Can I get pregnant with my own eggs after menopause? + other questions on IVF answered

These days we hear a lot about miracle babies and childless couples being blessed with kids in their 60s and 70s. Most newspapers that carry such news also claim that the couple conceived naturally and gave birth to a healthy baby. Well, natural conception is possible until a particular age or before a woman hits menopause. Beyond that, couples might need to take help of assisted reproductive techniques or IVF procedures if they are planning a baby. There are a lot of misconceptions that people have regarding IVF procedures.  To break these myths and misconception we had a detailed discussion with Dr Sandeep Mane, The Origin International Fertility Centre, Mumbai, here is what he had to say.

Is there a cut-off age for doing IVF with one’s eggs?

A woman’s natural egg reserve, especially for Asian women, tends to drop after 40 or 45 years of age. There are no procedures or techniques to revive eggs or provide a woman with more number of eggs. However, for some women, this reserve might get exhausted early, like in their 20s or thirties. There could be various reasons for this. When a woman opts for an IVF procedure, tests are done to see if her egg reserve is exhausted.
In general, every month a woman releases one or more eggs from ovaries which increase her chances of pregnancy. However, if conception has not taken place normally, hormonal injections are used to release more eggs from her ovaries. But beyond 45 or 50 years of age when a woman’s natural egg reserve is exhausted, even IVF procedures cannot help her to conceive with her own egg, unless she has frozen her eggs before. In such cases, looking for an egg donor is advisable. For a menopausal woman who wishes to get pregnant, this is an ideal option. Here is everything you need to know about freezing of eggs.

Even if a couple in their 50s, 60s or 70s wants a baby with the help of IVF,  what are the chances that the pregnancy would be healthy?

With age, pregnancy becomes challenging. There are laws in the making which are yet to decide on a cut-off age for couples to get pregnant. But a pregnancy in 50s and 60s is not unheard of; of course, a pregnancy in 70s is out of the question even with assisted reproductive technologies (but not impossible). The simple reason to avoid late pregnancies is that bringing up a child beyond a certain age becomes challenging. Apart from that, the pregnancy itself could be risky and there can be postpartum issues that the mother and child have to face.
When a couple opts for a pregnancy at a later stage in life, there are three things that need to be taken into consideration: sperm health, quality of eggs and the viability of the womb. In men, even at the age of 50 or 55 sperms might be healthy for conception. In women, most of them might have hit menopause by then. The ovaries will have exhausted its eggs, there would be a dip in the female hormones and the womb would have shrunk. Taking all these things into consideration, conception becomes difficult. She will need donor eggs to continue with her pregnancy or retrieve her frozen eggs, if any. However, the womb can be reactivated with hormonal injections to get back to its pre-menopausal state and carry the pregnancy to term. But if the woman is having other health problems like blood pressure, diabetes or thyroid this can make the pregnancy risky. An incompetent womb, too many failed IVF cycles might be indications that she needs to look for a surrogate to carry her pregnancy to term.

Why do some younger women need donor eggs to conceive?

Sometimes a woman’s egg reserve might get exhausted early in her 20s or 30s. There could be various reasons for it, like, receiving less number of eggs during the formative period in the womb, the hereditary tendency of early menopause, infections like tuberculosis that can scar the ovaries, surgeries during childhood for conditions such as ovarian cysts or torsion of ovaries, etc. There cannot be a single cause that can be pinpointed; these are some of the possible causes. In such cases, a donor egg is needed to help the woman conceive.

What are the other situations when a couple might need donor eggs?

There are two prime scenarios when a couple might need to seek donor egg: a. if the woman’s egg reserve is exhausted or are weak and b. when IVF have failed beyond three cycles. However, a doctor decides this after undergoing a number of tests and procedures. If a couple is unable to conceive, blood tests and sonography are done to ascertain the problem. If the first line of tests and sonography shows that the woman has weak eggs or her eggs aren’t suitable for fertilisation, she might need to seek donor eggs.
If there is a possibility that she can conceive with her eggs, medications are prescribed to help attain hormonal balances and ovulation to help the couple conceive. If that fails to give results, the second step is to do an IUI or intrauterine insemination, where sperms are placed inside a woman’s uterus to facilitate fertilisation. The goal of IUI is to increase the number of sperm that reach the fallopian tubes and subsequently increase the chance of fertilisation. Beyond that, a laparoscopy is done to understand where the problem lies and then the couple is counselled for an IVF. If more than three IVF cycles fail,  the need for donor eggs might arise.

What tests are done to assess the quality of the woman’s egg to check if they are fertile enough for conception?

Two tests namely the AMH blood test and advance sonography are done to check for the quantity and quality of the eggs and the ovarian reserve.

What happens during an IVF cycle?

For a woman to get pregnant, it is necessary that her hormones are in tandem with her cycles and leads to ovulation, that is, for an egg to release from the ovary once a month. Sometimes this natural process might not yield results and a couple might seek IVF treatment. In an IVF treatment, high doses of hormonal injections are given to release eight or 10 eggs which are then retrieved and united with the partner’s sperm to form an embryo in a laboratory set-up. Of the resulting embryos, two or three can be inserted into the womb to increase chances of pregnancy. The rest can be frozen to be used later in case an IVF cycle fails. The duration of an IVF cycle is of four weeks or a month.

