Pregnancy - Pearl Women Hospital

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Good day bloggers. The month of May has arrived with a bang. May is celebrated as Women’s health month. So we, at Pearl Women’s Hospital are presenting the focus towards the routine concerns. A happy and healthy woman is an asset to the family and society. When the topic of irregular periods creeps in, concerns and mental agony are evident.

Carrying the pads to using dark-coloured clothes along with layers to cover up the body are not only traumatic events but also inconvenient. Irregular periods or missing periods are the basic factors that contribute to infertility. Such concern accounts for 30-40% of all female infertility cases to date.

A woman’s body is designed for pregnancy. The unique hormone-driven cycle starts with the thickening of uterine walls, followed by the growth of an egg. Once these follicles mature, the egg is released from the ovary into the Fallopian tubes. This is a process called ovulation, and the body awaits fertilization. After the arrival of sperm in the Fallopian tube, fertilization takes place and the formed embryo implants itself in the uterine walls causing a positive pregnancy.

In case, when fertilization does not happen, the uterine lining, known as the endometrium sheds itself, and the menstruation begins. This is a simple process of fertilization as well as menstruation. Irregular periods definitely cause problems in pregnancy.

What is menstrual cycle irregularity?

Menstrual cycle irregularity is defined as more than 7 days deviation between self-reported and ultrasound examination-based gestational age. On average, most of the women have a 28-day menstrual cycle, which can range from 24-35 days. Irregular periods are the ones that are either shorter or longer than the 24-35 day range. An irregular period is an indication of irregular or no ovulation, which leads to pregnancy problems.

Women have 11 to 13 Menstrual cycles per year that lasts around 2-7 days. However, the period timing and the amount of blood flow vary considerably. The amount of flow depends on how rapidly the endometrium sheds. Incomplete shedding often causes heavy flow and may cause anaemia.

What is a normal menstrual cycle look like?

Menstruation happens throughout the woman’s reproductive life in the absence of pregnancy. The average duration from 28-35 days with blood loss per cycle is an average of 30ml (normal range 13-80 ml).

Can you get Pregnant with Irregular Periods?

The key factor that matters the most in case of irregular periods is regular ovulation. The best way is to find out the reasons behind the irregular menses.

Few important ways to conceive with irregular periods are:

Correction or controlling the underlying health problems: Women affected with an underactive or overactive thyroid, obesity, etc., are commonly found to have irregular periods. In such cases, your fertility specialist will prescribe few medications or may suggest lifestyle modifications to manage such issues, which normalizes ovulation. This might improve the chances of conception.

Excessive Prolactin hormone: Excessive prolactin hormone is secreted by the pituitary gland, affecting the menstrual cycle. In such cases, medications can help women ovulate and conceive a pregnancy.

Unknown or undetected cause of irregular menstruation:

When the cause of irregular menstruation is unknown, fertility medications can be used to help women ovulate and conceive. Fertility medications are Oral and Injectable. Oral medications are given to women to regularize menses. These are inexpensive processes of normalizing ovulation. Injectable Fertility Medications are superior in normalizing the menses and help with conception.

Some factors that trigger irregular periods are extreme or intense exercise or dieting, stress which impacts hormonal balance, birth control pills, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Uterine Polyps or fibroids, Pelvic Inflammatory diseases, Endometriosis etc. Most of these conditions are caused by or resulted in hormone imbalances.

Thyroid disorders may cause irregular periods. The thyroid gland is responsible for growth, metabolism and energy. A simple blood test can detect any abnormalities in the thyroid functioning and irregular menses can be corrected.

In women with an ovulatory factor, IUI (Intra-uterine Insemination) with controlled ovarian stimulation can also be of great help. Stimulation medications can develop follicles to mature and release eggs, which can help women ovulate. After which IUI is done, to enhance the woman’s conception chances. IUI is the process in which sperm is picked up with a micropipette and directly injected inside the uterus. This way the egg and sperm are fertilized and can implant on the uterine walls.

For women, who are unable to conceive even with fertility medications or IUI treatment, IVF is often recommended. In-Vitro Fertilization treatment is the process in which the stimulated, good-quality eggs are retrieved from the ovaries and fertilized with the best-quality sperm in an IVF lab. The embryo is transferred back to the uterus to implant. With the advancement of technology and the use of modern labs, IVF treatment has helped countless women to conceive.

What are the Signs of Pregnancy while having Irregular Periods?

Some of the signs of pregnancy are tender breasts, lower abdominal cramps, frequent urination, increased appetite, nausea, etc.

Do Irregular Periods Mean Infertility?

Irregular periods do not always mean Infertility. If a woman is ovulating irrespective of her irregular periods, she can conceive. Women with irregular periods are advised to consult a fertility specialist to diagnose the exact cause and to improve the chances of conception.

How to test for pregnancy while having irregular periods?

If your periods are irregular or you don’t get periods at all, a good rule of thumb is to wait until 3 weeks after you have had unprotected sex.

