Simple yet effective methods to Improve Fertility in Men

VitE & Zinc helps to develop and prevent damage to Sperms

Lot of guidelines and medicines are available to improve fertility. Most of them claim that the ingredient are naturally available without any doctor’s prescription to improve Fertility, but does not necessarily mean that it is safe to take. These ingredients may have unknown side effects with its toxicity which may lead not to improve Fertility.












You should always notify your physician before starting any type of medication, supplement, or over the counter medication in order to improve fertility which you wish to follow like friends recommendation or by word of mouth. Generally Vitamin E is recommended which prevents the damage to sperm cells by acting as an antioxidant. Vitamin E also supports the sperm motility. This is widely used to improve fertility, as there are no reported side effects.


Zinc plays an important role to improve fertility in the formation of new sperm and maintenance of sperm motility. Adequate levels of zinc in the body are essential for men's reproductive health. Even foods high in Zinc like Oysters, beef, pork, turkey, lamb, and nuts can improve fertility. In natural herbal roots like Ginseng can improve fertility by increasing sperm counts, motility, and sexual stamina and reduce fatigue.

Although the results are still uncertain, no side effect or tolerated well when used in limited doses. Homeopathic medications show good records with increased sperm counts and motility. Nutritional foods include fresh fruits and vegetables, grains, nuts like cashew, almonds or walnuts, sweet & juicy fruits such as mangoes, peaches, plums, and pears all can improve fertility of both men and women.

How to deal with different type of cysts

Ovarian Cysts / Chocolate Cysts: Types, Diagnosis and Treatment

Ovarian cysts are usually seen in three forms:

* Follicular or Functional Ovarian Cysts
* Corpus Luteal Ovarian Cysts
* Endometrioma or Chocolate Cysts














What are Follicular Cysts?

These are the most common of the benign functional cysts. Each time an egg is produced by the ovary a small cyst forms. The cyst is usually very small and ruptures when releasing the egg during ovulation. If the cysts don't rupture they may continue to grow; however, as they rarely grow larger than 8 centimeters and normally shrink after ovulation, surgery is usually not required. If rupture occurs, pelvic pain may result and last 24-48 hours. The pain is due to a small amount of bleeding which is irritating to the abdominal cavity. Surgery may be indicated in cases when bleeding continues or is excessive.

Treatment:Follicular cysts usually resolve on their own in 3-6 weeks.


What are Corpus Luteum Cysts?

These are much less common than follicular cysts. Corpus luteum cysts develop after the ovary releases its egg and the formed follicular cyst changes into a small hormone producing "yellow body", also known as the corpus luteum. If the yellow body reaches a size of greater than 3 centimeters, it is then referred to as a cyst. Rupture of these ovarian cysts occurs more often on the right side, during intercourse and during the later days of the menstrual cycle when the cysts are at their largest. If they grow too large, they may need to be surgically removed.

Smokers have a two-fold increased risk of developing functional ovarian cysts.

Oral contraceptive therapy has been known to markedly reduce the risk of the formation of the functional ovarian cysts.


What are Endometriomas/Chocolate Cysts?

This disease process is also known as Endometriosis of the ovaries. Tiny implants of cells that line the uterine cavity become transplanted and form small cysts on the outside of the ovary. These cysts enlarge and produce Endometriosis of the ovary. They respond to hormone stimulation during the menstrual cycle and produce many small cysts, which may then occupy and even replace the normal ovarian tissue.

These endometriomas are filled with a thick chocolate-type material, which is the reason they are known as "chocolate cysts". When this type of ovarian cyst ruptures, the material spills over into the pelvis and onto the surface of the uterus, bladder and bowel and the corresponding spaces between. Adhesions can develop because of this rupture and may lead to pelvic pain.


What are the symptoms of Ovarian Cysts?

If these cysts remain small (less than 3 centimeters) no symptoms may result. Cysts larger than 10 centimeters cause the most common symptoms such as pelvic pain, which may present either unilaterally or bilaterally.

As with Endometriosis, pain may be worse at different points throughout the menstrual cycle. If these cysts rupture and peritoneal implants are present, the same type of debilitating pelvic pain may occur.

Do Ovarian Cysts cause infertility?

