FAQs

In each menstrual cycle a single egg is released from the woman’s ovary. For conception to take place the man’s sperm has to meet the woman’s egg. This usually takes place in one of the woman’s fallopian tubes and the fertilized egg then travels to the uterus and is implanted there. For pregnancy to take place, fertilization of the egg must be followed by a successful implantation.

As a woman ages, hormonal changes in her body can cause difficulties in ovulation. The quality and quantity of her eggs decline. The ability of an egg to become fertilized may also decrease with time, lowering the chances of conception. Miscarriage rates also increase with age.

Sterility and virility are entirely different conditions. An impotent man may have a good sperm count and he can impregnate his wife by artificial methods.

Likewise, a virile man who has regular sexual activity may not have any sperm in his semen at all. He may need ART with donor semen to solve his problem.

Semen overflowing from the vagina is not an unnatural phenomenon. If there is excessive semen some of it may overflow. This happens to a lot of women and has never been a cause for infertility. It is advisable to keep a pillow beneath the buttocks during intercourse to prevent the overflow.

The timing of intercourse should of course be targeted at the time of ovulation which is the most fertile period of a woman, but the couple should try at other times as well. A recommended time is usually on alternate days from Day9 to Day 19 of a regular cycle.

There is no connection between sexual pleasure and fertility. A normal sexual drive in a male or female depends primarily on the hormones, general health and social conditioning of a person. The kind of physical and emotional bond that has evolved between a couple, including matters related to sexual arousal, timing of ejaculation, orgasm is of great importance. In essence, any kind of breakdown in communication in a long term sexual relationship can often be the cause for such a loss in sexual desire. At URVARAA IVF we have trained and compassionate counsellors to help couples deal with these problems.

The common indications are:

• Severe Tubal blockage
• Severe male factor infertility such as low sperm count / low motility
• Moderate to severe endometriosis
• Unexplained infertility

Our doctors review the patient’s history and then guide them to the most appropriate treatment and diagnostic procedures.

The possibilities of success with IVF vary from patient to patient. The doctor can best predict the outcome only after a complete evaluation, which includes reviewing the history and any prior response to fertility medications. In India success rates have drastically improved for couples taking treatment under ART.

No, not usually. It lasts approximately 20 to 30 minutes and patients are usually sedated during this time.

Not at all. The risks are the same as for children conceived naturally.

1. CAESAREAN SECTION

A. Date of Caesarean section – The date of Caesarean section delivery will be decided by Dr. I. Lodh and her colleague doctors. The operation theater booking will be done by Dr. Lodh and her team but you have to coordinate with the hospital regarding the date and of admission, medical insurance, and other requirements.

“Advice admission” advice shall be given by Dr. I. Lodh on her prescription pad and “advice on/after admission” shall also be written by her. At the time of admission, please carry all necessary medical documents, USG reports, X-rays, blood reports, ECG reports etc with you. Generally, we prefer admission in the hospital on the previous evening/night.

In day care cases, admission happens early in the morning on empty stomach.

The hospital provides uniforms to the patient. Toiletries and footwear should be carried by you. So, please carry-

• 1. All medical prescriptions, documents, and reports.
• 2. Toiletries
• 3. Footwear

One family member is allowed to stay in a single room but in sharing rooms, family members are not allowed.

Please visit the patient during visiting hours, which are usually displayed outside the hospital.

We generally like to operate in the morning hours unless it is an emergency procedure. Emergency procedures can take place at any time of the day. Please be present in the hospital while the operation is going on. Do not leave the hospital when the surgery is ongoing. The doctor may want to talk to you regarding some expected procedure consent, etc. Please take this seriously.

After the operation, on the first day, we prefer to give painkillers and sedatives, so that the patient experiences minimum pain. The number of visitors should be restricted on the first day to make sure the patient is not exhausted or uncomfortable. Please do not talk to the patient too much.

