How to Promote a Healthy Pregnancy

Family planning is a very tedious and stressful period during one’s life. Many couples plan to have children without considering their health. For women who are going to be/wanting to become pregnant, health is very crucial. Without proper health, your child can develop complications. A health professional can provide you the required diet and lifestyle that you need to follow.

There are a ton of steps that one can follow to achieve a healthy pregnancy; we are going to discuss the main ones in this article.

Preconception & Reproductive Counselling

Making a solid plan is essential not only for your planning but for other aspects of life, such as your job, vacations, etc. You can make one for yourself as you know what’s good and bad for your life. But, if you are not confident enough or having difficulties making one, a family counselor or a health professional can be your best choice. 

They can help you sort out problems with lifestyle or any other aspects.

Follow a Healthy Lifestyle

Apart from preventing a whole lot of health problems, the most important one that it deals with is Gestational Conditions. They can cause high blood pressure or high blood sugar. They are extremely bad for your baby. Here are some steps that medical professionals recommend to take before planning pregnancy:-

• Increase your intake of fiber - Eating ten more grams of fiber in the form of cereals, fruits, and vegetables is associated with a 26% lower risk of gestational diabetes.

• Reduce consumption of sugar-sweetened cola - Women who drank five or more such beverages per week before they got pregnant were at higher risk of gestational diabetes.

• Eat less red meat, processed meats, animal fats, and cholesterol - Before pregnancy, eating these foods in less proportion can decrease the chances of developing diabetes when you are pregnant.

• Replace animal protein with protein nuts to lower the risk of gestational diabetes - The studies have shown that substituting vegetable protein for animal protein before pregnancy can decrease the risk of gestational diabetes by about half.

Folic Acid

Folic acid is responsible for the production of new cells and the maintenance of cells in your body and helps in the development of the baby’s brain and spinal cord. It is also called as Vitamin B9. 

Lack of folic acid can cause NTD’s (neural tube defects) in the spine, the brain of the developing fetus. The healthy individual should consume at least 0.4g of folic acid. It is abundantly found in oranges, green and leafy vegetables.

Vaccinations

Vaccinations are the best products of human innovation. They are capable of preventing extremely dangerous diseases without little or no defects. Know the vaccines, which are necessary and which ones are not. Common ones are polio, Chicken Pox, and measles.

Current Medical Conditions

Understanding your current medical conditions and how it affects your baby is crucial. On the other hand, you get a check on your health as well. Medical conditions such as diabetes and blood pressure are bad if left unchecked can cause miscarriages or birth defects.

Quit Smoking and Alcohol

Well first, they are really bad for your health and second, bad for your child as well. They again can cause birth defects, cancer, and many other bad things. Quitting is the best choice. Several medications allow you to quit with fewer side-effects.

Quitting is easier said than done, talk to your health professional, he can provide you with the necessary help and guidance that you need if you are unable to quit them on your own.

Weight

Being underweight or overweight is not recommended for pregnancy. They can cause blood pressure or reduced nutrition for the developing fetus. The BMI is an extremely easy and simple method to determine your weight situation; it is a ratio between height and weight. You don’t have to be exactly on the point, but near healthy. For a healthy woman, it should be around 18.5-24.9. 

Note: - BMI is not the best measurement of your health. It neglects a lot of things about the body, such as fat and muscle content.

Family History

Learn about your family history, knowing that can help doctors very much. He then can decide the tests and medication to prevent any preventable ones. 

The main point to get out of this is to understand the family genetics and provide them to the doctor; it will be really helpful to him as well as yourself.

Mental Health

There are a lot of things that we still don’t understand about pregnancies. But it is said that the mental health of the mother and the people around the pregnant mother can impact the health of the baby.

Many people develop depression and anxiety and other conditions during and after pregnancies. Going to the doctor's and the change of environments can be really helpful. This is supposed to be a good and memorable phase of your life, enjoy it as much as you can.

