infertility Archives - MyMedicPlus

Late-night use of gadgets can cause male infertility: Study

Raj @ Mission — Tue, 19 Jan 2021 12:33:00 +0000

Source – https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

Accept it or not, most of us have a habit of scrolling through our phones or binge-watching serials right before we go to sleep. While we are aware that the blue light from gadgets can disrupt our sleep. A new study has made some shocking revelations.
The study

According to a recent study shared at the Virtual SLEEP 2020 meeting, it was found that there is a significant association between evening and late-night exposure to light from the gadgets and poor sperm quality. For the study, the effect of phone radiation on healthy male sperm and fertility was studied.

As per the World Health Organisation, the prevalence of infertility in the general population is 15 to 20 per cent, where male fertility contributes 20 to 40 per cent of this rate. In India, 23 per cent males suffer from infertility.
The data makes it the need of the hour to understand the causes behind infertility and treating them. And as per the study, the use of electronic and digital media devices can have a huge impact.

The use of smartphones, tablets after evening reduced sperm motility, sperm progressive motility and sperm concentration. It was found that the greater the exposure to the short-wavelength light (SWL) emitted from these devices, the higher was the percentage of the immotile sperm. Further, the study found that longer sleep duration is correlated with total sperm count and overall progressive motility.

In simple words, the light emitted from these gadgets can disrupt sleep and prevent sperms from reaching their destinations, thereby causing a surge in male infertility rates.

The excessive use of smartphones has made us dependent sick. The radiation can cause harm to the DNA of the person, due to which cells start losing their ability to recover on their own. These radiations when reaching to the sperm or egg cell can become a reason for abortions too.

It’s not that one should completely stop using gadgets, but they should not use it before bedtime.

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Infertility? Take The Weight Off Your Chest

Raj @ Mission — Sat, 26 Dec 2020 05:52:24 +0000

Source- http://www.businessworld.in/

New Delhi [India], December 24 (ANI/Mediawire): An everyday instrument may help steer many couples struggling with infertility in the right direction, rather than any popular advice – the weighing scale! That is correct. Obesity could be the real reason for many couple’s infertility problems. In both men and women, obesity severely damages fertility.
In women, obesity may cause irregular menstrual cycles , PCOS (Poly-Cystic Ovarian Syndrome), or the way a woman’s body stores sex hormones. Any of these three conditions may cause infertility. To make it worse, many women with obesity may be suffering from more than one of these conditions together.
If a woman with obesity tries to conceive without resolving the weight issue, she may expose herself and the baby to three more pregnancy risks caused by obesity: miscarriage , gestational diabetes and gestational blood pressure . That’s not all. The increased risk of birth defects such as congenital heart disease and host of other serious anomalies in the babies are linked to the mother’s obesity.
In men, a review of 14 studies found that 51% of men with obesity are more likely to have either no or very low sperms in their ejaculate .
Is there a dependable and lasting escape from the obesity trap? Yes, and understanding obesity could be the first important step.
DEFINING OBESITY:
Obesity is not defined by your weight alone. It is calculated by a unit called the Body Mass Index (BMI), that measures your weight in relation to your height to determine obesity and its severity.
World Health Organization (WHO) considers a BMI more than 30 as Class 1 obesity. BMI above 35 is Class II i.e., serious obesity, and BMI above 40 is Class III i.e., severe obesity.
Obesity is not a cosmetic condition. It’s a complex, chronic disease that requires medical attention as declared by the American Medical Association (AMA) in 2013, as a result of three decades of research and developments .
HOW TO TREAT OBESITY?
Will dieting work?
The restrictive diets don’t reduce obesity and majority of the people who diet regain the lost weight plus more according to several research findings.
What about exercise?
A review of several studies reported that clinically significant weight loss is unlikely to occur. Exercise programs actually play a role in weight regain after initial weight loss. Overall, aerobic exercise programs consistent with public health recommendations may promote up to modest weight loss (~2 kg).
Then what is the solution?
If you have tried lifestyle modifications, diet, exercise etc., and not losing much weight or unable to keep off the lost weight for long time, consulting a qualified obesity expert might be an option for you. Minimally invasive bariatric weight-loss surgery might be an option if your BMI is above 32.5 with type 2 Diabetes or any other obesity related co-morbidity; or if your BMI is more than 37.5 without any co-morbidity .
A review of 18 studies published in April 2020 reported that bariatric surgery significantly improved hormonal balance and sexual functions in both males and females, sperm count in males, and pregnancy in females.
Another study revealed that 62.72% infertile women with obesity succeeded in conceiving after bariatric surgery.
Now a days due to COVID 19, many Doctors offer online consultations. One could book an appointment at a center of one’s choice, and discuss the obesity issues with the expert doctor from the convenience of one’s home.
Don’t be a victim of obesity or its stigma. Obesity induced infertility can be treated with lasting results. The time to act against it is NOW!
Disclaimer: This article is sponsored by J&J in public interest. The views and opinions expressed in the article by participating doctors are based on their independent professional judgement. J&J (P) Ltd., BCCL and its group publications disclaim any liability for the accuracy or consequences flowing from adherence to their expert views.
This story is provided by Mediawire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/Mediawire)