Normally, we like to admit patients for 3 days after Cesarean delivery. On the first day, that is the day of operation the patient is not given anything to eat or drink. Intravenous saline is given and the patient is usually catheterized. Painkillers are given to keep her comfortable. On the 2nd day, the saline and catheter are removed and after checking the bowel sounds, the patient is given soft diet or normal diet. Medication become tablets and injections are usually stopped. She eats normal diet hereafter. Please do not give outside food or home cooked food while the patient is in the hospital. Do not bring flowers as they attract insects. In Bhagirathi Neotia Hospital, the baby is not kept with the mother in the room. The mother goes to feed the baby in the nursery or the baby comes to the mother’s room in the baby cot. In most of the other hospitals, the baby is with the mother in the same room. Usually, a dedicated nurse or Ayah is there to help. Or else a family member can help the new mother.

Swollen legs – It is very common for both the legs to swell after delivery. It goes away in a month”s time. However, the blood pressure should be monitored and it should be normal. If it is high then appropriate medication will be prescribed.

Sanitary napkins – Bleeding from vagina happens after delivery. This bleeding continues for six weeks. The amount of bleeding is like normal periods or less. However, if it is heavy in amount or duration then please inform Dr. Lodh. Appropriate care will be taken. You can use beltless sanitary napkins like Whisper even in the hospital. Please do not wear tampons.

Change of dressing on the stitches – after the operation, a sterile dressing is used to cover the wound. This dressing will be changed either on the day of discharge or in Urvaraa clinic after seven days. After removing the original dressing, a paper dressing is put on the wound. This paper dressing is to be removed after two days. Removal of this paper dressing is very easy and you just have to pull it out. After removal, you can have a regular shower using body soap. Also, apply antibiotic ointments on the wound twice a day for fifteen days.

Follow-ups – After c. section, Dr. Lodh prefers to keep the patient in the hospital for a minimum of three days. Many a time the baby needs to be admitted in NICU care for more than three days.

In that case, the mother decides to stay back in the hospital and go home along with the baby. We respect the mother’s decision and the discharge is delayed. This often happens in IVF pregnancies that babies are born. Usually, we advise coming to Urvaraa Clinic seven days after discharge from the hospital. However, if there is fever/ vomiting/excessive bleeding/excessive pain then please feel free to contact team -Urvaraa immediately.

One final follow- up is done when the baby is five to six weeks old. This is usually the last pregnancy check-up. During the follow-ups, you may or may not bring the baby along with you.

Medications – Kindly follow all the medications as prescribed in the discharge certificates. Please continue your thyroid medication/ diabetes/ hypertension etc after taking permission from Dr. Lodh.

Sleep – With the baby around, the mother will have less sleep than before. We recommend that the mother sleeps when the baby sleeps. This will reduce her tiredness. In the case of Insomnia, we do not like to prescribe sedatives to breastfeeding mothers.

Urine and stool problems – new mothers should eat home cooked food only. No outside food is allowed for the fear of loose motions and stomach upsets. Drink at least three liters of water daily. Food should be healthy balanced diet and highly nutritious as the mother is breastfeeding. Constipation should be avoided because that may give rise to piles and blood with stool. If necessary we prescribe gentle laxatives at night.

Weight loss after delivery – within one month of delivery ten to twelve kilos of weight is lost easily. One should eat healthy food because she is breastfeeding the baby. Exercise and workout are recommended at least two and a half month after delivery. Husband and wife can resume normal sex life after two and half months. Care should be taken to use condoms because pregnancy may happen soon after childbirth.

Rest and daily chores – after c. section with the arrival of a baby the mother has to look after the baby and feed her. This does not allow her to take bed rest. But, this is perfectly all right for the mother. However, lifting heavy weights and doing other daily chores should be done at least six weeks after c. section.

Medication: Please continue all above mentioned medicines in addition to any other prescribed medication that you may be already taking such as folic acid, metformin, thyroid medicines, heparin, baby aspirin, until we have the results of your pregnancy test.

