FAQ's

What is Infertility?

Infertility is defined as not being able to conceive even after trying for over a year of having unprotected intercourse. Nearly 15% of the couples fail to have children naturally, and the cause could be either in you or your partner, or a combination of reasons. Infertility also includes the cases where the female is unable to sustain pregnancy.
                               We at Aashakiran Fertility Center give our best to couples for treating infertility so that they enjoy parenthood. The advanced techniques of Assisted Reproduction have given hopes to several couples who have succeeded in completing their family through us.

What is the incidence of infertility worldwide?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) data, nearly 8-10% of couples all over the world are affected by one or other kind of infertility, with numbers ranging between 50 and 80 million. However, the incidence of such a condition may vary from one region to another.

Is infertility exclusively a female problem ?

No, infertility is not exclusively the problem with females. Nearly 30-40% of couples who cannot conceive due to infertility are due to the female partner, while an equal proportion, i.e. in 30-40% of cases, male partner is infertile. In 10-15% of the couples who are unable to conceive, both the partners are diagnosed with infertility. Whereas, 5-10% of the cases are of unexplained infertility i.e. the cause of the problem remains unexplained. 

MYTH: Babies Born After IVF Treatment Are Weak Or Abnormal.

 FACT: Over more than 3 million babies have been born after IVF treatment worldwide and the risk of any abnormality in such babies has not been found to be any more than other babies. The incidence of malformations in such babies is around 2%, which is comparable to that of babies born naturally.

MYTH: IVF Leads To Ovarian Cancer.

 FACT: Numerous studies have now confirmed that medications for IVF are not associated with risk of ovarian cancer.

Know About Female Infertility Causes

 The most common underlying causes of female infertility are explained below.

Fallopian Tube Damage

This could be attributed to endometriosis, infections, or adhesions. Such conditions lead to fallopian tubes getting blocked, thereby preventing the egg produced from the ovaries to reach uterus and unite with sperms.

Cervical Factors

The cervix produces a substance (mucous) that becomes thin at the time of ovulation, so that the sperm can easily pass through to meet the egg. Abnormality in the cervix results in poor quality of the mucous, usually a poor viscous mass that prevents the sperm journey through the cervix.

Endometriosis

It is a condition, the cause of which is not exactly known. It leads to the formation of cysts in the ovary, along with adhesions which distort the anatomy of the pelvis. It is also associated with poor egg quality.

Ovulatory Disorders

These occur when the FSH (follicle stimulating hormone), LH (luteinizing hormone) and estrogen hormones are not produced at the right time, in the right order and in the right amount. An imbalance in any of these hormones prevents the matured egg from being released from the ovary, thereby causing infertility. The three types of ovulation disorders are:

• Anovulation This is a condition when a woman does not ovulate at all.
• Luteal Phase Defect This is a condition where there is a mature egg, but it does not attach itself to the uterus, thus preventing pregnancy. This is due to a deficiency in the production of a hormone – progesterone that is needed to build the uterine lining for implantation.
• Premature luteinization This happens when the production of progesterone occurs prematurely, and thus interferes in maturity and fertilization of the egg.

Know About Male Infertility

The root cause of infertility in males could be traced to the problems or defects in the reproductive system during fertilization stages. Lower sperm count, defects in sperm production, problem with the movement of sperms, and issues with the quality of sperm are often the main reasons contributing to male infertility. ach of these issues has an underlying cause, and understanding these causes is the first step in the direction of infertility treatment.

Production of Sperms

Sperms are being produced in the testicles, under the influence of various hormones. There are various factors that are involved in the production of a healthy sperm which maybe hampered or disturbed due to the various causes listed below:

Hormonal Imbalance

Testosterone, FSH and LH rule the sperm production in your reproductive system. Over production or deficiency in the FSH or the LH retards the stimulation of the testicles and the testosterone respectively. As a result, your system is unable to produce adequate amount of sperms for conception.

Damaged Testicles

55% of males are diagnosed as infertile due to damaged testicles. Unable to respond to hormones, the testes lose their ability to produce healthy and viable sperms.

Absence of Testicles

Fertility is inhibited in case of undescended testicles. The testes loses its function, thus inhibiting the production of sperms.

Heat

The sperm production is very sensitive to any changes in temperature. Therefore, high temperatures like steaming hot water baths, Jacuzzis etc. which can overheat the testicles and can stop sperm production completely. Similarly, obesity and long hours of sedentary work can heat up the testicles causing low sperm production.

Retrograde Ejaculation

This is a condition where the semen is released into the bladder during ejaculation. This can be congenital, i.e. present since birth or may develop later in life due to diseases like diabetes, multiple sclerosis, prostrate surgery or some medications.

Duct System Obstruction

This condition accounts for 6% of the male fertility problems. There may be some obstruction in the passage of the sperm en route from the testis to the penis. This may be in the vas deference or the epididymis duct. If the blockage is on both sides, there will be no sperm in the ejaculate and results in azoospermia.

Hypospadias

One is born with this condition. The opening of the urethra is on the underside of the penis instead and thus the semen does not reach the penis.

Causes of Infertility ?

Infertility can be attributed to various factors in males and females, but there is no single underlying reason for it.

Female infertility could be due to ovulatory and anatomical disorders. These could be either due to inability of the egg to reach uterus or inability of the ovaries to release egg. It could also be due to damaged fallopian tubes. Sometimes a fertilized egg fails to attach to the uterus lining; and at times, an attached embryo fails to survive. Female infertility could also be due to certain other conditions such as autoimmune disorders, diabetes, tumors, and cancers, and certain hormonal problems such as thyroid or hyperprolactinemia. In certain other cases, infections such as Chlamydia, tuberculosis, gonorrhea in the womb can also contribute to infertility in women.

Whereas, male infertility could be due to blockage of sperm production or decreased sperm count. Apart from these, there are other risk factors, which could contribute to infertility in many, if not all the cases. These risk factors could be lack of sufficient nutrition, excessive smoking, sexually transmitted infections, or exposure to certain chemicals such as pesticides, herbicide, lead metal etc.