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Sperm- A Super hero!

 

 

 

According to the famous adage, a woman becomes a mother from the time she conceives. Her role is crucial and magnificent in creating a healthy child. She carries the unborn baby in her womb for nine months. On the other hand, a man becomes a father only when he sees the child! Although he does not carry the unborn baby within his body, he has a crucial role to play in creating life – his sperm carries half the genetic code of the child.

Let us take some time to appreciate the sperm’s journey to fertilise the egg. The Sperm has to overcome many odds to survive and reach the egg. The struggle begins – right inside the man’s body! The immune system cells (white cells) see them as a foreign invader and start attacking them. So, specialised cells create a barrier against white cells in the testicles to protect sperm cells.

Sperms look very different from other cells in of the man’s body. They have a tiny head with tail- which helps them to swim and reach where they need to go! After ejaculation, the sperms begin a race. In this race, sperms with poor motility or defects  will not make it to the end.

The sperms struggle continues in the woman’s reproductive tract!

Vaginal pH

Vaginal secretions are acidic and majority of sperms will not be able to survive here!

Response of the immune system

Even the woman’s white blood cells detect the sperms as “enemies”, and destroy many of them.

Cervical Discharge

During ovulation, cervical discharge is more fluid and thinner in texture and helps the sperms to pass easily into the cervix and beyond.  Contrary to this, when the woman is not ovulating, this fluid is thicker, which makes their journey tough.

Journey through the female reproductive tract Walls of Fallopian tubes

Once the vaginal, cervical and uterine cavities are crossed, sperms travel further and pass through the narrow Fallopian tubes. Some of them get attached to the walls; some fall exhausted -unable to continue in the race.

This is only half the battle won! Along the whole journey, the most powerful sperms – which have survived the odds reach the egg. The sperms attach to the surface of the egg and gain an extraordinary ability: the sperm hyperactivation. Sperm’s tail has to become stronger and more powerful, so that sperm is able to reach the egg more easily.

The good news is: the egg also helps the sperms by releasing cytokines, which send signals to the sperms. The sperms respond to the signals and start moving vigorously. The burst of female hormone – progesterone encourages the sperms further.

Out of millions, about 200 sperms will reach the egg but only one sperm– the fittest, fertilises the egg successfully. This is our super-hero!

When the concentration of sperm is below 20 million with poor motility, they will not be able to overcome the obstacles and complete this journey!

Morpheus IVF offers IMSI (Intra Cytoplasmic Morphologically Selected Sperm Injection) to select the fittest sperms with best shape and size for injecting into the egg. Double Your Chances of pregnancy!

Why Male Infertility Is On The Rise!

Male-infertility

Issue of fertility no longer remains the problem just related to irregular ovulation or PCOS, but even low sperm count and abnormal sperm shapes are now the major factors leading to fertility issues among childless couples.

Nowadays, many couples have trouble conceiving in their 30’s or even before. After, going through fertility tests, mostly the sub-fertility issues are found in men, and out of that, some cases are cited to be of azoospermia, a condition in which there is no living/dead sperm in the semen.

Male infertility is less commonly discussed but needs to be tackled, by treating underlying issues with the help of alternative medical solutions.

Stress and unhealthy lifestyle are the most common factors, which impair the semen quality and affect the sperm count. The way we live our life nowadays, is seriously affecting our health on daily basis. Men, who have sedentary work life, like in IT and banking sectors, tend to face many health issues due to inactivity, like insulin resistance, obesity, etc, which in turn affects their reproductive health. Even for men who have to constantly travel for work, like in marketing sector, health issues like blood pressure, acidity etc. rise up due to irregular meal times, unhealthy food on the go and pollution, which lower their fertility. Even the excessive drinking and smoking have side-effects on sperm quality and quantity.

It is also time to break a myth that virility among men remains high till their old age. Truth is that as the man’s age progresses, his sperm quality (including the shape and movement of the sperm) declines. Just like female eggs, even male sperm’s have the ‘best before the date’ tag. Due to this, couples often find it difficult to conceive after the age of 30 or 35 and studies also link the health risks during pregnancy with the advanced age.

 The reason of infertility may not only be the sperm count, shape and motility, but could also be the blockages in testicles/ vas deferens, due to obesity, varicocele, accident/trauma or surgery, which can interfere with fertility.

