Lovemaking during pregnancy is less talked about because it is customary to distance pregnant ladies from intimacy. Many women even find it very uncomfortable to have sex during the pregnancy period as their body gets bigger.

However, there are other ways you and your partner can opt for to satisfy your needs like caressing, holding each other and kissing. There are some partners who feel sex during pregnancy is the best moment for sex, while there are others who are feared and have their own concerns.

Sex During Pregnancy - Pregnant Sex
Sex during pregnancy should be avoided. If at all done should be gentle, it should avoid pressing the abdomen. However, it is safe in the second trimester if the woman is comfortable. Yes, it is alright for partners to have sex from the second trimester onwards if the woman has had a healthy pregnancy.  This is because the thick mucus plug which seals the cervix in pregnant women safeguards the baby against any infection.

The strong muscles of the uterus as well as the amniotic sac, keep the little one safe in the womb. NO damage can be caused by the penis of your partner to the baby while having sex. Women can feel some movement of their baby after orgasm. Couples need not worry about the baby, as in no case it would provide discomfort to the baby. The chances of having a premature baby are reduced at times by having sex regularly.



Conditions to Avoid Sex During Pregnancy
The conditions in pregnancy when it is better to avoid sex mainly include times when any spotting or bleeding occurs during early pregnancy. In such a case, the Doctors advise not to have sex for at least 14 weeks.
Your doctor may even advise a pregnant woman not to have sex if she has a history of cervical illness, has had heavy bleeding, had a vaginal infection, and in case of the low lying placenta.
A pregnant woman experiencing frequent abdominal pain or cramps must also avoid sex during their pregnancy.
Sexual Behavior to Avoid During Pregnancy
There are 2 ways that are not safe and must be avoided while having sex during pregnancy. The first way is oral sex. Any pregnant woman must not allow their spouse to blow air into the vaginal region. Blowing air into the vagina can cause an air embolism, and this can be potentially serious for the mother as well as the baby.
Pregnant women should not have sex with partners who have an unknown sexual history as there are chances that he is infected with sexually transmitted diseases like HIV or Herpes. The diseases can be easily transmitted to the baby if you have sex with such a partner. It is better to avoid any complications and stay away from sex during the pregnancy period.
If you wish to discuss any specific problem, you can consult a doctor and ask a free question.

Conditions When to Stop Sex During Pregnancy

With any fertility treatment, a failure is possible due to several reasons. Most couples are having a problem while conceiving a baby and seek various fertility treatments with hope. When things happen otherwise, and the treatment fails, they miserably suffer.

What is IVF?

IVF or In Vitro Fertilization is a fertility treatment where eggs are removed from the woman s ovary and fertilized with retrieved sperms in a laboratory dish. The embryo is then transferred to the woman s uterus. The treatment is said to have a success rate of 40 percent; which means that it can fail in 60 percent cases.

So, why does the treatment fail?

Can it possibly fail ? 

Though the success of IVF depends on certain predominant factors like age and overall health, there are two common reasons behind a failure of IVF, and they are:

An abnormal embryo- The most prevalent reason for a failed IVF is an abnormal or incompetent embryo. In most cases, this is due to an irregular number of chromosomes (aneuploidy) in the embryo. This might be because of an abnormal egg or abnormal sperm or when both gametes are abnormal. 

Implantation failure- An underlying implantation dysfunction may prevent the embryo from attaching to the lining of the uterus. When the thickness of the endometrium is thin (less than 9 mm) at the time of progesterone administration, the implantation may fail. Implantation may fail due to surface lesions in the uterine cavity (due to scarring, polyps, or uterine fibroids) as well.

Other reasons are poor ovarian response and pre-treatment stress.

Make IVF a success with Ayurveda

Ayurveda, the ancient system of healing, appropriately prepares you well-ahead of an IVF treatment. The three key aspects of this treatment are   Detoxification, Nourishment, and Lifestyle changes.

Detoxification

The success of IVF is largely dependent on healthy eggs and sperms and a proper implantation of the embryo. Thus, as the first step, Ayurveda suggests that the couple are to be cleansed with Pancha Karma treatment before conception. Known as Beejshuddhi and Sthanshuddhi, the detoxification procedure purifies ovum, sperms, and uterus.

Along with these, other Pancha Karma procedures like Basti, Uttarbasti, Yoniprakshalana, Vamana, and Virechana are performed to improve the health of reproductive organs. Shirodhara helps in reducing the stress levels of the couple.

Nourishment

Diet is an inherent component of Ayurveda treatment. Hence, a diet that increases fertility is advised to the couple. The couple is advised to stay away from certain foods as well.

The fertility diet includes fresh and organic fruits and vegetables, whole grains, dairy proteins, Moong dal, soaked almonds and walnuts, dried fruits like figs, dates, and raisins, ajwain seeds, cumin seeds, and turmeric.