In a nutshell, irregular periods are the indicators of ovulation concerns. It is important to know, the stabilization of periods happens over time. Due to changing lifestyles and fast-paced routines, menstrual irregularities are often seen. This brings in a lot of stress and anxiety on the personal and social front. There is a lot of research linking infertility with irregular menstruation. Nevertheless, early diagnosis and control of irregular menstruation can reduce the burden of pregnancy.

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Does pregnancy require planning? It happened naturally in previous generations, right?

1.The planning for pregnancy is called preconception and it is 3 to 6 months before pregnancy.

Preconception health and health care focus on things you can do before and between pregnancies to optimize the chances of a healthy baby’s arrival. Getting your body ready for pregnancy requires the help of experts and is worth trying as the baby is born only once.

For some, this journey takes a few months; for others, it’s a bit longer. This depends on current medical health records. A wait of 9 months is a result of the care and concerns of preconception. Let’s see how to get started with the planning.

Make a plan in writing in consultation with your partner regarding when and how to start a family. Consider all aspects of the individual like body, mind and soul. We Indians have a rich holistic approach towards pregnancies, no wonder the concept of antenatal care is well established now.

The health of the couple matters. it involves living in harmony, eating well & nutritionally balanced and complete food. Leading a stress-free life & open communication within the family.

Make a plan keeping the age of the couple, financial aspects, working schedules in place, number of children you want to have, years of gaps or spacing of children within etc.

2.Once you start a family, it’s time to see a gynaecologist.

Talk to a doctor about current medication if any to stop or take a new prescription. Your doctor will review a health record or any condition that may affect pregnancy. The correction of such health conditions can be identified early, so treatments can be initiated.

Some health conditions like STDs, irregular menses, thyroid, diabetes, etc. must be controlled. It is often seen that findings of other health comorbidities are revealed during the preconception checkup.

This not only invites additional time and cost but brings emotional distress to the couple. The chances to have a healthy child are increased if the consultation is taken well in time.

Medication & lifestyle modifications are of great importance in preconception health. Cessation of smoking, alcohol as well as certain medications helps.

3.Maintaining a healthy weight: Being overweight and overweight hurts pregnancy. Hormonal health is weight dependent; in both cases, the link with rising infertility is well established.

Let’s stress very vital information. A healthy weight comes with healthy habits. Merely limiting the fats & carbohydrates from the diet will not help. It is the expert nutritionist domain, which will tailor-make your eating pattern and guide you through craving for weight maintenance.

Being overweight during pregnancy may increase your chances of high blood pressure, diabetes, miscarriage, stillbirth, and birth defects, and may induce a cesarean birth (C-section).

It is not a wise decision to lose weight during pregnancy. But it is a very good concern to attain a healthy body weight before becoming pregnant.

4.Mindful eating:Colorful veggies and fruits have a long-lasting impact on tissue building. Always have a protein-rich diet. As these are organic sources of nutrients, easy to digest and valuable in building the muscle mass of the body.

The real concern today is about established myths. A woman should eat for two.

While it is true that women need to increase their caloric intake slightly during pregnancy but avoid overeating. Overeating can be harmful to both the woman and the fetus, especially if the diet contains empty calories. Women should aim for a gradual increase in nutrient-rich food and calories throughout the pregnancy as you need about 300 extra calories a day more than a usual diet.

5.Taking Vitamins and Folic Acid under the guidance of a gynaecologist.

Take a vitamin and mineral supplement that includes at least 0.4 milligrams (400 micrograms) of folic acid, as Folic acid reduces the risk of birth defects, especially problems with the baby’s spine. Folic acid is an essential element for building cells, tissues & blood too.

Avoid high doses of any vitamins like A, D, E, and K as these vitamins can cause birth defects if you opt for more than the normal recommended daily requirements. Regular pregnancy prenatal vitamins do not offer excessively high doses of any vitamin.

6.Exercise is internal cleansing and is a must.

Exercising before you get pregnant may help the body deal with all of the changes that you will go through during the pregnancy and labour. It increases the tolerance level for pain.

Most women who are already exercising can safely continue their current exercise program throughout their pregnancy.

And most women, even if, are not exercising as of date, should initiate an exercise program of 30 minutes of brisk exercise for 5 days a week, before conceiving and throughout pregnancy.

The amount of exercise you can do during pregnancy is based on your overall health and the activity you are engaged with. A woman should avoid exercising when pregnant is a complete myth. Most women should do light-to-moderate exercise during pregnancy.

7.See the dentist right away

As gum disease is associated with preterm delivery, so it is good to see a dentist to ensure you’re in good dental health before getting pregnant. If you need dental treatments, X-rays, or medications, it’s advisable to take care of dental issues before getting pregnant.

8.Is prenatal care limited to the first pregnancy?

If you have mothered several children, you have gathered experience about every pregnancy being different or how no two pregnancies are the same. The mother’s age as well as the medical condition of both partners play an important role. However, your health in general can change from one pregnancy to the next, so prenatal care differs. Seeking prenatal care is essential irrespective of the number of children you have. You need to treat every pregnancy as new

The journey of parenthood is often an enjoyable one with careful planning to welcome a child with open arms. The Health and ambience of parents are instrumental in developing healthy babies who are present and future-ready.