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article above are those of the authors’ and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of this publishing house. Unless otherwise noted, the author is writing in his/her personal capacity. They are not intended and should not be thought to represent official ideas, attitudes, or policies of any agency or institution.

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Choosing surgery or IVF in the treatment of infertility in endometriosis

mymedicplus — Tue, 18 Feb 2020 06:35:11 +0000

Source: focusonreproduction.eu

Surgery or ART? A dearth of strong evidence reported at Campus meeting to favour specific infertility treatments in cases of endometriosis.

Which is preferable in the clinical management of infertility associated with endometriosis? Surgical or medical treatment such as IVF? Given the lack of randomised control trial data, this remains a dilemma in determining good practice. So, the take-home message from this January Campus meeting on endometriosis and infertility, organised by SIG Endometriosis & Endometrial Disorders, was that shared decision-making remains the best approach to ensure the wishes of the patient are respected fully.

Ying Cheong from the University of Southampton set out the pros and cons of IVF and surgery. Thus, while excision may be the only option for some women (IVF is not effective in severe endometriosis), surgery can neither prevent disease recurrence (51% reoperation rate) nor restore fertility. Her verdict was that neither IVF nor surgery is better, and decision-making has to be case by case. ‘What’s suitable for one person, may be unsuitable for another,’ she said.

A recurring question raised throughout this Campus was how a variation in surgical skills might affect outcomes. Could ablation be the solution? Massimo Candiani, from Milan, argued that ablation and laser techniques have improved – such that, for example, surgeons can now navigate more efficiently around the cyst. His research on CO2 fibre laser ablation has described the technique as a promising method to treat endometriomas while preserving ovarian function.(1) A small study found no statistical difference in endometriosis recurrence rates and is now being followed up with a prospective study on thermal effect post treatment.(2)

One significant challenge is identifying who needs ART following surgery. A strong case was made by Carla Tomassetti from Leuven for extending use of the endometriosis fertility index (EFI), which is a free tool now validated worldwide for postoperative fertility management. Endometriosis does not equal a need for ART, she argued. Instead, careful patient selection is necessary and EFI might be used as a ‘triage instrument’ to select patients for surgery or ART. However, Dr Tomassetti, a past co-ordinator of the SIG Endometriosis, added that there is still insufficient evidence to recommend laparoscopy before ART, or long downregulation with GnRH agonists.

Successful implantation is another major challenge in endometriosis cases. Velja Mijatovic from UMC Amsterdam, in emphasising past data showing that endometriosis affects multiple aspects of the reproductive cycle, from oocyte quality to embryogenesis and the receptivity of the endometrium, reported that the protein-coding gene BCL6 is now proving to be a promising biomarker for identifying impaired endometrial receptivity. He outlined findings suggesting that BCL6 overexpression is associated with adverse IVF outcomes and that patients with BCL6 overexpression may benefit from both surgical and medical treatment.

The enigmatic nature of endometriosis makes management of disease subtypes particularly challenging. For example, very little is known about the exact relationship between infertility and adenomyosis, with no RCT evidence available. Edgardo Somigliana described the relationship between adenomyosis, endometriosis and pregnancy as ‘complex’. The lack of quality evidence, he said, means that no firm guidance can be given on current treatment options (surgery, hormonal therapy, or treatments to reduce inflammation). The little evidence that does exist must be taken into consideration, he said, as well as the cost and safety (surgery complications) of a treatment. This approach was echoed by Ludovico Muzii, from Sapienza University of Rome, for colorectal endometriosis for which excisional surgery may not be as effective (weaker link with infertility than other subtypes). ‘The emphasis must be protecting the patient, such as not taking away the entire ovary,’ he said.

