Neonatal Care

‘Neo’ is new and ‘nat’ is a ‘gift of God’. A neonate is therefore a New Gift of God given to a mother at the time of delivery. Essentially, the gift is meant for the whole family and not just the mother or the couple alone. In technical terms, the word 'neonatal' means newborn, or the first 28 days of life. This is also the time which determines the subsequent health and growth of the newborn. Neonatal care to provide care for babies soon after they are born therefore is highly important. It becomes even more critical if a baby is born premature or sick for any reason.

A newborn baby who is very likely to develop a severe acute disease or an adverse outcome is categorized as "high-risk newborn". This is usually identified on the basis of Apgar score which describes the condition of the newborn infant immediately after birth. Apgar score is used for standardized assessment of baby's heart rate, muscle tone, and other signs to see if the newborn needs neonatal care (i.e. extra medical care or emergency care). Score of 0, 1, or 2 is given for each of the following five parameters: colour, heart rate, reflexes, muscle tone and  respiration. Apgar score is assessed at 1 minute and 5 minutes after birth. A high score of 7, 8, or 9 indicates that the newborn is in good health and carries a good progress.

Neonatal care requires diligence and caution even more than both experience and experience of the staff.  Cleanliness is the key to good care. Sick children in particular require round-the-clock care for the basic needs. Each small step is a kind of well-rehearsed and expert action for the nurse – Feeding, cleaning, changing diapers and bathing the baby. More sick neonates may need resuscitation. Warmth is provided by placing the infant under a radiant heat source. It is important to keep the airways open by positioning the head in a 'sniffing' position and clearing the airway with a suction catheter.

The Neonatal Care unit at your best infertility centre in the town provides essential care with utmost expertise and involvement. It undertakes different services with top-class quality and standards.

IVF - Transparency

In the past, there had been mushrooming of IVF-centers in India, which required the government of India to regulate and supervise the treatment in the overall interest of the patients. Undoubtedly, minimum levels of standards are required for any such treatment involving advanced technology with wider emotional, social, ethical and legal implications. Not infrequently, the conflicts related to IVF-outcomes raise inter-country and international disputes.

There is a common perception (or misconception) about lack of transparency in medical procedures in India such as the In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF). It is for this purpose that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (Department of Health Research) Government of India, enacted the ART-Act (for Assisted Reproduction Technology) in December 2021. The Act imparts several obligations on the part of the ART centers doing IVF treatment. Most importantly, the Act envisages transparency with relation to the procedure. It envisages the ART team to provide the following:

• Professional counselling to commissioning couple and the woman about all the implications and chances of success of assisted reproductive technology procedures in the clinic;
• Inform the commissioning couple and woman of the advantages,
• dis advantages and cost of the procedures, their medical side-Effects and  risks including the risk of multiple pregnancy; 
• Help the commissioning couple or woman to arrive at an informed decision on such matters that would most likely be the best for the commissioning couple;
• To make commissioning couple or woman, aware of the rights of a child born through the use of assisted technology.

It is also expected that the clinics shall issue to the commissioning couple or woman a discharge certificate stating details of the assisted reproductive technology procedure performed on the commissioning couple or woman. ART law mandates discharge of all information to the patients which includes records on details of the procedure, the details of the IVF medicines used, number of follicles, eggs, embryos, embryo quality, number and quality of embryos transferred and frozen. 

The ART Act requirements have put significant burden on the part of the centers and the doctors, who normally are seen as poor record-keepers in spite of doing their best for the patients. But there is no alternative and the patients’ rights are required to be taken care of in accordance with the law of the land.  We, at your best IVF center of the town at Jindal IVF respect the patient’s rights and meticulously follow all the details. Record-keeping requires to be inculcated as a routine habit. It becomes an automatic action once the habit gets ingrained in the minds of the people of any ART center.

What all to do, eat and avoid for best IVF results?

IVF treatment for infertility is stressful for both the partners waiting for the results. It is however desirable that stress is minimized for a good outcome. There are several important steps to remain optimistic:

i.              Avoid anger and agitation;

ii.            Share your concerns with friends and well-wishers;

iii.            Learn to deal with feelings of stress and negativity;

iv.           Do regular physical and relaxation exercises;

v.            Maintain a good, healthy and balanced dietary plan;

vi.           Avoid exposure to smoking and alcohol;

vii.          Seek regular partnership with the excellent IVF team and the best IVF centre.

Dietary plan is one essential component about which the woman and her family members are particularly concerned. Essentially speaking, the IVF diet plan should consist of fruits and vegetables, particularly leafy green vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, carrots and spinach; whole grains, legumes and beans. Prefer low fat dairy products, good quality proteins, nuts and seeds, healthy fats and whole grains. Good sources of lean protein include beans, eggs, nuts, seeds, and yogurt. Banana, beets and berries are also good.