As the awareness of male infertility is also on the rise, there are many medical solutions available to counter male infertility. Highly advanced male infertility services are available at Morpheus IVF. One of them is IMSI (Intra Cytoplasmic Morphologically Selected Sperm Injection) procedure. It is highly advanced technique, where sperms are magnified to approximately 7200 times and the sperms of best shape and size are selected to inject in the egg through ICSI. Moreover, sperm-extraction procedures like TESA/PESA/TESE are also available at Morpheus IVF to overcome the male infertility issues caused due to obstructive/ non-obstructive cases of azoospermia. In these procedures, sperms are aspirated by needle or obtained by biopsy from the testes directly and used for ICSI.
Morpheus IVF Doubles Your Hope and chances of pregnancy with highly result-oriented, Double Your Chance (DYC) program in which 2 cycles of IVF are made available at the cost of one. In case the first cycle is not successful, second procedure will be done free of cost. Conditions apply*

Being called ‘Dad’ is special tag for men! Make your dream come true with Morpheus IVF!

Common Myths About Infertility

 

infertility-centre-Morpheus-IVF

 

‘Infertility ‘is a very stressful experience. Inability to conceive naturally and failed pregnancy tests, month after months and year after years, is heartbreaking for a couple attempting to have a child.

There are so many different factors, diagnosed as well as unexplained, which can lead to infertility among couples, but people around us have their misconceptions regarding the reasons for infertility. Sometimes, the lack of correct information from the right source about the basic facts of infertility often leads to panic and confusion. It is tough to have faith in the process of treatment and alternative medical solutions when you are struggling with infertility.

At Morpheus IVF, we want to help you, make informed decisions about alternative solutions for countering infertility. Here are some common myths; we would like to break myth about the issue.

Myth #1: Women Who Take Birth Control Pills Become Infertile

The Facts: Birth Control Pills cannot cause long-term infertility. Woman’s reproductive system does take some time to return to its normalcy after withdrawing birth control pills, but there is no established evidence that birth control pills leads straight to infertility. The delay in pregnancy after the discontinuation of birth control pill is caused by the pill’s impact on the production of cervical fluid, an essential component of conception. However, women do get pregnant within 6 months to 1 year after withdrawal and some even get pregnant within the first month. Ask your gynaecologist for prescribing best birth control method.

Myth #2: Women Having Irregular Menstrual Cycle or PCOS are Infertile

The Facts: Having an irregular period means- woman’s ovulation time is fluctuating and there can be variety of reasons like stress or some health issue, infection or lack of nutrients in body causing this fluctuation and irregularity.  It is true that conception will be more difficult, if ovulation time remains unpredictable month after months, but irregular periods does not mean impaired fertility and can be corrected by treating the underlying issue causing it. It does have a solution. Another common disorder among women is PCOS, in which ovarian cysts interfere with natural fertilisation of ovum, but there are many lines of treatments in allopathy to treat this disorder and help women struggling with PCOS to conceive naturally.

Myth #3: Age Factor only affects Woman’s Fertility, Not Man’s Fertility!

The Facts: It is true that woman’s biological clock starts ticking away after 35 years of age as the egg quality declines and she is soon heading towards menopause, but men’s biological clock starts ringing warning signs too, when they are willing to become a father. Nowadays, over 30 – 35 years of age, due to work stress, hay-wire lifestyle, age-related health issues like blood pressure or due to addictions like smoking and drinking, sperm count starts declining, sperm motility reduces and sperm quality is impaired. Majority of men also face unexplained sub-fertility after 35 years of age and find it difficult to impregnate their partner.

Myth #4:   Your Health Does Not Impact Fertility

The Facts: All our body parts and vital organs are dependent on one another to function properly and efficiently for us. Physical or psychological health impacts reproductive system too. Take stress for example- it triggers many health issues in our physical system, though it is psychological. It is a major factor among couples for unexplained infertility due to hectic lifestyle and lack of self-care. Another example- People with disorders like anaemia; suffer due to lack of nutrients in overall physical body which includes even your reproductive system. Lack of nutrients and reduced blood supply to your reproductive system will impair its natural function and decline the quality and quantity of ovum/sperm.