Endometriomas do not appear to affect egg quality, but they can interfere with follicular development and ovulation. This situation occurs when the endometriomas adhering to the pelvic side wall cause interference with the ovulatory mechanism leading to the ovum (egg) pickup.


How are Ovarian Cysts diagnosed?
As with any disease, a known medical history is very important. If a patient with a known history of Endometriosis presents a pelvic ultrasound with a large ovarian cyst, there is a high probability that this will be an endometrioma.


Ultrasonography Studies:

Transvaginal and abdominal ultrasounds are the most commonly used tests to diagnosis endometriomas. Transvaginal scanning has the advantage of providing additional information about the internal makeup of the ovarian mass.

These ovarian cysts vary in appearance, from purely cystic to complex with septations, debris or even a solid consistency. This is primarily due to the thick "chocolate" material. A CT scan and MRI are seldom indicated as a primary diagnostic procedure, although if cancer is a strong consideration, using one of these may be helpful.


How are Ovarian Cysts treated?

Contrary to Endometriosis, these cysts are primarily an ovarian process. Traditional gynecologists will address ovarian cysts with oophorectomy (removal of ovary), or the radical approach of a hysterectomy.

Fibroids: Types, Diagnosis & Treatment

Types of Fibroids: Fibroids are classified by their location (see figure), which effects the symptoms they may cause and how they can be treated. Fibroids that are inside the cavity of the uterus (intracavitary myomas) will usually cause bleeding between periods (metrorrhagia) and often cause severe cramping. Fortunately, these fibroids can usually be easily removed by a method called "hysteroscopic resection," which can be done through the cervix without the need for an incision. Submucous myomas are partially in the cavity and partially in the wall of the uterus. They too can cause heavy menstrual periods (menorrhagia), well as bleeding between periods. Some of these can also be removed by hysteroscopic resection. Intramural myomas are in the wall of the uterus, and can range in size from microscopic to larger than a grapefruit. Many of these do not cause problems unless they become quite large. There are a number of alternatives for treating these, but often they do not need any treatment at all. Subserous myomas are on the outside wall of the uterus. A fibroid may even be connected to the uterus by a stalk (pedunculated myoma.) These do not need usually treatment unless they grow large, but they can twist and cause pain. This type of fibroid is the easiest to remove by laparoscopy.


Diagnosis

Fibroids may be felt during a pelvic exam, but many times myomas that are causing symptoms can be missed if the examiner relies just on the examination. Also, other conditions such as adenomyosis or ovarian cysts may be mistaken for fibroids. For this reason, I routinely do an ultrasound examination at the time of the first visit(saline enhanced sonography or sonohysterogram). While this will often provide additional information to the regular ultrasound, I usually learn much more by looking inside the uterus with a little telescope. This exam, called hysteroscopy, is usually done in my office, and allows me to directly look inside the uterus. when a woman has symptoms of abnormal bleeding or cramping, or if I feel an abnormality on examination. Vaginal probe ultrasound only takes a few minutes to do, is not uncomfortable, and rapidly provides invaluable information if the examiner is experienced in looking at uterine abnormalities. It is possible to fill the uterus with a liquid during the ultrasound

Adenomyosis confused with fibroids:

One of the most common conditions confused with fibroids is adenomyosis. This can be a serious error, as the treatment may be quite different. In adenomyosis the lining of the uterus infiltrates the wall of the uterus, causing the wall to thicken and the uterus to enlarge. This can cause severe pain, and heavy bleeding.

On ultrasound examination adenomyosis will often appear as diffuse thickening of the wall, while fibroids are seen as round areas with a discrete border. Adenomyosis is usually a diffuse process, and rarely can be removed without taking out the uterus. Since fibroids can be removed by myomectomy, it is essential to differentiate between the two conditions before planning treatment. It is also common to have adenomyosis and fibroids in the same uterus.

Which fibroids can be removed laparoscopically?

Fibroids that are attached to the outside of the uterus by a stalk (pedunculated myomas) are the easiest to remove laparoscopically. Many subserous myomas (close to the outer surface) can also be removed through the laparoscope.

