Dr. Hemlata Hankare

Diet during ramadan:

Suhoor (early morning meal before fast):
1. Recommend oats/barley/quinoa/ muesli/ whole wheat chapati which will give energy throughout the day as they are complex carbs
2. Include some good quality protien too along with carbs like eggs/ tofu/ paneer/ nuts etc
3. Can sprinkle chia seeds, flaxseeds over oats/muesli to get good fats

Iftaar (breaking fast):

1. Break fast with water and 3-4 pc's of dates which gives instant energy followed by a bowl of fruit or vegetable soup (can add some pc's of chicken or lentils) to gradually start digestive system to work.
2. Then it should be followed by dinner which should be ideally after 1-2 hr of breaking fast. Dinner should be balanced with a blend of complex carbs, good protien and healthy fats. 
3. Preferred to avoid refined oily fried foods as they can hamper digestion and cause acidity. 
4. Diet should be rich in fibre as constipation is a common problem during this time.
5. Should drink lots of water throughout the day.

If you're having trouble getting pregnant, your doctor will help you figure out why, and work with you to find a treatment that can help.

What causes female infertility?

There are a number of things that may be keeping you from getting pregnant:

Damage to your fallopian tubes. These structures carry eggs from your ovaries, which produce eggs, to the uterus, where the baby develops. They can get damaged when scars form after pelvic infections, endometriosis, and pelvic surgery. That can prevent sperm from reaching an egg.

Hormonal problems. You may not be getting pregnant because your body isn't going through the usual hormone changes that lead to the release of an egg from the ovary and the thickening of the lining of the uterus.

Cervical issues. Some women have a condition that prevents sperm from passing through the cervical canal.

Uterine trouble. You may have polyps and fibroids that interfere with getting pregnant. Uterine polyps and fibroids happen when too many cells grow in the endometrial, the lining of the uterus.

" unexplained" infertility. For about 20% of couples who have infertility problems, the exact causes are never pinpointed.

Infertility is a condition that can be caused due to a variety of reasons, for both males as well as females. Yet, it also comes with plenty of emotional baggage because there is a great deal of social stigma attached to childless parents, especially in the developing countries like India, where we still hold on to traditional thinking which does not really justify modern day realities.

Understanding Infertility in the Developing World: As per medical science, infertility is defined as a problem that is faced by couples who do not manage to conceive even after a year of trying without any birth control measures. In countries like ours, there is a great social stigma that is attached to being childless. As per many studies by the World Health Organization (WHO), about 15% of couples the world over are affected by infertility. Also, such cases go undetected because there is a great social stigma attached to the same. Further, there may be underlying conditions like Tuberculosis which may have been undiagnosed because people do not like to talk to doctors about the symptoms. The main problem in countries like India, and others areas is that people do not open up about such problems and they consider doctors and other medical practitioners as strangers.

Still in the Dark Ages: Even though we have made the transition from an agricultural country where we would pray to the elements and wait for signs for all our everyday activities from harvesting to childbirth, to an industrial country we are still in the dark ages as far as our social setup goes. There are many educated and well-heeled families where being childless is considered as an issue. And many people tend to go to astrologers and temples to change their fate, where a simple visit to a doctor and procedures like IVF, or adoption as the last resort, can also work out.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

The inflammation of the lower part of uterus in the reproductive system is called Cervicitis. This lower part of uterus eventually leads into the vagina in the female reproductive system in humans is called the cervix uteri or in simple words, cervix.

Causes: Inflammation in the cervix is caused due to irritation, infection or injury to the cells, which align the cervix. Any one of a number of infections, mainly sexually transmitted diseases can cause cervicitis, of which the most common are chlamydia, mycoplasma, ureaplasma and gonorrhea. Chlamydia accounts for almost 40% of the total cases. Less common causes of cervicitis are Trichomoniasis (Trichomonas vaginalis) and Genital herpes. Other than STDs, causes for Cervicitis include allergies, bacterial imbalance, injury or irritation resulting from pessaries, tampons, hormonal imbalance and even cancer or its treatment (radiation therapy).

Symptoms: Some cases of cervicitis in women can be symptomless. However, in most cases, symptoms are present, and they include:

1. Persistence of gray or white vaginal discharge that may or may not smell
2. Vaginal bleeding under certain conditions eg. in between periods or after sex
3. Pain during intercourse
4. Backache
5. Difficulty or pain during urination
6. In rare cases, fever or pain in the abdomen

Treatment: Cervicitis has no typical form of treatment. Treatment may not be needed in cases where the cause is not a sexually transmitted infection. On suspicion of an infection, the main objectives of the treatment are the removal of the infection and obstructing its spread to the fallopian tubes and uterus, or in case of pregnancy, to the baby.

The medical prescription issued by your doctor would depend on the organism, which is causing the infection. It may include Antibiotics, Antifungal medications or Antiviral medications. Cryosurgery, a process, which freezes the abnormal cells in the cervix using freezing temperatures, may also be performed by your doctor. In severe cases, where there is damage to the cervical cells, your doctor can apply silver nitrate (destroys abnormal cells).

Your doctor may also recommend your partner to take the treatment, so as to prevent recurrence of the disease and to avoid intercourse as long as the treatment is in process. Treatment is mandatory if you are tested to be HIV positive. Moreover, having cervicitis makes you more prone to receive the virus from a HIV positive partner. f you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an urologist and ask a free question.