You should refrain yourself from spicy and salty foods and that containing artificial sweeteners, high-fat food, caffeine, alcohol, and excessive meat. Apart from the diet, certain Ayurvedic herbs are prescribed that strengthens the reproductive organs and improve immunity.

Lifestyle Changes

Infertility has become one of the lifestyle diseases. Ayurveda insists that healthy lifestyle is essential to conceive a baby. According to your body constitution, an Ayurvedic expert can guide you to make lifestyle modifications with Dinacharya and Rutucharya. Also, you must ensure adequate sleep and practice yoga (Surya Namaskar, Sarvangasana, Dhanurasana, Shalabasana, and Pranayama) regularly.

When IVF treatment is failing frequently, you tend to lose hope. However, with Ayurveda, there is definitely hope for success in conception.

How Ayurveda Can Help In Conceiving When Everything Else May Fail?

There are certain changes that are noticed in the body post-pregnancy. One such change that might affect you is an overactive bladder. Usually, depending on the amount of liquid that goes into the body, an individual urinates eight to ten times a day. But post-pregnancy this statistic might increase to around ten to twelve times a day. While urinating helps the body to get rid of excessive body wastes, extreme urinating would also get rid of the necessary minerals and liquid that the body requires for its proper functioning. However, overactive bladders are quite common in women who have delivered and can be treated smoothly. Here are some of the top ways in which you can treat your overactive bladder post your pregnancy:

Losing Weight: A woman gains a lot of weight post pregnancy. This weight needs to be reduced through simple exercises and a proper balanced diet. Reduction of the post pregnancy weight helps in controlling the overactive bladder to a certain extent.

Avoiding Alcohol, Spicy and Acidic Food: Alcohol, spicy and acidic food actually creates havoc in the excretory system. Their compounds are such that these enable the body to get rid of water and necessary elements from the body. In fact, the power of urine itself is reduced, making discharging urine with high water content. This would make you more thirsty resulting in over-urinating at times. Similar conditions arise in the body when you consume coffee which contains caffeine and chocolate. Although, having a little bit of chocolate now and then does not really affect the system to quite an extent.

Exercises: Each exercise is carefully tuned to help a particular part of the body. For reducing the over activeness of your bladder, pelvic exercises are the best that you can carry out even for thirty minutes a day. Exercises would help you to remain active, shed the excess weight as well as manage your urination.

Avoid Smoking: Out of the many health hazards that arise out of smoking, one of them is the extreme urge to urinate often after pregnancy. Thus, to avoid over urination it is advised to refrain from smoking for some time.

Thus, these are some of the easiest ways to control the situation. In case you are embarrassed to go out in the public like this, you can always use incontinence pads. However, if the problem persists even after trying out all the said methods, then it would be in your best interest to take expert advice from the doctors.

5 Dangerous Things to Avoid When You're Pregnant

There is nothing more stressful to a patient and a caring gynaecologist than to face repeated IVF failure or recurrent pregnancy loss following IVF. So to advice couples who have failed one or more attempts, to keep on trying over and over and over; is not an easy job. Here, one can find solution in Ayurvedic treatment. Ayurveda, through its medicines, diet & lifestyle modifications and panchakarma raises a new hope after IVF failure. Ayurvedic treatment enhances success rate of Artificial Reproductive Techniques (IUI, IVF, ICSI-ET) or increases chance of natural conception as per cause of infertility.

What is Infertility?

Infertility is Inability to conceive even after one year of unprotected coitus or inability to carry pregnancy till full term. There are many causes of infertility; such as tubal block, PID, Endometriosis, PCOD in women and low sperm count, low sperm motility in men. When there is severe tubal disease, severe egg factors, failed IUI treatments, severe male factors, unexplained infertility, grade III & IV endometriosis; Test tube baby is suggested.

What is test tube baby? IVF (In-Vitro-Fertilization)?

It is a laboratory procedure in which processed sperm are either placed with oocyte (IVF) or injected into oocyte (ICSI) in a petridish to achieve fertilization. The resultant embryos are transferred into woman's uterus for implantation.

What are causes of IVF failure?