Fibroids that are deep in the wall of the uterus, or submucous are most difficult to remove laparoscopically. Although there have been successful pregnancies after laparoscopic removal of deep or multiple myomas, the real question is whether or not the uterus can be repaired as well through the laparoscope as can be done through an abdominal myomectomy.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of laparoscopic myomectomy?

The advantage of a laparoscopic myomectomy over an abdominal myomectomy is that several small incisions are used rather than one larger incision. It is important to understand that even a laparoscopic myomectomy is real surgery, and often requires several weeks of recovery. Another major factor in recovery time is motivation; I have found motivation can be just as important in recovery as the type of surgery.

One concern when there are multiple fibroids is of leaving smaller myomas behind. Often it is necessary to feel the uterus to find the smaller myomas; these likely would be left behind during a laparoscopic myomectomy. To summarize, I think laparoscopic myomectomy is best for pedunculated and superficial myomas. When there are deep myomas and a large number of myomas, I think that it is possible to repair the uterus better by doing an abdominal myomectomy.

Reproductive Surgery: To restore normal anatomy & function to the reproductive organs.

The principle goal of reproductive surgery is to restore normal anatomy and function to the reproductive organs. Damage caused by inflammation, infection, or endometriosis leaves these structures more vulnerable to postoperative adhesion formation.

Therefore, standard surgical techniques are not appropriate for reproductive surgery, and these delicate procedures are best performed by a Specialist trained in Microsurgery and infertility. It is best advised to perform reproductive surgeries adapting microsurgical methods.

Laparoscopic surgery is usually preferable to a standard open surgical approach, because this reduces handling of tissues, prevents drying of surfaces, and allows better access to and visualization of the deep pelvic structures. It also provides magnification and the ability to achieve more complete hemostasis. The net result is a better restoration of anatomy, decreased adhesion formation, lower risk of recurrence of endometriosis or pain, and higher pregnancy rates.

The Reproductive Surgery Unit of ObGyn Department specializes in all aspects of gynecologic surgery related to fertility and infertility.

Reproductive surgery is an art, and the most technically demanding of all gynecologic surgery. The Srushti Reproductive Surgery is proud of its reputation as India’s premier center for reproductive surgery. Our experience and expertise allow us to perform approximately 80% of our operations laparoscopically on an outpatient basis.

The following is a list of some important points to discuss with your specialist prior to surgery:

Surgery for Endometriosis

• Endometriotic implants may have varied appearances. All lesions should be treated.
• Deep lesions should be completely excised or vaporized.
• Endometriotic cysts in the ovary should be completely excised, never drained, ablated, or cauterized.
• Adhesion barriers are sometimes used.
• Post-op medical therapy may also be indicated.

Surgery for Adhesions

• When possible, adhesions should be fully excised, not simply cut.
• Complete hemostasis (stopping all bleeding and oozing) is crucial.
• Adhesion barriers are often used.

Surgery for Tubal Damage or Occlusion

• Magnification is usually needed to adequately repair the tube.
• Sutures, if used, should be fine and placed sparingly.
• Hemostasis is crucial

Surgery for Tubal Reversal

• Operative magnification is critical.
• Adhesions should be removed and cautery applied with micro forceps.
• As much tubal length as possible should be salvaged.

Postponing motherhood: the risk of unforeseen waiting

Increasing numbers of women in India and abroad are choosing to have families later in life. Many are focused on finishing college, pursuing careers and establishing solid relationships before beginning their families, but a new study indicates women over age 35 face more pregnancy-related risks than their younger counterparts. The study, conducted by researchers at the in Copenhagen, found the risk of unsuccessful pregnancy rises dramatically to 20 percent and higher after a woman reaches age 35.

"We found the risk of miscarriage increases with maternal age–irrespective of a woman’s reproductive history," said lead author Dr. Anne-Marie Nybo Anderson, professor of epidemiology. The report, published in the British Medical Journal, provides some sobering statistics:

• by age 35, one in five of all pregnancies ends in miscarriage, stillbirth or ectopic pregnancy (a dangerous condition in which the fertilized egg implants outside the uterus);
• by age 42, the failure rate rises to more than half; and
• after age 45, nearly three out of four pregnancy results are not successful.

