How do food supplements add a value to IVF?

How do food supplements add a value to IVF?

Treating each case of infertility opens a new window of knowledge to me. I have no hesitation in accepting the fact that treating infertility is a taxing job. However, the challenges and thrills keep me excited about it.  Resolving queries of childless couples and giving them correct and authentic information is a major part of the treatment.

Patients always wonder about the variety of food supplements prescribed during infertility treatment. They are not able to realize the importance and relevance of it. We all know that food supplements are prescribed when there is a deficiency of particular nutrients in the body.  Since they support our daily diet by fulfilling the deficiency of vitamins and minerals, they are called dietary supplements also. As an infertility expert, we prescribe various supplements after analyzing the physical condition of the patient. It varies from patient to patient.

Role of food supplements
When we prescribe these supplements to an infertile couple, there are two reasons. Firstly, they correct the deficiency, if any. Secondly, these supplements improve the quality of eggs and correct the hormonal balance by reducing stress. They provide micronutrients that are available in fruits, vegetables, herbs, and nuts. Though it is possible to provide them through a balanced diet also, but it is not possible during infertility treatment.  Stress, anxiety, and other psychological factors affect the intake of food in females resulting in malnutrition. The process of conception may get hindered due to inadequate nutrients. Therefore, we prescribe dietary supplements.

Types of supplements
Food supplements prescribed to IVF patients can be categorized based on their characteristics. I prefer antioxidants and essential amino acids because they help greatly in the success of IVF procedures. PCOD mimetic or Insulin sensitizers are given in specific cases if needed. It is a fact that these supplements play a vital role in the success of the treatment.

Antioxidants extracted from the natural sources are considered goodfor treating infertility patients. These antioxidants delay the process of aging and thus, remarkably improve the health of a reproductive system. Pycogenol, Melatonin, and co-enzyme Q are some of the popular antioxidants. They all are extracted from the natural sources like wheat grass or a pine tree.Myo-inositol is an insulin resistant that improves the ovulation process.

Folic acid is another vital supplement that is prescribed during the treatment.  It is an important element that helps in sustaining pregnancy. Folic acid also plays a critical role in the development of the fetus.
Extracting the maximum benefit from it

It is a reality that dietary supplements alone do not help. The success of infertility treatment or IVF depends on the treatment method, physical and mental readiness of the patient, and the overall health. It is a combined effect of dedicated efforts of the patient and the doctor.

 We decide food supplements according to the physical condition of a patient. Though there are hardly any side-effects of these supplements, but still we need to monitor them for some time. Anything unusual needs immediate consultation.

Am I the best infertility expert?

Am I the best infertility expert?

When I look back at the past as an infertility expert, it is impossible to believe the revolutionary change. I remember the times when people had limited choices to opt for. Infertility experts were not many, and treatment was costly and cumbersome. The success rate was very low, and the charges were overwhelming.  The scenario has completely changed today. The awareness has increased manifold. The patients are well-informed about the treatment methods.

How do patients select an infertility expert?

Patients do a lot of homework before they take an appointment.
•    They consult others: Even today, patients rely most on the opinion of others. They talk to the friends, family members, and relatives about the best infertility expert around. Hence, it is important for me to maintain a good reputation in the market.  It is important to be a great infertility expert, but it is more important that people talk about it.  High professionalism and cut practice force people to rely on t the opinion of close friends or relatives.

•    First impression matters:It is the most crucial moment when the couple visits my clinic for the first time. It is nothing but “love at the first sight”! Patients expect that the infertility expert listens to the problem sympathetically. They need proper handholding and guidance. They need a reassurance about the effectiveness of IVF treatment. They like to listen about the success stories. As an infertility expert, it is my duty to build trust about the treatment method. If I do it successfully, then half of the battle is won.

Characteristics of a great infertility expert

I have been in the field of infertility treatment from a long time. A few characteristics are important in an infertility expert:
•    Counseling:  There are various moments of pain and sorrow during the infertility treatment. Good infertility expert acts as friend, philosopher and guide to the infertile couple. He or she responds to the questions and explains the reasons for failure.
•    Command over the subject: A good infertility expert has superb command over the subject. He keeps the patients well-aware of the treatment methods and procedures. He knows the pros and cons of every move and does not get panic with the situation.
•    Attitude: a good infertility expert always gives full attention to the patients. They are not left on the mercy of junior staff during the crucial moments. They are treated with utmost care and affection.
•    Transparency: Patients like complete transparency in the treatment. They should be involved in every decision and explained about the risks and success ratio.

