Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Fertility and Sterility

Human fertility and sterility depends on several factors including nutrition, endocrinology, sexual behavior, culture, quality of life and emotional, physical and mental health. The modern trend is for both men and women to postpone having children, busy as they are in establishing their careers and ensuring financial security and stability in their lives. However, fertility tends to decrease with increasing age in both men and women due to biological, physical and mental and emotional factors adversely impacting the child-bearing process.

In most cases, infertility is treatable. The first step towards increasing the chances of conception would be to bring about changes in lifestyle and nutrition. Drugs and environmental toxicants adversely impact fertility. Regulating the intake of alcohol and caffeine is also essential.

Recent medical research has resulted in several technological breakthroughs in reproductive techniques paving the way for older parents to successfully have healthy babies. Famous older dads of today include the likes of Anthony Quinn, Michael Douglas, David Letterman, Larry King, Woody Allen, Charlie Chaplin and Warren Beatty among others.

There are several methods which older parents can opt for to have healthy babies:

  • Reproductive endocrinology and infertility (REI)
  • Artificial insemination
  • In vitro fertilization (IVF or IV)
  • Surrogacy
  • Egg donation

Fertility or infertility clinics and centers abound where fertility specialists provide treatment for male and female infertility which can be age related or otherwise. Reproductive endocrinology and infertility (REI) is a part of obstetrics and gynecology that trains doctor’s to treat reproductive and infertility issues. Physicians are trained to study and treat hormonal dysfunctions in females and males and surgeons operate to treat infertility.

Artificial insemination is a popular option for couples facing problems in conceiving. Here infertility specialists inject sperm into the female at the time she is ovulating to help her conceive. In vitro fertilization or IVF is another alternative for an infertile couple. In this process, fertility clinic(s) combine the sperm and the egg outside the uterus and the resulting embryos are then placed in the woman’s uterus.

However, if the female partner cannot carry a child in her uterus there is the option of surrogacy which transcends all international borders. A gestational surrogate agrees to carry a pregnancy in her uterus for the biological parents. This method has offered couples who are unable to carry the opportunity to have their own child.

If a male partner is unable to produce sperm, there are sperm banks from where one can select sperm after reading the profile of the donors. Egg banks have not yet been developed due to the difficulty of freezing and thawing eggs with good survival rates. Ongoing research will allow this to take place in the future. At this point in time, the most reliable method of obtaining eggs is through In Vitro Fertilization with an egg donor.

Before opting for any of these methods it is important that the concerned individuals go in for counseling provided by fertility experts.

For all your fertility related queries and concerns log on to www.ebfertility.com. We will be happy to guide you through the various diagnostic and treatment options available to help you build your family.

Aging Infertility in Men and Women

Fertility, the natural capability of creating life decreases as men and women age though it does not imply that men and women become absolutely sterile. There have been instances where a 90 year old man has been able to father a child by natural means and similarly women well past their middle ages are giving birth to healthy babies. Also with sophisticated medical treatment and a balanced diet older men and women have found it easier to conceive and deliver healthy babies.

Aging males and gene mutation

As men age, in general they experience erectile dysfunction, reduction in the volume, concentration, count and motility of the sperm. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine has suggested that the age limit for sperm donors should be under-40 as the quality of sperm decreases with age. However this age limit is not based on scientific evidence as the effect of aging on fertility in men is still not conclusively proved.

Men continue to produce sperm all their life. But the fact remains that aging does affect the quality of the sperm. A research done in 2006 found that low sperm motility was affected by DNA fragmentation which increased with age. Therefore older men were most likely to pass on any mutation in the genes to their progenies. The Aging Male Syndrome is characterized by a number of symptoms like loss of libido, decrease in the levels of the male hormone testosterone, erectile dysfunction, and other physical symptoms like bone loss, hair loss, weight gain, memory problems, muscle loss, low stamina and increased urination.

Older women and fertility

Infertility is more pronounced in women than in men. Fertility in women starts declining even years before menopause sets in. Research on the incidence of pregnancy in various age groups has shown that the rate of infertility is higher in older women. Women are born with all the eggs they will have in a lifetime. As women age, the eggs in the ovaries also age making it more difficult to conceive and increasing the risk of miscarriage and chromosomal abnormalities. Also older women are more likely to develop age related diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart conditions and gynecological problems like fibroids, endometriosis and menopause. These may result in poor quality of eggs, weight gain and disturbances in the estrogen metabolism. Although these conditions may affect a woman’s ability to conceive, current emerging technologies make it possible for older women to successfully deliver a healthy baby.

Staying healthy by remaining active and following a balanced diet, as well as reducing stress and negativity are still keys to increasing the likelihood of conception, for both men and women. It is important to seek medical advice and treatment for any conditions or problems to increase chances of conception.

For all your fertility related queries and concerns log on to www.ebfertility.com.