Things to Consider Before Freezing Your Eggs

Egg freezing is a technique used to preserve women’s future fertility. Unfertilized eggs taken from your ovaries are frozen and kept to be used later in the future. It is possible to thaw a frozen egg, combine it with sperm in a lab, and transfer the embryo in your uterus (in vitro fertilization). 

How does egg freezing work?

Egg freezing is the act of extracting your eggs and freezing them so you can attempt pregnancy in the future through in vitro fertilization (IVF). If you’ve decided on egg freezing, you go through some of the same preliminary stages as those who undergo an IVF treatment:

• Step one: To increase egg production, fertility medications will be given to you. Your ovaries produce multiple eggs at once rather than just one when the hormones are injected. It’s known as ovarian stimulation.
• Step two: Your eggs will be removed from the ovaries after they are sufficiently matured. The treatment is typically conducted painlessly while you are sedated. This is a day-care procedure and requires hospitalization for  a short time.
• Step three: When the eggs are retrieved, they are frozen until you are ready to try to conceive in the future.
• Step four: The eggs are thawed and combined with sperm when you’re ready to try for pregnancy. Any developing embryos are then transferred to the uterus for implantation.

Why is it done?

Egg freezing can be done if you’re not ready to get pregnant right now but want to make sure you can get pregnant in the future. You can consider freezing your eggs if:

• You have a disease or situation that can impair your fertility.
• You require medical attention for cancer or another condition that might impair your ability to conceive.
• You want to preserve your younger eggs now for future use.

How many eggs are frozen?

The total number of eggs that are frozen will vary depending on the individual and the quantity of viable eggs produced during ovarian stimulation.

What should you consider before egg freezing?

Here are a few key points to consider before freezing your eggs: 

• It’s better to freeze your eggs when you’re young: Your ovarian reserve of eggs will be higher and healthier when you are young. As a result, you’ll have a better probability of getting pregnant. You can learn about your ovarian reserve and whether or not you should choose egg freezing from your doctor by taking a fertility hormone test. It is advised against egg freezing for women over the age of 38.

• There may be some side effects: Although the surgical method for freezing eggs is generally painless, it could result in slight discomfort. Due to the ovaries growing to make room for numerous increasing follicles with a maturing egg in each, the hormone injections may result in bloating and moodiness. Occasionally, in very few cases the hormone levels may get too high and it can result in ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome (OHSS). The signs and symptoms include vomiting, nausea, and weight gain.

• There’s no guarantee of successful pregnancy: According to some research, there is only a 2–12% probability that a single frozen egg would result in a live birth. There haven’t been many studies done on this, though. The quality of the male partner’s sperm, the thawing process, and the viability of the eggs all have a role in whether or not a pregnancy using frozen eggs will be successful.
• You may need more than one procedure: According to study, you need to freeze several eggs, say about 15, to have a decent chance of becoming pregnant in the future. But whether a woman produces enough eggs in a single cycle depends on her ovarian reserve, her age at the time, and how her body reacts to stimulation. 

Takeaway

Making decisions concerning your fertility can easily leave you feeling stressed. We can assist you in taking immediate action so that you can determine whether or not egg freezing is something you would want to think about. If you choose to store your eggs and use them later, for instance, knowing your current AMH levels, which represent your ovarian reserve, can help you predict the effectiveness of IVF as well as ovarian stimulation, the process by which you take hormone therapy to produce eggs.

What Are The Various Tests Performed Before Undergoing IVF?

IVF is one of the most popular infertility treatments used for helping couples who are trying to conceive. The decision to undergo in vitro fertilization procedure depends on a variety of factors. A woman’s suitability for IVF is determined by a series of tests that are done before the procedure. 

These IVF tests are done so as to find out the reason for infertility so that, proper course of treatment can be decided and any additional treatment if required planned. These tests also ensure that the couple do not have any type of disease or infection which may impair the result.  

