Dr. Geetanjali

For many people, popping a calcium tablet is something which has benefits, but at the same time does no harm. After all, who does not want to have strong bones and healthy teeth? The unfortunate part is that things are not so simple and a lot of research has debunked this.

Take, for example, the findings that when an old woman has calcium, the fracture rates are not all that different as compared to one who has not had calcium supplements. In addition to this, it was also found as part of a study that there is no positive impact on the mineral density of the hip.

As a matter of fact, calcium tablets and supplements can pose a significant risk, as well. While it is true that calcium does help in the effort of getting heart disease, an amount which is greater than the dietary limit does not. Actually, the excess calcium may increase the risk. This is true when it comes to calcium from supplements and not calcium which is absorbed by the way of food. So, what sort of additional risk is there? A study found that people who receive calcium from a tablet or another similar source have about a 140% greater chance of a heart attack!

How much is too much?

A thousand milligrammes of calcium in excess of the requirement on a daily basis is said to increase the risk of death from CVD or cardiovascular disease by about a fifth. Not a trivial amount, by any measure.

But why does this happen?

The key to answering this question comes from how the calcium is absorbed by the body. When calcium from food is eaten, the rate of it being released is a lot slower as compared to calcium from tablets. Also, when there is excess calcium, it is not absorbed and kept in reserve by the body but is excreted in the form of urine. So, this calcium going through the kidneys can cause some trouble there, as well!

Yes or No?

So, what is to be done in order to make sure one is having a sufficient amount of calcium? Well, there are a lot of sources and consuming things such as dairy products and fish, along with dark leafy vegetables are some great ways to get natural calcium. Only if a person has very low calcium levels should calcium tablets be consumed? It is well worth remembering that too much of a good thing is a bad thing! If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a doctor.

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 and ask a free question.