Activities: You may resume all regular activities 5 days after post embryo transfer (ET). We strongly recommend that no form of complete bed rest is required 5 days after post ET. Do not sit in a hot tub or go for any sauna treatment. Out of town patients are recommended to stay back for 5 days after ET in the city.

Others: We would prefer your pregnancy test to be done at our center, however, if you plan to get it done elsewhere, please continue all prescribed medicines till yours test report is available. Either you and your gynecologist should contact us discuss the test reports and further course of treatment. Please do not stop medication unless your pregnancy test is negative. In case of positive pregnancy test contact your doctor for further advice. Usually vaginal tablets/ injections are continued till 3 weeks until USG is done.

Post embryo transfer: If there is any episode of severe abdominal pain, distension, excessive nausea or vomiting, bleeding from vagina, reduced urine output, breathlessness or any allergy/rashes, please report to Team Urvaraa immediately, Mobile No. 9830175415 (24 hrs.) Please SMS only or 033-2475-6000 (10 AM – 6PM on weekdays only)

There can be many causes of infertility in women. In the following, some of the most common reasons are described.

1. Hormonal Imbalance: Hormonal Disorders are quite common in young women. Hormonal Imbalances can cause ovarian issues and block the release of an egg from the ovary for fertilization.

2. Issues in Thyroid Gland: Both the surplus and inadequate emission of thyroid hormone can interfere with the menstrual cycle; if it is not controlled it can cause infertility in the future.

3. Gland disorders: The hormonal disorders starting from the respective gland itself can result in serious infertility disorders. It may include polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), the problem in the hypothalamus area of the brain, pituitary gland, adrenal gland.

4. Structural issues: Many suffer from unwanted growth in several internal body parts and organs such as the uterus which can block fallopian tubes, or, abnormal anatomy of the cervix or uterus, endometriosis, etc. can also be one of the causes of infertility in women.

5. Fallopian tube damage: Unwanted structures inside the ovary or scarring from prior surgery and/or pelvic infections can block the Fallopian tube. The diseases like pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) due to Chlamydia or gonorrhoea can result from it. Any damage in the Fallopian Tube, create problems with transportation of the egg(s) which blocks the fertilization inside the ovary, is one of the very common causes of infertility in women.

6. Irregular Menopause: Many Women just neglect this issue even from an early age. Later, it comes with major health issues like infertility.

The most common causes of infertility men and women are varied due to gender and age. In the following, some the reasons are described, which may help you to avoid infertility.

1. Failure to Ovulate: Among 40% causes of infertility of women, happens due to ovulation failure. It is mainly associated with increasing age. But sometimes it is caused by Ovarian or gynaecological conditions, such as primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or Endocrine Disorders.

2. Problems in the Menstrual Cycle: Menstrual cycles help the women for pregnancy. But if the cycle is not proper it causes problems like infertility. So, if you have constantly irregular periods, heavy blood, pain and it is taking longer time do consult a doctor.

3. Structural Problems of Reproduction Systems: In the male, the sperm carrying structures and in women the fallopian tubes sometimes get blocked due to structural problems of the body is also one of the causes of infertility.

4. Infections: Infections in the reproductive organs are also causes infertility. Untreated gonorrhoea and chlamydia in women can lead to a pelvic inflammatory disease which later causes structural damage to the reproductive organs.

5. Lifestyle disorders: Obesity, lack of physical activities, uncharted lifestyle.

6. Alcohol and Other Substances: Regular consumptions of Alcohol, Drugs, Large amount of Caffeine, taking Unprescribed medicines can also cause infertility

7. Stress: Busy Stressful life reduces the sperm count and damages the quality of eggs.

The causes of infertility depend on age, health conditions and genetics. In the following, some of the reasons are described.

1. Regular Ovulation Failure: The Ovarian or gynaecological conditions, such as primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), Gland Problems, Ageing, Insufficient egg formation, are the main causes of failed Ovulation.

2. Problems in Reproductive Organs: In many women, the fallopian tubes are found blocked which do not allow the sperm to get fused with eggs and prevents fertilization.