Different tests performed before IVF are as follows:

Semen Analysis

A sample of sperm will be taken and submitted to a facility for testing in order to perform a semen analysis. The morphology, motility, count, and concentration of the sperm can all be determined with a semen test. If the semen parameters are altered like low count, motility and/or the normal morphology is poor then, ICSI may be recommended by the doctor. ICSI is a cutting-edge technique that includes injecting sperm into the egg.

Ovarian Reserve Testing

It is a blood hormone test that enables the IVF specialist to determine the total number of eggs in ovaries that is her ovarian reserve. The hormones which are mostly tested are  FSH, AMH, and estradiol. The doctor usually performs these tests on the day 2 or 3 of the menstrual cycle. Out of these blood tests AMH or Anti mullerian hormone is the most reliable test used for estimation of ovarian reserve.

Infectious Diseases Screening

An IVF specialist frequently requests that couples or donors undergo viral markers screening when getting ready for pregnancy through assisted conception treatment. The specialist will perform tests to check for infectious disorders like HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Chlamydia, Rubella, etc. before moving on with IVF. This is due to the fact that the disorders can impact the fetus’ growth and cause complications in the future.

Uterine Cavity Examination

Abnormalities of the uterine cavity could contribute to subfertility or continuing implantation failure, among other things. Your fertility specialist would advise the uterine cavity assessment before the IVF procedure. The endometrial lining, ovaries and uterine cavity  are scanned using transvaginal ultrasound. Hysteroscopy may be required in cases of recurrent implantation failure, recurrent miscarriages or in patients where abnormality is detected by ultrasound. 

Prolactin and Thyroid Hormones

The primary hormone for generating breast milk is prolactin, and high levels of this hormone can have an impact on pregnancy. Thyroid hormones are helpful for various metabolic activities. Pregnancy might also be impacted by thyroid hormone levels that are higher or lower. This test helps the IVF specialist in selecting the appropriate medications to balance hormone levels.

Mock Embryo Transfer

The procedure of embryo transfer has to be smooth with minimal handling of cervix, as manipulations may lead to uterine contractions which have adverse effect on outcome of the procedure. Mock embryo transfer is done with the embryo transfer cannula to determine the direction of cervical canal and uterus. As a result, the specialist will take the necessary precautions if required to customize the actual procedure.

The tests listed above are important tests carried out to determine whether IVF is the best course of treatment for you. All these tests help to make sure that there is a higher chance of conceiving with IVF treatment.

How are test tube baby produced? Step by step process

A test-tube baby is a child who is conceived outside the female body. A more complete definition specifies test tube babies as being made in a laboratory through the scientific process of In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) and grown in the mother’s womb. In a petri dish, the sperm and eggs are combined to start the procedure. However, despite being a well-known term, “test-tube baby” continues to confuse couples seeking medical help for infertility issues.

When is a Test tube baby essential?

Test tube baby is required when the couple is unable to conceive naturally in spite of regular unprotected intercourse for a year. Few indications of  test tube baby are:

• When there is no ovulation
• When there is some problem with the egg.
• When there is damage to both or one of the fallopian tubes.
• When a premature ovarian failure takes place.
• When the woman has severe endometriosis.
• When the male partner has insufficient sperm.
• When either one or both partners have any kind of sexual dysfunction.
• When intrauterine insemination fails.

What is the step by step process of a test tube baby?

Step 1: Hormone Therapy And Egg Production

The first step in the test tube baby process is to encourage the growth of eggs inside the female’s body. Mainly, Gonadotropins and GnRHa, two injectable, medically prescribed hormones, are used to do this. The female receives these injectable hormones in a titrated dose, which cause the follicles already existing in her ovaries to develop and mature. hCG injection is used to complete the final stage of egg maturation. Egg collection is done  36 hours after receiving injection hCG.

Step 2: Eggs Retrieval

After hormone therapy, the next step is to collect  the eggs from the body using a minor surgical procedure. To minimize any potential discomfort, the procedure is done under general or local anesthesia. The eggs are retrieved  using a vaginal ultrasonography probe with an attached needle. The needle is inserted in each ovary and fluid from all formed follicles are aspirated. The fluid is seen under the microscope to identify the eggs, which are then kept in a petri dish in a specialized media in the incubator.