Myth #5: Infertility Treatments Are Expensive

The Facts: The diagnosis and treatments for infertility are within the grasp of common man and advanced healthcare has made it possible to treat underlying reasons for infertility effectively and economically. Even assisted-reproductive techniques such as IVF/ICSI at Morpheus IVF are reasonably well-planned for couples struggling with female infertility, male infertility, recurrent miscarriages or unexplained infertility. Two cycles of IVF are available at one cost and saves lot of time, money and energy, as second cycle does not require start to end procedure. IVF is usually couple’s best chance for pregnancy if infertility treatments are not yielding any positive results.

Contact Morpheus IVF for more clarity if you have been facing infertility issue for a long time. We will do our best to assist and guide you.

Ways of Increasing Male Fertility Naturally

It is not just women, but also men, who face fertility issues. There are a lot of factors that must be taken into consideration when it comes to Male Fertility. Sterility is a common problem amongst men, but there are infertility treatments available to tackle these problems. And there are ways by which men can naturally increase their fertility, in case they are facing problems while conceiving. A fertility center can help you with that.

Tips to Increase Male Fertility

Before heading to a fertility clinic, maybe you should try out some natural methods of increasing fertility. In case these fail to work, you can always resort to treatments like sperm motility treatment etc. Some of these ways are:

  • Add antioxidants to you daily diet. You need to consume more antioxidants like zinc, vitamin C, selenium, Vitamin E, folic acid and lycopene. These are found in food items that are commonly available and antioxidants have been scientifically proven to increase fertility in men.
  • Reduce your soy intake. Soy is found in tofu, energy bars, health drinks etc. Too much of soy in your body may reduce sperm production. But soy is good for health too. So you should consume soy in specific fixed quantities that will not harm you.
  • If you work somewhere where you are regularly exposed to harmful toxic chemicals like factories, that might be a reason for infertility. You might want to change your job if that is the case.
  • Avoid wearing tight clothes or underwear. It has been proven that tight innerwear might actually reduce sperm production and affect sperm motility.
  • Make sure you have regular physical activities and that you exercise regularly. Exercising will help you maintain your body weight and at the same time keep you stress free. That is helpful when it comes to male fertility.

Hence, there are various ways in which you can enhance your fertility. Before opting for treatment procedures, you might want to take matters into your own hands and see if it works. A good diet and a healthy lifestyle is essential for a happy life, and it is equally important if you are trying to have kids. A change in your daily diet and routine might work wonders when it comes to conceiving a child.

The IVF breakthrough that could slash failure rates by HALF: Scientists discover what stops embryo implanting in the womb

A breakthrough in fertility science could lead to a huge boost in the success of IVF, scientists said today.

IVF is currently the only hope for many women to have a baby, and some 50,000 undergo the treatment every year in Britain. But despite its popularity, the procedure has a poor success rate, with 75 per cent of IVF rounds failing to produce a baby.
Manchester University researchers now think they have found a way to slash the failure rate by half. They have discovered a ‘molecular switch’ which stops an embryo being accepted in the mother’s womb. If that switch can be blocked with drugs, it could potentially boost the number of babies born using IVF by up to 18,000 a year. About 37 per cent of IVF rounds are thought to fail because the embryo does not implant into the wall of the uterus. Women who repeatedly suffer this failure have been shown to have high levels of a molecular switch which interferes in the communication between the embryo and the mother’s womb.

Taking Care of Yourself During Infertility Treatment

The growing complexities of life have made the man slave to various health related problems. The fast paced life and genetic conditions sometimes lead to the condition of infertility and this problem requires significant treatment. It is but evident that it is not a natural condition and hence advised that during treatment great care is to be taken in this regard.

There are some simple yet effective means by which you can easily cure your problems and take care of your health. Here are a few listed below:

Diet

The first and most important aspect that you need to consider seriously is your diet. A good diet follows from you eating natural foods, avoiding fast foods and artificially flavored food substances as they can prove detrimental for your health condition. Apart from this is equally and essentially important for you to drink filtered water. if the water of poor quality can make you vulnerable to many diseases.

Physical Exercises

Secondly, a healthy body requires sound physical exercises which stem from getting up early, moving regularly during the day and warming up before your exercises. If you stretch during the day and walk 30 minutes daily that should suffice along with other conditions. Strength training is also equally important as we age. Light weight training 2-3 times a week proves as a great health booster.

