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We need to know some things before we go into detail. If you are looking at infertility, we have to know that we are not talking about male or female; it’s a mutual inability to conceive and have a pregnancy within one year of regular sex. It means 2 to 3 times per week without using any contraception as it is a peer diagnosis. We have to understand that females should be consulting in the case of natural pregnancy cannot be reached, but a male also needs to go to a specialist. It’s usually an andrologist, and if the partners do it simultaneously, it’s much faster, we can get a result. Approximately 15% of couples face fertility issues, one half of them having a malefactor.

In the future, there will be more and more couples facing fertility issues. If you remember, we look at sperm quality issues, and it’s still a problem, especially for Western countries where, and as I’ve mentioned, it is also a case for Europe. One-third of all male infertility cases, we cannot say why it is so-called idiopathic male infertility; a lot of it is still not clear in the field. A lot of studies are still ongoing, and I believe in the nearest future, we will have more and more information, and therefore we can help a lot of patients to get pregnant.

I already mentioned the age of the partner. It’s not only female age which is important but also male because, after the age of 35, several processes begin in the body that increases sperm DNA fragmentation, for example. As well as stem cells are starting to die slowly. Therefore we have to be very careful with planning our family. If we are delaying this decision the to late 30s or 40s, then there is more probability of getting some issue with natural pregnancy due to the malefactor. One of the cornerstones of male infertility tests is a semen analysis, and this is the first analysis which we are usually starting with to check the male. But semen analysis needs to be checked, and it’s an assessment of all body, all diseases, it’s a proper physical examination that needs to be done, like a further investigation for endocrine, genetic and maybe other tests.

This is something that we do during a visit case-by-case. Suppose you are looking at the probability of natural pregnancy by looking only at semen analysis. In that case, we can predict approximately only 60% because there’s a lot of other things that need to be taken into account besides semen analysis. Therefore I encourage not to look only at the semen analysis but to look at the whole body health.

Many women have endometriosis, a painful, common chronic condition that occurs when tissue that resembles the endometrium or uterine lining is discovered outside of the uterus, often attached to other organs in the pelvic region.

Although women may be asymptomatic, most women typically present with pelvic pain, infertility, or an adnexal mass.

You may be able to conceive with fertility treatment depending on the degree to which your endometriosis affects your fertility.

 

Risk factors for endometriosis:

• Family history
• Endocrine and Ovulatory Abnormalities
• Menstrual FlowCharacteristics of the menstrual cycle
• Immune System Disorders
• Age
• Abdominal trauma/ surgery

 

The inability to conceive is often the first symptom of endometriosis. But, there are other symptoms like menstrual cramps and heavy menstrual flow, fatigue, nausea, bloating, pain during intercourse, pain during urination and painful bowel movement.

 

You can contact Cyprus IVF hospital if you have any of the above signs and symptoms, risk factors and are experiencing infertility. Our empathetic team is with you every step of the way, offering the most up-to-date options for infertility therapy. For a free consultation, call us today.

 

References

Extracted on Oct, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2012.05.031

Bulletti, C., Coccia, M. E., Battistoni, S., & Borini, A. (2010). Endometriosis and infertility. Journal of assisted reproduction and genetics, 27(8), 441-447.

Breastfeeding has widely known health advantages. However, when nursing overlaps with pregnancy, a significant cultural tabu typically exists; some cultures even suggest weaning a child during pregnancy. When pregnancy overlaps with nursing, the concern of many mothers and practitioners are sudden abortion, premature birth or rapid reduction of nutrients. Various studies have shown that breastfeeding while pregnant is not an uncommon occurrence in many countries. One study conducted in rural Guatemala by Martorell, Haas, and Merchant 1990, showed that 50% of women breastfeed while pregnant. Another study conducted by Ramachandran,2002, stated that 30% of mothers in India conceived a child while breastfeeding. As of now, there is little to no statistical data on the consequences of breastfeeding while pregnant, and there are sparse rather than recent statistics. Thus, health professionals engaged in pregnancy monitoring and breastfeeding assistance must advise women of pregnancy breastfeeding and give scientific counseling.