Step 3: Sperm Collection

The day the eggs are retrieved from the female’s body, the male also has to submit a fresh sample of semen. This is needed because the following, and most important, stage in the creation of a test-tube baby requires the collection of both sperm and eggs.

Step 4: Petri Dish

The mixing of the collected sperm and eggs in a petri dish is one of the most crucial procedures in the entire test tube baby procedure. The petri dish is stored in an incubator after the sperm and eggs have been combined. The specialist examines the mixture to look for any evidence of fertilization the next day and also keeps track of the development of the embryo in following days. This is necessary to make sure the embryo is growing well and to ascertain that embryo is ready for the transfer to the uterus.

Step 5: Final Transfer to Uterus

Transferring the prepared embryos into the uterus completes the process of creating a test tube baby. A very fine catheter is used to transfer one to three distinct embryos to the woman’s uterus. Hormonal support is given after the embryo transfer to support the possible pregnancy.

However, 14 days following the embryo transfer procedure, blood beta HCG levels are checked to see if you’re pregnant. For a single embryo transfer cycle during a test tube pregnancy, the success rate is up to 50 %, and for three embryo transfer cycles, the success rate is a cumulative 85–90%. However, the success rate depends on numerous factors and varies from couple to couple. 

Who Should Consider IVF Treatment?

Any couple who has tried to get pregnant for a year and been unsuccessful should think about getting fertility treatments. It is crucial that they speak with a fertility specialist in order to accurately diagnose the cause of their infertility and receive the appropriate care. 

Blocked Fallopian Tubes Treatment

The fallopian tubes are two tubes, one on each side of the uterus, that picks up the released egg from ovaries, allows sperm to enter in the fallopian tube, fertilization and early development of embryo occurs here. The embryo then moves towards the uterus with the help of hair-like structure in the fallopian tubes. If fertilization doesn’t occur the egg gets degenerated. When a blockage, such as scarring, an adhesion, or an infection, prevents the movement of sperm/egg/embryo in the tube, it is said to have a blocked fallopian tube, which is also referred to as tubal factor infertility. A blocked fallopian tube may affect fertility.

What are the symptoms of blocked fallopian tubes?

People who have blocked fallopian tubes rarely show any symptoms. Many people with this issue believe their fertility is normal. It’s not always the case. The first “symptom” of blocked fallopian tubes is often infertility.

Blocked fallopian tubes can occasionally cause a mild, ongoing abdominal ache on one side. This may occur in a hydrosalpinx, a form of blockage. When a blockage causes the tube to expand or grow, and fill with fluid, the condition is known as hydrosalpinx. 

Blocked fallopian tubes can have a variety of causes, some of which may also have unique symptoms. For instance, painful menstruation and painful sexual activity may be brought on by endometriosis and pelvic inflammatory disease, both of these diseases may affect the tubes.

How does a blocked fallopian tube affect fertility?

One common reason for infertility is blocked fallopian tubes. In the fallopian tube, sperm and an egg come together to fertilize. And when there is a blockage in the fallopian, it prevents the sperm and egg from meeting.

You might be able to conceive with one or both partially blocked fallopian tubes. But the chance of an ectopic pregnancy rises. However, without medical help, pregnancy will not be possible if both tubes are completely blocked. 

What are the causes of blocked fallopian tubes?

Pelvic inflammatory disease is the most typical cause of blocked fallopian tubes. Although not all pelvic infections are connected to STDs, but sometimes pelvic inflammatory disease is the outcome of a sexually transmitted disease. Additionally, even in the absence of PID, a history of PID or pelvic infection raises the possibility of blocked tubes.

