Fertility over 40, what’s the secret?

By Dr. Shweta Goswami 

Age is one such issue which tops the list if you want to become pregnant because you can’t do anything about it. There’s no medicine, no cure for old age and the disabilities that come with it. The only thing you can do is plan your future well and make the best of today. The ideal age for pregnancy is the mid-to-late 20s. If you want to wait, then you can push that limit to 35. After 35, the chances of a successful pregnancy start declining. 

IVF, for so long considered the only hope for women who are unable to fall pregnant on their own but I believe that IVF isn't the only answer for women wanting to get pregnant. 

There are other options too and that many could find their fertility better boosted through acupuncture, making simple lifestyle changes and, actually, just having more sex. I've known many patients who wanted to go for IVF treatment and aren't regularly having sex. Often people are looking for every possible option not but sex. Physical intimacy between couples is of utmost importance. They've created a joyless life for themselves and they're doing endless yoga or furiously

Eat good Eat right for your fertility

By Dr. Shweta Goswami 

I have earlier also talked about the fertility diet but it's not only what you eat for your fertility, but how you eat too is also important. Too many of us are eating too late in the day or when we go to bed at night, we're meant to digest our day, not our dinner. Our lifestyle and health do not support fertility, particularly when we are waiting longer to get pregnant. It is very important to remember that the preparation of food itself is a bit like alchemy. 

Try these simple tips for preparing your food and the results will certainly follow : 

1. Try to make your dishes mainly plant-based, with a little high-quality meat included in your weekly diet. Cook mainly with second-pressed olive oil and use cold-pressed oils to add to food after cooking 

2.  Don't forget your nuts, vegetables and pulses for healthy fibre and limit sugar. 

3.  Remember your bones. Broth is nourishing and soothing to the digestion and has a reputation as a traditional healing food. Fertile contains a recipe for

Why there is a loss of libido?

By Dr. Shweta Goswami 

Loss of libido (sex drive) is a common problem that can affect men and women of any age. It is normal for many people to loss sex drive after a certain age especially women. Usually it happens when you attain Peri-menopausal age which is 42 onwards. Usually women feels mood swings, vaginal dryness and pain during intercourse during the peri-menopausal phase i.e before menopause and after the age of 45 and above which is the ideal age of menopause, levels of the female hormone oestrogen begin to fall in their blood, which can affect libido and they loss interest in sex. 

What causes loss of libido: 

1. Physical issues: Physical issues such as low testosterone as they are responsible for building muscles and bone mass and stimulating sperm production. Decreasing testosterone is a normal part of aging. However, a drastic drop in testosterone can lead to decreased libido 

2. Medications: Certain medications can sometimes reduce libido in men: like medication for high blood pressure medications may prevent ejaculation and erections or any other allergy to certain drugs medication for hyperprolactinaemia, a rare disorder in which the gland at the base of the brain is producing too many hormones; anti-androgenic drugs such as

Tips for breastfeeding after an IVF delivery

By Dr. Shweta Goswami 

Breastfeeding is a natural process and it comes to mothers naturally. In many cases after delivery the mother’s body undergoes a lot of changes that makes breastfeeding little difficult especially if you had cesarean delivery. But this not at all means that you should give up on breastfeeding. Stress, hormonal imbalances and fatigue are very normal for a new mother and some mothers even face post partum depression that can interfere with breast milk production.

Please consider the following tip that helps in overcoming issues with breastfeeding: 

1. Address stress from your life – First of all stop feeling too much stressed. Though it is very normal to feel stressed out after delivery especially if it’s your first baby. But stress at this time could hamper breastfeeding. Remember, a stressful mother will often find it difficult to lactate or even help the baby latch on correctly. Practice deep breathing or take bath in your tub feel the water and try to do everything that keeps you calm and relaxed. 

2. Eat right foods - It is very important for you to eat right and good foods whatever you eat directly influences your breast milk production so try to have a balanced diet, stay hydrated and drink lots of fluids. All these things help to boost milk production and help a mother get on with breastfeeding. 

3. Take small breaks from breastfeeding - . If your child keeps on suckling frequently, production of milk could be hampered though suckling helps to

5 Tips to combat male infertility

By Dr. Shweta Goswami

By this time we all know that infertility is not only a women problem; men too are equally responsible for being infertile. 4 in 10 men usually have impaired fertility and 40% of all conception problems are down to defective sperm. I have listed out 5 simple measures that can give your sperm a boost: 

1. Keeping your testicles cool: 

It is very important to keep your testicles temperature cool for making the best sperm production. Do not wear too tight pants or underwear and stop placing your laptops on your lap as they can increase scrotal temperature by almost 3 degrees in just 15 minutes.  Place it on a desk instead, or position it on the sofa next to you. 

