Dr. Rekha Mantesh

For most people, the natural progression of life includes meeting a suitable partner, getting married and having children. However, for some people, this last part can be tricky. The inability to conceive children after having well timed, unprotected intercourse for a year is known as infertility. Infertility is not a disease, but can be managed in a number of ways, including hormonal treatment, in vitro fertilization, surgery and homoeopathy.

Homoeopathy is a holistic form of treatment that addresses the root of the problem and hence is a viable form of treatment for this condition. It treats the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual needs of a person. Homoeopathy treats infertility by:

1. Regulating ovulation cycles
2. Balancing hormones
3. Increasing sperm count
4. Reducing stress
5. Dealing with anxiety and depression
6. Reducing negative thoughts and emotions

The key to treating infertility is to determine the cause of this condition. To this effect you and your partner may need to be tested for hormonal problems, the condition of your fallopian tubes, uterine fibroids and sperm density. The results of these tests and your constitution will determine the best form of homeopathic treatment for you. Some homeopathic remedies used to treat infertility are:

1. Sepia: This homeopathic remedy is useful in cases where the woman has a tendency to miscarry the fetus. It can also be used to treat a prolapsed uterus and vagina and to regulate ovulation. It can also be prescribed to enhance a man’s libido.
2. Sabina: Women suffering from recurrent miscarriages may be treated with Sabina especially in cases where the miscarriage occurs in the third month of pregnancy. It is also prescribed in cases where periods are profuse and bright red in colour, and for women who suffer from inflammation of the ovaries and uterus after an abortion.
3. Aurum: Infertility triggered by depression, and negativity can be treated with this homeopathic medicine. It is also beneficial in cases where an increased blood pressure is responsible for infertility. Additionally, it can help treat an enlarged or prolapsed uterus and painful swelling of the testicles.
4. Phosphorus: If uterine polyps are the root cause of your infertility, phosphorus biochemic supplements can be beneficial. This supplement is also used in cases where anxiety and stress cause infertility.

These homeopathic remedies can be used on their own or in combination with other medicines. When it comes to homoeopathy, there is no one-size-fits-all remedy. Although it has negligible side effects, you should not self medicate to treat infertility. 

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

The inability to conceive after indulging in unprotected sex is known as infertility. It can also be referred to the biological incapability of a male to cause the conception or a woman being unable to carry the pregnancy for full term. Research has shown that female problems contribute to over half of all the infertility cases while a majority of the other causes include sperm disorders.

Treatment of infertility depends on:

1. Cause of Infertility
2. Duration of Infertility
3. Age of both partners
4. Personal preferences

Causes:
Causes of infertility in women include:
1. Ovulation disorders: This is regarded as the most common cause of infertility in women. The disorders can be caused due to the following

• Premature ovarian failure
• PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome)
• Poor egg quality
• Hyperprolactinemia
• Overactive or Underactive thyroid gland
• Chronic conditions like cancer or AIDS.

2. Problems in fallopian tubes or uterus: Abnormalities in the uterus or fallopian tubes render the woman incapable of conceiving naturally. This might be due to:

• Submucosal fibroids
• Surgery
• Endometriosis
• Previous sterilization treatment

3. Medications: There is a possibility that treatment will cure infertility. Examples include NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy.
Treatment of infertility might involve a significant amount of psychological, physical, temporal and financial commitments.
In men, treatment is done to treat lack of healthy sperm or general sexual problems. The treatments include:

1. Medications
2. Surgery
3. Change in lifestyle
4. Sperm retrieval

Even though it is possible to restore fertility in women using only one or two therapies, a number of treatments might be required before conception is possible. Some of these treatments include:

1. Intrauterine insemination (IUI)
2. Stimulation of ovulation with fertility drugs
3. Surgery to restore fertility

In situations where pregnancy does not happen spontaneously, Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) can be used by couples to achieve pregnancy. It is a form of fertility treatment which involves the handling of sperm and egg. The entire ART team consists of psychologists, physicians, embryologists, nurses and lab technicians.