3. Poor Egg Problems: This can be genetic, poor health conditions, obesity, lack of special proteins needed for egg production are some more female infertility causes.

4. Irregular Menstruation Problem: Many women suffer from irregular menstrual cycles and experience pain, heavy blood loss, cramp and pain in the bowel area. If there is darker or pale colour of the blood during the period, you need to consult a doctor immediately. These problems damage the reproduction systems or works as an alarm to inform you about your fertility conditions.

5. Uterine Fibroids: Is a common problem where non-cancerous growth inside the uterus. These are like cysts which damages the reproductive system by blocking the sperm flow inside the uterus and prevent fertilization.

6. Infections: Infectious diseases like gonorrhoea, chlamydia, etc. are also causes of infertility.

It is very easy to detect the infertility problems as the female infertility symptoms can be easily detectable and if the proper precautions are taken the most common causes of infertility can be avoided at a very early age. In the following some common symptoms are described which can inform you how to check for infertility in females.

1. Irregular Menstrual Cycles: It stands for irregular ovulation. In this case, the eggs are not always released from the ovary or eggs does not even form which is a type of sterility in women.

2. Black or Darker or Completely Pale Menstrual Blood: Menstrual Blood is more likely to be bright red at the beginning of the cycle and gets darker in time. But if you are having the anomaly it may be a sign of endometriosis and you need to consult a doctor immediately.

3. Heavy, Long or Painful Periods: Many women experience heavy, long or painful periods but, if you are having this for a long time and also having pain during intercourse, chronic pelvic pain, fatigue, nausea, constant headache, pain during bowel movement, please consult a doctor as it can, later on, create problem during ovulation.

4. Not Getting Pregnant after Several Attempts: If you are not getting pregnant after several attempts there is a chance either you or your partner is infertile or both.

There are multiple factors that can work altogether and be causes of infertility.

1. Being Over or Under Weight: If the Body fat levels are more than 10 to 15 per cent above normal it increases estrogen levels in the body, which disrupts the reproductive cycle. But, if the Body fat levels are below 10 to 15 per cent than normal, it can completely shut down the reproductive process. So, maintenance is key.

2. Having a hormonal imbalance: Irregularities in the hormone system (characterized by irregular menstrual cycles or short, long, or heavy periods) can affect ovulation.

3. Having an autoimmune disorder: Some diseases like lupus, diabetes, thyroid, and rheumatoid arthritis can interfere with fertility.

4. Taking medication: Randomly and Massively using Antidepressants, antibiotics, painkillers, and other drugs used to treat chronic disorders, without a doctor’s consult may cause temporary infertility.

5. Using tobacco or alcohol: Smoking can rapidly increase the risk of infertility in men as well as women. Uncontrolled consumption of Alcohol and other substances have become the most common causes of infertility.

6. Being exposed to occupational or environmental hazards: If you are exposed with heavy metals or radioactive elements, work under heavy mental stress, high temperatures, chemicals, or heavy electromagnetic or microwave emissions, it can cause infertility among men and women.

7. Fallopian tube Blockage: Fallopian tube blockage accounts for about 20% of infertility cases treated at Urvaraa.

There are many ways one can enhance his fertility if he/she knows the causes of infertility first. In the following, some easy tips are given.

• Get Active: If you work out regularly and stay fit it will reduce the chances of infertility. Keep your weight under control. According to a study, every hour of exercise per week reduce 5% chance of infertility.

• Eat Less Carbohydrate and More Fibre: It is scientifically proven if women, who are more than 30 years old, have 10 grams of fibre every day, it will reduce the risk of infertility by 44%. Whereas, the carbohydrate can increase the chances of infertility by 78%.

• Have a big breakfast: Malnutrition is one of the causes of female infertility. By having a balanced diet and proper breakfast one can easily reduce the causes of infertility in male and female.

• Avoid Excess Alcohol and other substances: Alcohol, Caffeine, Marijuana and other drugs have a long-term effect and fertility.

