Infertility – An overview, Causes & Recent Advances

Overview on Infertility

Infertility is generally understood to be the inability to conceive after one year (or more) of unprotected intercourse. Some healthcare professionals assess and treat women aged 35 or older after six months of unprotected intercourse because it is known that women’s fertility declines steadily with age. Women who are experiencing infertility may think about scheduling a consultation with a reproductive endocrinologist, a physician who focuses on treating infertility. In addition, women who experience recurrent pregnancy loss—defined as two or more spontaneous miscarriages—may benefit from the assistance of reproductive endocrinologists.

Infertility affects up to 15% of reproductive-aged couples worldwide. According to World Health Organization estimate the overall prevalence of primary infertility in India is between 3.9 to 16.8%. It is very important to choose the best IVF hospital in Mumbai as the results of your treatment may depend upon the expertise & knowledge of the doctors. A problem with either you or your spouse, or a combination of circumstances that hinder pregnancy, may be the cause of infertility. Fortunately, there are numerous treatments that are risk-free and efficient and dramatically increase your chances of getting pregnant.  With 2987+ babies, 12+ years of successful journey, 600+ successful healing in a year & high success rate DR L H Hiranandani hospital is ranked among the top IVF centre in Mumbai.

Causes of Infertility

Infertility has a variety of causes:

1. One third of infertile women experience issues with their reproductive system.
2. An issue with the male reproductive system affects one in three infertile males.
3. One in three couples struggle with a shared issue or an unidentified problem.

Ovulation issues are a common cause of infertility (the monthly release of an egg from the ovaries).Some issues hinder the release of an egg completely, while others only do so during specific cycles. But there is no need to worry. You can get treated from the best IVF doctors in Mumbai. We at Dr L H Hiranandani hospital provide the Best IVF Treatment in Mumbai.

Infertility in women may result from any of the following:

1. Tubal disorders such as blocked fallopian tubes, which are in turn caused by untreated sexually transmitted infections (STIs) or complications of unsafe abortion, postpartum sepsis or abdominal/pelvic surgery;
2. Uterine disorders which could be inflammatory in nature (such as such endometriosis), congenital in nature (such as septate uterus), or benign in nature (such as fibroids);
3. Disorders of the ovaries, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome and other follicular disorders;
4. Disorders of the endocrine system causing imbalances of reproductive hormones. The endocrine system includes hypothalamus and the pituitary glands. Examples of common disorders affecting this system include pituitary cancers and hypopituitarism.

In the male reproductive system, infertility may be caused by:

1. Obstruction of the reproductive tract causing dysfunctionalities in the ejection of semen. This blockage can occur in the tubes that carry semen (such as ejaculatory ducts and seminal vesicles). Blockages are commonly due to injuries or infections of the genital tract.
2. Hormonal disorders leading to abnormalities in hormones produced by the pituitary gland, hypothalamus and testicles. Hormones such as testosterone regulate sperm production. Example of disorders that result in hormonal imbalance include pituitary or testicular cancers.
3. Testicular failure to produce sperm, for example due to varicoceles or medical treatments that impair sperm-producing cells (such as chemotherapy).
4. Abnormal sperm function and quality. Conditions or situations that cause abnormal shape (morphology) and movement (motility) of the sperm negatively affect fertility. For example, the use of anabolic steroids can cause abnormal semen parameters such sperm count and shape.

The super specialty field of infertility, it’s diagnostic and treatment modalities comprise an ever evolving science.

Some of recent advances are –

1) PRP of the ovary:

Injection of platelet rich plasma in the ovary is a ray of hope for women with declining oocyte quantity and quality. The patient’s own blood is taken, processed and then injected into the ovary. This contains lots of growth factors which activate the dormant ovarian follicles and cause rejuvenation of the ovary.

2)  Intrauterine infusion of PRP for persistently thin endometrium:

Adequate endometrial thickness is the main factor in implantation and pregnancy. Sometimes there is persistently thin endometrium in spite of different treatment modalities. These patients may benefit from intrauterine infusion of PRP.

3) OOCYTE CRYOPRESERVATION:

With the advent of modern society and careers taking priority the average age of marriage for girls is increasing. This has in its wake a huge problem – low number and quality of eggs when actual childbearing is desired. With the introduction of excellent cryopreservation techniques, the relatively younger age eggs can be frozen and the woman can enjoy the pregnancy with her own eggs whenever she desires.

4) OVARIAN TISSUE FREEZING:

The treatment of cancer puts the woman to higher risk of infertility in the future. Ovarian tissue freezing is a procedure to remove, freeze and store ovarian tissue before cancer treatment is started.

5) MICRO DISSECTION TESE:

This is useful in men with azoospermia but may have few pockets of sperm production in the testis. The sperm retrieval rates have significantly improved using this procedure where previously using donor sperms was the only option.

6)  PGD/PGS:

This is to detect abnormality in the embryos where there is a family history of genetic abnormality or in patients with recurrent failed infertility treatments or recurrent abortions.

Even as we have seen these remarkable developments, the art of infertility is a work in motion. Future developments are in the pipeline and are to be seen on the horizon. Though not a perfect science, recent developments in the field of infertility are bringing smiles to more and more couples

Being ranked as the best IVF Clinic in Mumbai, We are committed to providing you, with the most advanced medical IVF treatments, offered in an empathetic and caring environment. Our IVF Doctors in Mumbai include highly-trained doctors, embryologists and nurses, all experts in their areas of specialization.

We also focus on lifestyle and stress management before any further advanced treatments. At The Centre for Human Reproduction, DR L H Hiranandani Hospital, we believe in taking a holistic approach with a personal touch for infertility treatment in Mumbai.