So far, the effects of breastfeeding while pregnant have not fully been established. Although there are various studies conducted, they have mainly focused on isolated aspects of breastfeeding during pregnancy, such as the outcomes of nutrition, the result of premature birth or sudden abortion, the outcome of newborn babies such as weight and growth, or the outcome of the older child. In this case, a good picture of the effects of breastfeeding while pregnant is challenging to get. In more recent research by Yalcin, Demirtas and Yalcin, (2021) concluded that the characteristics depend on maternal factors, and cohort research is necessary to evaluate the impact of breastfeeding during pregnancy.

However, health outcomes for the mother and the older breastfed child are not clear. Research conducted by Fernandez, Barrios, Tricas, Benito (2017) reports five key findings:

1. Breastfeeding during pregnency is associated with increased supplement intake. When pregnancy and breastfeeding overlap, fat reserve often decreases during the first and the second trimesters, but not during the third trimester or postpartum; a study suggests that the high intake of supplements in earlier trimesters can help increase the energy deficit experienced in the third trimester. A study concluded that nutritional supplements during the early stages of pregnancy are recommended to correct nutritional deficiencies.
2. The study does not report any significant difference in the rate of premature birth concerning pregnant breastfeeding mothers and not pregnant breastfeeding mothers. They also indicate a higher frequency of sudden abortions in breastfeeding mothers, although the difference is insignificant.
3. The birth weight of newborns in breastfeeding mothers is lower, although the difference is not significantly higher.
4. Babies born to breastfeeding mothers gained less weight than those born to non-breastfeeding mothers in their first month.
5. The study suggests that the abrupt weaning of children during gestation is associated with a reduction in growth rate for six to three months.

 

According to the American Pregnancy Association, breastfeeding while pregnant is generally considered safe, but weaning may be advisable if the mother carries twins, has bleeding or uterine pain, or has been advised to avoid sex during pregnancy. The association also emphasises that it is essential to contact a doctor to determine if weaning would be the best option for the mother in such cases.

 

In conclusion, breastfeeding during pregnancy is considered safe as long as you don’t feel some symptoms like;

• Uterine pain\bleeding
• Pregnancy-related health issues
• History of preterm birth
• Expecting multiples
• Strong contraction during breastfeeding
• Significant weight loss
• Asked to avoid sexual activity
• Back pain

 

In this case, if the pregnant woman feels one of these symptoms (mentioned above), she should immediately see her doctor to avoid any health risks for her and the child. During pregnancy breast soreness and nipple tenderness are common symptoms. The discomfort might increase during breastfeeding. Fatigue due to pregnancy might also be an issue. Your hormones cause these adverse effects during pregnancy. It is essential to look after yourself and eat well. At our hospital, we have a dietician and various experts who are more than happy to help you out at every step of your pregnancy. Make sure you are well hydrated and getting plenty of rest.

References

Merchant K, Martorell R, Haas J. Consequences for maternal nutrition of reproductive stress across consecutive pregnancies. J Nutr 1990;52(61):616– 20. 25.

Ramachandran P. Maternal nutrition—effect on fetal growth and outcome of pregnancy. Nutr Rev 2002;60(5 Pt. 2) S26–34 Available from: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/Doi/10.1301/00296640260130704/pdf.

López-Fernández, M. Barrios, J. Goberna-Tricas, J. Gómez-Benito, Breastfeeding during pregnancy: A systematic review, Women and Birth, Volume 30, Issue 6, 2017, Pages e292-e300,

ISSN 1871-5192, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2017.05.008. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1871519217301105)

Siddika Songül Yalçın, Mehmet Semih Demirtaş, and Suzan Yalçın. Breastfeeding Medicine. Oct 2021.827-834.http://doi.org/10.1089/bfm.2021.0073

https://americanpregnancy.org/healthy-pregnancy/breastfeeding/breastfeeding-while-pregnant/. (Accessed on October 2021)

Molitoris, Joseph. “Breastfeeding During Pregnancy and the Risk of Miscarriage.” Perspectives on sexual and reproductive health 51.3 (2019): 153-163.

