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Laparoscopy: Everything You Need To Know

A laparoscopy is a type of exploratory surgery performed with a laparoscope. The surgeon examines the abdominal and/or pelvic chambers usually through one or two keyhole incisions. This is a less intrusive option than a laparotomy. 

It is typically performed for diagnostic purposes in order to search for issues that imaging tests have been unable to detect. During the procedure, the doctor may collect tissue samples for a biopsy. During the laparoscopy, they could also be able to treat small issues, including removing growths or obstructions that they discover during the examination.

What is laparoscopic surgery?

A minimally invasive surgical procedure utilised in the abdomen and pelvis is called laparoscopic surgery. It employs a laparoscope to see inside your body without fully opening it up. A laparoscope is a thin, telescopic rod with a camera at the end. 

In contrast, to open abdominal surgery, which requires a 6- to 12-inch incision, laparoscopic surgery only requires two to four tiny incisions, each no larger than half an inch. The others are for the surgical tools, and one is for the camera. Keyhole surgery is another name for minimally invasive surgery that alludes to these tiny incisions.

What surgical procedures are done laparoscopically?

Nowadays, laparoscopic surgery is a viable option for many routine procedures. The degree to which your disease is complex will determine whether you are a candidate for laparoscopic surgery. To treat some complex illnesses, open surgery could be necessary.

However, due to its advantages in terms of cost savings and better patient outcomes, laparoscopic surgery is increasingly being used as the standard procedure for a variety of routine procedures. The list includes:

• Cyst, fibroid, and polyp removals.
• Small tumour removals.
• Biopsies.
• Hysterectomy.
• Tubal ligation and reversal.
• Ectopic pregnancy removal.
• Endometriosis surgery.
• Urethral and vaginal reconstruction surgery.
• Orchiopexy (testicle correction surgery).
• Blocked fallopian tubes
• Buildups of scar tissue
• Other abnormalities of the reproductive system

Is laparoscopic a major surgery?

Because of the small incisions and the protection of the organs, laparoscopic surgery is, on the one hand, regarded as minimally intrusive. Laparoscopic procedures can also be performed on less complex surgical procedures. In cases where the complexity of the surgery exceeds expectations, laparoscopic surgery may need to be converted to open surgery.

On the other hand, laparoscopic procedures involve the removal of organs, and if you assume that any organ removal requires significant surgery, you are not mistaken. No matter how they are performed, these operations have inherent hazards that include bleeding, injury to surrounding organs, internal scarring, and others. The recuperation durations will be shortened and made easier with the laparoscopic procedure, and have excellent success rates.

How safe is laparoscopic surgery?

Although some risks are minimised, it is still at least as safe as open surgery. Reducing the size of the wound lowers the risk of infection, blood loss, and postoperative problems such as wound separation and incisional hernia. The risk of any transmission of germs between the patient and surgeon is decreased with laparoscopic surgery by limiting their direct touch. Additionally, it reduces the amount of time needed for postoperative recuperation, lowering the hazards associated with extended bed rest, such as deep venous thrombosis (blood clots in veins).

How should you prepare for your laparoscopic surgery?

You’ll need to be ready for this in a few different ways because general anaesthesia is typically used for laparoscopic surgeries. Prior to surgery, you should not eat or drink anything for roughly eight hours. This is done to stop anaesthesia-related sickness. Additionally, you should make arrangements for transportation home after the treatment.

Even while you’ll probably be able to return home that day, the anaesthesia may have left you feeling hazy. More detailed instructions regarding your drugs may be provided by your doctor.

What happens before the procedure?

When you get to the hospital, a nurse will take your vital signs to make sure you’re healthy enough for surgery while you change into a hospital gown. Before the procedure, individuals could occasionally have additional testing, such as a blood test or imaging of the surgical site.

You will enter the surgical room after the testing is complete. To give you fluids and anaesthetic, an IV (intravenous) line will be inserted into a vein in your arm or hand. You’ll be put to sleep and have your muscles paralysed, along with any pain. Additionally, a breathing tube will be inserted in your throat to maintain the openness of your airway while the surgery is performed.

What happens during the procedure?

After giving you the anaesthesia:

• The doctor will insert a needle into the abdomen
• Then inject gas into the abdomen to make the organs and tissues more visible
• Then the needle is removed and a small camera on an instrument called a laparoscope is inserted through a tiny incision
• The doctor will then make a second incision and insert a small tool called a probe
• The abdominal organs are visualised with the camera. The probe will be used to lift or move organs out of the way.