That is the reason, old wisdom is tested with science to bring the best evidence-based tactics. We have one of its best Antenatal programs in place. Multidisciplinary YASHSHASWI antenatal classes have delivered the joy of pleasant parenthood to thousands.

We, at Pearl Women’s hosp, Pune have a centre of excellence in ANTENATAL CARE for future-ready couple.

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Contrary to popular conception, in couples facing difficulty in conceiving successfully, the male partner is responsible almost 30% of the time. Difficult to believe, isn’t it, that male infertility is almost as frequent an occurrence as female infertility? But true nevertheless. It means that responsibility for becoming parents lies almost equally with both partners and they have to work equally effectively to achieve their goal of starting a family.

It helps if both lead a lifestyle that is healthy and full of activities that will negate the stress of personal and professional commitments. Healthy eating, remaining physically fit, especially avoiding putting on unnecessary weight, and avoiding drinks & tobacco in all forms is a prerequisites when you are looking at commencing a family.

Despite this, if natural conception is not happening, irrespective of unprotected sex for a year or so, one needs to take the help of a Fertility expert.

In this article let us focus on the father-to-be, as much has already been written about female fertility.

Let’s get started on the roller coaster journey of fatherhood with well-researched data gathered from reputed journals, WHO publications & ongoing research.

Let’s start with a few important topics.

1. How soon you should prepare for fatherhood?

Age & related fertility concerns: it is commonly known, that females are born with all the eggs they could ever have and a sharp decline is shown over the ages.

Even though, unlike females, males can reproduce the sperms well after retirement age, the quality of the sperms reduces as men age. It is well-known fact that partners of aged males take longer to get pregnant than the younger ones. The increased chances of miscarriages along with autism or other related mental health issues are often seen with advancing-aged fathers.

So starting early is always a wiser decision.

Sooner is better than later.

2. Lifestyle modifications with smoking habits:

Does smoking kill dreams? More than dreams, it kills the desire to be the one.

“A pioneering study on this subject was carried out by the team of Dr Julian Laubenthal, from the School of Life Sciences at the University of Bradford in the UK, who collected blood and sperm from fathers during the period of conception, and the blood from babies at birth.”

Then, the team performed a DNA analysis of the samples for risk of cancer. The researchers found a detrimental change in the DNA of babies whose fathers smoked.”

What it simply means, is that smoking has a powerfully negative effect on a baby’s health & more risk children carry for such diseases.

The smoke from cigars has the potential to the health of the sperm. Cigar smoke can alter the sperm structure, and motility and make them less competent. These epigenetic changes cause serious concerns like leukaemia and heart problems for children born to fathers who smoke.

There is no safe limit for smoking & every puff has the potential to damage the health of self, others with passive smoking & the unborn child, and lifetime damage to vital organs.

Quitting is not merely a decision, it is a lifetime gift of health.

3. Obesity:

It is a well-researched & known fact that obesity increases the load on all organs equally & sperms structure. The research found that overweight men were 11 % more likely to have a low sperm count and 39 % more likely to have no sperm in their ejaculate. Obese men were 42 % more likely to have a low sperm count than their normal-weight peers and 81 % more likely to produce no sperm.” March 2012 Archives of Internal Medicine.

Obesity can increase the risk of infertility. Male obesity impacts negatively the reproductive potential by not only decreasing sperm quality but also altering the physical and molecular structure of germ cells in the testes. It simply means the effect of obesity is beyond maturation. Such sperms can create many abnormalities in the progeny.

Obesity by and large is an imbalance of energy consumption & energy taken by the body. Dietary modification & exercise helps in this regard. The guidance of a nutritionist is a prime requirement as losing fat without any fatigue is more important.

4. Environmental toxins: avoid them when you can’t control them.

Environmental exposures play an important role in disease orientation & development. In the case of pregnancies, the developing fetus is susceptible to environmental pollutants.

Such factors are, air pollution, tobacco smoke, pesticides, solvents, metals, radiation, water contaminants (disinfection by-products, arsenic, and nitrates) and chemicals (persistent organic pollutants (POPs) greatly impact pregnancy outcomes such as pregnancy loss, stillbirth, fetal growth, preterm birth and congenital anomalies.

Even though, we can’t avoid them fully, knowing how to minimize the exposure is definitely in our hands.

Fatherhood in today’s context is the planning of Physical, mental, and emotional well-being to create the entire generation in partnership with healthy motherhood.

Let’s remember a few points in a nutshell.

• If you and your partner want to start a family, the sooner you start, the better it is

• Being in the healthy BMI range improves your chance of having a healthy baby

• Quit smoking immediately & offer the best health foundation for the baby & family.

• Minimize or avoid exposure to such chemicals at home and workplaces.

Stress affects effects into negative pregnancy outcomes. Let’s perfect the art of living and offer the lifetime gift of a solid foundation to children.

Irregular Periods & Pregnancy

Does Pregnancy Require Planning?

Pregnancy & Male Fertility