Dr. Kavita Agarwal

Male impotence, also known as erectile dysfunction, is a common condition that most frequently affects older men. Unless the problem is psychological, the inability to achieve or maintain an erection is due to insufficient blood supply to the penis, not a lack of sexual arousal. Herbs such as ginger may help. However, since impotence may signal a more serious disorder, including cardiovascular disease or diabetes, check with your doctor before pursuing self-treatment.

Improved Circulation

Kathi Keville and Peter Korn, authors of "Herbs for Health and Healing," contend that poor circulation may cause impotence in men because damaged or impaired blood vessels simply fail to fill with blood and expand. They also say that certain herbs, such as ginger, may help to increase dilation in blood vessels and improve circulation.

Aroma and Flavor

In his book, "Herbal Aphrodisiacs from Around the World," Clarence Meyer says that the same agents that lend ginger its medicinal properties are also responsible for stimulating arousal due to the warm, spicy scent and taste they impart. In fact, in Asian and Arabic cultures, the fragrance of ginger alone is regarded an aphrodisiac. Ginger is even referenced in the "Kama Sutra," the ancient Indian Hindu text dedicated to the art of giving and receiving sexual pleasure.

Ginger Moxa

Ginger moxa is a therapy used in Chinese medicine to treat impotence that marries the properties of ginger with practice of moxibustion, a technique that involves burning selected herbs at various acupuncture points along the body. Usually, the herb of choice is mugwort, the leaves of which are rolled into a "moxa stick" much like a cigar. With ginger moxa, a thick slice of ginger becomes the insulation between the moxa stick and the skin. The ginger is pierced with a few small holes into which the moxa sticks are placed, and the sticks are allowed to burn down just far enough to produce perspiration and redness on the skin. The procedure is typically repeated several times in succession.

Trying to get pregnant can go either ways for most couples that is it can be a breeze, or it can be a difficult process that ends up with lots of fertility clinic visits. While in some cases, the reasons for not being able to conceive may come down to male infertility, there are many cases where the reason may be female infertility too. In many other cases, both male and female infertility may be the cause.

Let us discuss female infertility in more details here.
When can it be called Infertility?

When a couple is not being able to conceive even after trying for a period of over a year, then a case can be made in favour of infertility. Infertility can result from females in at least one third of the cases, as per various medical studies. While the actual cause may be difficult to diagnose, there are many available treatments that one can use in order to fix the underlying issues.

When to Start Worrying? 

Female infertility comes with many symptoms, while the main symptom may be the inability to conceive, the other symptoms include excessively long menstrual cycles that show signs of slowing down only after 35 days or so, or even cycles that are too short where they appear within 21 days. Irregular and absent periods can point at the lack of ovulation which is the main sign of infertility. Other than that, there are no outward signs of infertility as such apart from pelvic pain and cramping or heavy bleeding during periods. If you are 30 years of age, or younger, then you may want to see a doctor regarding irregular and absent periods, or the lack of conception even after trying for a year. Also, if you are between 35 and 40 years of age, you can discuss the inability to conceive with your doctor, after efforts for six months. If you have been trying to conceive and you are over 40 years of age, then the doctor will put you through tests on an immediate basis.

The Requirements for Conception? 

In order to conceive, you will need to ovulate on a normal basis and have regular menstrual cycles as well as intercourse. Also, your fallopian tubes and uterus must be in normal working condition without any infections and other conditions.

Causes

There may be many causes for female infertility including ovarian faults like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), hypothalamic dysfunction, premature ovarian insufficiency and excessive prolactin in the ovaries. Also, pelvic inflammation disorders that lead to damage of the fallopian tubes and other uterus related issues like endometriosis can lead to female infertility. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Gynaecologist.

Miscarriage is the early loss of foetus within 20 weeks of pregnancy. It is also known as ‘spontaneous abortion’. According to research, about 8-20% of the pregnancies end in miscarriage. Out of the total number of miscarriages, 80% of them end within 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Types of Miscarriages and their Symptoms 

1. Threatened Miscarriage – As the term suggests, in this condition the process of miscarriage might have begun. This is the initial stage of the process. In threatened miscarriage, there is slight bleeding accompanied by cramps and pain in the lower back, which is usually mild. The cervix (the lower part of the uterus) remains closed. 
2. Inevitable and Incomplete Miscarriage – In these conditions, there is bleeding along with an open cervix. When there is dilatation and thinning of the cervix, miscarriage is inevitable. In incomplete miscarriage, part of the tissue comes out and a part remains inside the uterus. In inevitable and incomplete abortions, the bleeding and cramps are more severe. 
3. Complete Miscarriage – Complete miscarriage is when the embryo has completely emptied from the uterus. The pain and bleeding reduce once the foetus is expelled. This can be confirmed through ultrasound. 
4. Missed Miscarriage – In Missed miscarriage, there is no sign of the life of the embryo and there is no expulsion of the embryo. It can be detected from the absence of heartbeat of the embryo found on ultrasound. 
5. Recurrent Miscarriage – It happens when there are two or three miscarriages one after the other. It affects about 1% of the pregnancies. 

Risk Factors 

1. Increased maternal age i.e., women above 35 years. 
2. Excess or insufficient chromosome in embryo. 
3. Placenta is the organ which links mother and the baby for blood supply. Problem in the development of placenta can cause miscarriage. 
4. Excessive smoking and drinking during pregnancy. 
5. Obese women have higher risk of miscarriage. 
6. Long-term health conditions like high blood sugar, high blood pressure, liver disease etc.
7. Infections like rubella, malaria etc. 
8. Weakened cervix, which is the result of previous injury or surgery, can also result in miscarriage. 

What are the symptoms of a miscarriage? 

1. Bleeding or spotting can be one of the symptoms of miscarriage. It should be kept in mind that not all pregnant women who suffer from spotting or bleeding, end in miscarriage. 
2. Lower backache starts before or right after bleeding, which can be persistent or you could have cramps which may be mild or sharp and can feel like more of pelvic pressure. 
3. Missed miscarriages are detected through ultrasound when the doctor finds that there is no heartbeat of the embryo or when the uterus is not growing. 

What are the treatment options in miscarriage? 

1. Medical – In most of the cases, there are no specific drugs to stop a miscarriage from occurring. In some cases, certain hormonal preparations help. There is no point in prescribing medicines for prevention of miscarriage if there is heavy bleeding. 
2. Surgery – Dilatation and evacuation (D&E) is a simple operation which is done under general/local anaesthesia. In this operation, the cervical canal is dilated and contents present in the uterus are evacuated. There is no cutting involved as it happens through the vagina. The process needs only five to ten minutes, but the patient has to stay in the hospital for about 3-4 hours. 

This process is opted when: 

1. There is heavy bleeding. 
2. The patient suffers from missed miscarriage. 

What can you do to prevent miscarriage? 

Nothing much can be done to prevent miscarriage in most of the cases. However, following supportive measures may help: 

1. There should not be overexertion during pregnancy. Moderate amount of physical activity is permissible. 
2. One should have a well-balanced diet. Studies have shown that a diet loaded with fruits and veggies helps in overall well-being during pregnancy. One should limit the consumption of caffeine. 
3. Avoid smoking, alcohol and certain drugs to prevent miscarriage. 
4. Avoid stress and anxiety. 

Report to a Doctor as soon as any symptom related to miscarriage appears.