The doctor may recommend additional steps, such as:

• Putting a dye through the fallopian tubes to check if they are accessible for sperm and eggs
• Eliminating adhesions or scar tissue
• Correcting abnormalities
• Opening blocked fallopian tubes

The doctor might make a third incision in the abdomen and insert tools to carry out these further treatments. The surgeon will then take out the instruments and stitch the incisions. For a few hours, a patient must stay under monitoring to ensure that there are no difficulties and that their recovery is going smoothly.

What are the advantages of a Laparoscopy procedure?

Laparoscopy involves the following compared to other surgical procedures that can assist a doctor in determining the reason for infertility:

• Less severe methods
• A lower chance of infection
• Smaller scars
• The potential for resolving the problem during surgery and a quicker recovery.

38-year-old woman from Sudan gets pregnant for the first time in 15 years

Patient Name: Hala Omar

Country: Sudan

Hospital: Pristyn Care Ferticity Fertility Clinics

Doctor: Dr Ila Gupta (IVF Specialist)

Hala’s Story:

We are delighted to help Hala, a 38-year-old woman from Sudan, who struggled to get pregnant even after 15 years of trying. She constantly desired to mother her own child but could never conceive. She underwent IVF three to four times in Sudan but failed. However, she decided to come to India and get her infertility treatment done at our centre, Pristyn Care Ferticity IVF & Fertility Clinics located in Malviya Nagar, South Delhi, India. After being consulted by our IVF specialist, Dr Ila Gupta, she got a positive result. After going through IVF at Pristyn Care Ferticity Fertility Clinics, Hala got a positive pregnancy report.

Hala’s journey to Pristyn Care Ferticity IVF & Fertility Clinics

Watch Hala’s journey here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzKQ8cYOfkE&t=14s

Hala’s experience in Pristyn Care Ferticity Fertility Clinics

“Thank you, Pristyn Care Ferticity. After having failed 3-4 attempts at IVF, I lost all hope of ever conceiving but Pristyn Care Ferticity gave me back my hope. Thank you for giving me the biggest happiness in my life – the happiness of having my own child.”

• Hala Omar

International Patient Testimonial of Belinda

Patient Name: Belinda Jackson Cheeks

Country: Liberia

Hospital: Pristyn Care Ferticity Fertility Clinics

Doctor: Dr Ila Gupta (IVF Specialist)

Belinda’s Story:

We are delighted to help Belinda, a 46-year-old woman from Liberia, who struggled to get pregnant even after 15 years of trying. She constantly desired to mother her own child but was never able to conceive. She even tried getting several treatments from one hospital to another yet no results. Then she came all the way to India when she heard about Pristyn Care Ferticity Fertility Clinics. She consulted our IVF specialist, Dr Ila Gupta. After understanding Belinda’s history, she suggested that Belinda should go for IVF. Recently, Belinda got a positive pregnancy report in her first IVF cycle.

Belinda’s journey to Pristyn Care Ferticity Fertility Clinics

Watch Belinda’s journey here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tM4X4nCuZLg

Belinda’s experience in Pristyn Care Ferticity Fertility Clinics

“With Pristyn Care Ferticity, I am very much grateful. As I go back to my country, all the sisters having this desire (to be a mother), I am going to send them to India. If they’re able to come, they should come right to Dr Ila Gupta Thank you very much. I pray for long life for you.”

                           – Belinda Jackson Cheeks

Top IVF Myths People Need To Stop Believing

IVF is advancing as more and more couples are accepting and open to the procedure. The first successful IVF baby was born in 1978, despite the fact that the technology extends back to the 1800s. Since then, IVF has developed significantly with the aid of contemporary medicine and technology. People’s attitudes toward IVF are evolving more slowly, though.

Many of the things people tell you regarding IVF may be rumours. Many others could even advise against choosing it based on what they’ve heard about it or their limited understanding of it. You are much more likely to obtain accurate facts about this wonderful science if you actually sit down and do some research on it or ask an IVF expert about it.

Related: How are test tube baby produced? Step by step process

Myth 1:

IVF is a painful process: There is no pain or difficulty associated with the IVF procedure itself. You might feel a little uncomfortable during the ovarian stimulation and embryo transfer or after ovum pickup, but you won’t experience any severe pain. Each person has a different level of pain tolerance. As a result, your level of pain throughout the treatment may be extremely different from someone else’s.

