As many of you may be aware of, more and more couples are opting for infertility treatment these days. And the group comprises mostly of young couples who are recently married. They are intent on stabilizing their career and put child plans on hold till they decide when the right time is. And when they do decide, the stork takes forever to arrive! Having a baby is no child’s play these days. Infertility is the inability to conceive after one of regular and unprotected sexual intercourse. A woman is at the maximum of her fertility in her mid 20s and once she reaches 35, there is a drastic failure to conceive. The reasons for infertility are:

• Increasing age of marriage
• Damage of genital organs due to sexually transmitted diseases
• Use of mobiles, laptops
• Smoking, alcohol
• Hard drugs

Among cases of infertility, male infertility constitutes 30 to 40 percent. Semen analysis can be done to investigate it. Other causes like varicocele, hernia and infections can be treated. In females, absence of ovulation and tubal block constitute 40 percent of the cases. Fibroids, ectopic pregnancy or irregular menstrual cycles can be treated.

Treatment:
• Men with low sperm count are treated by ICSI (Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection)
• In female, tubal surgery can be done to treat problem in Fallopian tubes.

Infertility is a personal problem and people should respect their privacy and not be inquisitive. And doctors have to be supporting and caring. Infertility is not a ‘curse’ or ‘fate’. It can be treated by a trained doctor.

To start with, women are twice as likely to develop gall stones as men! Gallstones are formed from bile which collects as solid particles in the gall bladder. These can remain dormant for a long period or may produce various manifestations.

Causes:
• High cholesterol content in bile
• Poor muscle tone of the gall bladder
• Pregnancy and excess estrogen which decrease gall bladder motility
• Intake of birth control pills
• Diabetes
• Obesity

Symptoms:
Severe or dull but constant pain in the right upper part of the abdomen which usually starts 30 minutes after a greasy meal. It can last from one to five hours. The pain may radiate to the back or right shoulder. It occurs at night more commonly. Nausea, vomiting, indigestion, fever, jaundice are the other symptoms.

Treatment:
There is no permanent treatment for gall stones. Surgical removal of the gall bladder is done to prevent recurrence of the problem. It can be removed laparoscopically and you can recover in a matter of days while an open surgery will take weeks together to recuperate. Diagnose early and get treated effectively is the general advice.

A comfortable and steady posture is required for performing any activity. Be it sleeping, reading a newspaper, washing, running, eating, studying, sitting, sweeping, watching television or relaxing, your posture plays an important role. A relaxed posture helps keep your energy flowing throughout the day. Connecting your mind and body to the cosmos keeps you relaxed but energetic. This can be achieved by means of yoga. Your mental faculties improve once you get the desired posture. Yoga plays an important role in improving your focus. When you are at work in a noisy environment, you may fret and lose concentration on the task at hand. But if you practice yoga regularly, it helps you focus on your work and shuts out all the other unwanted diversions. You can work well despite the noise!

A time for yourself:
• Spend time observing your posture while working and correct your breathing pattern accordingly.
• When you are in a foul mood, try changing postures consciously. This alleviates your anger and improves the mood.
• Slip into some yogasana when you are bored. You can feel how a simple posture can uplift your spirits.

Thyroid is a small butterfly shaped gland located in the neck around your windpipe.
It produces various hormones which have to be maintained in a balanced state. Low secretion leads to hypothyroid state while high secretion causes hyperthyroid.

Facts:
• One in every 4000 children born is affected by thyroid disease which if not cured leads to mental retardation.
• Women are 7 times more affected than men.

Causes:
• Poor nutrition and iodine deficiency
• Pregnancy
• Menopause
• Chronic stress

Symptoms:
• Hair loss, dry skin
• Cold intolerance, fatigue
• Depression, nervousness
• Tremors, dementia

Treatment:
• Thyroid hormone can be taken once a day on an empty stomach.
• Taking it a night can prevent interaction with food.
• Most problems are permanent and may require life long treatment.

The pituitary and hypothalamus control the secretion of thyroid hormones. Thyroxine controls the metabolism inside our body. That’s why any abnormality leads to cold intolerance. An overactive thyroid is also a serious condition and has to be treated early. Consult your physician if you are in doubt of your thyroid functions!