By contrast, women in their early to mid-20s experience only a 9 percent failure rate.

Although previous studies have suggested older women have higher-risk pregnancies, this study analyzed a very large population over more than a decade.

Also, for the first time, researchers were able to separate the degree of risk according to each woman’s reproductive history; for example, if she had previous children, fertility problems or a history of abortions, researchers were able to track these differences with pregnancy success rates. The rise in miscarriage, stillbirths and ectopic pregnancies increased with age independently of these other factors.

Researchers conclude the study underscores the importance of counseling women about the risks of postponing pregnancy if they are interested in having babies.

Fertility Diet: Avoid these foods

Foods that Harm Your Chances of Getting Pregnant

The following foods can negatively affect fertility:

• Alcohol. An occasional glass of alcohol is generally considered to be safe for women trying to conceive, however, if you irregular menstrual cycles or if you have experienced problems getting pregnant, it is best to avoid alcohol consumption altogether. While some studies have found the link between alcohol and fertility to be inconclusive, others have found a slight relationship between the two. For example, a Danish study that included 430 couples trying to conceive their first child found that woman’s chances of getting pregnant diminished as her consumption of alcohol increased. In fact, women who consumed less than 5 drinks a week were twice as likely to get pregnant compared with those who consumed 10 alcoholic beverages weekly. Studies have also found that men who consume beer, wine or hard liquor on a daily basis had lower levels of testosterone and lower sperm count levels, as well as a higher number of abnormal sperm in their ejaculate.
  

• Caffeine. While most experts agree that a low to moderate daily caffeine intake (2 8-ounce cups of coffee a day or a daily intake of less than 300 mgs of) will not impact fertility, it is best to avoid caffeine altogether if you have fertility problems. This is because caffeine constricts blood vessels, which reduces blood flow to the uterus, making it difficult for a fertilized egg to implant in the uterine wall. A recent study has also found that caffeine affects male fertility, as it causes damage to sperm DNA.

• Refined carbohydrates. White pasta, rice and bread are harmful to your reproductive health and to fertility, particularly if you have Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), as increases in insulin levels caused by a high consumption of refined carbohydrates results in irregular ovulation. This is because during the refining process, 17 key nutrients are removed from grain, many of which help to boost fertility, such as iron, B vitamins and antioxidants. You should aim for 6 ounces of whole grains a day, including whole wheat pasta, cereal and bread.

For more information about Infertility and solutions, please visit motherababy.com

Foods that help you in conceiving

Foods to Improve Your Fertility when Trying To Conceive

Much advice is given about what to eat while you are pregnant. Even more advice can be found for what to avoid while you are pregnant. But what should you eat if you want to improve your fertility? You should eat a healthy diet with a focus on a few key items.

Fish

This may seem counter-intuitive because of the warnings against exposing yourself and your baby to mercury that can be found in fish. However, it is important to have adequate amounts of omega three in your diet if you want to improve fertility and the best source for this is found in fish. To limit your exposure to the mercury eat only fish that have little or no mercury present such as catfish, salmon and shrimp.

Omega 3 fatty acids can be found naturally in walnuts, flax seed, and whole grains. Increasing omega 3 fatty acids can also be achieved by taking an over the counter omega 3 supplement. Fish oil supplements will often contain a blend of Omega 3, Omega 6 and Omega 9 fatty acids.

Iron

Iron is necessary for reproductive health as well. Some good sources of iron are meat, iron fortified cereals, beans, and asparagus. Adequate amounts of iron will also be important once you are pregnant because of the increased volume of blood.

While You Are Trying to Conceive Explore the Rainbow

When you are trying to conceive it is more important than ever to eat a healthy diet. A healthy diet consists of fruits and vegetables in a rainbow of colors. Each color has a specific health benefit that can help improve your health and thereby your fertility. You should try to eat at least two cups of fruit and three cups of vegetables in a variety of colors every day. In the green category try kale, spinach, cucumbers, kiwi, and green peppers. To get your daily dose of red try strawberries, apples, and red peppers. For the blue and purple hues eat blueberries, plums, black berries, and eggplant. For your dose of yellow and orange eat squash, bananas, oranges, nectarines, and lemons.

