WHEN TO SEE A DOCTOR
The incidence of infertility is much more than
most people realize. An estimated 10 percent to 15 percent of couples trying to
conceive will have difficulty doing so.
What is infertility and when to see
your doctor??
Infertility is the inability to conceive after:
- 1 year of unprotected intercourse when the woman is 35 years old or younger.
- For women over 35, this timeframe is 6 months
- For women close to 40, the timeframe is 3 months.
- Once you have crossed this timeframe, it is better seek to advise from an infertility specialist.
The exception to this is if a woman has any of the following:
- Irregular periods (or none at all), or extremely painful periods.
- Two or more miscarriages.
- Previous ectopic pregnancy.
- A history of pelvic surgery.
- A diagnosis of endometriosis or other another complex ovarian cyst/ tumor.
- A history of systemic illness or previous history of tuberculosis (PID)
- In any of these conditions, you should seek a consultationfrom a fertility specialist right away.
Once a couple decides to seek professional
advice or help, it is prudent to see a gynaecologist who specializes in
fertility management and hormone disorders. Also, it is a wise idea to see a
fertility specialist before actually planning a pregnancy for what is called as
‘PRECONCEPTIONAL COUNSELLING AND MANAGEMENT’ Pre-conception advice/ management
History: Pre-existing medical problems:
- Stabilize medical conditions, if any, like thyroid disorders, hypertension, diabetes or prediabetes, epilepsy, etc. and ensure that medical control is optimal.
- Check that drugs needed are safe for use in pregnancy and do not affect sperm function
Weight
- Check BMI The formula is BMI = kg/m2 where kg is a person’s weight in kilograms and m2 is their height in meters squared.
- Advise on weight gain or loss where BMI is <18.9 or >24.9 respectively
Caffeinated drinks:
• Caffeine intake more than two cups
of coffee daily should be avoided.
Smoking
• Advise both partners to stop
smoking
Recreational drugs
Advise both partners to stop using
recreational drugs
Folic acid
• Women who are trying to conceive
should take folic acid supplements (400 mcg) daily to reduce the
risk of neural tube defects. Women with a history of neural tube
defect or epilepsy should take 5 mg daily.