Success of an infertility treatment greatly depends on the patient-doctor relationship. There has to be complete trust between the two parties. It is a long running treatment, and there are various ups and downs in the journey. Hence, it is important that the bonding is good. It is important that patients must consider me the best infertility expert.  I may be a great doctor from my perspective, it is important that my patients perceive that!

Study shows that frozen embryos are better than the fresh ones

Study shows that frozen embryos are better than the fresh ones

The treatment of infertility takes advantage of the modern techniques. We infertility experts talk to the infertile couples and discuss various aspects and possibilities of bringing the joy of parenthood in their life. One such remarkable technique is the use of frozen embryos for In Vitro Fertilization.  Infertility experts have been using them from a long time with a great success rate. According to the specialists worldwide, it is one of the leading reproductive techniques. Modern tools have increased the possibility of successful childbirth manifold. IVF with frozen embryo is bridging the gap between having no children and having children. 
Though the techniques have been in use from years, it was not so much developed and sophisticated earlier.

Statistical research reveals the effectiveness of frozen embryo in making the pregnancy effective in multiple ways. Infertility experts worldwide have admired the technique of frozen embryos for easiness and convenience. However, these findings establish their credibility in terms of improving the quality of pregnancy and childbirth.

Does frozen embryo affect the quality of pregnancy?

It is a fact that frozen embryos have better success rate as compared to the normal one. According to statistics, women in the age group of 36 to 42 have shown more than 75% successful pregnancies with frozen eggs against 54% with fresh fertilized eggs. This is a major contradiction to the popular belief that fresh embryos show better success rates than frozen ones.

Not only the better success rate, but frozen embryos show fewer miscarriages and longevity of the fetus. In addition to that, chromosomal screening proves that frozen embryos show fewer birth defects as compared to the normal embryos. A single embryo implantation makes sure that the couples will have only one child per birth reducing the most common problem of multiple births, the biggest nuisance in IVF Treatment.

It is a biological fact that pregnancy through frozen embryo is much stable because women are free from the hassles of hormonal treatment and painful procedure. Stress and strain affect the quality of pregnancy. Earlier it was believed that immediate implantation of embryo needed for a successful pregnancy. However, research in the later years showed that frozen embryos are equally effective in a successful pregnancy.

How are frozen embryos convenient?  
                                
I work in two steps as an infertility expert. First, I give hormonal treatment so that the body starts producing quality eggs. Modern technology makes it possible extracting multiple eggs and keeping them preserved for subsequent use. It is obvious that the facility gives us a chance to use frozen embryos in each case we treat. Since IVF depends on various factors, multiple attempts may fail. Frozen embryos are helpful in trying pregnancy for multiple times.

The procedures are time-taking and tedious. Therefore, I extract matured eggs with hormonal treatment.It is especially helpful for patients above the age of 40 years where women can’t undergo stressful treatment.  The latest findings give a positive thrust to the infertility treatment. With the coordinated efforts of patients success can be achieved quickly.

Being pregnant at 40 with infertility treatment

Being pregnant at 40 with infertility treatment

Pregnancy at the age of 40 is surely not a recommended thing in the normal case. However, we infertility experts consider it quite a normal thing. Today, women diagnose infertility problem quite late, and they don’t have any option than trying for pregnancy till the age of 40. Recent studies indicate that the modern techniques have made it easy to conceive in the later life. Thousands of women are experiencing the joy of motherhood with the help of advanced infertility clinic. Due to the intense care and constant supervision, it is possible to carry out pregnancy safely and give birth to a healthy child. Infertility treatment is the process of correcting the fundamental medical problem and establishing the natural balance of the reproductive system.

What helps in the journey of successful pregnancy at 40?