Increase Water Intake

Sometimes the diet changes to increase fertility are not limited to foods. High levels of soda consumption means the body is probably not getting enough water. Increasing water consumption to at least 8 glasses every day may help to increase fertility. If the water is simply too plain, try adding some fresh lemon, lime or fruit extracts to the water.

Along those same lines, increasing the consumption of green tea (decaffeinated) has been shown to increase overall health. Body health is essentially the aim of increasing fertility. The more healthy the female body, the better the chances of conceiving.

Taking steps to increase your health by eating healthy foods rich in vitamins and nutrients needs for better body health will help to prime the body for conception. An added benefit to better health before conception is better health during pregnancy.

For more information about Infertility and solutions, please visit motherababy.com
source: babymed

Abortion ! Does it affect me?

Can having an abortion affect my fertility?

An abortion is a very safe procedure, and problems, such as damage or infection of the womb, or cervix, are very rare. If you have a successful abortion with no complications, there should be no reason to worry about your chances of becoming pregnant in the future, although you may have a slightly increased risk of miscarriage or early birth.

There are two types of abortion, abortion by medication and abortion by surgery.

Abortion by medication

An abortion by medication is carried out by taking oral medication during your first trimester, which is between the first and ninth week of pregnancy.

Research into this type of abortion shows that it doesn't affect your fertility and there is no increased risk of future miscarriage.

Abortion by surgery

During an abortion by surgery, the pregnancy is removed through the entrance to your womb using gentle suction. In rare cases, this can cause scarring of the womb, but this can be treated with a relatively simple operation to repair the scarring. In some rare cases, this kind of abortion can weaken the cervix. If this happens, you may need a small operation in which a small stitch is made in the neck of your cervix to help keep it narrow.

If your cervix is weakened, you may have an increased risk of future miscarriage due to 'cervical incompetence', which is when your cervix can't stay tightly closed during pregnancy. However, this is also very rare.

There is no evidence that having more than one abortion can affect your fertility, although you may have a slightly increased risk of future miscarriage.

If you're considering an abortion, it's vital that your GP, consultant and midwife are aware of your full medical history, so that they can decide whether or not there are any factors that may affect your pregnancy. Make sure you tell them if you have previously had an abortion.

If you experience any pain or problems after having an abortion, seek medical advice immediately.

For more information about Infertility and solutions, please visit motherababy.com

Source: NHS UK

Is Alcohol Good or Bad? What does it do ?

What alcohol does to your mind and body?

The immediate effects of alcohol on the human body are fairly apparent, but have you ever thought about the other side-effects? We don't just mean headaches and nausea - alcohol is thought to be highly calorific and can pose long term threats to our health.

• Why does alcohol seem to make me put on weight?
• What are the good and bad effects?
• New research about alcohol

Why does alcohol seem to make me put on weight?

It's just a question of maths! Approximately 3,500 calories will produce one pound of fat. Alcohol is full of calories, so, two or three G

&Ts a day for four weeks will fatten you up by about 4lbs.

Drink	Number of calories
1 pint of beer or lager	180 - 300
1 vodka and orange	140
1 gin and tonic	140
1 whisky and dry ginger	145
1 rum and coke	145
1 glass of white wine	85

Even worse news is that alcohol has no essential nutrients such as vitamins and minerals.

What are the good and bad effects?

Alcohol affects everyone's health in different ways - but the good things are still outweighed by the bad.

Mind and emotions

Alcohol is a drug that depresses the brain. We all know the cheeriness that can come with the first drink, but alcohol can actually cause severe depression. 'Letting go', another effect which can initially be pleasant, gets some of us into difficulties, because when our petty or angry side gets exaggerated by alcohol, friendships or marriages can be threatened.

Does alcohol improve sex? Alcohol can certainly increase our desire and, by reducing tension, enhance our enjoyment. In men however, large doses of alcohol block the nerves necessary for erection. If this happens once or twice, a man can become worried about his sexual ability - which is a sure way to impair erections from then on - unless confidence is re-established with a sympathetic partner. In addition, the loss of inhibition that accompanies alcohol intake can lead to a failure to consider the need to practice safe sex, by using a condom. Not using a condom has potentially devastating consequences - whether it be an unwanted pregnancy or a sexually transmitted disease such as chlamydia or HIV.

