Himachal Pradesh resident Tara climbed several rungs of the corporate ladder before deciding to have a baby three years back. Months however turned into years as Tara, now 38, spent lakhs of rupees at various infertility clinics to get pregnant before coming to Bedi IVF & Infertility Centre. “I have tried as many gharelu nuskas (home remedies) as tests looking for genetic abnormalities and ovarian antibodies, but without success,“ she said to us.
Tara isn't the only one. A growing number of career couple come to us in their late thirties and forties wanting a baby .
“Women now get married at a later age. They are well qualified and have economic as well as career compulsions that lead them to delay childbearing,'' says our infertility specialist Dr G K Bedi.
While it is not uncommon to hear about women having their first baby at or after 35, a percentage of them have problems conceiving. “With increasing age, the quality of eggs decreases and so do the chances of pregnancy,'' says our specialists. The typical corporate lifestyle - with both wife and husband busy with work-related tours, affects quality time that a couple spends with each other. Couples don't get an opportunity to try at the most fertile period of the month, say doctors.
It is estimated that infertility affects 10 to 14% of the Indian population. “The figure has more or less been steady , with the main addition being the group of career women who try for a baby later than women in previous generations did,“ says Dr Duru Shah, president of ISAR (Indian Society for Assisted Reproduction). ISAR secretary-general Dr Ameet Patki fears the numbers could be higher in India's urban addresses: one in every five to six couples could have some fertility-related problem.
Medical science has advanced so much that men with poor sperm count can now father a baby, but experts blame unhealthy lifestyle choices -smoking, alcohol and recreational drugs -among Indians for the queues at infertility clinics. Age is just one of the culprits, as Dr Shah puts it. “Smoking is one of the worst as it reduces the quality of eggs,'' he says, adding that surveys have shown that more women smoke than before.
Incidentally, the reason female infertility is more talked about is because it is more common, say doctors. Male infertility is responsible for 40% of the infertility cases. And, like with women, male fertility too is affected by lifestyle and environmental factors. “Men take supplements for body building which is known to reduce the sperm count,'' says Dr Bedi. Thanks to environmental pollution caused by plastics, there are also chemicals that can interfere with the endocrine (or hormonal) system; many studies have linked these endocrine disruptors to male children suffering from undescended testes or hypospadia (a congenital condition in males in which the opening of the urethra is on the underside of the penis).
“Many couples we counselled confessed that they were into recreational drugs and didn't realise that taking these would affect their fertility,'' says Dr Bedi. The urban phenomenon of processed food, too, contributes to infertility as it lacks folic acid. Obesity and polycystic ovarian (PCOD) also lead to infertility. Studies have shown that PCOD is more common in north India than in the south. “Some overweight women undergo bariatric surgery in order to get pregnant,'' she adds. While urban India has lifestyle to blame for infertility, infection is still the big causative factor in rural India. In rural areas, women undergo abortion or even delivery at unhygienic centres that could cause infection in the fallopian tubes, leading to infertility. Tuberculosis is another major reason for fallopian tube-related complications.
"The journey of parenthood is different for every couple. Where some couples plan their pregnancy, many couples experience pregnancy as an unplanned surprise. There are also many couples struck with infertility and finds it difficult to get pregnant." - Dr G K Bedi
Infertility is no more a curse but a medical condition that can be cured under the best supervision of infertility specialist in Pune. Infertility issues can occur either in men or women or even both. In men, infertility issues can be due to low sperm count, erectile dysfunction, a particular disease, or stress. Whereas, in women, infertility issues can occur due to the blocked fallopian tube, uterine problems, poor diet, stress, and age.
Below is listed some more factors that cause infertility issues in men and women:
Stress: Men and women today want to be successful and work hard to achieve their goals. It indeed grows a fear of failure in their heart, which triggers stress, lack of sleep, and improper diet routine. Infertility specialist in Pune describes stress to be one of the leading factors causing infertility issues in both men and women.
Lack of Self-Care: Humans tend to make the most of any situation. While achieving their goals, they forget to grow with self-care and self-love. Lack of healthy diet, lack of exercise, overtime at work, and unable to spend quality time with your family also contributes to infertility issues.
Obesity: Many of us can blame the 9-5 job at office for gaining those belly fats and extra love handles. However, it’s up to us to let the work-life affect our health. Following a healthy diet, avoiding unhealthy food items, regular exercise, and some daily activities will minimize the risk of infertility in both men and women. Keep yourself active and always in motion to prevent unnecessary diseases at a young age.
Smoking and Drinking: In metropolitan cities, drinking and smoking have become a way of life. Workaholics find it an escape plan to avoid dealing with daily chaos going in life.
Quit smoking and drinking today if you are planning to consider IVF in Chandigarh or anywhere around the world. Smoking and alcohol consumption limits a couple’s ability to carry a successful pregnancy.
If you are planning to have a baby but the fear of infertility is around, quit smoking and alcohol today. Follow a healthy diet and stick to it with some daily exercise to deal with your stress levels. To know more about infertility treatments and its success rate for individual couples, visit our IVF doctors in Bedi Hospital, Chandigarh, and they shall guide you in your journey towards parenthood.