Patients receive injections for ovarian stimulation, before and after embryo transfer. You must get ready for slight pain with IVF due to regular injections which might make you uncomfortable or anxious. However, with more recent ideas like the natural cycle, unpleasant injections are no longer necessary.

Myth 2: 

IVF babies are not normal: IVF is only a procedure that helps the conception process proceed more quickly and increases the likelihood that it will occur. The foetus and the newborn after birth both grow and develop similarly to a natural conception child. The baby is not born with any genetic flaws or health issues as a result of IVF.

If a child produced through IVF develops any illnesses or diseases, it is entirely possible that they were inherited from one or both of the parents, not as a result of IVF. In fact, your fertility expert might suggest a preimplantation genetic test of the embryo before putting it inside the uterus in IVF-driven pregnancies if indicated. This aids them in determining whether the infant is predisposed to experiencing any future health issues or diseases due to a genetic abnormality.

To produce healthy embryos, the embryologist also selects the healthiest sperm from the batch.

Myth 3:

IVF leads to multiple pregnancies: Despite being frequent with IVF, not every woman will have multiple pregnancies. During the embryo transfer, first, the best-looking embryos are chosen to transfer in the womb. So, to increase the chances of pregnancy more than one embryo is transferred at a time. However, the genetic makeup can not be known by looking under a microscope. Hence, it is not necessary that all the embryos get implanted. 

Myth 4:

IVF works well for women of all ages: IVF is a possibility for women who have passed the prime reproductive age to give pregnancy one final go, although it is not required for everyone. IVF conception is far more likely successful in younger women under 35 than in older women. Women’s egg reserves and egg quality start to decline as they age. Women who used IVF for their first or previous pregnancies occasionally choose to freeze their viable embryos for their subsequent pregnancies. In this way, even if their egg reserves decline in the future, they can still attempt an IVF pregnancy.

However, if the lady had not frozen her embryos, her present ovarian reserve and egg quality would make it difficult for her to conceive successfully. There is no assurance of success for women of all ages however, the likelihood of conception by IVF is low for those over 35. IVF cycles can lead to unsuccessful pregnancy attempts, just like with spontaneous conception.  Although, every case is individualised and the result of IVF depends on numerous factors other than age. 

Takeaway

Some of the misconceptions listed above may be familiar to you since a friend or member of your family has informed you of them. The best course of action is to exclusively obtain information from reliable sources rather than believing in rumours. Pristyn Care Ferticity Fertility Clinics is one of the best IVF facilities in Delhi which has a cutting-edge laboratory and a competent staff of specialists in both fertility and medicine. Book an appointment with us today!

What Is Ectopic Pregnancy?

A pregnancy that develops outside of the uterus is referred to as an ectopic pregnancy. This occurs when a fertilised egg implants in an unsuitable structure. In the fallopian tube (a pair of structures that connect the ovaries and uterus), an ectopic pregnancy frequently develops. An ectopic pregnancy may occasionally develop on an ovary or in the abdominal cavity.  

This condition poses a threat to life. An ectopic pregnancy is one that cannot be brought to term (until birth) and, if left untreated, could be deadly for the mother.

Also read: Blocked Fallopian Tubes Treatment

How serious is an ectopic pregnancy?

The condition known as an ectopic pregnancy is critical. The uterus is specially designed to hold a developing foetus. As the foetus develops, this organ has the ability to stretch and enlarge. There is less flexibility in your fallopian tubes. As the embryo develops, it may explode. Large-scale internal bleeding is possible when this occurs.

To prevent damage to the fallopian tube, and other organs in the abdominal cavity, internal bleeding, and death, an ectopic pregnancy needs to be treated straight away.

Where does an ectopic pregnancy happen?

Anytime the fertilised egg implants outside of your uterus, the pregnancy is regarded as ectopic. The embryo is intended to pass via your fallopian tubes and embeds itself in the uterine wall, where it can start to develop. The embryo implants in one of the structures along the route during an ectopic pregnancy.

The fallopian tubes are where this can happen most frequently. Here are where tubal ectopic pregnancies, which make up the bulk of ectopic pregnancies, occur. Additionally, it may develop in the abdomen, ovary, cervix etc. Compared to ectopic pregnancies in fallopian tubes, these types occur less frequently.