It is best to avoid junk foods and focus on natural and nutrition-rich foods. Take adequate amounts of water to remain hydrated. Avoid consuming food that comes with artificial sweeteners, excess of caffeine and refined sugars. Coconut water is a good source nutrients and hydration.

No doubt that good food and exercise are important for any woman undergoing IVF and planning to get pregnant. Consult the IVF nutritionist for appropriate advice on choice of  It is difficult however to assign success or failure of IVF to one or the other kind of food intake. IVF success depends more upon factors such as age of the patient, the quality of egg, sperm, and embryo, uterine or endometrial receptivity, history of previous pregnancy, Ovarian Stimulation Protocol and the expertise of the IVF team. It is shown in many studies that more than 95% of IVF failure is due to arrest of the development of embryos, mostly due to chromosomal or other genetic abnormalities.

Down Syndrome - Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD)

Down syndrome is a congenital condition characterized by retarded mental and physical development of the child. Some of the distinct features include the presence of poor muscle tone, a flattened facial profile and nose, short neck, small head, upward slanting eyes ears, and mouth. There is also an increased risk for health problems. Genetically speaking, the person has three copies of chromosome 21, instead of the usual two copies in all cells. It is also called as trisomy 21 because of the presence of an extra chromosome caused by abnormal cell division during the development of the sperm cell or the egg cell. It is a relatively common genetic disorder at birth especially in case of older age pregnancy. Possibly, the egg quality diminishes with age and causes more embryos to be chromosomally abnormal.

Parents of a child with a genetic disorder such as Down Syndrome are always worried about the possibility of the same problem occurring in a future pregnancy. The question is frequently posed to the family doctor taking care of a pregnant mother. Gynaecologists always face this question the possibility can be determined at an early stage of pregnancy when the same can be legally terminated. This is a very difficult question which can be answered only by pre-implantation genetic tests by a qualified and experienced doctor – the best gynaecologist. 

Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) involves the testing of pre-implantation stage embryos or oocytes for genetic defects. PGD is done for couples whose potential offspring are at risk of severe Mendelian disorders, structural chromosome abnormalities or mitochondrial disorders. Besides Down Syndrome, many other common as well as rare diseases can also be diagnosed in this fashion, such as serious  lung disease Cystic fibrosis, neurological diseases such as spinal muscular atrophy, and Duchenne’s muscular dystrophy and blood diseases such as hemophilia, Sickle cell disease and thalassemia. PGD is especially helpful when one or both genetic parents has a known genetic abnormality.

IVF is required to obtain embryos for PGD. During IVF, PGD is performed before embryo transfer to select eggs without a known or suspected gene problem to remove the possibility of the genetic disorder. Assisted hatching is done after eggs are retrieved and fertilized in the laboratory. 

There is also some evidence to suggest that PGS testing reduces miscarriages. It is particularly important in case of women of older than 35 years of age.  Moreover, screening embryos with PGS and transferring only the ones that are chromosomally normal can increase IVF success rates.

According to the advice of the best gynaecologist in Chandigarh PGD is safe; most of the risks are similar to those for conventional IVF. Occasionally, mild reactions such as hot flushes, feeling down or irritable, headaches and restlessness may occur. These symptoms usually disappear after a short time.

Relationship between Diet/Lifestyle/Stress and Male Infertility

According to medical specialists, about 10 – 15 % of couples in India are said to have infertility. Infertility is not just a women’s problem. Men can infertile too.

In our daily practice we can seen that there is a drastic change in daily routine of people. They are stressed and have poor lifestyle habits in comparison to the past century. So they become more susceptible to different health problems. Infertility is also amongst these. In case of men, infertility issue is related to a variety of risk factors like medical issues, lifestyle expectancy, sperm count, production of sperm, hormonal imbalance etc.

There is a direct link between the environment, socio economic factors and male infertility. Poor eating habits contribute to this infertility problem.

Here are a few points for regarding male fertility:

Waist circumference: By waist circumference we are talking about obesity. Higher the waist circumference, more will be obesity and lower will be the semen volume and sperm concentration. So, one should achieve a healthy weight with normal waist circumference.

Diabetes Mellitus Type 2: Diabetes does not directly affect male fertility or causes sperm  immobility but it can lead to poor sperm quality. Again, one of the main factors contributing to DM Type 2 is obesity and poor lifestyle.

Stress: Stress is the prominent part of any society and infertility is itself stressful due various factors like social pressure, testing, diagnosis, treatment etc. By following a regular counselling sessions from their psychologist one can recover from this. Lower levels of psychological stress and anxiety can help in the restoration of semen quality.

Dietary pattern and Habits:  Several observational studies have proved a strong connection between male fertility and dietary habits. Diets rich in red meat, saturated fats, trans fats, alcohol, cigarette smoking, caffeine, late night screening, too much of sauna,  together make a negative influence on chance of their partner’s pregnancy or their fertility.

