Gamete Intra-fallopian Tube Transfer

The biggest challenge for me as an infertility expert is to identify the type of infertility. There are various aspects of it and normally we go through elimination mode. An assisted reproductive procedure is used while treating the infertility so that the process of fertilization takes place easily. This procedure is the external aid to the normal natural process. GIFT is a special technique of ART where eggs and sperms are kept in the fallopian tube as soon as the egg matures.

I need to talk to the female partner and explain her about the procedure in detail because she is going to play a major role in that. Although the procedure is not very complicated, still she has to be convinced with it. GIFT is similar to an IVF (In Vitro Fertilization). The ovaries of a female are stimulated with external methods to release more than one egg so that the chances of success are increased. The male partner or donor gives the sperm for the process. The eggs and the sperms are mixed in the dish. Up to this point, GIFT and IVF are similar.

We have counseling session with the couple to explain the procedure. In case of GIFT, the eggs and sperms are transferred in the fallopian tubes and the fertilization happens there. In case of IVF, the fertilization takes place in the laboratory, outside the female body. The embryo gets the most natural environment immediately after the fertilization.

ZIFT is also same as GIFT, the only difference is, and doctors transfer the zygote or the newly fertilized eggs that are returned to the fallopian tubes instead of eggs and sperms. This process involves more complexity because there are two separate procedures to retrieve the eggs and again to insert the embryo.