www.womanthismonth.com February 2017 43 tested,” says Dr Sudharani. So, is there a problem with me? “Women who fail to become pregnant after one year of unprotected intercourse should see a doctor. If the woman is 35 years old or more, she should seek help after six months of unsuccessfully trying to conceive,” advises Dr Sudharani. A good start It is quite common for young girls to suffer from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which is a common cause of infertility. It is a hormonal imbalance which disrupts the process of ovulation (the growth and release of eggs from the ovaries) without which pregnancy cannot happen. Dr Sudharani says: “Inculcating a healthy lifestyle in young girls will prevent most fertility- related problems later in life. A healthy diet, regular exercise, avoiding exposure to environmental toxins, avoiding smoking, alcohol, avoiding stress and prevention of obesity will arrest hormonal and ovulation related problems.” The plan of action In women, blood tests to check the relevant hormones, a test to check the fallopian tubes are clear and an ultrasound to check the uterus and ovaries are carried out. In men, simple semen analysis is the first line of investigation. Treatment depends on the cause of infertility; whether it’s tubal, ovarian, uterine or something else, says our expert. “Treatments vary from simple ovulation induction with medicines to intra uterine insemination [IUI] and in vitro fertilization [IVF]; depending on the type of infertility. Women with ovulation problems can simply be treated with medicines which help in production of an egg and its release.” In IUI, treated semen is placed inside the uterus during the time of egg release. It is the treatment of choice in couples who have unexplained infertility and men who have ejaculation problems or low sperm count. “The success rate of each cycle is 10 to 15 per cent, increasing up to 60 to 70 per cent with repeated cycles,” informs the doctor. “IVF is a procedure where the fusion of sperm and egg is made to happen in an artificial tubal environment of a laboratory. The female partner is given around 10 days of daily injections to stimulate the ovaries to produce the optimal number of follicles. Then all these follicles are aspirated into a tube under ultrasound guidance. These are combined with her partner’s sperm in a dish. The resulting embryos are transferred back to the uterus between two and five days later. Success rates vary according to the patient’s age, type and duration of infertility,” says Dr Sudharani. This treatment sees a 35 to 40 per cent success rate and is the treatment of choice for those with bilateral blocked tubes, severe male factor infertility, unexplained infertility with failed IUIs and in women with a poor ovarian reserve.
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