Is Your Hectic Lifestyle Leaving You Childless?
Lifestyle Changes Affecting Female Fertility
According to an article published in The Times of India in May 2016, the everyday habits that we take for granted are leading to infertility in 20-30 percent married women in India. Some of these lifestyle issues can even lead to irreversible damage, making things worse.
Some of the harmful lifestyle issues that highly influence fertility, according to leading gynecologists in Bangalore include:
- Stress: This leads to unnatural changes in the hormones and affects blood flow to the uterus causing problems with conception.
- Obesity or Low Weight: Too much or too less weight can both have harmful effects on the woman's body. Obesity triggers hormonal imbalances, making it difficult to conceive and give birth. People who are underweight, on the other hand, could face problems such as impaired ovulation and menstrual cycle changes.
- Extreme Exercise: If you are an exercise freak, then stay prepared for complications in pregnancy. Excessive exercise uses up the energy, exerting undue amount of stress on your body.
- Smoking: Smoking disables eggs from fertilizing, thereby decreasing the chances of conception.
- Caffeine Intake: Excessive caffeine intake affects the developing egg (oocyte), leading immature oocyte to fertilize. It also enhances the chances of miscarriage.
- Alcohol: Other than disturbing your menstrual cycle, alcohol affects the fallopian tubes, which transport the eggs and the sperms.
Age: The ideal age to conceive is believed to be between 20 and 30 years. The FSH and estrogen hormones present in the woman's body start declining after the age of 35. After 35, the risk of chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus increases.
Psychological Impact of Infertility on Women
According to a newsletter published by Harvard Medical School, monetary worries, medication side-effects, and uncertain outcomes of pregnancy treatments all contribute to infertility related stress. The article concluded that women with infertility felt depressed and anxious, similar to those who were diagnosed with hypertension, cancer or heart attack. It is also found that women with multiple miscarriages are like to feel much more anxious about their future pregnancy.
According to the best gynecologists in Bangalore, women are the emotional support or caretakers of the marital relationship. They typicaly feel responsible for everything bad happening in the relationship. When they try to repress feelings, they become more anxious. When there is infertility, women in India tend to protect their husbands from their own pain by taking most of the responsibility of the treatment upon themselves. Also, male infertility is still a notion in its nascent stages in the patriarchal communities of India.
Treatment for Infertility
According to an article published in DNA India in February 2015, 90% of the infertility cases are treatable. With the success rates seen by IVF treatment, women have reason to raise their hopes. But in certain cases, simple medical procedures might not be sufficient to overcome infertility.
Gynecologists examine their patients, diagnosing the medical problems before suggesting any fertility treatment. If required, they also perform minor surgeries and laser procedures. Fertility restoration by stimulating ovulation via fertility drugs is a simple practice. However, some of these drugs could have side-effects such as multiple births, Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS) and long term risk of ovarian tumors. There are certain surgeries as well that help correct the problem or improve fertility in cases where the fallopian tube might be blocked. Laparoscopic or hysteroscopic surgery, tubal ligation reversal surgery (microscopic) and tubal surgeries are the most commonly performed surgeries for cases of infertility.
Reproductive assistance can also be provided through IUI (Intra Uterine Insemination), in which millions of healthy sperms are placed inside the uterus, close to the time of ovulation. There are several other assisted reproductive treatments. The best course of action is to consult one’s gynecologist to learn more about them.