Relaxing is also important and nothing can relax you better than a good night’s sleep. An average of 7-8 hours of sleep is necessary. Keeping the place where you sleep hygienic and clean is also mandatory. Keep your place cool, dark and as quiet as possible. Avoid screen time before sleeping. Even stimulants like alcohol are better avoided.

Meditation and Yoga

Keep your mood light and feel spiritually fit. Try meditation and yoga as they are a great way to calm your mind and your body. Meditation, mindfulness and listening to music are all great ways to relax and enjoy a healthy body. Going outdoors and enjoying the breeze, the sunshine and the rain is also important. Don’t be afraid and step out and enjoy the world around.

Keep off the busy schedule and take out time for yourself. Space for your own thoughts, your own feelings and your own emotions is a good way to fine tune life’s challenges. Keep all the babble devices on the table like laptops, iPods etc. and go out and feel the world-it is beautiful and you need to experience it for yourself!

Role of Spermatozoa in the Etiology of Miscarriage

Approximately one in every seven pregnancies ends in miscarriage. Yet despite thorough evaluation, the etiology of recurrent miscarriage cannot be determined in at least 50% of cases. Approximately 0.6% of sperm from normal ejaculates possess aneuploid sets of chromosomes, although this incidence increases to 6% with disordered spermatogenesis, as reflected in severe oligospermia, and to 14% in nonobstructive azoospermia. Paternal aging affects the sperm epigenome, which potentially could impact embryonic development. These data raise the need for future investigation to confirm the role of spermatozoa in miscarriage.

PCOS AND infertility

Something is definitely wrong when your menstrual cycle is irregular! Bleeding in periods is scanty or heavy!

It could be PCOS – Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) – a gynaecological disorder in which the edge of the ovary is covered with multiple cysts.These cysts can interfere with ovulation, so your periods become erratic. In many cases, women do not ovulate at all, so periods stop completely. Therefore it is difficult for women with PCOS to conceive naturally. It’s one of the leading causes of infertility in women!

You have PCOS? You’re not alone. PCOS affects around 1 in 10 women. Along with menstrual problems, women also suffer from weight issues.

Treatment for PCOS usually starts with lifestyle changes like weight loss, diet, and exercise.Losing just 5 to 10 percent of your body weight can help regulate your menstrual cycle and improve your fertility and general health.Losing weight may also increase the effectiveness of medications your doctor recommends for PCOS.

Follow a nutritious diet! Healthy diet is a paramount for women with PCOS, as they tend to gain weight quickly. See a dietician- reduce your carbohydrate and fat intake. Eat more fresh fruits, vegetables and fibre. More importantly – Stick to your diet!

With a good diet- you should exercise as well! Exercise is essential for reducing blood-sugar levels and insulin resistance. Walking for 30 minutes a day, every day, without fail will reduce your weight steadily and effectively. You could start ovulating normally with all positive lifestyle changes.

Considertaking help of a gynaecologist for medications. Women with PCOS produce high-level of male hormones. Medication can help reducing insulin and testosterone levels. Less testosterone means better fertility health: ovulation, menstruation and egg production.

Women with PCOS who have tried medication, lost weight, improved their diet and lifestyle – but still are not able to conceive naturally, should consider IVF treatment. Morpheus IVF is a final helping hand.

Usually women with PCOS, produce immature eggs.

Hormonal medications given to patients for eight to 10 days stimulate the ovaries into producing multiple eggs for fertilization. This increases the chances of creating healthy embryos for transfer into the uterus.

However, hormone injections can be dangerous for PCOS patients because they are at a greater risk for developing Ovarian Hyper stimulation Syndrome (OHSS) – a condition which causes the ovaries to swell and leads to pain, due to the already large number of follicles in the ovary.

At Morpheus IVF, we freeze the healthy embryos and recommend a remote embryo transfer a couple of months later instead of a fresh embryo transfer – to avoid OHSS.

State-of-the-art equipments and latest techniques with a team of experienced doctors and trained embryologists at Morpheus IVF, we can help to make your dream of pregnancy come true! Here the patient gets the chance of a second cycle at no extra cost, if the first cycle does not lead to clinical pregnancy.

Double Your Chances of pregnancy with Morpheus IVF!