What happens after you had an ectopic pregnancy?

Unfortunately, an ectopic pregnancy results in the fetus’s death. It is unable to endure outside of the uterus. To save the mother’s life, an ectopic pregnancy must be treated right away. This treatment may involve surgery or medical management. There may be significant internal bleeding if the fallopian tube ruptures after the embryo have been implanted there. 

How would you know if you’re at risk of an ectopic pregnancy?

You might be more likely to experience an ectopic pregnancy if you’ve had the following:

• a history of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), an infection that can lead to the formation of scar tissue in your cervix, uterus, and fallopian tubes.
• Surgery on your pelvic organs or on your fallopian tubes (including tubal ligation, often known as having your tubes tied).
• An ectopic pregnancy in the past.
• A history of infertility.
• Endometriosis.
• A history of smoking
• Sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
• At the time of conception, there was an intrauterine device (IUD) in place as a birth control method.

As you become older, your risk may also rise. Compared to younger women, older women are more vulnerable to an ectopic pregnancy.

What are the symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy?

Early signs of an ectopic pregnancy can resemble usual pregnancy symptoms quite closely. However, you can also encounter the following signs and symptoms of ectopic pregnancy:

• Dizziness and weakness.
• Vaginal bleeding.
• Lower abdominal, pelvic, and back pain.

The pain and bleeding that could result from a fallopian tube rupture could be so bad that they would produce additional symptoms. These may incorporate:

• Rectal pressure.
• Shoulder pain.
• Hypertension or low blood pressure.
• Fainting.

How is an ectopic pregnancy diagnosed?

Usually, an ectopic pregnancy is discovered during a visit to your doctor’s office. In order to find the ectopic pregnancy, your doctor will first do a number of tests to confirm the pregnancy. These tests consist of:

• Blood tests: Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels in your blood can be measured by your doctor. Pregnancy causes the production of this hormone. The term “serum beta-hCG level” may also be used to describe this.

• Urine tests: In order to perform this test, you must either urinate into a cup in your doctor’s office, where a test strip will then be dipped into the urine sample, or urinate on a test strip.
• Ultrasound exam: An ultrasound is an imaging test that employs sound waves to provide an image of the inside organs in your body. The use of ultrasound during pregnancy is common. This test will be used by your doctor to determine where the fertilised egg has been implanted.

How is an ectopic pregnancy treated?

An ectopic pregnancy may be treated in several ways. In some circumstances, your doctor could advise using a drug called methotrexate to stop the pregnancy’s progress. Your pregnancy will terminate as a result. 

Your doctors will inject you with methotrexate. Although less intrusive than surgery, this method does necessitate follow-up visits with your doctor so that your hCG levels may be checked. Surgery may be performed according to history and examination. If your fallopian tube has already ruptured or if it is potentially ruptured, your doctor will want to operate.

Can you prevent an ectopic pregnancy?

Ectopic pregnancy cannot be prevented. However, you can strive to lower your risk factors by adopting healthy habits. These can include abstaining from smoking, maintaining a healthy weight and nutrition, and avoiding any STIs. Before attempting pregnancy, discuss any risk factors you may have with your doctor. If you miss your periods then do the pregnancy test and ultrasound to check for the location of the pregnancy.

Can you get pregnant again after an ectopic pregnancy?

The vast majority of women who experience ectopic pregnancies go on to have subsequent, successful pregnancies. After having an ectopic pregnancy, your chances of having more are increased. It’s crucial to discuss the reasons for your ectopic pregnancy with your doctor, as well as any risk factors you may have for developing another one in the future.

Tanzanian couple with failed IVF cycles successfully get positive results at Pristyn Care Ferticity Fertility Clinics

Patient Name: Makole

Country: Tanzania

Hospital: Pristyn Care Ferticity Fertility Clinics

Doctor: Dr Ila Gupta (IVF Specialist)

Makole’s Story:

We are delighted to serve Makole and Andrew Kapilim from Tanzania, who struggled to conceive for three years. Then they got to know about Pristyn Care Ferticity Fertility Clinics in Delhi from their agent, Salaam. So after having failed treatments at home, they decided to come to Pristyn Care Ferticity Fertility Clinics in Delhi for further advanced treatment. They came all the way to India in the hope of having a child of their own and consulted our IVF specialist, Dr Ila Gupta. After understanding Makole’s history of failed IVF cycles, she suggested they go for an IVF at Pristyn Care Ferticity. After going through Makole’s first IVF attempt with Pristyn Care Ferticity, she successfully conceived her own child.