A good intake of antioxidants, low fat dairy, lean meats, fruits and vegetable, seeds and nut proves good. In short a healthy balanced meal and good lifestyle leads to increase in good sperm quality or semen volume. Regular physical activity whether in the form of any sport or exercise proves beneficial as it will keep the person fit, i.e., keep their body weight within normal BMI range, good hormones’ will release which will help them to lower their anxiety level and many more benefits are there.

So, the conclusion is this that correction of inappropriate lifestyles can improve sperm quality and semen volume. Attention to proper diet, reduction of obesity and control of underlying diseases will lead improvement in fertility potential.

“NEVER GIVE UP ON A DREAM JUST BECAUSE OF THE TIME IT WILL TAKE TO ACCOMPLISH IT.”

Connection Between Diet and Infertility

Diet has a significant impact on both male and female reproductive organs.  Poor dietary habits, lifestyle, late night parties, binge eating, more screen time, obesity, overweight, underweight etc all these together leads to infertility and hormonal imbalance in both men and women.

In our today’s daily practice we have found couples struggling with infertility due to all the above said factors. Obesity, PCOD/PCOS, hormonal imbalance are directly connected with infertility.

By doing some changes in one’s daily routines and adopting healthy habits one can achieve the dream of being a parent.

As we all know, a healthy pregnancy leads to a healthy child. So a diet rich in all the nutrients and environment free of chemicals like cosmetics, fresheners, keratins etc. Can improve ovulation, fertility and offer an excellent start to pregnancy.

Here are a few recommendations for both men and women which can help to increase their fertility.

• Eat food from all the food groups including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low fat dairy, unsaturated  healthy fats, plant protein and lean animal proteins.

• Cut down the trans fat intake and saturated fats also. All these can cause insulin sensitivity or resistance. Or fat accumulation in the body. Switch to more of unsaturated fats like vegetable oils, olive oil, nuts etc.

• Consume seeds daily like sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax and sesame as all these together help in improving the sperm quality in men.

• Try to replace meat protein with vegetable protein (as animals  are often raised at unsanitary farms and given pesticides or chemical loaded feed).

• Try to start using more of the organic products as much as possible. Or wash the food properly before using them .

• Drink plenty of water and cut off refined sugars or sugar based beverages.

• Choose carbohydrates wisely or food that is rich in fibre and slowly digested. As these kinds of foods have low glycemic index and they help to control your blood sugar and insulin levels.

• Choose more of the natural products. Limit the use of chemicals. 

• Quit smoking and reduce alcohol intake. Chronic smoking and drinking alcohol is associated with reduced sperm concentration, volume and motility.

• Limit the use of ready to cook foods. As these are loaded with preservatives, genetically modified foods or ingredients whose regular use can cause hormonal imbalance.

• If you use a microwave then use glass containers for heating as plastic materials will release toxic compounds.

• Monitor for healthy weight as obesity or being overweight is the main culprit for infertility.

A balanced wholesome diet is most important for infertility in both men and women. Only a positive mind and a positive approach will give you a kick start for a healthy life. Your body will become what you eat. So eat better, not less. A fertile bedrock will develop as a result of these changes.

Before starting any medicine or diet plan consult your doctors and dietician as all diets are not perfect for everyone. Each body needs their own changes and has their own requirements.

Amidst Covid19 Stay Positive in Pregnancy

The tiny microbe Corona has turned life upside down for the whole world; especially the health care sector. Pregnant patients are always a big concern because two young lives are involved. A new disease with barely known outcomes/varied presentations & unpredictable course has added on to the fears of the pregnant woman, her family & the doctors. Taking clues from other related respiratory viral diseases, we can just extrapolate the outcomes. Fortunately in India, the severity of disease has not been as bad as in the west, may be our early & extended lockdown has helped. Sufficient to say: most important factors are to practice good hygiene & social distancing which has been emphasized time and again. Lot of warm liquids, fresh high protein food, deep breathing exercises and positive thinking would help. Reading & listening to contradictory & negative reports is counter -productive. Instead of reading about Corona, read some positive books, listen to soothing music, and indulge in exercises at home. Do cooking, stitching, painting, gardening etc. whatever you enjoy. Physical activity, good diet & good thoughts improve immunity. Because of changes in immunity: Pregnancy falls into High Risk category so we need to be extra-careful. 

One very important word of caution: Ease of lockdown doesn’t mean that Corona risk has reduced: we rather have to me more cautious now

·    No baby showers

·    No shopping

·    No visits to parlors.

Let each one do what each one is trained for / expected to do. Motherhood is to be enjoyed so stay happy, positive & follow your doctor’s advice. Stay safe, stay strong, stay blessed. Contact Jindal IVF for your inquiry.