One emerging theory that could one day lead to new therapies for endometriosis is the role of the vaginal microbiome, with a hypothesis that micro-organisms may trigger the immune system to produce an inflammatory response in the endometrium. In his plenary lecture, Baris Ata from Istanbul presented his own research, which found differences between the microbiota (genus level) of women with moderate to severe endometriosis and controls.(3) For example, Streptococcus sp levels were increased in those with the disease, with similar results in a systematic review published last year (eg, increased Streptococcus and proteobacteria in endometriosis patients).(4) Although worth further research, the microbiome theory was described by Ata as a ‘chicken-and-egg situation’ because it is unclear whether endometriosis affects the microbiome, or vice versa. And any meaningful results will take years to produce.

One way forward in solving the mysteries of endometriosis could be through future studies of populations that are phenotypically homogeneous. This approach has already revolutionised clinical practice in oncology, as SIG co-ordinator Andrea Romano pointed out. It may also lead to breakthroughs in managing infertility in endometriosis patients.

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Implantation failures with infertility-associated endometriosis

mymedicplus — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 07:53:54 +0000

Source: contemporaryobgyn.net

Infertile reproductive-aged women with recurrent unilateral endometrioma had adverse outcomes from in vitro fertilization (IVF) compared with results in infertile reproductive-aged women with tubal factor infertility, according to a study in the journal Gynecological Endocrinology.

“A controversial issue is whether endometriosis per se exerts a detrimental effect on IVF outcomes,” wrote the Russian authors.

Objective
The purpose of the study was to assess the quality of embryos and the implantation rate in women with infertility associated with endometriosis. The 120 study patients, all ages 26 to 40, underwent IVF and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

Methods
They were then divided into two groups. Group One (n = 70, average age 33.21) consisted of patients with recurrent unilateral endometriomas, whereas Group Two (n = 50, average age 32.54) represented the control group with tubal factor infertility.

The quality of the retrieved embryos was evaluated according to the generally accepted classification of Gardner, indicating the rate of implantation in each group. Embryo transfer was performed for high-quality embryos.

“A controversial issue is whether endometriosis per se exerts a detrimental effect on IVF outcomes,” wrote the Russian authors.

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The low-carb, high-fat ketogenic diet may boost fertility for those struggling to conceive

mymedicplus — Fri, 19 Jul 2019 09:47:22 +0000

Source: phillyvoice.com

In addition to being widely popular in the mainstream of healthy eaters, the ketogenic diet has also been known to improve some health conditions, too.

One such condition is now thought to be infertility, which affects about nine percent of men and about 11 percent of women of reproductive age in the United States, according to the Nat ional Institutes of Health.

A functional medicine dietitian, Ali Miller, tells MindBodyGreen that the high-fat, moderate-protein and low-carb diet may be a natural alternative to fertility treatments that can influence the body’s fertility and ability to conceive.

In a column on the health and wellness website, Miller writes that the keto diet may help with four fertility issues: insulin resistance (less insulin is required to maintain blood sugar in ketosis), pituitary dysfunction (the diet optimizes leptin levels to help the body release the appropriate reproductive hormones), elevated levels of the hormone androgen and DHEA (the diet can effectively reduce DHEA levels, balance hormones, and counter androgenic excess), and body composition (keto can help people lose weight, reduce inflammation and promote the healthy production of hormones.)

“The standard American diet, filled with refined carbohydrates and sugar, has been associated with poor sperm health, negatively impacting sperm motility, morphology [shape], and shape count,” Will Cole, a doctor of chiropractic and a functional medicine expert in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, told CCRM Fertility. “Conversely, diets rich in healthy fats, like nuts, seeds, and omega fatty-acid-rich fish, have been shown to improve sperm health.”

Cole noted that even a fertile woman may have trouble getting pregnant if her partner’s sperm is low-quality.

Everyday Health notes that while the ketogenic diet can help someone looking to conceive to “kick-start a new health routine and lose weight,” experts agree that the body should not be in ketosis — the process of the body running on fat, instead of carbs — at conception or at any part of pregnancy.

The Mediterranean diet — which emphasizes fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, whole-wheat carbs and healthy fats — is thought to be ideal for preconception, the time before a woman gets pregnant because carbs are the primary source of fuel for a growing baby, according to Everyday Health.

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