Makole’s journey to Pristyn Care Ferticity Fertility Clinics

Watch Makole’s journey here

This Tanzanian Couple Achieved IVF Success For The First Time At Pristyn Care Ferticity Fertility Clinics

Makole’s experience in Pristyn Care Ferticity Fertility Clinics

“We are highly satisfied with how the treatment was done for us, right from the nurses

in fact, the entire team, the management and in particular Dr Ila Gupta, who was actually very very useful for us so we got the treatment the advice and medications, and the care of a very high standard. We are very satisfied and we are ready now to go back home after being treated

Pristyn Care Ferticity successfully.”

                         – Andrew Kapilima & Makole

Failed IVF Cycles What Next: Should You Try Again?

Couples unable to conceive naturally have a ray of hope thanks to in-vitro fertilisation. Despite its high success rates, IVF can not always guarantee that you will conceive a child. Couples are devastated when IVF fails because it feels like something unexpected has happened. You don’t have to lose sight of your expectations if IVF fails.

Related: 6 Things Not to Say to Someone Going Through IVF and Infertility

What might have caused an IVF cycle to fail?

The following are the reasons behind failed IVF:

Embryo quality

At some point, you must have wondered why IVF with good-grade embryos failed. One of the  factors contributing to IVF failure is the poor genetic material of the embryos which can not be detected with morphological grading. Embryos with genetic abnormalities either do not implant or result in abortion if pregnancy occurs.

 Age of the Female Partner

 A woman’s ovarian reserve continues to decrease as she matures, and getting pregnant becomes more difficult. Age affects both the quantity as well as the quality of the eggs. The genetic material alters with advanced age. A woman’s self-confidence may suffer after a succession of unsuccessful IVF treatments, so it’s important to try to conceive at the correct time. Her subsequent IVF attempts ought to have a lower success percentage.

Chromosomal problems

Miscarriages and unsuccessful IVF procedures may result from chromosomal abnormalities. Chromosomal abnormalities in women begin to develop in their 30s, in addition to chromosomal errors in sperm, which occur much less frequently than in women’s eggs.

Unhealthy lifestyle

Before beginning any treatment or trying conception, patients should stop smoking and drink for at least three months, as these habits may increase the likelihood that an IVF procedure will not be successful. These habits affect the genetic material of sperm and egg, eventually affecting the genetic material of the embryo. Additionally, women who smoke could require more IVF cycles than non-smokers to conceive. Being overweight or underweight may also reduce the success rate of an IVF cycle.

Related: Fertility And Diet: How Does Your Diet Affect Your Fertility Health?

How Can You Proceed Further After Multiple Failed IVF Cycles?

Do not panic if you have experienced many IVF failures; instead, try to identify the causes. To determine how to move forward, talk to your family and doctor. You should try to comprehend what additional tests need to be done, what choices you have, and whether you may try IVF again. Discussing the following steps with your doctor is a wonderful way to proceed. After several unsuccessful IVF attempts, you have the following choices:

Attempt IVF one more time

Ask your doctor if there are any changes that might be made to the IVF cycle to increase its success. Few people have IVF treatments that are successful on their very first try. However, it is not true for everyone. After understanding and correcting the probable reason for failure, you may attempt another cycle of IVF. This may require lifestyle modifications or additional advanced tests.

Gestational surrogacy

Gestational surrogacy is anoption if you’ve had several implantation failures, the embryos are of good quality but the endometrium is not receptive. It is also advised if the woman’s pregnancy appears to be difficult due to some chronic illness. In this procedure, the embryo is implanted into a surrogate’s uterus after it has developed in the IVF lab.

Use donor eggs

Using donor eggs can be your next step to have a successful IVF cycle if the poor-quality egg was the cause of your IVF failure.

Frozen embryo transfer

Embryos produced in excess during IVF can be saved for later use. You can use the frozen embryo if your prior IVF cycle was unsuccessful.

Related: Things to Consider Before Freezing Your Eggs

What is the right time to attempt the next time after a failed cycle?

Logically, they should start making the necessary corrections as soon as the reason for the IVF failure is identified, and only then should they try again. But what if there isn’t a problem that requires treatment, such as when IVF fails due to poor clinical judgement?