Infertility is when a couple fails to conceive after trying for more than a year (≥6 months for ≥35 years old women). It is a personal crisis for a committed couple.

It is not uncommon to observe women in the same environment, friend circle, or social community having trouble getting pregnant. Women from the same family, particularly sisters, may begin to question a genetic link between them.

Infertility has multiple causes, and several problems can contribute to your inability to conceive. Infertility affects males just as much as it does with women. Frequently, the source of the problem is reported as unknown.

But, certain medical conditions can make it difficult to conceive. The following are the most common conditions that run in families and increase the chances of infertility.

• Family history of thyroid disease endometriosis
• Obesity
• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
• Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL)
• Uterine fibroids
• Ovarian Reserve
• Family history of breast or ovarian cancer
• Early Menopause

Each of these conditions has a treatment option, and If you aren’t ready to start a family yet, you should talk to a fertility doctor about your options here in our Cyprus IVF hospital. You can keep your eggs frozen until you’re ready to use them.

 

References

McLaren, J. F. (2012). Infertility evaluation. Obstetrics and gynecology clinics of North America, 39(4), 453.

Vance, A., & Zouves, C. (2005). The importance of family history risk assessment in the infertility setting. Fertility and Sterility, 84, S125-S125.

Hazar Bayindir. Common connection of infertility. extracted on Oct, 2021.

Breast cancer is the most frequent malignancy in women, and its incidence rises dramatically during the reproductive years. Based on the most recent anti-cancer molecular targeting medications, successful therapies contribute to disease healing, particularly in young patients, thereby reviving their motherhood programs. However, more than one-third of patients experience early ovarian follicular reserve depletion due to breast cancer treatment, causing permanent infertility.

Infertility caused by cancer is a problem for younger cancer survivors, who make up a significantly smaller fraction of total cancer survivors. However, the emotional toll of not being able to have a child after cancer can be devastating.

Advances in the understanding of how cancer therapies can affect fertility and innovative procedures to preserve fertility give hope to patients who haven’t finished their childbearing at the time of their cancer diagnosis.

Premature ovarian failure and infertility are common side effects of breast cancer treatment. Natural cycle IVF (NCIVF) has been used to preserve fertility and treat infertility in breast cancer patients since elevated estrogen levels are possibly hazardous.

For newly diagnosed young breast cancer patients, ovarian stimulation followed by IVF is a crucial fertility preservation technique; controlled ovarian stimulation procedures have recently advanced, providing practical solutions to some of the issues that breast cancer patients face.

Here in Cyprus IVF Hospital, we offer egg freezing and embryo freezing to help newly diagnosed breast cancer patients.

 

Reference

• Silvestris, E., Dellino, M., Cafforio, P. et al. Breast cancer: an update on treatment-related infertility. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 146, 647–657 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-020-03136-7
• Shapira, M., Raanani, H. & Meirow, D. IVF for fertility preservation in breast cancer patients—efficacy and safety issues. J Assist Reprod Genet 32, 1171–1178 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-015-0519-x
• K. Oktay, E. Buyuk, O. Davis, I. Yermakova, L. Veeck, Z. Rosenwaks, Fertility preservation in breast cancer patients: IVF and embryo cryopreservation after ovarian stimulation with tamoxifen, Human Reproduction 18(1), 90 -95, (2003). https://doi.org/10.1093/humrep/deg045
• Leslie R. Schover, Marleen van der Kaaij, Eleonora van Dorst, Carien Creutzberg, Eric Huyghe, Cecilie E. Kiserud. Sexual dysfunction and infertility as late effects of cancer treatment. European Journal of Cancer Supplements, 12(1), 41-53 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejcsup.2014.03.004.