• Try Vitamins: If your diet is missing important nutrients try to have vitamin capsules and other nutrients by health supplements but, do consult with your doctor before having them.

• Environment: The growing pollution can be said as environmental causes of infertility. Staying away from polluted places or reduction in pollution can also help a lot.

Many reasons are working alone or together which prevent a woman to get pregnant. In the following, some reasons are described.

1. Structural Problem in Reproductive System: In many women, the non-cancerous cysts appear in the uterus. This block the sperms to get mixed and fertilize the eggs. The blocked fallopian tube also blocks the sperm flow into the uterus. These are some structural problems in the reproductive system, acts as the causes of infertility.

2. Ovulation and Lack of Egg Problem: Many gynaecological inefficiencies can cause ovulation problems which lead to less creation of eggs and finally making women infertile.

3. Infections: If you had untreated Gonorrhoea, Chlamydia, Pelvis Disorders, Sexually Transmitted Infections, Untreated Wounds in the Reproduction Organs, Human Papillomavirus can also affect pregnancy.

4. Problems in Menstrual Cycles: This is one of the most common causes of infertility in women. The irregular menstrual cycles prevent the eggs from either formation or fertilization, it sometimes reduces the quality of the eggs.

5. Lifestyle disorders: Obesity or excess body fat or very poor health conditions work stress, uncontrolled alcohol consumptions, drugs, huge caffeine intake on daily basis, consumption of medicines especially antibiotics without any consultation from a doctor can lead towards infertility.

The female infertility symptoms are quite detectable so, if the treatments are started within time, it will reduce the primary infertility causes. In the following some useful treatments of female patients.

1. Medicines: The modern medicines and heavy doses of fertility promoting drugs can cure infertility in women if the treatment begins quite early. It helps to stimulate ovulation and synchronise menstrual cycles.

2. Surgery: The surgery to unblock fallopian tube, removal of cysts from the uterus, or any other structural problem of reproduction areas are very helpful for the patients.

3. IUI- Intrauterine Insemination is a safe process of Artificial Insemination. In this process, if the reasons for infertility among women are not identified, the sperm is collected, washed, concentrated and then injected directly into the uterus. It is a painless and affordable treatment.

4. Healthy Lifestyle: Obesity, No Work-Out hours in a week, excessive consumption of Alcohol, Caffeine, Consumption of Antibiotics without doctors’ consultations, Drugs, Irregular Lifestyles, etc. can cause infertility. So, if you follow a healthy lifestyle, it will help you to prevent infertility.

5. Stress: Stress and pollution also promote infertility. So, staying away from pollution or reducing pollution can help you. Try to take some time off from rigorous work pressure or go on a vacation every once in a while. It will not only refresh your mind also energize your body and reduce the chances of infertility.

6. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI): In this process, one healthy sperm is injected and mixed directly with the mature egg for fertilization. This is used as one of the best solutions to the causes of infertility in women.

There are many ways and articles on how to check for infertility in females and a lot regarding the causes of infertility. But, the tips to become pregnant easily is quite less in number. In the following, some of the tips are described.

1. Monitor Menstrual Cycles: In this way, you will know what are the best times to go intimate with your partner. The women’s egg can survive for 12-24 Hours and stay eligible for fertilization whereas the sperm can survive up to five days inside Uterus.

2. Monitor Ovulation: It is better to monitor ovulation if the menstrual cycles are irregular. Ovulation mostly starts on an average 12-16 days before the monthly cycle.

3. Go intimate every day during the fertile period: The fertile period lasts for 4-6 days, now if you want to get pregnant use this window to go intimate as many times as possible. It will increase your chances of pregnancy and reduce one of the female infertility causes.

4. Eat Healthy Food and Maintain Proper Health: Food makes the most of your health. It is also very helpful for you, if you stay fit and maintain proper body weight, it will help you in achieving pregnancy.

5. Quit Smoking and Drinking Alcohol.