Blockage of the fallopian tubes can also result from:

• Chlamydia and gonorrhea can result in pelvic inflammatory disease and scarring.
• Pelvic inflammatory disease can cause scarring or hydrosalpinx.
• Endometrial tissue can accumulate and block the fallopian tubes.
• Past ectopic pregnancy can scar the fallopian tubes.
• Fibroids can grow and block the fallopian tube, particularly, when they grow near the opening of fallopian tubes into the uterus
• Past abdominal surgeries, especially on the fallopian tubes themselves, can lead to pelvic adhesions that block the tubes.

How to diagnose a blocked fallopian tube?

A hysterosalpingogram(HSG) or Sonosalpingography (SSG), is a test to check for the patency of fallopian tubes. 

One of the primary fertility tests that every couple having trouble getting pregnant gets is an HSG or SSG. A small tube is used to inject a dye or saline into the cervix during the test. The dye should pass through the uterus and fallopian tubes before spilling out around the ovaries and into the pelvic cavity if everything is normal. X-rays of the pelvic region are taken after the dye has been injected in HSG. Similarly, pelvic ultrasound is done to see if saline is present in the pelvic cavity. But if the dye doesn’t get past the tubes, then you may have a blocked fallopian tube.

Your doctor may use laparoscopy to perform additional testing if the tubal patency test  is unable to provide a conclusive diagnosis. 

How to treat blocked fallopian tubes?

Your doctor may perform laparoscopic surgery to remove any scar tissue or adhesions that are blocking your fallopian tubes and open them. However, it may not be able to treat the blockages in your fallopian tubes if there is a significant amount of scar tissue or adhesions present. 

Surgery may be an option to restore tubes that have been harmed by an infection or ectopic pregnancy. Here is what you need to know about surgery for blocked tubes:

• Laparoscopic Surgery: Laparoscopic surgery may often be able to clear scar tissue or unblock blocked tubes. Unfortunately, it isn’t always effective. The possibility of success is influenced by your age, the position and severity of the blockage, as well as its underlying cause. The likelihood of becoming pregnant following surgery is good if there are only a few adhesions between the tubes and ovaries.
• In Vitro Fertilization: Women with blocked tubes had no other alternatives for getting pregnant before the introduction of in vitro fertilization (IVF), especially if repair surgery didn’t work or wasn’t an option. IVF has made it possible for such women to get pregnant as the fertilization occurs in the lab so the work of fallopian tubes are bypassed.

Takeaway

When only one fallopian tube is blocked, it may still be possible to conceive naturally or with minimal medical assistance. Surgery or IVF treatment, however, can be required when both tubes are blocked.

Following treatment for blocked fallopian tubes, pregnancy is possible. However, the type of treatment you receive and how severe the block is will affect your chances of getting pregnant.  The likelihood of a successful pregnancy increases if the blockage is close to the uterus. If the blockage is at the fallopian tube’s end, close to the ovary, the success percentages are lower. 

Oligospermia: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

When a person’s sperm count is below the standard set by the World Health Organization (WHO) for healthy sperm counts—15 million sperm per milliliter of semen—this condition is referred to as oligospermia or oligozoospermia. Oligospermia, which is characterised by a low sperm count, can affect your ability to conceive naturally.

What are the causes of Oligospermia?

It’s normal for your sperm count to change over the course of your life, especially as you become older. However, a person’s risk of oligospermia can also be increased by health issues and lifestyle choices.

