PCOS
One of the common syndromes that cause hormonal imbalance in females is known as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). It may lead to disorder in woman’s menstrual cycle, fertility process, cardiovascular system, and physical features. The survey reveals that one in 20 women, during their childbearing age, suffers from PCOS and this can be detected in the ovaries through an ultrasound scan. There could be 12 or more follicles on the ovaries of variable size, ranging from 2 mm to 9 mm. This imbalance causes irregularity in egg ovulation. Sometimes the process ceases to occur completely making it difficult for a woman to have a natural pregnancy.
PCOS and its symptoms:
- Irregularity in periods or no periods
- Difficulty in becoming pregnant
- Excessive growth of facial or body hair
- A woman becoming an excessively overweight or rapid increase in her body weight
- The appearance of thick and dark brown patches on the skin
- The appearance of skin tags (excessive flaps of skin around the neck or in the armpits)
- Hair loss
- Oily skin/acne
- Pelvic pain
- Interrupted breathing while sleeping, known as Sleep Apnoea
- Depression and mood swings
Scientists are still trying to ferret out the exact cause of PCOS. It is not fully known, as yet. However, it may have a genetic basis because it often found in many families. If any of the female family members, e.g. mother, aunts, sisters of a woman are affected by this syndrome, she (woman) likely to develop the risk of PCOS.
Some of the women with PCOS may get pregnant on their own. In some cases PCOS may affect woman’s fertility due to irregular periods or no periods, so to speak. As a matter of fact, during the normal menstrual cycle, 1 follicle in the ovaries get matured and is released. This natural process is called ovulation. However, PCOS thwarts this process and does not allow follicles from getting matured regularly in a menstrual cycle.
Alarmingly high weight gain: One of the most common symptoms of PCOS is excessive weight gain. It causes hindrance to natural ovulation process women. Excessive weight is even resistant to simple ovulation-inducing drugs.
Those with PCOS meet two out of the three following criteria: Oligomenorrhea (having your menses every 40 to 60 days), androgen excess (by a blood test or physical appearances, such as acne or oily skin), and more than 12 follicles appearing on your ovaries by ultrasound.
Xenith has expertise in helping women with PCOS reduce symptoms and conceive. To discuss your symptoms and medical history, contact Xenith today.
Blockage of Fallopian Tubes
The fallopian tube is an important part of the female reproductive tract through which eggs pass from an ovary to the Uterus. In case of natural pregnancy, the sperm fertilizes with the egg into an embryo in this fallopian tube. But sometimes fertilization does not take place if both the tubes or either of them are blocked. In certain cases, however, the “hair-like” structure, known as fimbriae gets damaged at the end of the tubes and eventually fails to pick up the egg.
- Fibroids
- Pelvic Infections
- Endometriosis
- Ectopic pregnancies
For women with blocked fallopian tubes, the In-vitro Fertilization is the most commonly recommended. Fix an appointment at Xenith Advanced Fertility Center, Pune. Get an expert’s advice from Dr. Mamta Dighe, one of the most reputed IVF practitioners in India. Discuss your case and medical history with her and understand how to go about the IVF treatment.
Frequent Miscarriage
There is a tendency of recurrent miscarriage in some women. If a woman suffers a minimum of two consecutive miscarriages, it is defined or termed as Recurrent Pregnancy Loss (RPL). However, in case a woman suffers a miscarriage first time, she should seek an expert’s advice and need not wait to fit into this definition. In other words, consulting the experts in time will help her to avoid the possibility of another miscarriage.
Miscarriage: Important Causes
A survey reveals that fetal loss in pregnancy complications is recorded to an extent of 25 – 30%. Chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus contribute to an extent of 50 – 60%, as far as pregnancy complications are concerned. Chromosomal abnormalities occur primarily because of errors that may occur when the embryo divides and grows. A woman’s growing age is one of the contributing factors due to which these errors occur because with the growing age the quality of an egg diminishes.