To conclude, this article is not the complete guide to pregnancy, but merely to make you the reader aware of the various things that one should do before and during pregnancy. I hope it helps.

For more information visit our website - Zeeva Clinic

What are the common pregnancy complications

Mother, the embodiment of compassion, love, and care. Motherhood, a blessing to women, is an intense yet immeasurable feeling. There are so many women who long to be a mother. An insurmountable amount of love fills the heart of a mother upon knowing they are pregnant. 

As wonderful and beautiful as the journey is, it can be a little rocky. Prenatal care is essential for a smooth pregnancy and to minimize the risks that could occur during it. There are a few complications some mothers may face during pregnancy.

The commonly encountered pregnancy complications are discussed below.

Hypertension

Also known as high blood pressure, hypertension, when experienced, restricts the arteries that carry blood from the heart to other organs. This can lead to decreased oxygen supply to the fetus, and complications that may occur are preeclampsia and preterm labor. 

Close monitoring and medications should help in maintaining gestational hypertension. Hypertension experienced during pregnancy is called gestational hypertension.

Gestational Diabetes

This can be developed during pregnancy and is the increased amount of glucose found in the blood. This is also referred to as high blood sugar. Glucose is a vital component in our body that sources energy, glucose that enters the bloodstream is absorbed by the cells. 

During pregnancy, the hormonal changes interfere with insulin production, and the absorption capability of the blood reduces. Proper treatment can help in avoiding preeclampsia or cesarean delivery.

Infections

The common problem faced by everyone, infections during, and post-pregnancy are normal. Sexually Transmitted Infections can cause complications of the mother, baby, or both. 

Most infections vaginal and urinary can be treated at early stages with proper medication. Certain viruses are linked to miscarriages, preterm labor, stillbirth, congenital disabilities, and other serious complications.

Preeclampsia

A high-risk condition that affects both the mother and the baby. This condition is usually diagnosed late into the pregnancy or post-delivery. This condition is when a part of the placenta doesn’t function properly. Gestational hypertension is a sign of this condition. 

Other symptoms include swelling of feet and legs and high levels of protein in their urine. No cure makes this condition more complicated, but early detection can reduce the chances of eclampsia, which is the onset of seizures before, during, or after labor. Risks of this condition include first pregnancies, history of preeclampsia, diabetes, obesity, and age.

Preterm labor

Delivery before 37 weeks is considered preterm labor. Babies born prematurely are at a higher risk of health problems as their vital organs only fully develop in the final weeks of pregnancy. 

Progesterone supplements can aid in reducing preterm labor. Infections, a shortened cervix, and a history of preterm births are all conditions that increase the chances of preterm labor.

Miscarriage

Loss of pregnancy before 20 weeks is termed as miscarriage. Diabetes, acute infections, injuries, history of miscarriages may be the reasons behind a miscarriage. 

A fertilized egg has an abnormal number of chromosomes, or uterus abnormalities are some of the other reasons behind a miscarriage. Immediate treatment is necessary, or this can lead to other complications. 

Symptoms include vaginal bleeding, severe abdominal pain, or severe cramping.

Stillbirth

Loss of pregnancy after 20 weeks is known as a stillbirth. Causes behind a stillbirth are often unknown, but they may be health conditions such as infection, poor fetal development, and lifestyle.  This pregnancy complication can affect the mother mentally, emotionally, and physically and is often the hardest to overcome.

Other complications

Hyperemesis Gravidarum is one of the other complications. It is continuous vomiting that can continue into the third trimester or iron-deficiency anemia. Signs of anemia include feeling tired, shortness of breath, and fainting.

These are the eight commonly experienced complications. These can be avoided by taking the necessary precautions, some of which are discussed below.  

Precautions

The proverb “Prevention is better than cure” is known for its accuracy. There are a few precautions pregnant ladies can take to avoid being a part of the high-risk pregnancy group and to have a good pregnancy.

First and foremost, have good personal hygiene and to practice a maintainable hygienic routine. This not only reduces the chances of an infection but also ensures good overall health. Infections can lead to stillbirths or miscarriage.

