Misconception about Conception

I am writing this article to debunk the common myths about pregnancy, as it is a constant struggle against misconceptions. There is a famous saying “The eyes are useless when the mind is blind”.

Nowadays, infertility rates among women have fallen, but more women who eventually do get pregnant are having problems conceiving as compared to past. This is primarily due to change in lifestyle, eating habits and increase in medical problems. Fertility medicine has made incredible advances and despite increased public awareness of the issue of infertility; there are a lot of misconceptions.

As a subject matter specialist, I am listing down some of the most common misconceptions along with my professional opinion:

1. There’s No Rush:

There is no need to take any medication or treatment before two years and majority of the couples do not require it either. There are numerous fertility problems that can be treated easily but the key is to be informed. In few cases, time is precious when it comes to fertility and in such cases your OB-GYN can evaluate the problem and provide treatment. Always pay attention to what your body is telling you, if one of the partners is experiencing any of the following warning signs or has a history, then consult your doctor:

• Chronic Illness, diabetes, hypertension, pain in kidney
• History of pelvic surgery
• Drugs, antidepressant, antipsychotic, chemotherapy, smoking, substance abuse
• In females: irregular heavy periods, hormone disturbance, abdominal pain

2. Problems is Only with Women:

I have recognized that while trying to get pregnant, women face discrimination and unrealistic expectations in our society. Couples waste money, time and resources treating the female partner whereas the problem can be in the male. In fact, 30% of infertility causes is due to the male partner.

Potential male infertility should be assessed as a part of a thorough physical examination and careful analysis of the past history. If you are having trouble conceiving, a comprehensive semen analysis is a simple non-invasive check to help determine whether there is a male factor involved. This could save the couple from many other unnecessary medical investigations.

3. Weight has no Effect

Obesity, which broadly refers to excessive body fat, has become an important health problem. The evidence of adverse effect of obesity on women’s health is overwhelming and indisputable. Obese women have an increased risk of pregnancy loss (miscarriage) compared with women of normal weight. Obese women are particularly susceptible to uncontrolled blood sugar levels, high cholesterol and elevated blood pressure. It is a common belief that the number of children per woman was very high in the past despite being obese and how can it affect fertility? One should be healthy enough to carry a pregnancy. Excessive weight significantly affect the hormones that in result causes a condition of ovaries called polycystic ovaries in which small and poor quality egg are produced that fail to start a pregnancy. If you are obese, you are more likely to have other complications such as infections, sleep disorder, miscarriage and premature birth.

As a professional gynaecologist, I advise all women to:

• Get to a healthy weight before you get pregnant. Talk to your doctor about the right weight for you.
• Talk to your doctor about how much weight to gain during pregnancy

4. Men are FOREVER

It is commonly believed in our society that it is only the women whose chances of getting pregnant becomes less with age whereas men can have children at any age. Research has shown that 30% causes of infertility are due to the male partner. There are some universal changes in the quality of genetic material of both men and women with the age. An easy solution to this common problem is that the couples with age more that 35 should consult a fertility clinic.

5. You have Children Before… No Problem

Your past is no guarantee for your future. There is no surety to easy conception even if you have had children in the past. It is very common for couples to go through various treatments despite having children in the past. So although it is a hard thing to go through, you are not alone, and support is available.  Like all other patients, the couples with secondary infertility should get medical evaluation and treatment.

6. Test Tube Baby – 100% Success Rate (IVF/ ICSI Treatment)

Assisted Reproduction Techniques (Test Tube Baby) has increased pregnancy rate. It is a common believe that this is the solution to all the fertility problems. However, it must be kept in mind that this technique has a pregnancy rate of 30%-40% and baby delivery rate is around 20%-25%.

Hence, I recommend the right treatment at right time in order to improve the success rate.

7. STOP all treatment – Relax and Wait

It is a misconception and a common practice to stop all treatments if a women fails to conceive. Stopping all kind of treatment only wastes time and worsens the problem, increases the hormonal imbalance and reduces the over all success rate.

My advice is to always remain in contact with your medical professional and a small break in treatment should be followed by an advanced level. I strongly urge to keep on the following regime:

• Maintain a healthy life style
• Take balanced diet
• Workout regularly
• Avoid Smoking
• Avoid Alcohol
• Consult your Doctor regularly

* Always seek the direct advice of your own doctor in connection with any questions or issues you may have regarding your own health or the health of others.

Dr. Ayesha Azam Khan