Depleting Ovarian Reserves
The capacity to produce eggs that are capable of getting fertilized and culminating in pregnancy is the most important strength or feature of a woman’s ovarian reserve. But the ovarian reserve of most women starts decreasing naturally after the age of 35 years. Interestingly even after the ovarian reserve is exhausted, ovaries continue to generate eggs till the woman reaches her 50s, i.e. the stage of menopause. However, they vary in quality. In fact, they lack quality, compared to the eggs produced in 20s or 30s. The eggs produced by a woman in her 20s or 30s have a much better chance of culminating in pregnancy. On the contrary, when the woman is in the late 30s or early 40s, the eggs produced by her have less potential of turning into a pregnancy. So there is a So, if any is looking to extend her fertility, she may be thinking of egg freezing.
In certain cases, however, premature ovarian failure is observed, as the ovaries cease to produce eggs and estrogen prior to the age of forty.
Symptoms of Diminishing Ovarian Reserve
- Vaginal dryness
- Lack of sexual drive
- Hot flashes
- Irregular or skipped periods
- Night sweats
- Difficulty in concentrating
The causes of diminishing ovarian reserve
- Genetic tendency: A decrease in ovarian reserve is found in some women because of genetic tendency. It happens naturally at a young age. Whereas in some other cases, antibodies are produced against their own ovarian tissue. This becomes harmful to egg-containing follicles and may even damage the egg.
- Lifestyle: Some of the unhealthy lifestyle traits like smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, or drug consumption contribute to having a negative impact on ovarian reserve.
- Toxins: Some serious treatments like radiation therapy can also affect the ovarian tissues and cause damage to the egg.
How can you seek guidance and help from Xenith Advanced Fertility Center? Xenith help me if I have a diminished ovarian reserve?
If the women suffering from depleted ovarian reserve seek timely advice and guidance from experts they can surely benefit from it and may have a healthy ovarian reserve. The measures include the administration of some supplements which will be beneficial to produce a healthy egg. Xenith extends special natural cycle IVF treatment to the women with whom fertility medication proves futile. As a matter of fact, irrespective of stimulatory medication, women with such disorders do not produce more than one natural egg in a month. As far as natural cycle IVF is concerned, the single natural egg created by the woman is retrieved and injected with the sperm. If it is fertilized, the embryo is transferred to the uterus.
Endometriosis
If the egg becomes fertilized it is protected by the Endometrial tissue which typically grows on uterus lining. The occurrence of recurrent growth of endometrial tissue and glands elsewhere, other than uterus lining is called Endometriosis. It affects womanʹs fertility by distorting the shape and causing interruption to the function of the fallopian tube. If such growth is developed in the ovaries, it is called endometriomas which thwarts the follicular growth. But todayʹs advanced medical science promises effective treatments to Endometriosis and Endometriomas.
The prominent symptoms of endometriosis are:
- Painful experience during intercourse
- Heavy periods
- Discomfort at the time of urinating of with bowel movements
- Infertility
Secondary Infertility
Some Misconceptions About Secondary Infertility
Reasons for secondary infertility
- Disorders in ovulation disorders
- Endometriosis
- Uterine fibroids and polyps
- Diminished ovarian reserve
- Pelvic adhesions
Irregular Menstrual Cycle
A female body, during every month’s menstrual cycle typically grows one follicle that gets matured and resultantly releases an egg. There is also the secretion of estrogen and progesterone, in her body, to thicken the uterus lining. This helps to have support to the egg, in case it fertilizes. If fertilization does not take place, the said lining will shed down through discharge during the menstruation.
A womanʹs menstrual cycle varies from 21 to 35 days and its tenure also varies from four to seven days. In some women, however, the hormonal imbalances prevent ovulation and it leads to skipping of periods or irregularity in menstrual cycle.
There is an ovulation disorder found in some women. They generally have irregular cycles and do not ovulate or produce eggs frequently. But it is not a matter of big concern. The majority of factors leading to irregular menstruation can be easily cured.
Letʹs see some commonly known causes of irregularity in menstrual cycles:
- Excessive stress
- Excessive Weight gain or even extreme weight loss
- Excessively strenuous physical exercise
- PCOS
- Depleted ovarian reserve
- Hormonal imbalance
Fibroids, polyps and adenomyosis
Fibroids
What are the major symptoms of fibroids?
- Irregular menstrual bleeding
- pelvic pain
- frequent urination
- difficulty in emptying the bladder
- constipation
- pain during intercourse
- backache or leg pain. Fibroids can sometimes be asymptomatic.