To work out on IVF failures, we should focus on causes of failure.
One of the most common causes of IVF failure is Abnormal Embryo. Abnormal embryo can be formed due to abnormal egg (oocyte) or abnormal sperm or if both are abnormal.
Another common cause is Implantation failure. Endometrium preparation and its receptivity are more important for implantation of an embryo. Endometrium should be 6 mm or more in thickness preferably 8-10 mm. To know details about endometrium preparation, Color Doppler should be done. It has also been observed that when pregnancy is achieved in absence of endometrial and sub-endometrial flow on the day of embryo transfer (ET), more than half of pregnancy will finish as spontaneous miscarriage. 
IVF cycle can be cancelled even before Ovum Pick Up due to Poor Ovarian Response, in which very few or no follicle growth is seen even after fertility injections.
Most neglected but important cause is Pre-treatment STRESS.
HOPE IN AYURVEDA:

According to Ayurveda, four factors are essential for conception; namely seed (oocyte and sperm), soil (reproductive track), season (fertile period) and water (nutrition).
Ayurvedic fertility treatments regularize metabolism of body, purify reproductive organs, maintain hormonal equilibrium, improve endometrium lining & receptivity, increase egg and sperm quality and relieve stress.
Womb preparation treatment of Ayurveda enhances success rate of IUI, IVF, ICSI-ET.

Womb Preparation Treatments:

Ayurvedic medicines
Ayurvedic herbs and medicinal preparations act as natural tonic to male and female reproductive organs. They maintain biological clock of menstruation; hence hormonal imbalance is corrected. They also help in making most potent and healthy sperm & ovum and eventually a healthy pregnancy.

Panchakarma (Detoxification)
Ayurveda can treat infertility by Panchakarma procedures like Basti, Uttarbasti, Vaman, Virechan, Nasya using different Ayurvedic formulations as per cause of infertility & failure of IVF and according to body constitution of patient.

Basti acts on vata predominantly. It increases strength of reproductive organs 
Uttarbasti is an intrauterine instillation of sterile medicated oil or ghee. It acts on endometrial receptors
Vamana and Virechana detox the whole body and improves digestive fire for proper nourishment of reproductive hormones and organs
Yoniprakshalana (Irrigation of vulva and vagina with warm decoction) and Pichudharan (Insertion of a sterile tampoon soaked in medicated ghee or oil in posterior fornix of vagina) are also helpful in infertility
According to Ayurveda; A Cheerful mind forms the basis of pregnancy; so relaxing panchakarma procedures like massage, steam, head massage, Shirodhara are done to reduce stress and its impact on infertility treatments.

Diet:
Like other fertility treatments, Ayurvedic treatment does not depend only on medicines. In fact, it ensures that patient follows a strict diet rules as per Ayurveda and avoids spicy and salty food. The proper food can help to provide proper nutrition to reproductive organs.

Lifestyle modification:
Nowadays infertility has become a part of lifestyle diseases. Ayurvedic Doctor can guide you to modify lifestyle according to your body constitution (Dinacharya) and seasonal variations (Rutucharya). It is always better to avoid cigarette smoking, tobacco and alcohol as they reduce fertility. Exercise is an inevitable part of lifestyle. One should learn exercise, yogasana (e.g. Surya Namaskara, Gomukhasan, Sarvangasan, Pavanmuktasan, Ardhamatsyandrasan, Naukasan, Dhanurasan, Shalabhasan etc.) and Pranayam from an experienced teacher.  

IVF Failure: Hope In Ayurveda!

Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection i.e. ICSI is different from conventional IVF i.e. In Vitro Fertilization because a single sperm is selected by the embryologist to be injected by a needle into the egg rather than a dish with many sperms placed near the egg so that the fastest swimming sperm enters it. Once the sperm is injected directly into the egg, it fertilizes, after which the embryo is transferred into the womb or uterus. 

Your doctor might recommend ICSI treatment for you if you have an extremely low sperm count resulting in infertility or other medical sperm conditions such as poor motility or poor morphology. It may also be suggested if prior attempts at IVF procedures have failed in fertilizing the egg or the fertilization rate is extremely low. You must also consider ICSI treatment if you resort to embryo testing or if the sperm needs to be collected from the epididymis or testicles surgically. 

However, you must keep in mind that if your partner has a genetic problem resulting in low sperm count, it could be passed on to your child, if you decide to use your husband's sperm for this process.

Success Rates of ICSI:
The success rate of ICSI treatment depends on your age and your fertility problem. Your eggs are healthier when you are young and as you age, chances are that they will become less healthy.
1. 35 per cent if you are under 35 years of age
2. 29 per cent if you are between 35 to 37 years of age
3. 21 per cent if you are between 38 to 39 years of age
4. 14 per cent if you are between 40 to 42 years of age
5. 6 per cent if you are between 43 to 44 years of age
6. 5 per cent if you are above 44 years of age

Advantages of ICSI Treatment:
Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection gives you a chance to conceive a child genetically when most other options are exhausted. Males may be unable to ejaculate on the day the eggs are collected due to anxiety. ICSI proves to be advantageous because sperm may also be surgically extracted for this process. It is extremely helpful for those couples who suffer from unexplained infertility. However, one of the most important factors is that ICSI treatment does not affect your child's physical or mental health.

Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)

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