Alcohol and smoking are harmful to the mother’s as well as the baby’s health. Avoiding these as much as possible is advisable. Stillbirths, miscarriages, sudden infant death syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome that causes fetus development problems are some of the complications and consequences of consumption of alcohol and smoking during pregnancy.

Being consistent with your medication and considering getting a flu shot are some of the best precautionary measures during pregnancy. 

Taking multivitamins is vital as this ensures the good health of the baby. A high fever during pregnancy can cause neural tube defects; a flu shot during the flu season will be helpful.

Healthy eating habits and kitchen safety is yet another important precautionary measure. Maintaining good health and avoiding unhealthy food as much as possible will be beneficial in the long run. Food-borne infections from under-cooked, unwashed, and contaminated food are very common. 

Ensuring proper cooking and cleaning before eating is a healthy practice and helps regulate blood- sugar levels and weight.

Prenatal care is a necessity to help tackle any challenges in the early stages. These challenges left untreated can lead to complications later on.

Practicing safe sex cannot be stressed enough. Sexually active women have a higher chance of contracting an STI, which can lead to stillbirth or ectopic pregnancy. 

Ectopic pregnancy is when the egg attaches itself outside the uterus. Vaginal check-ups done frequently can help detect any urinary or vaginal infections.

Maintaining a healthy weight is a necessity during pregnancy. Though, women gain weight during pregnancy, those who make conscious efforts to maintain it often avoid complications.

Many challenges, such as obesity, diabetes, premature birth, preeclampsia, and gestational diabetes, are linked to overweight.

Motherhood is a boon to women, and the mother must take the necessary steps to avoid any complications. Though inevitable, sometimes, complications can still be minimized. Taking the necessary steps will be helpful and make the journey of pregnancy enjoyable and memorable.

Consult a highly experienced IVF doctor in Noida for the best suitable advice.

What is ICSI treatment in infertility?

There was no specific moment when the need for the development of advanced reproductive techniques became necessary by society. Still, they were required to treat tubal factor infertility in the 1970s. 

The first conception outside the human body was a tremendous achievement, and it opened the door for the use of reproductive techniques around the world.

In the 1980s, there was a focus on the need to broaden the indications for treatment by ART. The significant achievements by the in vitro technologies brought about attention on the actual origin of the conceptus and the gametes. 

As male reproductive cells were initially taken as a continuous, consistent, and abundant supply, this changed the inability of fertilization.  

When focus on the treatment of male fertility increased, it caused the development of ICSI.

In 1992, Intracytoplasmic sperm injection ICSI was introduced to improve fertilization in males undergoing in vitro fertilization. 

Under ICSI, pre‐selected spermatozoon is injected into a mature oocyte after ovarian superovulation and oocyte retrieval.

In simple terms, a single sperm is extracted and directly injected into a single egg to fertilize them. This maximizes the chances of fertilization.

What is the process of ICSI treatment? 

ICSI is a laboratory procedure. A single sperm is picked up with a fine glass needle, called a micropipette and is injected directly into the center of the mature egg. The process is carried out in the laboratory by experienced embryologists. 

Very few sperm or a single sperm is required. ICSI does not guarantee that fertilization will occur as the regular cellular events of fertilization still need to occur once the sperm has been placed into the mature egg.  

After fertilization takes place, an embryo or two will be transferred into the uterus for two to five days after the retrieval. 

ICSI fertilizes 50% to 80% of eggs, and after the completion of fertilization, the couple’s chance of giving birth to a single baby, twins, or triplets is the same if they go for an IVF  treatment with or without ICSI.

What are the risks of ICSI for women?

The occurrences of short‐term medical complications of inducing ovulation or retrieving oocytes for IVF are rare, but it leaves an emotional impact. If the treatment fails, couples, especially women, may face depression. 

What are the risks of ICSI for men?