A few factors make the journey of pregnancy successful and smooth. Infertility is a condition affected by several internal and external factors and we experts work on resolving these conditions. Several physical and psychological factors contribute to the issues related to fertility problem.

1.    Understanding that it is not a local problem: We need to understand that infertility is not a local problem, but the disruption of various systems including the reproductive system.  We infertility experts work on the problems in totality and not on an individual basis.

2.    Establishing the natural balance is important: Factors like pollution and toxic elements affect the inner environment of the body. For infertility expert like me, the biggest challenge is to bring the balance in the body. The internal environment shows incredible improvement when we establish the natural balance back.

3.    It is important to achieve an early breakthrough: The journey of infertility treatment is not easy. It is important to achieve success as early as possible. If we repeat the cycles of IVF especially after the age of 40, then there are multiple times increase chances of miscarriages or premature birth. It is possible that babies born with deformities or they are mentally challenged. It is a painful experience for the couple. Though advanced medical science reduces the chances of such mishaps, but it is recommended going through the procedures as early as possible.

4.     Step-by-step holistic treatment helps: When we work on the cases of infertility treatment at the age of 40 or above, the prime focus is on a step-by-step holistic process. Understanding the capability of the reproductive system is the first step. Various methods are used for assessing it. Physical and mental capability are tested through physical examinations and counseling. We explain the painful and arduous procedures to patients and analyze the readiness; Treatments and procedures are explained to them at length and also told about the probability of success. These efforts set the expectations well, and the journey becomes easy.
The combined efforts of infertility experts and infertile couple dramatically increase the chances of having a healthy baby. It is a remarkable moment for the childless couple, a joint success of the patients and the infertility expert!

The latest finding could save infertile men from biopsy

The latest finding could save infertile men from biopsy
It is a fact that male infertility is much complex, and we infertility experts need to put a lot of efforts to dig out the cause. Moreover, the diagnostic procedures involve many evasive surgical procedures to determine whether the infertility is caused due to obstructive reason or non-obstructive. It is a depressing and painful experience for the patient. However, the recent findings have shown a ray of hope for painless diagnosis.

According to the researchers, two distinctive proteins ECM1 and TEX101 can help in diagnosing the cause of male infertility and deciding the plan of action. They are hopeful that the findings can give as accurate results as biopsy, and it is an encouraging fact indeed. Thousands of infertile men would feel a great relief to know about it. They will be relieved from the painful holes in the testicles.

Statistics reveal that almost half of the cases of male infertility are caused due to a physical blockage in some part of the male reproduction system. It prevents the sperms from entering into the semen before ejaculation. The above-mentioned research is based on the analysis of various proteins found in the semen.  Researchers are hopeful that the analysis of the protein itself would indicate whether the patient is suffering from obstructive infertility or not.

Types of male infertility

a.    Structural infertility: It occurs when there is a congestion or obstruction in the male reproduction system. Swelling in the nerves or structural problems in the testicles cause this type of infertility. The treatment involves surgical procedures. Male infertility surgery is highly complicated and prone to risk. We need time to diagnose the exact cause of infertility.

b.    Functional infertility: Functional infertility is associated with the quality and quantity of semen. The most frequent causes are low count of sperms and low motility of sperm. Genetic issues and hormonal disorders also come under this category. Absence of semen or low production of semen can also cause functional infertility. We treat the symptoms by prescribing drugs. In some cases, minor surgical procedures may also be needed.

Treating obstructive male infertility

We treat obstructive male infertility in two ways:
a)    We fix the problem by a surgical procedure
b)    We extract sperms from testicles by sperm retrieval process that lasts around three hours
In case of men suffering from obstructive infertility and absence off sperms, we have to undergo sperm extraction surgery without any guarantee of finding sperms.  Even in case of men who do not produce any sperm we need to perform sperm extraction surgery. It is a total waste of resources because there are no sperms present in the testicles.

The latest research indicates that it is possible to determine the presence of sperms by testing protein TEX101. We need not perform the painful operation for sperm extraction. It is assumed that with the completion of the research it is possible to derive simple and cheap infertility treatment for men. The latest findings will open further options for effective treatment of male infertility.

Is it a reality that embryo transfer needs complete bed rest?

