Dr. Ramna Banerjee

There are some common misconceptions about infertility, and these misconceptions should be eliminated as soon as possible so that the actual facts can be known. There are many online sites where you can find detailed information on the scientific explanations regarding infertility, and you can follow them.

List of myths and facts regarding infertility

Myth: The menstrual cycle of a woman is for 28 days.
Fact: Normal cycle ranges between 21-36 days.

Myth: A woman can have pregnancy on the day one of menstrual cycle.
Fact: The released eggs remain viable for almost 12-14 hours, and a woman can get pregnant after an intercourse done two-days after ovulation and five-days before ovulation.

Myth: Infertility occurs due to stress.
Fact: Ovulation can surely get delayed due to hormone suppression, but infertility does not occur due to stress.

Myth: Sperms stay active for few hours.
Fact: Sperms stay alive at least for five days.

Myth: Men with a higher sexual-drive will have a normal sperm-count.
Fact: No relation is there in between fertility and virility. Sometimes, it has been found that men having a higher sex-drive do not produce sperms.

Myth: Women have to wait for three months to conceive after stopping the usage of contraceptive pills.
Fact: As soon as a woman stops pill usage, hormonal levels go back to normal condition, as a result of which ovulation begins immediately.

Myth: Only females have infertility troubles.
Fact: Both women and men suffer from infertility troubles as per the current scientific studies.

Myth: Ovulation occurs in a woman on the 14th day of menstrual cycle.
Fact: Ovulation can be calculated by counting 14 days backwards from the past menstrual cycle's last day.

Myth: Daily sex can increase conceiving chances.
Fact: During ovulation, having sex each day, especially in between 12-16th day of the cycle can be the best timing.

Myth: Fertility troubles occur at 35.
Fact: Peak fertility timing in a woman's life is 20, and this might continue until late 30s. Fertility troubles might even arrive at a younger age. With age, conception chances get declined, especially after 35. Consult an Expert & get answers to your questions!

In India, statistics reveal that more than 92% of women suffer from gynaecological problems. Some of these problems may turn out to be more serious than you expected. Here are 5 danger signs you should watch out for that signal an immediate visit to your gynaecologist.

1. Painful sex
Most women feel that it is normal to feel a little bit of pain in your vagina during sex. However, the truth is that pain during sex is not at all normal. If you feel pain while indulging in sexual activity, there are chances of you suffering from either vaginal dryness or a mild infection, which if left untreated can become worse. Some of these infections can even be STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) such as herpes, gonorrhoea etc.

2. Considerable bleeding during periods
If you bleed heavily during your periods, so much so that you have to change your sanitary napkin 2-3 times in just one to two hours, it’s a cause of concern. If this heavy menstrual flow is also accompanied with shortness of breath and rapid heart rate, you may be suffering from anaemia. In extreme cases (which is very rare), this can lead to extreme blood loss, which may require a blood transfusion.

3. Itchy vagina
Vaginal itching is very commonly ignored as most women consider it to be embarrassing, and as something that does not require any attention. However vaginal itching may be an indication of something more serious. Usually vaginal itching is a sign of fungal infection or a symptom of a sexually transmitted disease. In the worst-case scenario, it can even be a sign of vulvar cancer (a cancer of the vulva, which is the external part of your vagina).

4. Abnormal vaginal odour
Abnormal vaginal odour, just like an itchy vagina, may be a sign of a bacterial infection. Sometimes vaginal odour may even be accompanied with a thick and heavy vaginal discharge. This usually indicates vaginal yeast infection (an infection caused by an increase in the number of yeast cells present in your vagina), and if ignored these infections can recur, making sex and urination very painful activities.

