Help Wanted?

Here’s how a little bit of science can help you make a baby.....

- Dr. Rajalaxmi Walavalkar

The problem of infertility is a long-fought battle for couples, and in India, research estimates that nearly 27.5 million couples suffer from infertility—which amounts to almost 14 percent of the population. Several factors such as lifestyle changes and medical complications contribute to these problems. Thanks to medical advancements over the years, there are many methods of intervention and treatments that have helped many couples conceive, IVF is the most common.

HOW INFERTILITY OCCURS

Infertility typically happens when a couple is unable to successfully conceive post having regular unprotected sex. It may be a possibility that one partner is not able to contribute to conception, or the uterus does not have the capacity to carry a pregnancy to full term. Infertility is often defined as not conceiving even after twelve months of regular sexual intercourse without the use of birth control. Many couples residing all around the world these days find it difficult to conceive naturally and are faced with infertility.

There can be various reasons for a delay in childbearing. In women the physical causes of infertility include, being overweight or under-weight, having blocked tubes, scarring of the uterus, cervix or tubes and issues with ovulation or an unsteady menstrual cycle. Smoking knowingly upsurges the peril of infertility in both men and women, and it may reduce the success of fertility treatment. Smoking during pregnancy increases the prospects of the mother having a loss of pregnancy. Passive smoking has also been associated with lower fertility. Similarly, alcohol ingestion negatively affects the chances of conceiving. If you are suffering from an eating disorder that contributes to a drop in your weight and contributes to vitamin and mineral deficiencies, fertility issues are bound to arise. Additionally, a lack of the absence of folic acid, zinc, iron, and vitamin B-12 can disturb fertility.