Infertility can be treated like any other disease

Dr.Syed Sajjad Hussain, Managing Director, ACIMC, spoke on various issues relating to fertility treatment in the following interview.

What is infertility?

Infertility can be defined as failure to have babies. It is a condition of the reproductive system often diagnosed after a couple has had one year of unprotected, well-timed intercourse, or if the woman has suffered from multiple miscarriages. Infertility can be broken down into (i) male factor (40 per cent); (ii) female factor (40 per cent); and (iii) combination of the two or unexplained infertility (20 per cent). Infertility is tested, diagnosed and treated like any other disease. In some cases, it can be prevented; in others, it cannot be.

How can infertility be treated?

Today, medical technology has come a long way to offer more answers and treatment options — from hormonal treatments, ovulation induction and intrauterine insemination to more advanced technologies such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and PGD.

What is artificial insemination?

Artificial insemination is now more commonly referred to as IUI, or ‘intra uterine insemination’. It is used for couples with unexplained infertility, minimal male factor infertility, and women with cervical mucus problems. It is a procedure of acquiring the husband’s sperm, washing and treating the sperm and injecting it into the woman during the time of ovulation.

What is IVF?

In IVF, fertilisation occurs outside of the woman’s body, in a lab dish instead of her fallopian tubes. Her eggs are removed, placed in a dish and fertilised with sperm. After fertilisation, the physician transfers the embryo (or embryos) into the uterus.

Does one need surgery to treat infertility?

Surgery is needed for some types of infertility. The most common type of surgery for the male is to treat percutanous testicular aspiration/ epidiymal aspiration in azoospermic patients. In female day care diagnostic cum therapeutic surgery is needed when deemed necessary. Patient may also need surgical interventions in cases of polyp/fibroids/endometriosis etc. It is best to follow an expert decision.

Can an obstetrician or a gynecologist treat infertility?

Difficulty in getting pregnant can sometimes be resolved by a gynecologist without any extensive fertility evaluation by an infertility specialist. Often the problem comes down to timing intercourse with ovulation, which may be assessed using one of the over-the-counter urine LH test kits (ovulation predictor tests). Your obstetrician or gynecologist can also conduct a basic infertility evaluation. If a problem is found during your evaluation, it is advised to see a specialist.

The day the menstrual period begins is ‘Day 1’. Around ‘Day 14’, ovulation may start and an egg released. The egg is viable for 24 hours. These 24 hours constitute the most fertile time. However, some women ovulate earlier and some later. Still others do not ovulate at all. A woman’s ovulation pattern can vary from month to month.

How can one find good infertility treatment?

It is age of specialization. The best way is to approach specialised fertility center for guidance.

What are the chances of success at the ACIMC?

The best way to judge any in vitro fertilization unit is through the results of the patients treated at the center. Success is reflected in the results. The results confirm the professional capabilities of the team. If the IVF cycle of a patient is well managed by an experienced consultant, the chances of success enormously increase.

The ACIMC has consistently registered very healthy positive results for its patients during the last 12 years. Results are directly reflection of the performance of the team at the center. The professional team under supervision of Professor Javed Rizvi at ACIMC has done commendable job till date.

How can you help at ACIMC IVF?

We provide the best possible chance of having a baby, and the best care and support available. Our team of accredited fertility specialists, nurses and counselors provide full range of infertility investigations and treatments — from diagnosis and advice, to a range of IVF and other infertility treatments, through counseling and support. ACIMC IVF clinics offer 24 hours online support to patients worldwide.

We thank Almighty Allah that we have been able to consistently deliver the best to our patients and InshaAllah shall continue to do so in future. —news@khaleejtimes.com