Is it a reality that embryo transfer needs complete bed rest?
Infertile couples talk a lot about the treatment to their friends and relatives and collect loads of wanted/unwanted information with them. It is further easy to search information on the Internet, irrespective of its validity or necessity. We infertility experts and our technicians struggle hard to clarify these misconceptions. Believe me, it is a marathon task. Sometimes, these concepts are so deeply rooted that we have to spend immense energy in clarifying them. Counseling is an important aspect of infertility treatment. We use it not only for clarifying the technical facets of infertility treatment, but to clarify the doubts and misconceptions also.

Bed rest after an embryo transfer, the popular misconception
One of the biggest worries, especially for the working women is about the so-called “mandatory” bed rest after an embryo transfer.  It is hard to believe, yet true that many women postpone the decision of embryo transfer due to non-availability of leave. Patients believe that the transferred embryo is very “fragile” because it is inserted by the doctors. Jerks, movements, or exertion may result in falling out from the uterus since it is not a “natural” embryo!

The truth
It takes quite a long time for us to convince patients about the reality. Various arguments need to be given justifying it:

•    The structure of our body has been designed quite wisely by the nature. An embryo is placed at such location that the normal bodily activities could not cause harm to it. Jerks during the routine activities like coughing, sneezing or walking do not harm the embryo at all.
•    Technically there is no difference between the so-called “natural” embryo and the “transferred” one. Both get placed at the same location in the uterus and body responds to them in the same way.  Once it gets attached to the uterus, it hardly matters whether it was created in a bedroom or in a laboratory.
•    When the pregnancy happens in the normal way, women have to follow certain precautions. They are just the normal ones like not lifting heavy weights or not doing too much exertion. It is restricted to participate in activities like athletics and gymnastics during pregnancy. The same restrictions are applicable to the embryo transfer also.
•    There is no need of forcible bed rest after an embryo transfer unless there are valid reasons for the same. Rather, it can be quite demoralizing and devastating for a woman to be confined in the home without any apparent reason.  You tend to think endlessly about the pregnancy and possible outcome after 9 months.
•    Infertile couples face a dreadful time during the notorious two week’s waiting period (technically referred as 2WW) when they wait for the pregnancy test after a successful embryo transfer. These two weeks are considered the longest weeks in the life. A bed rest followed by it could be fully miserable to the couples.
Embryo transfer is just a biological process performed with an external aid. There is no need to make an awe of it and follow unnecessary misconceptions!

When infertility affects the marriage!

When infertility affects the marriage!

The couple was immensely worried and disturbed. I had several counseling sessions jointly, but could not make them comfortable. Finally I decided to talk to them separately and that too without revealing the fact. I called the husband for a routine meeting and started probing about the exact problem. Bingo! I hit the bull’s eye. It was none other than the commonest problem of infertile couples. Male partners are always worried about their spouses more than the infertility problem. It is a truth, that infertility affects women severely. Does it mean that men are not concerned about infertility? They are, but the erratic behavior and emotional outburst of their partners bother them more than the actual problem. Women are always emotionally fragile than the men. Their reaction is always highly intense and harsh towards infertility.
The turmoil of infertility

Major issues that disturb the married life:
a.    Women become obsessed about it:  Yes, it is the biggest issue. Female partner will always be fixated on conception. They eat and drink infertility. It is the first thought when they wake-up, and they go to sleep with the same thought. Intense mood swings and depression are the other symptoms due to the obsession.

b.    Social withdrawal: Infertile women avoid interaction with others, and it is another challenge for men. They try to take the partner out of shell by arranging picnic, going for dinner or booking the movie tickets.  However, women do not cooperate to the efforts and prefer to stay alone. It is also a common observation that women avoid family functions where they encounter children and moms.

c.    Losing interest in activities they are fond of: Infertile women lose interest in their favorite activities. They don’t read the favorite book, don’t enjoy the favorite music and don’t visit the favorite place. This is quite annoying factor for the spouse. Initial distress and discussion converts into big disputes sometimes causing damage to the married life.

Don’t upset about it, take it easy!
It is a disturbing issue for the husbands. They do not know how to react and tackle the problem. Husbands are unable to understand the reason behind the worry.  Isn’t it appropriate to meet head-on to the issue instead of getting annoyed with it? 

