Dr. Lata Usha Wadawe

What is IVF?

IVF stands for In Vitro Fertilization and is a method of artificial insemination that dramatically increases the chances of pregnancy. It is one of the assisted reproductive technologies methods used as fertility treatment across the world where other methods have had drastic results.

In simpler terms, a man's sperm is inserted in woman's egg using controlled laboratory environment to proceed with fertilization. These embryos are then carefully put back into the mother's uterus after 4 to 5 days of fertilization in incubator in hopes that the embryo would grow in a full baby. The embryo transfer process needs to be carefully done in order for successful fertilization in the mother's womb.

There are many reasons why IVF is conducted:

1. Poor sperm quality - Males having poor sperm quality are unable to achieve fertilization and increase the chances of conception with their female partners. This is male factor infertility due to which people move towards IVF.
2. Fallopian tube problems - This is a female factor infertility, in which fallopian tubes either get blocked, or damaged making it complicated and stressful for the embryo to travel to the uterus.

One must approach IVF treatment with patience and a willingness to comply with all the tenets that the treatment is built upon. IVF clinics may vary the treatment a little according to what the patient's condition demands and different clinics may have different methods. The basic methods of IVF treatment however, remain the same. The first step to the treatment is to find the right clinic which complies with factors like availability of resources, cost and quality of treatment. After deciding the clinic, the next step is to understand that IVF treatment happens in cycles and the success rate of conception varies. Patients must also be ready to face any disappointment.

Here’s the short version of the steps involved in an IVF treatment cycle:

1. Ovarian stimulation. Your doctor prescribes a course of drugs for you to take to stimulate your ovaries into hopefully producing 12 to 15 mature eggs.
2. Monitoring of your drug response. To monitor the progress of your ovarian stimulation you undergo an ultrasound examination and blood tests.
3. Egg maturation. Two days before your eggs are due to be collected you have a hormone injection, which triggers maturation of the eggs.
4. Egg collection. You receive a light general anaesthetic for this simple, short procedure, and your doctor retrieves your eggs using an ultrasound-guided technique.
5. Sperm production. On the day of egg collection, your partner provides a sperm sample.
6. Fertilisation. The embryologist puts sperm and eggs together in the lab and, if all goes well, the eggs fertilise and early embryo development begins.
7. Embryo transfer. Two to five days after egg collection, your doctor places one or two embryos in your uterus. Frozen transfer can be planned after a gap of 1 month.
8. Embryo freezing. If you have additional embryos suitable for use, they can be frozen and kept for future transfers. Also, frozen embryos are available.
9. Pregnancy test. About two weeks after embryo transfer you have a blood test to find out whether the treatment worked.
   • If the test is positive, you have your first pregnancy scan two weeks later.
   • If the test is negative, you and your partner need to talk to your doctor and decide whether to try the treatment again.

Peanuts are rich in monounsaturated fats, the sort of fat that is added to a healthy-heart diet. However, just as peanuts have loads of benefits, they come with certain disadvantages too. The advantages of peanuts are as follows:

1. Peanuts are a source of antioxidants: Not only do peanuts contain oleic acid, but also the energizing fat found in olive oil and is a rich form of cell regeneration. The regeneration material is very helpful in avoiding many types of cancers. For example, as preventive agents, simmered peanuts do equal amount of recovery and regeneration as blackberries and strawberries. These are far more efficient than apples, carrots or beets.
2. Peanuts are key to heart-health benefits: Just as peanuts are good cancer preventing agents, dangers of death from cardiovascular and coronary heart diseases can also be avoided with their help.
3. Peanuts reduce risk of stroke based on preliminary animal studies: Resveratrol is a substance, which was initially found in red grapes and red wine. However, now it is also available in peanuts. This phytonutrient has been said to enhance the blood flow in the brain by as much as 30 percent. It enormously diminishes the danger of a stroke or a heart attack.

As mentioned earlier, just as peanuts have certain good qualities, they can be somewhat bad for the health as well. Following are some of the reasons:

1. Peanuts can be an allergen: Peanuts are also considered as a standout amongst the most widely recognized food sensitivities for people. A lot of people have nut hypersensitivities so serious that even their breathing is disturbed with a little amount of a shelled nut. Their tongue starts getting numb and their skin starts swelling. Some people have an extremely increased allergy to peanuts and for them, it can even be fatal, if not treated immediately.
2. Peanuts contain lectins: Peanuts, alongside different vegetables like soy, contain hostile substances called lectins. Lectins are sticky proteins found in numerous food items including vegetables. They serve as a bug. The stickiness and structure of lectins, however, makes them very difficult to process and digest.
3. Peanuts contain inflammatory elements: The abnormal state of Omega-6 unsaturated fats that peanuts contain is quite dangerous. It is true that your body needs, both Omega-3 and Omega-6 unsaturated fats for a good health. The issue, in any case, is that the standard western eating routine is, to a great degree, high in Omega-6 unsaturated fats and low in Omega-3s. At the point when Omega-3 unsaturated fats are out of proportion with the Omega-6 fats (as frequently emerges in a standard Western eating routine) irritation, coronary illness, and other medical problems emerge. Therefore, a balanced diet is very important.

Good posture can improve the quality of your life. 
Here are 5 reasons you need to take it seriously:-

1. Joint protection:- reduces wear and tear on joints. Less risks of developing arthritis in later life. 
2. Looking good:- an important factor in appearing confident and attractive. 
3. Spine protection:- stops the spine being fixed in abnormal positions 
4. Good for the back:- helps prevent chronic backache and muscle pain
5. More energy:- less strain is put on the muscle, meaning the body uses less energy.