One common ART technique is In vitro fertilization (IVF). It is a process where an egg and sperms are manually combined in a laboratory dish, followed by transfer of embryo to the uterus. Some aspects involved in an IVF cycle are:

1. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)
2. Assisted hatching
3. Donor eggs or sperm
4. Gestational carrier

Some complications that may occur during the treatment of infertility are:

1. Multiple pregnancy
2. Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS)

If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Gynaecologist.

If you want to have a safe pregnancy by curtailing all sorts of complications, then you have to promptly respond to warning bells. There are certain warning symptoms that should not be neglected at all as that might put your pregnancy in danger. 

1. Bleeding: This kind of situation cannot be ignored as that often leads to serious issues like placental abruption or miscarriage. In this case, you are definitely in need of the assistance of any expert midwife.
2. Swollen face or hands: Slightly swollen face or hands in pregnancy are normal, but if you observe excessive puffiness, especially on your feet and ankles, then it is a warning sign as it might lead to toxaemia or PIH. Therefore, consulting a doctor is very much needed in this regard.
3. Abdominal pain: Round ligament pain is quite normal, and you do not have to worry about the same. But if the pain is accompanied by bleeding, then the danger of miscarriage might come into being, and thus you should be very much alert about the same.
4. Blurry vision: Both blurry vision and dizziness are the commonest pregnancy symptoms. But if they get increased suddenly, visit your doctor. 
5. Itching: Itching is common during pregnancy mostly due to stretching of the skin. Your skin also becomes dry. But if it continues for long, then you should check the same with your doctor for avoiding liver disorder. 
6. Fever: Exposure to flu and cold viruses increases during pregnancy, as a result of which fever occurs. But if the fever lasts for more than 48 hours, then viral conditions can be expected, which are pretty dangerous. 
7. Unwanted back pain: Normal pain in pregnancy is alright, but excessive pain might indicate bladder or kidney infections, preterm labour, miscarriage or cyst. All these conditions should be essentially avoided to ensure a healthy pregnancy. 
8. Gushing of fluid: If you are not in labour, but are feeling wet constantly, then it is better to see a doctor. There might be a great possibility of breaking of water, and this is quite dangerous in the advanced stage of pregnancy. 

Less movement of baby Experiencing baby kicking is quite natural during pregnancy, and if stops suddenly, then there is something wrong. Kicking patterns should be followed and then only you will be able to realize whether the baby is normal or not. If you are facing any of the above symptoms, then immediately visit your doctor. 

What crying does to your body

Do you know that every little activity that you perform on a daily basis impacts your body? what you eat, how long you sleep and even every tear you shed affects your body. Most people are aware of how their body reacts to major activities, like exercising, but few are aware of how the body reacts when they cry.

While you are generally concerned with the mental cause and effect of crying, have you thought about what crying does to you physically? tears are not always shed when a person is upset. Tears are a body's way of expressing itself as well as protecting itself. Everything from a happy ending in a movie to a dust particle in the eye can make you tear up.

There are essentially three kinds of tears. Basal tears and reflective tears help keep the eyes lubricated and irritant free respectively. It is the psych tears, which we commonly refer to as crying, that come as emotional responses.

Crying might be a sign of emotional stress and pain but if you are wondering how it harms your body, the answer is that it does not. Crying does not harm one's body physically. In fact it does better than harm to your body, purely physically speaking. Here's how-

- when you cry, your tears help your eyes remain clear.

- it also has anti-bacterial properties that keep your eyes clean.

- your eyes remain properly hydrated thus reducing any kind of irritation. You might feel dehydrated after a while due to the loss of water and salt.

- even the excess manganese in your body gets washed out through tears.

But for some, the act of crying can cause medical complications. It can lead to fits or can cause an acute shortness of breath. For those with severe heart conditions, there can be a cardiac pain. Crying can take a toll on your body if you have certain medical conditions. For most people crying does more good for their body than harm.

'consult'.

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