Fat is no fun

By Dr. Shobha Gupta

Obesity is a chronic medical condition characterized by too much body fat. Obesity is diagnosed by a number called the Body Mass Index (BMI), which calculates the amount of body fat. Your BMI is calculated from your current height and weight. The higher the BMI the more body fat a person has.

Being overweight affects everything.  Yet another growing problem in today’s time among the population is infertility caused due to Obesity. Weight problem cases are on increase everywhere, and so are infertility clinics. Almost 10% of couples in the country get affected by infertility and are hesitant to take medical advice. The obesity rates in India have been rising at an extensive rate, out of which quarter of the women’s population is defined as medically obese. 

Experts believe obesity has to do with the lifestyle issues of the major population in urban India. People in cities follow a sedentary lifestyle. Little or no physical activity are to blame.

I see at least 10 to 15 patients in a day coming to me for infertility out of which 4 to 5% are obese. Obesity also leads to low stamina, which reduces the urge of having sex. Obesity in women is known to contribute to annovulation, a reduced conception rate and at greater risk of pregnancy complications like

Can I Travel when going through IVF?

Dr. Shobha Gupta

IVF medications and procedures can interfere dramatically with your day-to-day life. Many couples wonder, though, if they can take vacations and travel before, after, and during treatment. In all honesty, the bottom line is better safe than sorry.

It would be quite difficult for one to travel during the medication phase of the IVF process. Regardless of your medication schedule, which is likely to be hefty, you will be seeing your doctor on a regular basis for monitoring appointments that include blood work and ultrasounds. It is likely that you won’t be able to get away during this phase of your treatment. Keep in mind, you also don’t know how your body is

Some common facts about male infertility

By Dr. Shobha Gupta

Infertility is a complex and often misunderstood condition, which is why there's so much confusion surrounding it. Infertility in males is also very common these days. Let’s have a look at some facts about male infertility: 

1. Alcohol consumption: Drinking alcohol can lower testosterone levels, cause erectile dysfunction and decrease sperm production. Liver disease caused by excessive drinking also may lead to fertility problems.

2. Occupation or job: There are certain occupations can increase your risk of infertility, including those associated with desk jobs or extended use of computers or video display monitors, shift work, and work-related stress.

3. Tobacco or smoking: Men who smoke may have a lower sperm count than do those who don't smoke. Secondhand smoke also may affect male fertility.

4. Hormonal imbalances: Low thyroid hormone levels can cause poor semen quality, poor testicular function and may disturb libido.  May be caused by a diet high

Diet that enhances your fertility

By Dr. Shobha Gupta

Planning for a baby..? Your diet contains a special role in your conceiving.  Fertility diet includes food which would enhance the egg and sperm quality and supports a healthy pregnancy. 

A recent study has stated that certain food may increase IVF success rates.  For example Bananas are a great source of potassium, vitamin C, Vitamin B-6, Manganese, fiber and a range of other nutrients, which men need in order to maintain a strong sexual vitality. Also many studies have proved that bananas provide nutrients that can influence male fertility. Bananas are rich in Protein, Vitamins, Iron, Magnesium and Manganese which are essential for healthy sperm count in men.

Apart from that starting your day with a bowl of oatmeal might be a course to successful conception because it has great cholesterol-lowering powers &

Preserving umbilical cord

By Dr. Shobha Gupta

The umbilical cord is a cord between mother and baby that connects a baby in the womb to its mother. It runs from an opening in your baby's stomach to the placenta in the womb. Placenta keeps your unborn baby’s blood supply separate from your own blood supply (mother). This placenta is enables to carry out the functions that the unborn baby cannot perform for itself 

Umbilical cord blood is a baby's blood left in the placenta after the baby is born and the umbilical cord is cut. Usually umbilical cord gets discarded along with the placenta blood as a waste

In the 1970's, medical researchers discovered that human umbilical cord blood contained the same kind of stem cells found in bone marrow. Researchers believed that they could also use stem cells from umbilical cord blood to save patients.