The success rate of repeat cycles that have been performed back-to-back and those that have been separated by a few months do not differ significantly from one another. Studies have shown that the interval between unsuccessful and succeeding IVF treatments has little bearing on the success rate. 

As a result, it is entirely up to the patient to decide how long to wait after the last IVF attempt has failed before attempting again, however, they should wait long enough to have recovered physically and psychologically from the shock. They would be encouraged to wait for a little before making a second try because of this, however, they can attempt another cycle once they are ready. To get ready for the happy voyage that lies ahead of them, they should embrace a stress-free and healthy lifestyle in the interim.

Takeaway

If you are considering IVF and searching for the top fertility clinic in New Delhi, Pristyn Care Ferticity Fertility Clinics may be the ideal option for you. Our team of highly skilled fertility doctors has successfully treated a number of patients. We collaborate closely with you to create a unique fertility treatment strategy. You can reach us at any time by calling, and we are pleased to help.

Ways Smoking Kills Your Fertility

Smoking is one of the most harmful habits which affects general health, and the effects on fertility are no different. Since smoking has a detrimental effect on the future child’s general health, the majority of fertility specialists advise their patients to stop smoking while they are trying to conceive. Here are the top 10 ways smoking can impair your ability to get pregnant:

Related: Smoking And Fertility: Effects Of Smoking On Male & Female Fertility

ECTOPIC PREGNANCY

Ectopic pregnancy is a term used to describe pregnancies that have developed outside of the uterus, most frequently in the fallopian tube. In addition to facilitating the union of the sperm and egg, the tubal cilia are also in charge of delivering the freshly fertilized egg, which is now a developing embryo, to the uterus for implantation. The embryo is more likely to not be carried to the uterus for implantation when the cilia are destroyed. Smokers have a higher risk of developing an ectopic pregnancy because their tubes are not working properly. Ectopic pregnancies can result in the loss of an ovary or a fallopian tube and pose a serious health risk.

MISCARRIAGE

When a woman becomes pregnant, smoking increases her risk of miscarriage. There could be a number of causes for this. One of the most likely explanations is that the chemicals in tobacco smoke cause DNA damage and harm to the “machinery” in the egg that controls how chromosomes separate normally. The use of smokeless tobacco products, such as vaping, is also linked to an increased risk of miscarriage, therefore the increased risk of miscarriage is not simply attributed to the chemicals in tobacco smoke. The risk of miscarriage may rise as a result of inadequate blood supply to a growing pregnancy caused by the narrowing of blood vessels seen in smokers.

Related: How To Get Ready For A Healthy Pregnancy After Miscarriage?

TUBAL DAMAGE

The cilia that line our fallopian tubes softly beat to pick up and move the ovulated egg and the sperm. Think of them as the tiny bristles on a brush. The egg and sperm can interact because of these delicate cilia. Smoking affects how well the cilia work, which can stop fertilization.

EARLIER MENOPAUSE

Women are born with all the eggs they are ever going to have. One egg “wins” and ovulates each month, and the remaining eggs in that small group start to disappear. We get close to menopause when our egg supply starts to diminish. It has been discovered that smoking women experience menopause 1-4 years earlier than their non-smoking counterparts. It is believed that the chemicals in tobacco smoke are to blame for our eggs dying off more quickly. As a result, smokers frequently exhaust their egg supply earlier than nonsmokers.

Related: Can You Get Pregnant With IVF After Menopause?

BAD IN VITRO FERTILIZATION (IVF) OUTCOMES

Most women today are aware of in vitro fertilization. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) committee opinion on smoking and infertility states that lower live birth rates were observed even when women who smoked used donor eggs (eggs from a younger, non-smoking woman) to create embryos, indicating that smoking may also have an impact on the uterus. According to some research, it takes twice as many IVF treatments for smokers as it does for nonsmokers to sustain a healthy pregnancy.

SPERM ABNORMALITIES

It has been demonstrated that smoking and using smokeless tobacco causes aberrant sperm parameters such as decreased concentration, decreased sperm motility, and improperly shaped sperm. There is data that suggests smokers’ sperm (and their partners’ sperm) have a tougher time fertilising the egg. The above-mentioned worse IVF results are a result of this. 

PRETERM DELIVERY

Preterm birth is believed to increase your chance of smoking. Preterm birth is the delivery of a child before 37 weeks. Depending on how early they were born, premature babies frequently spend days to months in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and are considerably more likely to experience serious issues, such as underdeveloped brains and lungs, and even as mortality.

