What is infertility?
Infertility is the inability of the couple to become pregnant despite of 12 months of unprotected intercourse.
It is a global health problem especially in South Asia. In India the prevalence is said to be between 2.5% to 16%. The common causes of female infertility include organic causes like ovarian, uterine, tubal disorders, thyroid problems, nutritional disorders, anemia, genetic disorders and mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. The common causes of male infertility include poor sperm quality, hormonal disorder, substance abuse, depression and some medication.
Typically, couples in India are expected to conceive within the first year of marriage and face considerable social pressure when that does not happen resulting in increased distress related to infertility. Consistent with life course theory, conception, pregnancy and child birth are major components in a women’s anticipated life trajectory. Infertility represents the major turning point marked by the agony of unfulfilled fertility ambition and challenges to one’s self-worth and confidence. Despite the fact that infertility effects both men and woman fairly equally in many societies, the woman is most often blamed when she does not get pregnant resulting in marital discord, social expression and discrimination. Sahakar and Gupta found that roughly 80% of Indian infertile women in India have sought treatment. 33% of these are classified as traditional treatments or religious rituals. Many couples in the tier 2 and tier 3 cities do not have access to good medical facilities.
Here are some FAQs and their answers:
- What are the available treatments for infertility? What is the process?
The available treatments for infertility are:
- Ovulation Induction: Involves stimulation of ovaries with oral / IV medications to grow eggs.
- Intrauterine Insemination: It is a process of deposition of the husband / donor semen into the uterus.
- Invitro Maturation: It is a process where immature eggs are collected and matured outside the body of women.
- Invitro Fertilization: It means fertilization of the eggs and sperm outside the body in the laboratory.
- Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection: Involves injection of the sperm directly into the egg / oocyte.
- Laparoscopy / Hysteroscopy: These are surgical procedures used to diagnose and if necessary correct abnormalities in the genital tract.
- Male – TESE / Micro TESE / PESA: Involves extraction of sperm from testis.
- What are the services offered at Gunasheela-Cauvery?
Variety of services for patients include evaluation and management of male and female infertility, evaluation and management of patients with recurrent miscarriages, etc.
Infertility services include:
- IUI (Intra Uterine Insemination)
- IVF-ET (Test Tube Baby)
- ICSI (Micromanipulation)
- IVM (In Vitro Maturation of Oocytes Oocyte Vitrification
- Assisted Laser Hatching
- TESA (Testicular Sperm Aspiration)
- MICRO TESE
- Pre-Implantation Genetic Screening
- Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis
- Diagnostic & Operative Video Laparoscopy & Hysteroscopy
- Surgery for Male Infertility
- Hormonal Assays
- Transvaginal Ultrasonography
Obstetric and Gynaecology services include:
- Pregnancy & Delivery Care
- Prenatal Care with Diet & Nutrition Counselling
- Intensive fetal monitoring during delivery
- Painless delivery
- Antenatal Clinic with special attention to High-Risk Pregnancy & Bad Obstetric History.
- Ultrasound scanning services
- Fetal echocardiography
- Gynaecological surgeries
- Laparoscopic-hysterectomies & fibroid removal
- What does Intra Uterine Insemination (IUI) mean?
Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) is a fertility treatment that involves placing sperm inside a women’s uterus to facilitate fertilization. The goal of IUI is to increase the number of sperm that reach the fallopian tubes and eggs to increase the chance of pregnancy. The success rates of IUI are closer to 20%-25%. The main indications of IUI are physical inability to have intercourse, unexplained infertility and when one has to use donor sperm.
- What does IVF mean?
IVF means fertilization of the eggs and sperm outside the body in the laboratory. It involves:
- Stimulation of ovaries to grow eggs
- Oocyte / egg pick up
- Processing of semen sample and fertilization of egg with sperm
- Culture of embryo for 3 – 5 days
- Finally transfer back of the embryos into the womb
- Are physical/personal activities restricted during an IVF cycle?