What if IVF cycles fail?

There are chances of IVF failures. However, a couple can try for three IVF cycles before exploring other options. If a woman’s womb is incompetent to continue the pregnancy, then an option like surrogacy is suggested.

When is the option of IVF surrogacy laid out?

You need a sperm, an egg and a healthy womb to help you carry the pregnancy to term. However, if a woman’s egg reserve is exhausted, she might have to borrow eggs from a donor. The eggs will be fertilised with the partner’s sperms to form an embryo which needs to be inserted into the womb for a fetus to grow and develop. If the woman’s womb isn’t capable of carrying the pregnancy to term or she is physically unfit to carry a pregnancy, she might need a surrogate mother to help her with the pregnancy and carry it to term.
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5 ways exercise can make labour and delivery easy

Soha Ali Khan has been all over the internet for posting her pregnancy workout pics on Instagram. And why not, she has been giving fitness goals to all the pregnant ladies out there. Now if you have been a non-exerciser throughout, you should get started during your pregnancy. Yes, exercise can help ease your labour. Exercise helps you deal with the demands of pregnancy and labour better, and this has been stated for long with enough evidence. Here’s how exercise helps.
1. Improves your endurance: Labour can be both mentally and physically draining. It can go on for hours and can seem incredibly daunting. Cardiovascular activities can improve your endurance and increase your ability to tolerate labour process [1].
2. Strengthens your pelvic floor muscles: Exercise can help support the pelvic floor muscles which in turn support your vagina, bladder, rectum and urethra. When you are in labour, it is necessary that you relax your pelvic floor muscles for the smooth passage of the foetus through the birth canal [2]. So working your pelvic floor muscles can help ease labour.Follow thiss exercise guide for first, second and third trimester of pregnancy. 

3. Strengthens thigh muscles to combat labour stress: For the same reasons perform your Kegal exercises with vigour. Apart from your pelvic floor muscles Kegels also make your thigh muscles strong to fight the stress of labour. Often it’s the thigh muscles that get fatigued during labour [3]. And that’s when a doctor decides to go for a C-section seeing that a woman has given up due to sheer exhaustion.
4. Prevents excessive weight gain during pregnancy: Many factors such as your age and the weight can influence the first stage of labour. Regular exercise can reduce the possibility of excessive weight gain during pregnancy which in turn can potentially ease the first stage your labour [4].
5. Helps you recover faster after labour: Indulging in physical activity during pregnancy can help you recover faster after delivery [5]. You will also be able to bounce back faster to your pre pregnancy weight. Every pregnant woman must perform these four breathing exercises. 
References:
[1] Hammer, R. L., Perkins, J., & Parr, R. (2000). Exercise During the Childbearing Year. The Journal of Perinatal Education, 9(1), 1–14. http://doi.org/10.1624/105812400X87455
[2] Marques, A., Stothers, L., & Macnab, A. (2010). The status of pelvic floor muscle training for women. Canadian Urological Association Journal, 4(6), 419–424.
[3] Bahadoran, P., Asefi, F., Oreyzi, H., & Valiani, M. (2010). The effect of participating in the labor preparation classes on the maternal vitality and positive affect during the pregnancy and after the labor. Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research, 15(Suppl1), 331–336.
[4] MOTTOLA, M. F., GIROUX, I., GRATTON, R., HAMMOND, J.-A., HANLEY, A., HARRIS, S., … SOPPER, M. M. (2010). Nutrition and Exercise Prevent Excess Weight Gain in Overweight Pregnant Women. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 42(2), 265–272. http://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181b5419a
[5] Bogdanis, G. C. (2012). Effects of Physical Activity and Inactivity on Muscle Fatigue. Frontiers in Physiology, 3, 142. http://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2012.00142
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How perfumes are HARMING your skin

How perfumes are HARMING your skin

Do you leave your house or office without using perfume? Well, the answer is a big NO! Whether you are going to a party or getting ready for office, you can’t think of leaving your place without perfume. But did you know that spraying perfume directly on the skin can cause harm? So to help you know how perfumes are harming the skin, we asked Dr Shefali Trasi Nerurkar, MD Skin, Consultant Dermatologist, Dr Trasi’s Clinic & La Piel and here is what she has to say. Here are 7 all-natural deodorants you MUST try!

Deodorants, antiperspirants and more!

Deodorants help to neutralize or block body odour. Antiperspirants usually contain aluminium compounds which block the sweat glands and reduce the amount of sweat produced. And if there is no sweat, bacteria cannot act on proteins in the body to produce odour.

Deodorants cause irritation (because of alcohol) and redness of the skin, which leads to itching and eventually slight pigmentation of the underarm area. Short time use of deodorants can lead to skin allergies, darkening of armpits and nasal allergies. The harmful effects of antiperspirants are similar to those of deodorants, but they are more due to intolerance to aluminium compounds in antiperspirants that can lead to contact dermatitis and allergy. Here’s more on the hidden dangers of using deodorants and antiperspirants!