Mistakes during pregnancy

Do not take excess food intake:

You need only 300 calories more than your normal calorie intake. Remember gaining excess weight during pregnancy can put you at risk of conditions like preeclampsia, gestational diabetes and could necessitate you to have a C-section during your delivery.

Self Medication:

You are supposed to refrain from using antacids, paracetamol or even acne creams once you are pregnant?

Only take pills that are prescribed by your doctor. If you have noticed that your prenatal vitamins and iron doses are making you feel nauseated talk to your doctor for a change of brand. These vitamins and iron supplements are prescribed to you to meet the requirements and you can’t do without them. If acidity, headache and acne is troubling you get help from a professional.

Lack of sleep/oversleep

If you have been sleeping for less than five or six hours in a day, its time you sleep more.

Oversleeping tends to make your body crave more sleep. This can spell trouble, post delivery, when your baby has erratic sleep cycles and your body yearns for more sleep.

Not talking to your baby-bump:

Put a hand on your belly and while gently caressing it, talk to your baby, often. Paying attention to your baby bump helps you bond with your baby and stimulates it’s senses too.

Avoiding comfort foods:

Putting a check on your sweet intake will help you prevent the chances of suffering from gestational diabetes and other allied problems, but stressing yourself about not having a bite of your favorite sugary treat will only increase anxiety levels in you, which in turn can affect your baby’s well-being.

Not Exercising:

Start exercising from the initial days of your pregnancy. If you are a beginner, discuss your plan with your doctor and how you should go about it. If you have already started hitting the gym, have a detailed discussion with your trainer on how you can alter your regimen to suit your special needs. Remember not to do anything drastic or take up any new challenges during your pregnancy.

Deciding on healthcare hastily:

Read up on the various types of birthing and choose what you would prefer for yourself. If it is hypnobirthing or water birth that you want, check if your hospital can help you with one. If not you surely should look elsewhere.

Hypno Birthing: Contemporary women in our culture hold an unprecedented fear of giving birth, too often associating it with excruciating pain, thereby causing their bodies to become unable to perform what should be a normal physiological function. HypnoBirthing™ is a unique method of relaxed, natural childbirth education enhanced by self‑hypnosis and guided imagery techniques that allow women to use their natural abilities to bring about safer, easier, and more comfortable birthing.

Water Birthing: Proponents of water birth believe that it is natural birthing at its best. In this process the mother is allowed to sit and relax inside a pool of water (either a bathtub or artificially made pool) brought down to a temperature that is suitable and soothing for her. The most important aspect of water birth is that it comforts the mother when the contractions set in, acting as a natural pain reliever. It is also believed that water births help the baby experience a gentle transition from the womb to the world.

Not joining an antenatal class:

Antenatal classes will give you all the information you might on pregnancy and childcare and prepare you for the onslaught of delivery.

MALE INFERTILITY – DIET AND SUPPLEMENTS

Of all infertility cases, approximately 40–50% is due to “male factor” infertility. There are literatures hinting at an increasing trend of male infertility however not all researchers are convinced of a decreasing sperm quality.

The exact reason for the decline in semen quality is not clear, but it may be due to environmental, nutritional, socioeconomic or other unknown causes.

Male infertility like any other cause of infertility has a strong impact on the psychology and physiology of couple. It can be due to several reasons like varicocele, medical causes like diabetes, chemotherapy etc, treatment of which needs the assistance of a urologist.

An estimated 40-90 percent of cases, however are due to deficient sperm production of unidentifiable origin.

In these cases of male infertility owing to unknown causes, a number of nutritional therapies have been shown to improve sperm counts and sperm motility, including carnitine, arginine, zinc, selenium, and vitamin B-12.

Numerous antioxidants have also proven beneficial in treating male infertility, such as vitamin C, vitamin E, glutathione, and coenzyme Q10.

A diet rich in antioxidants and vitamins found in fruits and vegetables, along with maintaining an ideal weight may be enough improve the quality of sperm. However there are studies which have supported the use of supplements and antioxidants in treatment of male infertility.

In addition to nutritional supplements and antioxidants it is essential to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Nutritional supplements however cannot be a substitute to a healthy lifestyle.

It is essential to note that any such changes in the man’s lifestyle will take almost three months to show an improvement in sperm.