Undoubtedly it is a tough time and infertility experts try their best to bring the life to normal. However, the infertile couple play major role in achieving the desired results. Especially the female partner should understand that marriage is valuable than the infertility problem.

Man alone can’t correct the situation. Women have to come forward and change the attitude. It resolves the deadlock and the couple move forward towards a bright tomorrow. Women need to understand that there has been great advancement in the medical science. With the correct diagnosis and the right treatment it is possible to defeat infertility problem. It is important to keep the morale high and fight back rigorously. Practicing self-motivation is the key to success. With the right approach and positive attitude they can certainly win the battle.

The surprising relationship of Asthma and infertility

The surprising relationship of Asthma and infertility

Dramatic increase in the cases of Asthma and other respiration problems has been observed recently. There are some fundamental reasons behind it. Firstly, air-conditioning has become quite common in the household and office premises. Secondly, the percentage of dust particles and other irritant factors have increased manifold. As a result, people face respiration related problems quite frequently.

Surprisingly, these problems are not a cause of concern for ENT specialists only, but infertility experts are also equally worried about it. Research indicates that women suffering from Asthma are less fertile as compared to women without Asthma. In some cases, the problem does not cause infertility, but there is a significant delay in pregnancy.

The research

The research was conducted on a sample of 15000 women under the age of 40 years. 1000 women of the lot wereAsthmatic. They were identified into two categories further. Those who received treatment for Asthma identified separately. Lifestyle factors like smoking and eating habits were also considered. The group was asked about the pregnancy history. The results were surprising. Out of those suffering from Asthma, around 27% had a hard time during pregnancy. The percentage was 21% in the healthy women. Similarly, the women suffering from Asthma and did not receive treatment had 30% fewer chances of conception. The same percentage was 23% in those who received treatment.

It is quite clear that Asthma creates an adverse effect on fertility. Treatment of Asthma certainly reduces the risk of infertility but doesn’t eliminate it fully. Experts think that Asthma causes systemic inflammation, and that is the cause of infertility.  Such patients should start the married life early. It may cover-up the delays in conception, and they become pregnant at the right age.

Why does Asthma cause infertility?

Asthma is a chronic disease related to the respiration system affecting millions of people worldwide. It causes inflammation in the air passage and other areas of the body. Along with other organs, it affects the fallopian tubes causing infertility problem in females. There is a clear association between Asthma and delay in pregnancy.  Though the research indicates the trend only and concrete conclusion yet to be established, but the interrelationship shows a direct correlation.

Other than inflammation, Asthma affects the immunity of patients, and they are prone to infections.  Due to weakness of the overall system, there is an adverse impact on the hormonal secretion, a vital aspect of the reproduction system. It may create infertility issues in the future.

This research will help significantly in the treatment of infertility. Doctors are hopeful that treating Asthma with strong medication will help in recovering the problem and women will not face infertility problems in the future. Therefore, it is important to treat Asthma in the early years, especially in case of the girl child. In a Country like India where living conditions are prone to respiration related diseases, the finding could be extremely useful. Dedicated programs are needed from government and other agencies for eradicating Asthma. It will reduce infertility cases tomorrow.

The latest finding could save infertile men from biopsy

The latest finding could save infertile men from biopsy
It is a fact that male infertility is much complex, and we infertility experts need to put a lot of efforts to dig out the cause. Moreover, the diagnostic procedures involve many evasive surgical procedures to determine whether the infertility is caused due to obstructive reason or non-obstructive. It is a depressing and painful experience for the patient. However, the recent findings have shown a ray of hope for painless diagnosis.

According to the researchers, two distinctive proteins ECM1 and TEX101 can help in diagnosing the cause of male infertility and deciding the plan of action. They are hopeful that the findings can give as accurate results as biopsy, and it is an encouraging fact indeed. Thousands of infertile men would feel a great relief to know about it. They will be relieved from the painful holes in the testicles.