• Varicocele: Varicocele, or enlarged veins in the scrotum, can reduce testosterone production, impair spermatogenesis that is sperm production, and cause oxidative stress, all of which can have a detrimental effect on sperm count. Nearly 15% of males have a varicocele, making it a rather prevalent condition. Since the symptoms of varicocele are normally modest, it often goes unrecognised during adolescence.
• Exposure to heat: Heat exposure has the potential to generate oxidative stress and impairment of sperm production, which has been demonstrated to have an adverse effect on semen parameters. A drop in sperm count, motility, and viability is linked to heat stress, which can be caused by sitting for lengthy amounts of time each day, using saunas or hot baths, positioning computers or other heat-producing gadgets close to your genitals, or dressing tightly.
• Exposure to toxins and radiation: The quantity of sperm can be significantly impacted by radiation exposure as well as by contact with chemicals, metals, pesticides, and petrochemicals. You may have a higher chance of acquiring low sperm count if you work in the military, agriculture, pesticides, plastic manufacturing, tobacco processing, or welding industries, among others.It has been established that individuals who work in these type of  high-risk workplaces not only have lower sperm counts but the quality of the and sperm is also affected.
• Hormone imbalance: Numerous hormones, including testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone, are responsible for male fertility. These hormones, along with a few others, are crucial for the development of sperm. Your sperm count along with other sperm health parameters may alter if any of these hormones are out of balance.
• Smoking, Drugs and Alcohol use: It has been found in various studies that smoking not only reduces the number,motility and morphology of the sperm but also has adverse effects on DNA material of sperm. The use of various drugs, such as cocaine and marijuana, may lower sperm counts. Drinking too much also has the same effect.

What are the signs and symptoms of oligospermia?

The main sign or symptom of oligospermia is the inability to conceive a baby with a partner after one year of unprotected sexual intercourse.

How does oligospermia affect fertility?

Some oligospermic men can still conceive even though their sperm counts are low. However, fertilisation might be more challenging. It can take more tries than it would for couples without a  fertility issue.

Men are more likely to experience various fertility problems as a result of some of the most typical oligospermia causes. This involves issues with sperm motility. 

Sperm motility describes how active the sperms are. Active sperms can easily swim in the direction of an egg. However, sperms may not travel sufficiently to reach an egg if they have abnormal motility.

How is oligospermia diagnosed?

Analysing the semen is the main diagnostic procedure for oligospermia. A lab technician does a semen analysis by examining a sample of semen under a microscope to count and evaluate the sperm. A condition like oligospermia or azoospermia is normally diagnosed by two consecutive abnormal semen analyses.

Most of the time, a person with oligospermia won’t be aware of it until they start trying to conceive and have trouble.

How to treat oligospermia?

Depending on your situation, several oligospermia treatment options may be used:

• You may require surgery to close off enlarged veins in order to redirect blood flow to the testicles if a varicocele is the cause of your oligospermia.
• You could need correction of hormones if a hormone imbalance is the cause of your oligospermia in order to increase sperm production and restore a healthy balance.
• You might require a course of treatment if you have a virus or bacterial infection in order to get rid of the infection and inflammation. The treatment may not help the sperm count improve depending on how far advanced the infection is, but it can stop further declines in sperm count.
• Your sperm counts might increase with weight loss and appropriate weight maintenance. Additionally, it might lower your risk for a variety of other illnesses. Stop smoking, using tobacco, alcohol, and other substances to increase sperm production and to stop further damage to sperms.

How to conceive with oligospermia?

There are various treatment modalities available for conception. However, the final line of treatment is decided after evaluating the couple. 

• Intrauterine insemination (IUI): In this fertility procedure, sperm is washed (processed) and then put right into the patient’s uterus. IUI can increase the likelihood of pregnancy for people with mild to moderate oligospermia, according to studies. IUI is an excellent first-line treatment choice before attempting more invasive or expensive techniques like IVF and ICSI because it is one of the least invasive and least expensive assisted reproductive therapies.
• In vitro fertilization (IVF): For the purpose of encouraging fertilisation outside of the body, this process requires extracting oocytes from the ovary and combining them with sperm. The embryos are grown in the lab for three to five days.Then the embryo/ embryos are transferred into the uterine cavity. IVF success rates can vary based on the age of the female partner, quality of embryo etc.  
• Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI): In this form of treatment, single sperm is injected in an egg for fertilization and placed in an incubator. Then, like IVF the embryos are grown in the lab for three to five days and then transferred into the uterus . According to one study, the pregnancy rate for individuals with oligospermia is 36.4%. ICSI can be a promising assisted reproductive method for persons who have low sperm count as a result of an obstruction (such as those with obstructive azoospermia).