2.  Omit stress from your life: 

Stress today is very common but it interferes with the sperm-producing hormones. If possible stay away from stress as much as possible.  Practice relaxation techniques and spending time doing the activities which can help you to cope up with stress. 

3. Cut down smoking and limit alcohol consumption: 

Male smokers are 30% more likely to struggle making their wives pregnant. The harmful products of tobacco smoking can kill sperm cells. On the other hand alcohol consumption can reduce libido and affect sperm quality. 

4.  Have sex frequently: 

A young healthy couple only has a 20 – 25% chance of falling pregnant from one sexual encounter. So, the more you do it, the better your chances are. Daily ejaculation also improves the quality of sperm. 

5. Taking supplements and vitamins improves fertility: 

Taking sufficient amount of supplements helps in improving fertility among men. For instance Zinc which is vital to sperm production. Consuming just 15mg per day has been scientifically proven to increase fertility. Sources of zinc are lamb, whole grains, nuts, seafood, peanuts and pumpkin seeds. Also, try to meet your daily allowance of Vitamin C and

Should I travel during my IVF treatment?

Dr. Shweta Goswami 

Many questions keep pondering us during IVF treatment. One of them would be should I travel when my IVF treatment is going on…? Many couples ask me, if they can take vacations and travel before, after, or during treatment. Actually, IVF medications and procedures can interfere dramatically with your day-to-day life. In all honesty, the bottom line is better safe than sorry. 

It would be quite difficult for one to travel during the medication phase of the IVF process. Regardless of your medication schedule, which is likely to be sturdy, you will be seeing your doctor on a regular basis for monitoring appointments that include blood work and ultrasounds. It is likely that you won’t be able to get away during this phase of your treatment. Keep in mind, you also don’t know how your body is going to react to the medications, you might want to be near your doctor just in case you have some bad side effects or concerns. 

The next part of the IVF process includes two procedures; egg retrieval and embryo transfer. You won’t be able to find here to travel at all. Some IVF patients do travel from their home quite some distance to seek treatment in a larger town or city. This type of traveling is okay, as you will need to travel back and forth between your home and treatments. Some doctors do recommend a hotel stay for a night or two immediately following each procedure. 

So you are thinking to yourself, after all that I have gone through I need a little time to get away. Dependent on your doctor, you typically will have bed rest for at least 1 day following your embryo transfer. Some doctors recommend up to 5 days, but the average is typically 2-3 days. Do to your work schedule and or planned vacations, many women wonder if it O.K to proceed with life as normal. Part of the answer is yes, you need to

5 most important things you should know about IVF Treatment

By Dr. Shweta Goswami 

As we know infertility means when you are unable to concive naturally despite of one year of trying. As you age your fertility levels will decline plus there are many lifestyle factors that affects your fertility and then you opt for IVF treatment to conceive. So, here are few things that you should know about IVF: 

1. When women's and men’s fertility really starts to drop: 

First and foremost you should know about the time when a woman's fertility starts to drop dramatically i.e from the age of 30 onwards. Diminishing egg numbers along with diminishing egg quality is one issue. A simple blood test, known as AMH, will tell a woman if she has a normal number of eggs for her age but tells us little about the quality of the eggs remaining. 

On the other hand, men's fertility can also reduce with age. While women are born with all the eggs they will ever have, men are continually producing new sperm. However, as men age, the quality of the genes in their sperm deteriorates.  

2. Success rate of IVF treatment: 

There are ‘N’ number of fertility clinics and infertility specialists in the world and many have achieved the highest success rates in IVF in the world. However, an individual couple's chance of success depends on a number of factors such as the cause of infertility, age and lifestyle. As a general guide, there is a 60 to 70 percent chance of conception per IVF treatment if aged under 30. This goes down to a 20 percent chance for your first IVF treatment over the age of 40. 

3. Cost factor:

Infertility is increasing at a fast paced and IVF is becoming a common option for all. So, as a result IVF has become more affordable in India than in other developed countries. It is just 1/5th of the costs outside India with success rate at par with the world. 

4. Risks involved: 

IVF has been around for more than 30 years. It is a very safe procedure, with no long-term risks to mother or child. The most serious medical complication is