Delivery is the only time that stem cells may be extracted from the umbilical cord, otherwise they are discarded. The blood cells in the umbilical cord contain special stem cells

Precautions for Pregnant women for Holi

By Dr. Shobha Gupta

Holi is the time when people forget their ill wills and come together to mark the celebration. As the

long weekend started so it is very important for pregnant women to take care of few things while playing holi.

Earlier colors was made up of herbs and flowers but as time passes chemicals, dyes have replaced this tradition and now a day’s people play holi with chemically treated colors. Some colors are even carcinogenic. So, it is very important for a pregnant or lactating mother to simply stay away from colors.

Not only colors; bhang is also the one such tradition associated with holi. In Delhi especially, rang and bhang are the two things which completes the festival. But bhang’s overdose can lead to serious health complications. Bhang is an intoxicant which makes you feel drowsy and sleepy. Consumption of bhang can result in high blood pressure, increased heart rate; it can also affect foetus, nervous system and brain.

It is very important for a pregnant woman not to play holi at all; stay indoors or even if you want to step out then go with your trusted elders around. So, lactating mothers should practice same caution as pregnant women. Use of these colors by pregnant women may result in pre mature birth, low weight birth and miscarriage or abortion. It can also affect the nervous and reproductive system, Pregnant women have reduced immunity levels and are, therefore, more prone to illnesses and infections, and their skin is more sensitive as well. Therefore, reaction to colors that one may have is very dangerous. Chemical colors have harmful health effects on the baby through breast milk. So, lactating mothers should practice same caution as pregnant women.

You can have homemade colors which can be made by using turmeric, roli (sindoor), boiled beetroot and onions. Tradition, if it must be followed, can be respected by placing a sandalwood or saffron tikaa on the baby's forehead.

Also do apply a thick petroleum jelly moisturizer on the skin and oil on the hair before started playing holi. Washing oneself properly is especially important for lactating mothers who otherwise risk their baby ingesting colors.

So, take precautions and enjoy the festival of colors. Happy Holi to all from the Team Mother’s Lap IVF.

Have you own biological child through IVF

By Dr. Shobha Gupta

Every married woman dreams of having own biological baby but due to fast paced life and sedentary lifestyles these dreams seem to have taken a back seat and people are busy in building their careers.

Many a times we don’t know that these lifestyle issues severely affects our fertility and there by reduces the chances of conceiving naturally. Infertility has spread its wings all over the world. According to ICMR bulletin it is estimated that globally between 60-80 million couples suffer from infertility every year, of which probably between 15- 20 million are in India alone.

The reason behind infertility are many few of them could be PCOS, sedentary lifestyle, eating junk food, depression, problematic womb, consumption of alcohol, smoking, stressful life, uterine problems, fallopian tube blockage, low sperm count, etc. The causes of infertility are present in both the genders. A woman cannot be blamed alone for this.

But thanks to modern technology

Myths and Facts about infertility

By Dr. Shobha Gupta  

Infertility is a term used to explain the inability of a woman to conceive after two years of constant efforts. Infertility is a complex and often misunderstood condition, which is why there's so much confusion surrounding it. Here are some common myths & facts; let s have a look at it.   

Myth: Infertility is a woman's problem. 

Fact: This is the most prevalent of all myths having to do with infertility, and if a couple is unable to have a child, the woman is thought to be "barren." In fact, according to Resolve, a national infertility advocacy organization in the USA, men and women are about equally responsible when it comes to infertility.  In reality, 40% of infertility is due to female factors, 40% due to male factors and 20% due to both.  

Myth: - Ayurvedic medicines are harmless and better for treatment of infertility related problems like low sperm count or poor sperm motility (movement). 

Fact: - Ayurvedic medicines cause more harm than good in such cases as mentioned above. People think that they can quickly solve the problem by taking easily and cheaply available ayurvedic medicines but what they don’t realize is that they are actually harming themselves and worsening their condition. A low count sample can be treated with ICSI and a poor motility sample with advanced techniques which are available only at a specialized IVF centre.  

Myth: Infertility treatment is expensive