Ruby Hall Clinic

What is In- Vitro Fertilization?

In Vitro fertilization (IVF) is a process of fertilization where an egg is combined with sperm outside the body, in vitro ("in glass"). This process involves stimulating a woman's ovulatory process, removing an ovum or ova from the woman's ovaries and fertilizing them with sperms in a liquid in the laboratory. The fertilized egg (zygote) undergoes embryo culture for 2–6 days, and is then transferred to the same or another woman's uterus, to establish a successful pregnancy.The success rate depends on various factors such as maternal age.

Cause of infertility

1. Embryo status
2. Reproductive history
3. Lifestyle factors

Ways to increase the success rate of In-Vitro Fertilization:

• Reduce alcohol and caffeine intake: As increased alcohol/caffeine intake decreases success rate of IVF.
• Number of embryos: Increasing the number of embryos transferred in the treatment cycle increases the success rate of conceiving.
• Getting treated for illnesses before IVF: Taking proper treatment for the underlying autoimmune disease before starting with IVF treatment is essential as it plays a role in decreasing IVF success rates by interfering with proper implantation of the embryo after transfer.
• Treating infectious disease: If the female undergoing IVF is suffering from any infectious disease like Rubella, Toxoplasmosis, etc needs to take treatment for the same as it may increase the failure rate of IVF by causing miscarriage/abortion or it may cause failure to hold the fetus.
• Mental state: The mental state of the female while undergoing IVF plays an important role. Females undergoing any kind of stress either physical or mental have higher chances of failure.
• Good clinic: Getting IVF treatment done from a good clinic and experienced doctor helps in achieving success.

With age, fat under the skin dissolves and causes significant volume loss. This can lead to the development of wrinkles, lines and other signs of aging on your face. Modern medicine has however, found a way to hide these signs of aging. A non-surgical facelift can fill these empty spaces under your skin to add volume to your face and help regain your youthfulness.

As the name suggests, a non-surgical facelift is non-invasive. It involves the injecting of dermal fillers into the affected area. This procedure should not take more than half an hour and shows almost instantaneous results. The most common areas where the filler is injected are the temporal hollows, cheek, submalar, nose, naso labial folds, marionette lines, oral commisure and chin and jaw line. This procedure has no major side effects. However, to be on the safe side, minimize touching the injection site for upto 2 weeks after the procedure.

There are three types of dermal fillers used for non surgical face lifts.

1. Hyaluronic acid is the standard dermal filler used for such procedures. The affect lasts for 6 months to a year depending on the area it is injected into. The more the area covered, the shorter will be the duration of the benefit. Once the effects of the facelift begin to fade, the procedure will have to be repeated to maintain the youthful look. Hyaluronic acid is also said to stimulate the production of collagen in the skin.
2. Synthetic fillers can also be used for a non surgical facelift. The effects of these fillers are more long-lasting and can maintain facial volume for up to 18 months. However, synthetic fillers can trigger the formation of lumps under the skin that will need to be surgically removed. The structure of the skin can also change with age, leaving odd shapes at the sites where synthetic fillers have been injected.
3. The third type of dermal filler used is the patient’s own fat. Fat from another part of the body is extracted and then injected into the face to increase its volume. While the effects of this type of dermal filler can last for 5 to 10 years, there is also a possibility of the fat being reabsorbed into the body within a few months of the procedure. Fat transfer dermal fillers are also the most expensive type of fillers.

Not being able to get pregnant can be an agonizing experience. The fertility of an individual can be affected by a host of physical and mental factors. The effectiveness of a fertility treatment is enhanced by several folds if there is an accurate diagnosis of the underlying cause of infertility. The In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) that first made its presence felt in 1978 (the first child born through IVF was on 25 July 1978) has been a revolution and is still continuing to change lives of millions of couples dealing with infertility issues.