BIRTH DEFECTS

Children born to smokers are more likely to have birth abnormalities and disorders like Down’s syndrome due to DNA damage and damage to the machinery that normally separates chromosomes.

SMALL BABIES

Even if they are born at full term, babies are still in danger of being less in weight in addition to being born early. Compared to their contemporaries born at the same gestational age who were of normal weight, babies who were born small for gestational age (SGA) have a higher chance of dying and developing learning difficulties, autism, and behavioural issues.

CERVICAL AND OVARIAN CANCER

Most people know that smoking increases the chance of lung cancer, but did you realise that smoking also increases the risk of nearly all types of cancers? The human papillomavirus (HPV) is the virus that causes cervical cancer in the majority of instances. Most sexually active adults will have had HPV at some point in their lives because it is so widespread. The abnormal alterations found on pap smears frequently disappear on their own since the body is often able to fight off this virus. Smoking, however, weakens our body’s defences against this infection. As a result, smokers are much more likely to get cervical cancer than nonsmokers. Patients suffering from cancer may require extensive surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. All these treatments have adverse effects on fertility. The best thing you can do to aid your body in eradicating the virus if your pap smear results are abnormal is to stop smoking. 

What Are The Surgery Options Related to Infertility in Women?

The inability of a woman to conceive or effectively bring her pregnancy to term is known as infertility. For a variety of reasons, including endometriosis, fibroids, cervical stenosis, ovarian cysts, and others, women experience infertility issues. Although there are surgical methods for addressing female infertility issues, the majority of infertile women choose assisted reproductive technologies like in vitro fertilization (IVF) over surgery.

What Are Some Common Situations When Surgery is Required?

There are a few typical circumstances when women with fertility issues might need surgery, and they are as follows:

• Ovarian cysts
• Uterine septum
• Endometriosis
• Uterine polyps
• Pelvic adhesions
• Tubal disease
• Tube ligation
• Uterine fibroids 

Why Do Doctors Recommend Surgery for Infertility?

Depending on the severity of the problem, different surgeries are recommended. Laparoscopy and hysteroscopy are typically used by clinicians to treat various problems that cause infertility. 

Here are several surgical options:

Laparoscopy: It is a procedure where the fertility specialist uses a narrow fibre optic telescope to introduce into your body through a small incision near the navel. There are many laparoscopic procedures performed for distinct diagnoses and treatments. These are:

• • Tuboplasty: This procedure restores function to a woman’s fallopian tubes to enable conception.
  • Endometriosis treatment: Endometriosis frequently results in infertility by causing adhesions between uterus,tubes,ovaries and surrounding structure or by formation of ovarian cysts. A laparoscopic operation can be used to treat the condition.
  • Adhesiolysis: Laparoscopy can be used to treat pelvic adhesions when they are diagnosed.
  • Myomectomy: The fibroids which are present in the body of uterus can be removed through laparoscopy 
  • Microsurgical tubal reanastomosis: This microsurgery reconnects the two ends of the fallopian tubes to reverse a tubal ligation.

• Ovarian cystectomy: This surgery is used to remove ovarian cysts that have developed.

• Salpingectomy or Tubal clipping : Salpingectomy is a procedure to remove the fallopian tube and Tubal clipping is done to clip the proximal part of the fallopian tube. These procedures are done in patients with fluid buildup (known as hydrosalpinx) in any one of the fallopian tubes.
• Salpingostomy: The goal of this surgery is to make a fresh opening in the portion of the fallopian tube closest to the ovary.
• Fimbrioplasty: When the portion of the fallopian tube closest to the ovary either develops scar tissues or becomes partially obstructed, this surgery is used to repair the fringed ends of the tube.

All these procedures can be done by laparoscopy or open surgery depending on surgeon expertise and availability of facilities.

Hysteroscopy: Hysteroscopy is done by  the fertility specialist using  a thin fibre optic telescope to enter into the uterus through the cervix of a woman to look for any abnormality like polyps, fibroid, or adhesions inside the uterus and remove them surgically. The various hysteroscopic procedures include:

• Adhesiolysis: The process of removing adhesions in the uterine cavity.
• Myomectomy: The removal of uterine fibroids present in cavity 
• Removing endometrial polyps or uterine septum (septal resection) 

These procedures are recommended only after detailed history and examination. With advancement in medical science the option for any invasive procedure is chosen after considering pros and cons of surgery and ART treatment.       