Statistics reveal that almost half of the cases of male infertility are caused due to a physical blockage in some part of the male reproduction system. It prevents the sperms from entering into the semen before ejaculation. The above-mentioned research is based on the analysis of various proteins found in the semen.  Researchers are hopeful that the analysis of the protein itself would indicate whether the patient is suffering from obstructive infertility or not.

Types of male infertility
a.    Structural infertility: It occurs when there is a congestion or obstruction in the male reproduction system. Swelling in the nerves or structural problems in the testicles cause this type of infertility. The treatment involves surgical procedures. Male infertility surgery is highly complicated and prone to risk. We need time to diagnose the exact cause of infertility.
b.    Functional infertility: Functional infertility is associated with the quality and quantity of semen. The most frequent causes are low count of sperms and low motility of sperm. Genetic issues and hormonal disorders also come under this category. Absence of semen or low production of semen can also cause functional infertility. We treat the symptoms by prescribing drugs. In some cases, minor surgical procedures may also be needed.

Treating obstructive male infertility

We treat obstructive male infertility in two ways:
a)    We fix the problem by a surgical procedure
b)    We extract sperms from testicles by sperm retrieval process that lasts around three hours
In case of men suffering from obstructive infertility and absence off sperms, we have to undergo sperm extraction surgery without any guarantee of finding sperms.  Even in case of men who do not produce any sperm we need to perform sperm extraction surgery. It is a total waste of resources because there are no sperms present in the testicles.

The latest research indicates that it is possible to determine the presence of sperms by testing protein TEX101. We need not perform the painful operation for sperm extraction. It is assumed that with the completion of the research it is possible to derive simple and cheap infertility treatment for men. The latest findings will open further options for effective treatment of male infertility.

Infertility is an issue to be taken seriously

Infertility is an issue to be taken seriously
Infertility experts are one of the busiest people in the medical field. Not because they treat more patients than they can handle, but because they need to spend a lot of time with patients. The treatment is lengthy and tiring. It drains out the energy and enthusiasm from patients and doctors. According to the researches, one in six couples faces some kind of infertility problem. Some of the couples don’t even notice it till they realize the delay in conception. They waste valuable time in waiting for conception. It causes delay in the treatment and eventually in the pregnancy. Therefore, it is highly recommended taking infertility seriously.

Why should couples take it seriously?
2009 was the turning point when WHO formally declared infertility as a disease and declared that it needs treatment just like other diseases. It opened new possibilities of research and development towards effective treatment of the ailment.

Infertility is a severe mental and physical issue for the couple, especially for women. It is difficult to face the reality and cope up with the mental trauma. In spite of being the most advanced medical advancement in the medical history, IVF is quite complicated and cumbersome treatment. Infertility is a major crisis and not only gets the couple, but the entire family and society affected by it.  Infertile couples need love and understanding.  Counseling helps in fighting with the crippling effect.

Infertility treatments usually last long and there are multiple iterations of treatments. Hormonal treatment is an integral part of it causing mental ups and downs. There are moments of joy and devastation.  Hence, couples need perpetual motivation and support. They need encouragement and positive thrust. Though infertility experts work in resolving the mental and psychological problems, but they need equal support from family and friends.

Some myths and facts about infertility
The more a couple takes it seriously, the better are the chances of recovery. Early treatment helps a lot in eliminating the fundamental cause and making the pregnancy possible. A few myths and facts about the infertility problem are:

•    Infertility is caused in women only: It is the commonest myth about infertility. As a matter of fact, only one third of the infertility cases are contributed by women. Rest two-third is shared by the male infertility and unexplained infertility. Therefore, find the fundamental cause of the problem as early as possible.

•    Every other couple is able to conceive as so as we: Couples think that conception is possible at the drop of a hat.  In reality, every third couple is facing infertility issues. Infertility experts convince and counsel patients about the reality.

•    Stress does not have correlation with infertility: In reality, stress has a direct correlation with infertility problem.  It affects the hormonal secretion that is a vital element of the reproductive system.  Deep rooted tensions and emotional problems make the impact severe.

•    Infertility problem gets cured with time: Infertility is an ailment that needs treatment. Waiting for years without a treatment makes the condition worse.

Take the infertility problem seriously to overcome it quickly. The joy of parenthood can be experienced after serious efforts only.