When we talk about IVF, a question that often comes to our mind is whether IVF is the solution to all infertility problems? To answer this question, one needs to have a proper understanding of the IVF procedure. The

IVF procedure essentially comprises of following things:

• Stimulation of the ovary and development of the follicles involves a series of tests and ultrasounds to closely monitor the ovulation process, including the quality and quantity of eggs released along with the hormonal balance.
• In some instances, medications or hormones may be needed to ensure that the ovaries are stimulated enough to ensure proper development of the follicles (sacs filled with fluids where maturation of eggs take place) along with the release of two or more eggs during each cycle.
  • Retrieval of the eggs: This step involves isolation of the eggs or the oocyte from the follicular fluid into a culture media and finally into an incubator.
  • Fertilization: With the retrieval of the eggs, the sperm samples (from the partner or a donor) are also collected to facilitate the fertilization process (the chosen active sperm may be injected into the egg or mixed with it).
  • Transfer of the embryo: From the embryos resulting from fertilization, a doctor selects the healthiest one and transfer it into the uterus of the recipient woman for implantation to take place.
• Following the implantation of the embryo, many women get pregnant within a few days or weeks. However, a pregnancy test can also result in disappointment for some.The failure of IVF treatment in some patients can be attributed to
  • The embryo not being healthy enough to undergo the implantation
  • Problems or severe damages to the uterine cavity.
  • Abnormalities with the egg or the sperm (can be chromosomal or genetic aberrations).

Can IVF solve all infertility problems?
Having a clearer understanding of the IVF procedure, one can state that IVF does come as a ray of hope, especially for

• Males with a low sperm count
• Tubal damage in women. There may also be problems affecting the cervix and the vagina
• Women with ovulation problems (can be due to Hormonal Imbalance, PCOS, Endometriosis) or those who are above 35 years

In unfortunate cases, where IVF fails to produce the desired result, there are other fertility treatments available such as Intrauterine insemination, Gamete or Zygote Intrafallopian Transfer, Intracytoplasmic sperm injections, to put an end to the infertility problems.

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a process of fertilization in which eggs (ova) from a woman's ovary are removed. They are combined with sperm outside the body in a laboratory procedure, and then the fertilized egg (zygote) is transferred to the same or another woman’s uterus for a successful pregnancy.

IVF is one of the several assisted reproductive techniques (ART) used to help infertile couples to conceive a child.

Causes of Infertility

1. Blocked fallopian tubes
2. Hormonal imbalance
3. Endometriosis
4. Women with ovulation disorder
5. Uterine fibroids
6. In the man, low sperm count or poor quality sperm
7. Genetic disorder

Procedures
Two procedures are done to gain access to ovaries

1. It involves inserting the needle through the vagina (transvaginally). With the help of an ultrasound machine, the physician guides the needle to the location of the ovaries
2. In the other procedure, called laparoscopy, a small thin tube with a viewing lens is inserted through an incision in the navel. This lets physician to see inside the patient, and locate the ovaries.

Method
Without additional techniques, the chances of pregnancy would be extremely small. The additional techniques used in IVF include-

• Final maturation induction- Induction of final oocyte maturation is performed, generally by an injection of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), when the ovarian follicles have reached a certain degree of development. This is known as the "trigger shot”
• Egg and sperm preparation- Semen is prepared for fertilization by removing inactive cells and seminal fluid in a process called sperm washing. An oocyte selection may be performed prior to fertilization to select eggs with optimal chances of successful pregnancy.
• Co-incubation- Eggs are removed from the woman and placed in one of the fallopian tubes, along with the man's sperm. This allows fertilization to take place inside the woman's body. Therefore, this variation is actually an in vivo fertilization, not in vitro.
• Embryo culture- The main durations of embryo culture are until cleavage stage (day two to four after co-incubation) or the blastocyst stage (day five or six after co-incubation)
• Embryo transfer- The number to be transferred depends on the number available, the age of the woman and other health and diagnostic factors. Embryos are transferred to the patient's uterus through a thin, plastic catheter, which goes through her vagina and cervix.