Exercise is great for relaxation, stress relief, good sleep and self-confidence – all the things you need to help you through your IVF journey. But it is better to avoid rigorous exercises and you can choose gentle ways to keep fit once you start treatment. Good exercise options to try during IVF include yoga and gentle stretching, swimming, or low-impact workouts.
Heavy exercise should be avoided after embryo transfer. You don’t need to avoid all physical activity –as the treatment outcome won’t be affected by something you do or don’t do.
You may find that you don’t feel up to your usual exercise activities, because of all the processes and procedures involved in IVF-Listen to your body! Don’t feel you have to force yourself to exercise just because it’s your normal routine.
- How painful is the egg retrieval process?
Women undergoing transvaginal oocyte retrieval are anxious and experience mild to moderate pain caused by the puncture of the vaginal skin and ovarian capsule with a needle in order to aspirate the oocytes. Repeated attempts are often necessary before success is achieved. Thus, it becomes important to ensure a comfortable environment for them minimizing their pain and anxiety and improving their cooperation. For these reasons, sedation alone or combined with analgesia, as well as different anesthetic techniques including general anesthesia, regional anesthesia, and alternative medicine approach like acupuncture, has been used during these procedures.
- Can I go for IVF treatment if I have undergone Tubectomy/sterilization or family planning?
Yes! Of course, you can. IVF procedure does not require the presence of open tubes. The eggs are retrieved from the ovaries and embryos are made outside the body. The formed embryos are directly transferred into the uterus.
- Is IVF safe?
IVF is a safe and effective treatment for infertility. IVF has very low risks to the patient. The risks include, ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, multiple gestations, ovarian torsion, ectopic pregnancy, and risks of the egg harvest procedure. As IVF leads to an increased chance for multiple pregnancy, the mother may have a more complicated pregnancy that may increase her chances of gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, and increased need for cesarean section. There has been no proof that IVF or the medications used in IVF lead to an increased risk of ovarian or breast cancers.
Babies born from IVF have the same low rate of birth defects as babies born from a natural conception. Additionally, studies have not detected any differences in the development or the abilities of the children born after IVF as compared to natural conception.
- Is IVF natural?
IVF is an assisted reproductive technique where the eggs are taken outside the body and fertilized with the sperms. In that way, it is not natural. Naturally, the fertilization and formation of embryos happen inside the body.
- Why should we choose Gunasheela-Cauvery?
Definitely yes! Gunasheela-Cauvery is a one-stop centre for all the reproductive problems with advanced technologies and a world-class IVF laboratory. The centre’s success rate is very high and consistent. They are very transparent and ethical in their treatment. They also look after the pregnancy resulted through their treatment with utmost care and try their best to help the couple to take the baby home. So couples with fertility issues should go to Gunasheela-Cauvery without any second thoughts to fulfil the dream of becoming parents.
- How healthy is your baby after IVF?
Most children conceived by ART are healthy. Children born from in vitro fertilization score higher on reading and verbal tests than other kids, according to a new study. The main risks for these children are poorer perinatal outcome, birth defects, and epigenetic disorders. However, whether ART procedures or infertility problems itself had led to these changes is still unresolved. Currently, the first IVF-conceived people are now more than 30 years old, and some of them have conceived children. Overall, the IVF babies are almost as healthy as their natural born counterparts.
- How would a patient be involved in infertility treatment?
Couple should first understand that no infertility treatment be it IUI or IVF always results in a pregnancy. Negative outcomes are as common as 80% in IUI and 50% in IVF cycles. Optimizing weight with good dietary and exercise regimens very important for a successful outcome. Treatment for infertility involves financial, physical, emotional investment with no guaranties of a successful outcome in many cases.
- How good is Gunasheela-Cauvery compared to other IVF centers?
Gunasheela is one of the oldest premier institute in South India. It has all the recent advanced technology with experienced in-house embryologists with consistent success rates of over 60%. The institute has an individualized and holistic approach to each couple, striving to give them the best pregnancy rates. It is very important to select a good IVF centre with the correct expertise especially when IVF treatment can become very expensive. Hence Gunasheela is now in Mysore with a full-fledged IVF unit striving to bring a smile on the face of childless couples.