The minor cause symptoms are associated with ICSI treatment like pain, bleeding, bruising, and scarring are the most common. There may also be a risk during treatment, as a decrease in serum testosterone levels after testicular sperm extraction.

Needle procedure under ICSI treatment is simple, performed under sedation with minimal discomfort. Still, there are some side effects like pain and swelling. 

These risks are not permanently attached to ICSI treatment. This technique was developed recently in 1992, and because of the absence of proper statistical data, it isn't very easy to evaluate the long term effects on human health. 

However, ICSI is one of the best treatments for men who are suffering from infertility. It is used in as many as 50% of the IVF treatments undertaken and in 2000. In European countries, the clinical pregnancy rate was 28.4% for IVF and 28.7% for ICSI.

When is ICSI Fertility Treatment Recommended?

The ICSI fertility treatment is recommended in cases where the male has a very low or no sperm count.

When there is a high percentage of abnormal sperm, poor quality, or when sperm cannot move properly or low motility and low fertility, this procedure increases the likelihood of fertilization.  

When there is a blockage in the male reproductive tract, it causes the sperm to get out of the tract.

When there are high levels of antibodies in the semen, it kills sperm and reduces fertility.

ICSI is also recommended when an earlier IVF cycle has failed.

Comparison between IVF and ICSI

ICSI is a special form of IVF. In conventional IVF, the egg and considerable amount of sperm are left in a petri dish to fertilize on their own, whereas in ICSI, a fewer number or a single sperm is directly injected into the egg.

Under IVF treatment, both male and female infertility can be treated where ICSI is the only option to treat male infertility.

In short, both ICSI and IVF are two techniques of science used to treat infertility in humans. Additionally, it is right to say that both methods are the blessings for the couples for whom it is difficult to conceive naturally.

Couples facing fertility issues are invited to visit Zeeva Clinic which is the best IVF clinic in Noida. Call on +91 8377855100 to book an appointment.

Why Does Sperm Count Matter?

A healthy sperm count is around 40 to 300 million sperm per milliliter; out of these, only 1 makes it to the egg, and fertilization occurs. The problem for the sperm is that the woman’s reproductive systems are extremely hostile. It is acidic and does not provide the ideal conditions for the sperm to fertilize. Therefore sperms are covered in a protective fluid known as semen that allows them to survive in hostile conditions.

All this seems a bit unnecessary, but it’s not. In nature, only the fittest survive; the same concept is applied here; only healthy sperm makes it to the egg. Even then, there are chances of unhealthy sperm reaching the egg.

The studies have shown that 95% of the sperm cells are defective. Defective sperms are unable to swim properly and hence does not reach the egg. Defective sperms mostly contain damaged genetic code.

90% of male infertility is linked to low sperm count when the body produces lower amounts of sperm; it usually indicates underlying issues such as obesity, lack of nutrients, etc. Lower sperm count means that most cells produced are abnormal and hence are not good for fertilization. There is little chance that low sperm count semen fertilizing an egg.

Issues such as obesity, deficiency mean that the body is not able to produce proper sperm/semen, it lacks some nutrients or has damaged the system. Stress and other mental illnesses can also be the culprit. Due to them, the body may not be able to produce the required hormones that are required for the production and maintenance of sperm/semen.

Fertilization from abnormal sperm is related to miscarriages, birth defects, and other conditions.

Low sperm count is curable in most of the cases, treatments include: -

· Losing weight

· Exercising

· Vitamin supplements

· Clean environment, harmful substances like lead or other chemicals

· Reduce biking or check it up for proper fit

· Clothing, loose clothes are better

· Better mental Health

Sperm Count in IVF

As mentioned above, lower sperm count means that the quality of the sperms is inadequate. Usually, around 50,000 healthy sperms are collected from a sample to ensure high chances of fertilization. Lower sperm count can reduce that number.

Usually, most cases of low sperm count are curable. Getting a diagnosis from the doctor is the best way to deal with this situation.

Visit Zeeva Clinic, call at +91 8377855100 to schedule an appointment.