Aftercare
After the IVF procedure is performed the woman can resume normal activities. A pregnancy test can be done approximately 12-14 days later to determine if the procedure was successful.

Risks

1. Multiple pregnancies
2. Ectopic pregnancy
3. Ovarian rupture, bleeding
4. Infections
5. Complications of anesthesia

Having a baby is a life changing event. For every couple the process is different. For some getting pregnant happens naturally but for others the whole process of getting pregnant can become an ordeal. For couples experiencing difficulty in getting pregnant, there is IVF (in vitro fertilization) fertility. It should be stressed that IVF is one of the many ways in which a couple can have a child.

The women are generally the one undergoing the treatment. The husband’s male ego maybe hit owing to the fact that he is unable to produce a baby through natural process. The problem of infertility may be traced back to the husband or the wife or both. In an IVF treatment, the woman is generally injected with hormonal medications and the egg is extracted and then fertilized with a sperm and the resulting embryo is implanted in the womb. The whole process might be overwhelming for the woman. The husband basically plays a passive role but is pivotal in providing support and love to his better half.

What can husbands do during an IVF treatment?

• Providing Emotional and Physical support- Women are generally emotional by nature and the process of IVF can make them more emotional. A woman can experience fatigue and nausea during the process. The husband should be around to help his wife in doing household chores and any other activities she needs help in doing. Remember a simple hug or just holding hands can create a positive feeling in your partner. You should spend time together
• Research- The women bears the maximum burden, being the one to go through the IVF treatment, experiencing pain and giving birth and taking care of the baby post-delivery. A husband can relieve some stress by undertaking a thorough research on IVF fertility. It’s very important to discuss about the consequences as well, like what measures can be adopted if the treatment is unsuccessful.

The whole process IVF might seem difficult and expensive but with the support of the right doctors and your partner, you will soon get to experience parenthood and an overwhelming love for your baby.

Bedwetting or nocturnal enuresis, refers to the unintentional passage of urine during sleep. Enuresis is the medical term for wetting, whether in the clothing during the day or in bed at night. Another name for enuresis is urinary incontinence. For infants and young children, urination is involuntary. Wetting is normal for them. Most children achieve some degree of bladder control by 4 years of age. Daytime control is usually achieved first, while nighttime control comes later.

The age at which bladder control is expected varies considerably. Some parents expect dryness at a very early age, while others not until much later. Such a time line may reflect the culture and attitudes of the parents and caregivers.

Factors that affect the age at which wetting is considered a problem include the following:

• The child's gender: bedwetting is more common in boys.
• The child's development and maturity
• The child's overall physical and emotional health. Chronic illness and/or emotional and physical abuse may predispose to bedwetting.

Causes
No one knows for sure what causes bed-wetting, but various factors may play a role:

• A small bladder: your child's bladder may not be developed enough to hold urine produced during the night.
• Inability to recognize a full bladder: if the nerves that control the bladder are slow to mature, a full bladder may not wake your child, especially if your child is a deep sleeper.
• A hormone imbalance: during childhood, some kids don't produce enough anti-diuretic hormone (adh) to slow nighttime urine production.
• Stress: stressful events, such as becoming a big brother or sister, starting a new school, or sleeping away from home, may trigger bed-wetting.
• Urinary tract infection: this infection can make it difficult for your child to control urination.
• Sleep apnea: sometimes bed-wetting is a sign of obstructive sleep apnea, a condition in which the child's breathing is interrupted during sleep.
• Diabetes: for a child who's usually dry at night, bed-wetting may be the first sign of diabetes.
• A structural problem in the urinary tract or nervous system. Rarely, bed-wetting is related to a defect in the child's neurological system or urinary system.