Related: How can ICSI help in infertility?                                                                    

Female Fertility: Everything You Need To Know

The ability of a woman to conceive and deliver a child is known as female fertility. If you’ve been trying to get pregnant with frequent, unprotected sex for at least a year (or at least six months if you’re older than 35) without success, you and your partner may start to question your fertility. You might be curious about your fertility and whether you can increase your fertility if you’re trying to get pregnant. Some factors, such as health conditions that affect your ability to conceive, may be outside of your control. However, your lifestyle decisions might also impact your fertility.

Related: Are you trying to Conceive? Here are the best tips to increase your chances 

What causes female fertility problems?

Female fertility issues can be caused by a number of reasons, such as:

• Ovulation disorders that impair the ovaries ability to release eggs. These include thyroid issues (hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism), hyperprolactinemia, and hormonal conditions such as polycystic ovarian syndrome.
• When the ovaries stop functioning and menstruation stops before the age of 40, this condition is known as primary ovarian insufficiency (early menopause).
• Medical disorders include poorly managed diabetes, celiac disease, and several autoimmune diseases like lupus that are linked to the absence of menstruation.
• Pelvic adhesions, which are bands of scar tissue that bind organs together following surgery for the abdomen or pelvis, an appendicitis, or a pelvic infection. Adhesions limit the function of the fallopian tube hindering the egg to travel and fertilize.
• Endometriosis is a condition in which tissue that ordinarily lines the interior of the uterus begins to implant outside  the uterus into pelvic organs and abdominal cavity.
• Damage to or blockage of the fallopian tube, which is frequently brought on by the pelvic inflammatory illness.
• Abnormalities of the uterus or the cervical region, such as fibroids or polyps.

Age also has an impact. Delaying pregnancy may make it more difficult for you to conceive. Age-related changes in your eggs quantity and quality make it more challenging to get pregnant.

What can I do to promote female fertility?

Making healthy lifestyle decisions can support fertility. Such as:

• Being significantly overweight or underweight can interfere with proper ovulation and impair hormone production. The likelihood of pregnancy and the frequency of ovulation can both rise with appropriate weight maintenance.
• Chlamydia and gonorrhoea are two sexually transmitted diseases that are a major contributor to infertility in women. Engage in safe sex to prevent the spread of STIs.
• Fertility may be harmed by untreated celiac disease. Otherwise, the research is insufficient to recommend a specific diet to increase fertility. Of course, whether you’re trying to get pregnant or not, eating a mix of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and proteins can benefit you.
• You can protect your fertility by keeping regular appointments with your doctor to monitor and address any health issues.
• Regularly working the night shift could increase your chances of infertility through changing hormone production, among other things. Try to get adequate sleep when you’re not working if you do the night shift.

Although stress won’t prevent you from becoming pregnant, you should think about reducing stress and using good coping mechanisms, like relaxation techniques, when you’re trying to get pregnant.

Related: Effects Of Diabetes On Infertility: Does Diabetes Affects Male And Female Fertility?

What not to do?

• Smoking prematurely ages your ovaries and depletes your egg supply. Ask your doctor to help you stop smoking if you do and try to quit smoking as soon as possible.
• Ovulation abnormalities are linked to an increased risk of heavy drinking. If you want to get pregnant, you have to fully cut out alcohol.
• The majority of research does not conclusively link excessive caffeine use to infertility. However, if you’re trying to conceive, the majority of reproductive health professionals advise limiting your daily caffeine intake to less than 200 to 300 mg.
• Too much intense exercise can prevent ovulation and lower progesterone levels in the body. If you are healthy weight and planning a pregnancy soon, think about keeping your weekly amount of rigorous exercise to less than five hours. Ask your healthcare professional how much physical activity is appropriate if you are overweight.
• Menstrual abnormalities may be more common in particular populations, including hairdressers, agricultural laborers, and others. Industrial employees exposed to medications or chemicals during the manufacturing process, dental assistants exposed to high quantities of nitrous oxide, and anyone exposed to high levels of organic solvents, such as dry cleaning chemicals, may also be at risk of diminished fertility.

Takeaway

If you’re thinking about getting pregnant and worried that your lifestyle choices might influence your fertility, you can consult an IVF specialist. They might be able to help you improve your fertility and chances of getting pregnant.