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.”

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.   

Top 10 Ways to Ensure High Success Rates For IVF

The IVF process is both an expensive and stressful process for a lot of people, however, tips and hints of what to do prior to entering an IVF center in Chandigarh can make a huge difference.

The thing is, when you apply the tips we are share in this article, we’re going to double the success rate for you.

Step 1 – Detox

Whenever you visit any hospital, certain tests are advised to assess the exact treatment required.
When you detox, you are bringing your body back to its natural state. You are removing toxins that have been built up in your body which can impact the test negatively.

So just relax and indulge in activities you like e.g. jogging, singing or dancing.

Step 2 – Nutrition

The detox shouldn’t take very long. But it should lead into a diet that can boost your success rate. Balanced diet helps in producing good quality eggs and sperms during treatment.

Step 3 – Acupuncture

Some specialists proclaim this by reducing stress, enhance ovarian functions along with increasing the blood supply in reproductive organs.

Step 4 – Having Sex

Many IVF treatment clinics may not recommend this, we certainly recommend. In many cases when the IVF journey begins, sex goes out the window. But sex is a feel-good factor for parents. It can help in relieving stress amongst other things.

Step 5 – Things the Women Should Do

This step is focusing more on what the ladies should do and that is taking a good quality multi-vitamin. For the best results, a vitamin that contains all the following is best: Vitamins, A, B, C complex, and E, magnesium, zinc, selenium, iron, and finally Co-enzyme Q10. Furthermore having pills or foods with high amounts of Folic acid will help in preventing neural tube defects.

Step 6 – Plan For The Wait

After your transfer, you are spending a lot of time waiting. Two weeks of waiting for the implantation to happen in fact. In this particular step it’s important to plan, but also approach this two week period in a different light.

Medically speaking, it doesn’t make a difference how you feel during those two weeks, stressed or positive. But common sense would say that stress certainly doesn’t help things at all. So do yourself a favor and plan out the next two weeks and make the best of them by joining some relaxed hobby like knitting or painting or pottery making.

Step 7 – Things The Men Should Do

For men it’s pretty simple, stay cool. Things like hot baths, steam rooms, Jacuzzis, and long distant cycling have all been linked to lowering sperm quality. So refrain from this. Furthermore, men should be drinking at least 2 liters of water a day. Dehydration is a known culprit for dampening sperm quality.

As for vitamins, ideally speak to a qualified nutritionals about an ideal multi-vitamin to take. Also make sure that if you’re on medication, you check with your doctor first before taking any multi-vitamins.

Step 8 – Exercise

The ideal body mass index for a woman should be between 20 and 25. Anything higher than that will have an effect on hormone levels. Also note that when you start the IVF cycle you want to avoid strenuous exercises such as Pilates and pushups..

Step 9 – Talking To One Another

Guys sometimes have difficulties conveying their feelings at times, but they can feel how much you feel as well. During this step you want to make sure you spend time talking about this. For men, a lot of times it takes men to process everything that’s going on and that’s alright. The idea here is to let them be and talk it out later.

This is simply how guys are by nature so don’t think of it as them being uncaring or distant. They care. Deeply.

Step 10 – Avoid Smoking & Alcohol

The last step is a given, but it’s still an important one to note as well. Any kind of smoking at all can put a damper on the quality of both sperms and eggs. Furthermore drinking in excess can lead to lower quality sperm as well. Studies have shown lower pregnancy rates in couples when the man drinks over 10 units per week.

How to Know if You are Infertile

Infertility is a condition that is devastating for couples who figure it out eventually that one of them is infertile. As for the reasons of infertility they can be numerous. For women, generally, infertility issues only increase with age.

But the only way to find out for certain is by visiting a Infertility treatment center even if you have not tried actively for fertility so far.

That being said, there are some common signs and symptoms out of simply aging that you can do at home to check.

Lack Or Painful Periods

For women in particular periods are part of living when not pregnant. The average woman’s cycle overall is 28 days. Some times it’s longer, but concern rises when a woman is unable to tell when her next period might arrive. Furthermore when they do arrive if they experience any kind of pain like cramps or even if they haven’t gone through a period in months, that is some cause for concern.

In those kinds of situations you may want to check with one of the infertility specialist Chandigarh clinics.

Pain

For both men and women, pain in lower abdomen is another sign of infertility. When it comes to women, pain tends to stem from the act of sex itself. Many women experience painful sex their entire lives and think that it’s normal, when in reality it’s not. Pain during sex for women could mean a number of things from hormone issues to perhaps issues that can contribute to infertility.

For men, the pain is not actually from sex but more from pain from the testicles. Furthermore any kind of swelling as well in that area could be something that contributes to infertility too.

Again, the best way to be absolutely certain of this is to go to an infertility clinic Chandigarh and conduct some fertility tests to see.

Erections & Ejaculations

The last sign is for the men only and that is problems getting an erection and even ejaculating too. With erections, the ability to get an erection and maintain it stems from his hormone levels. Any sign of reduction in hormone levels could be a sign he is having fertility issues.

Conclusion

Infertility is a troubling thing and there is a moderate chance of it coming up. Overall, female infertility is to blame 40% of the time while for men it ranges to 30 to 40. Combining the two, fertility issues come up around 20 to 30% of the time.

But not all hope is lost if you are diagnosed with infertility or you are worried you are infertile. With the medical field continuing to grow and make advancements there are other ways to conceive now more than every before. Take some time to check in with a Infertility specialist Chandigarh clinic and discuss your options.

Source: https://www.ivfchandigarh.com/all-blogs/how-to-know-if-you-are-infertile/

Role Of A Gynecologist When Diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer is a mass that begins in the female organ that produce the eggs – the ovaries. The ovaries have many kinds of cells, all which can develop into cancer. Most tumors are non-cancerous and don’t spread beyond the ovary, meaning they can be treated easily by surgically removing the whole ovary or part of the ovary with the tumor. For cancerous ovarian tumors, they can spread easily to other parts of the body, leading to death. Ovarian cancer is seventh among cancer deaths in women, with nearly 300,000 cases every year.

Tests for Ovarian Cancer-

Physical exam

Consultation with a specialist

Imaging tests

Ultrasound

Computed tomography (CT) scans

Barium enema x-ray

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans

Chest x-ray

Positron emission tomography (PET) scan