Symptoms

• Wetting during the day
• Frequency, urgency, or burning on urination
• Straining, dribbling, or other unusual symptoms with urination
• Cloudy or pinkish urine, or blood stains on underpants or pajamas
• Soiling, being unable to control bowel movements
• Constipation

Most kids are fully toilet trained by age 5, but there's really no target date for developing complete bladder control. Between the ages of 5 and 7, bed-wetting remains a problem for some children. After 7 years of age, a small number of children still wet the bed.
When to see a doctor: most children outgrow bed-wetting on their own, but some need a little help. In other cases, bed-wetting may be a sign of an underlying condition that needs medical attention.

Consult your child's doctor if: 

• Your child still wets the bed after age 7
• Your child starts to wet the bed after a few months or more of being dry at night
• Bed-wetting is accompanied by painful urination, unusual thirst, pink or red urine, hard stools, or snoring
• Here are some tips for helping your child stop wetting the bed. These are techniques that are most often successful
• Reduce evening fluid intake.
• The child should urinate in the toilet before bedtime.
• A system of sticker charts and rewards works for some children.
• Make sure the child has safe and easy access to the toilet.
• Some believe that you should avoid using diapers or pull-ups at home because they can interfere with the motivation to wake up and use the toilet.

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

Itchy Penis? Use Shea Butter and Vitamin E

The reasons a man might suffer an itchy penis are endless. Even with the best penis care regimen, every man is going to deal with an itchy penis from time to time. In many cases, that itching happens when he's in a place where he can't simply let it all hang out and scratch to his heart's content. But if he uses the right ingredients to eliminate that itchy penis problem, he won't have to worry about being embarrassed or caught in a situation where he can't get to that maddening itch. The answer lies in Shea butter and vitamin E.

What is Shea butter?

Though men might not be as familiar with Shea butter, many women across the world can attest to its wonders. It's a natural oil derived from the African Shea tree. It has been used for a very long time in lotions, moisturizing crèmes and more, and now it has made its way into top-notch penis health crèmes. It keeps the skin extremely smooth and supple, but besides that, it has strong anti-inflammatory properties that can help ensure the skin stays as healthy as possible. Shea butter has been known to stop the itching of dry skin and confront other skin problems as well.

What is vitamin E?

Vitamin E is taken as supplements, used in a variety of skin care products and even applied directly to the skin from tiny capsules of smooth, luxurious oil. Vitamin E is known for its ability to not only keep skin supple and soft, but to help heal minor irritations and smooth out redness. It's also a great antioxidant, meaning that it attacks free radicals that can lead to problems in the body. By applying it directly to the skin, a man can reap the benefits of softer skin, healthier skin, and of course, alleviate an itchy penis.

Putting them together for the best results

Each of these ingredients is stellar on their own. But when they are combined, they create a powerful one-two punch of softness that can heal even the driest skin. Since many itchy penis problems are caused by dry skin, this means a top-notch men's health crème can go a long way toward alleviating the itchiness almost immediately. By applying it every single day, a man can keep itchiness at bay most of the time.

What happens if a man is using a strong regimen of Shea butter and vitamin E, along with other vitamins and nutrients, but is suddenly assailed with a serious itchy problem? That's when he might want to consider recent events. Has he recently changed detergents, used harsh soaps or come into contact with something that irritated the skin? Was he with a new partner and didn't use any sort of protection during his romp? Has he been dealing with health issues that might have contributed to a change in his penis skin?

If this is the case, a man should make an appointment with his doctor to check out what might be behind the intense penis itch. In some cases, it might be a simple allergic reaction that can be remedied with an easy lifestyle change. In other cases, it might mean he needs to get a medical problem in check - and in the worst case scenario, it might mean he has contracted an STD from a partner.

To ensure an itchy penis doesn't happen at the most inopportune time, a man should make a daily habit of applying a good penis health creme (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin). In addition to Shea butter and vitamin E, the crème should contain other vital nutrients and vitamins, such as vitamin A for fighting odor and L arginine for healthy cellular function. A penis health crème is an undeniable asset to any man's daily penis care regimen.