Roll-ons vs sprays — which is better?

Deodorants sticks or roll-ons are better than sprays. Sprays contain more chemicals for a long lasting fragrance which has a deeper impact on the skin than the sticks. The sticks are made with mild chemicals and generally does not harm the skin. There are certain deodorants that claim to be alcohol-free and are ideal for use in comparison to alcohol based ones, as the former have very low chances of causing irritation and allergies. Also, alcohol-free deodorants are gentle on the skin and don’t cause dryness. Do read to know what happens when you share roll-on deodorants?

When not to apply deodorants

You must stay away from applying deodorants after shaving, waxing and laser hair reduction as the skin is sensitive past hair removal and hence, it can sting. If you suffer from atopic dermatitis, a skin condition, then stay away from deodorants as the chemicals can cause an allergic reaction. Also, people suffering from asthma should be extra cautious while using deodorants as the fumes can worsen the condition.

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Read this before you use an epilator!

Read this before you use an epilator!

When it comes to hair removal method, the razor is the preferred choice for some people while some just go for the permanent deal, laser. And then there are some in between who like to use the epilator. If you have never used one, you need to know that epilators are spinning tweezers that pluck hair from the roots. While using an epilator may seem daunting at first, a few of these tips from beauty expert Nandini Agarwal from Marvie Ann Beck Academy will set you up for those silky smooth legs.

Choose the right epilator— There are two types of epilators—wet and dry. While you can use wet epilators in showers, dry epilators are not waterproof. Since you can use wet epilators in warm water, it can translate into less pain. So, go for the one you prefer.

Trim long hair first— If your body hair is too long, you need to trim or shave your hair first as your tweezer will not pluck it. However, make sure that you trim your hair in similar lengths before you pluck it.

Run against the direction of hair growth— To get the most effective finish, you need to move the epilator against the direction of hair growth just how you would do it with a razor.

Exfoliate before removing hair— The best way to avoid ingrown hair is to exfoliate your skin with a scrubber before using an epilator to remove the dead skin cells.

Hold your skin tight-– While using an epilator, you need to hold your skin tight and keep the epilator at a 90-degree angle so that the tweezers can pull out the hair effectively. Here’s what frequent hair removal does to your body. 

Moisturise with coconut oil— Once you remove your hair, make sure that you use a moisturiser to keep your skin nourished. Applying coconut oil can be an excellent way to hydrate your skin.

Note: If bikini waxing is a cake walk for you will not find the epilator that painful. You may find it painful in the beginning, but your hair follicles and skin adjust to the sensation with time. Here are 8 tips to get rid of boils after waxing. 

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Here’s when you should NOT use a body scrub!

Here’s when you should NOT use a body scrub!

Using a body scrub can prove to be magical for your skin. The exfoliating powers of a body scrub can remove the dead skin cells and make your skin silky smooth to touch. However, a body scrub may not have that fantastic result always. Sometimes it can do more harm than good especially when you exfoliate too hard, but according to dermatologist Dr Sejal, Shah here are a few situations when you should skip exfoliating.

After using skin lightening agents: Skin lightening agents targeted to treat hyperpigmentation can irritate your skin, so using a body scrub can make things worse. Scrubbing can instead cause inflammation which can instead lead to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Be sure to consult your doctor before using any exfoliating agent not to cause further pigmentations. Make these amazing chocolate face and body packs at home.

On a sunburnt skin: Your skin suffers significant injury when you spend too much time in the sun, and you should avoid harsh beauty treatments at all costs as it can irritate your skin and make it difficult for your skin to heal. You can instead try using mild cleansers like cleansing oils to soothe the irritated skin. Applying some aloe vera gel can also quickly help the sunburnt skin.

Before or after a chemical body peel treatment: Chemical peels already remove a layer of the skin, and you do not want to get your skin any thinner by scrapping off another layer of cells. You might be tempted to scrape off the skin that is starting to come out after the peel, but you must avoid doing that as it can lead to an infection or even hyperpigmentation. Also, do not exfoliate your skin before a chemical peel treatment as it can increase the potential for a burn. You must instead use a moisturiser to soothe your skin after a chemical peel treatment. Here’s how you should take care of your skin after a chemical peel. 

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6 fruits you can either eat or apply to your skin for a glowing complexion

6 fruits you can either eat or apply to your skin for a glowing complexion

With inputs from ANI

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5 beauty products to boost your mood

5 beauty products to boost your mood

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References:

[1], [2] and [5] By Ouvrage Collectif, How To Reduce Stress, 2008, pg-1-29

[3] Komori T, Fujiwara R, Tanida M, Nomura J, Yokoyama MM. Effects of citrus fragrance on immune function and depressive states. Neuroimmunomodulation. 1995 May-Jun;2(3):174-80. PubMed PMID: 8646568.

[4] Subramaniam, K., & Vinogradov, S. (2013). Improving the neural mechanisms of cognition through the pursuit of happiness. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 7, 452. http://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2013.00452