Hidden physical effects

Some effects of alcohol on the body are obvious - such as a deterioration in complexion, and the nausea and headache that can accompany a hangover. However, if you are a heavy drinker, think about what you are doing to the parts of your body that you can't see. Liver disease is one of the more common diseases linked with a high alcohol intake - it can cause varicose veins in the stomach lining which may have been swelling up due to liver blockage to suddenly burst, and the bleeding can be very difficult to stop. Only a blood test can really reveal when the liver is under strain.

New research about alcohol

According to some research studies, a moderate alcohol intake (one drink per day) is associated with less risk of heart disease. This applies to all forms of alcohol and not simply to red wine, as is popularly believed. So, should someone start drinking just to reduce the risk of heart disease? This question is commonly posed to doctors. The answer is still no: there are many ways to powerfully reduce the risk of heart disease, and alcohol should probably not be used as a medication. However, this is an important individual issue and you should discuss it with your Doctor. Researchers also believe that all types of alcohol reduce the risk of coronary heart disease (at least in part) by reducing serum levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol.

Alcohol also raises the HDL (good) cholesterol, which could play some role in protecting against heart disease. And, red wine is thought to have some beneficial antioxidant properties - but again, this is a topic of some debate..

For more information about Infertility and solutions, please visit motherababy.com

Source: http://www.bupa.co.uk/health_information/html/healthy_living/lifestyle/alcohol/alcohol3.html

Fun Ideas to deal with Stress

How to Deal With Stress - 10 Fun Ideas For You

By Brenda Hoddinott

1. Take care of your body. Eat something healthy, maybe a fruit that is high in antioxidants. Have you ever noticed when you are cranky and you eat something you seem to feel better? Well the same thought applies here. What you take in if it is high in vitamins the vitamins will help your mood, and possibly help you to deal with stress.

2. Give yourself a minute. Take a break, walk away from the situation. By taking your leave, and giving yourself time you can reassess how you actually feel about what is going on. You may be reacting rashly under the pressure. Take a moment to really think about what is the right course of action.

3. Laugh. You have many choices here. You can laugh at how ridiculous or ironic the situation actually is, or how your face looked when you felt stressed. Now many people have phones with Internet on it, down load the joke of the day, some comics you might like, or your favorite comedian. Just find something humorous.

4. Learn some time management techniques. Managing time is one of the biggest instigators of stress in peoples personal lives. Get a planner, do not over-scheduled, learn to say no, do not over commit yourself. Do not procrastinate. Be organized. What do you want to accomplish today? Make your goals and stick to them. Your goal is less stress, let that be the little voice in the back of your mind that motivates you.

5. Think positive. You can do it. Positive thinking is very powerful, and it can change the way you feel about yourself or a situation. Say something positive. Positive self talk is very helpful in this regard. Many cynics bag on positive self talk but really if someone pays you a compliment about what you look like or something you have accomplished do you feel good? Of course! This is really no different. You are just taking charge of your own ability to make yourself feel good, and your stress go away.

6. Listen to your favorite music. And turn it up! Let it move your stressed out mind to another place. Focus on the rhythm, or the peace it is bringing you. It is all about you and the music, NOT the stress you felt.

7. Take a deep breath. As you exhale push all the negative thoughts out of your mind. You can even do a breathing exercise. Breathing exercises are growing in popularity because they are so convenient and effective. These exercises can even be done in two minutes, at your desk, sitting up. Pretty good huh?

8. Say no to being a worry wart. Say no to the negative thought process. Worry fills you with undue anxiety. If you can't change the situation right now it's time to focus on something more productive. Less worry, more living your life.

9. Read a good book, newspaper, favorite website, whatever. Taking 5 to 10 minutes for yourself. It could be the best thing for you in that particular situation. You may feel refresh you so you can return to the situation in a new frame of mind.

10. Shift your view of what is stressful. Refocus your mind. You could look at those stressors as a challenge that you could grow from. Once you overcome one of these challenges (or stressors) you will feel accomplished. Bask in that feeling, you have accomplished something for yourself.

For more information about Infertility and solutions, please visit motherababy.com