5. Lump in your breast
A lump in the breast, whether or not accompanied by a bloody discharge from your nipples, is most likely a warning sign of cancer. You should also watch out for any type of pain in your breasts or even an abnormal growth as all of these indicate the development of cancerous cells in the breasts.
Schedule an appointment with your gynaecologist if you experience any one of these symptoms. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

6 Changes in your body you can expect during the second trimester of pregnancy

The second trimester (starting from the 4th and lasting through the 6th month) of pregnancy is considered to be the easiest for a woman. During this time, your energy is at its peak and instances of fatigue and morning sickness are less severe. Your baby, on the other hand, continues to develop inside your womb.

In addition to these, you can expect big changes within your body during the second trimester, which include:

1. Backaches: The additional weight that you gain during these past few months begins to bear down on your back, making it achy and tired. For relief from pressure, there are certain things that you can do such as using a chair that offers strong support to your back; sleeping on the side with a pillow placed in between your legs and wearing shoes that come with solid arch support.

2. Bleeding gums: Hormonal changes occurring during this period bring about a greater flow of blood to the gums, making them extremely sensitive and prone to bleeding. The gums don’t remain tender for long and return to their normal form after delivery. But during these three months, make sure to use toothbrushes with softer bristles and being gentle when flossing.

3. Congestion and bleeding of the nose: In addition to making your gums tenderer, hormonal changes also bring about the swelling of mucous membranes that line your nose. These changes can lead you to have a stuffy nose as well as may even cause your nose to bleed very easily. To clear any nasal congestion that may occur during this period, you should use natural methods or saline drops obtained from a chemist.

4. Hair growth: Pregnancy also sees your hair growing rapidly due to the action of the hormones on the hair follicles. Additionally, you also experience hair growth in places where hair is sparse. To remove unwanted hair, you should stick to tweezing or shaving, waxing and the use of depilatories aren’t recommended by medical experts as they aren’t considered safe for the baby.

5. White vaginal discharge: White vaginal discharge during this time is very common. The discharge ensures that harmful yeast or bacteria don’t breed in your private areas. But if the discharge takes on a foul smell and a green or yellow colour, you should immediately consult a gynaecologist as you may be down with a vaginal infection.

6. Leg cramps: A very common occurrence during the second trimester, leg cramps usually last through the last leg of pregnancy, which is the third trimester as well. The reasons behind their occurrence may be hormonal, weight-related or deficiency of magnesium and calcium.

An often painful condition usually involving the bowel, ovaries or the tissue lining the pelvis, endometriosis is characterized by the abnormal growth of the endometrial tissue beyond the premises of your uterus or your pelvic region. The endometrium, in fact, functions perfectly normal with each menstrual cycle, but because of it being displaced, it cannot exit the body and consequently gets trapped.

Besides causing severe pain and distress, endometriosis can also adversely affect fertility. When the ovaries get involved, certain cysts known as endometriomas tend to develop which often result in the formation of scar tissues and adhesions.

Complications associated with it

1. Infertility: Impaired fertility is the most common kind of complication arising from endometriosis, with approximately one-third to one-half women having problems with pregnancy. During endometriosis, the fallopian tube gets obstructed, thereby restricting the union of the egg and sperm.

How best to treat it?

Depending on how severe your symptoms are, endometriosis can be treated via the use of medications or through the advent of surgery.

1. Pain medications: Certain medications, including pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs, are particularly useful in providing relief to painful menstrual cramps.
2. Hormone therapy: Undergoing hormonal therapy can help ward off or reduce the pain of endometriosis, but it should be kept in mind that it is only a temporary fix and that symptoms might reoccur. Hormonal therapies include:
   • Hormonal contraceptives
   • Medroxyprogesterone
   • Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (Gn-RH) agonists and antagonists
   • Danazol
3. Conservative surgery: This can either be done through laparoscopy or, in more extensive cases, through traditional abdominal surgery.
4. Assisted reproductive techniques: These include In-vitro fertilization (IVF), and are sometimes more preferable over conservative surgery.
5. Hysterectomy: This is usually done in more severe cases of endometriosis whereby ovaries are also removed with uterus and cervix. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a gynaecologist.