The present generation of parents go an extra mile to secure the health of their child.

But there are still a few grey areas where creating awareness is essential.

IVF involves combining eggs and sperm outside the body in a laboratory.

We transfer fewer embryos with higher pregnancy rates due to our excellent success with blastocyst culture.

Men with very low sperm counts are at a higher risk of having a chromosomal abnormality & couples suffering from any genetic disorders themselves (active or dormant) are at the risk of passing on to the baby.In such a case, it is good to consider IVF with preimplantation genetic testing (PGT).

Using preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) & preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) during an IVF cycle can help detect many chromosomal abnormalities.With PGS and PGD, we can identify genetically abnormal IVF embryos that would result in infant abnormalities or failed pregnancy and not transfer those into the mother.

Infertility has been increasing drastically in recent times due to a number of factors like lifestyle, stress, pollution, environmental conditions, etc.

Among the various ART procedures, intrauterine insemination (IUI) is the most common and preferred treatment as it is a relatively simple and cost-effective treatment.What is IUI?It is usually the first line of treatment for infertility which involves retrieval of sperms from the male partner, isolating healthy sperms, and placing them directly into the uterus for conception to occur.

The success of IUIs depends on various factors.How many IUIs cycles should you try?When trying to conceive through IUI and if the first attempt has not worked, the most common question that arises is what is the number of times IUI can be attempted before moving on to a different procedure.The number of IUI cycles to be tried depends on the age of a woman and is generally between 3-6 cycles.Apart from age, the success of IUI depends on a number of factors like:• Quality of eggs• Quality of sperm• Ovulation• Endometrial lining• Stimulation protocol used• Skill of the technician preparing the semen sample• Skill of the clinician performing the actual insemination procedureIf there is an issue with any of the above, IUI has chances of failure even with repeated attempts.What should you do if multiple IUIs have failed?Once multiple IUI attempts have failed, the next step would be to proceed with an IVF.

With IVF procedure, the egg and the sperm are combined and developed in a laboratory setting to form a viable embryo and the embryo thus formed is placed inside the uterus to continue the pregnancy.

With ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) during an IVF, even with male factor infertility, the chances of conception are increased as the fertilization is done through sperm injection into the egg.With the above, it is obvious that the procedures require a lot of expertise and it is, therefore, necessary that you must consult a specialist who can guide you throughout the treatment process.

So, if you have had IUI failure, you still have high chances to conceive.

When a couple fails to achieve pregnancy following several IVF cycles after using three good embryos are known to be going through a recurrent or repeated implantation failure.IVF success:The variables involved in a successful IVF cycle are: • A healthy egg• Normal, functional sperm• A healthy uterus capable of nurturing the growth of a baby.Causes of repeated IVF failures are:• Poor Oocyte Quality A healthy egg is responsible for the birth of a healthy embryo.

Any abnormalities in the egg can result in a chromosomally abnormal fetus.

Egg fusing with the sperm plays a crucial role in cell division and chromosomal duplication to form an embryo.As the oocyte or eggs ages, the spindle apparatus of the structure responsible for the chromosomal separation and equal distribution becomes prone to breakage.

It results in the formation of a chromosomally abnormal embryo.

These free radicals present in her ovaries react together with her eggs, causing damage to her DNA and thus reducing its quality.

Sometimes even a chromosomally normal good quality sperm may lack enzymes.

IUI or intrauterine insemination is a procedure of injecting virile sperms in the uterus with a thin catheter, at the time of ovulation.

It includes the following steps:1.

Ultrasound Monitoring: Starting on the second or third day of the cycle, doctors perform regular ultrasound scans to ensure that the ovaries and uterus are normal, and also to track the response to various medications.2.

Second ultrasound scan: A follow up ultrasound is done again to identify and document ovulation.5.

Semen preparation: The collected semen is then washed and processed with special liquids to remove debris, pus cells etc and also to isolate the more motile sperms.7.

This catheter is then inserted into the vaginal cavity and the loaded semen sample is released close to the fallopian tube, under ultrasound guidance.8.

Therefore, you must follow some crucial steps to find the best IVF centre for your treatment.Deciding on the right hospital for your fertility treatment is a subjective decision and is rather challenging.It would be best if you consult your doctor, local support group and anyone else who has taken treatment earlier, for feedback and recommendations.We have picked out some valuable tips to help you choose the best IVF centre.

Sole practitioners – Usually it is a small clinic, run by a single doctor, with very basic facilities for treating infertility, along with other gynecology and obstetric treatment.

Small practices that have limited infrastructure – These are slightly bigger clinics with their own andrology labs, pharmacies and a small IUI setup.

These are managed by 1 or 2 doctors with skeletal staff.

Hospital-based Setups – These are IVF centres that are setup inside existing multi-specialty hospitals, where infertility is one more department amongst many other departments.

The 3rd one (Individual IVF Centres) will certainly be better than 1 and 2, but they may not have the best team or the collaboration required for best outcomes between multiple specialists of different departments.IVF chains provide the best outcomes as there are multiple branches and the availability of good specialists who can collaborate and consult their own seniors and peers tend to provide great outcomes.

With cutting-edge techniques, advanced equipments and dedicated lab personnel, the technology ensures better clinical results.

If either the man or the woman has a family history of a hereditary disease, this test can help ensure that the child born out of IVF will not have the condition.

In many cases, an individual could also be only a carrier of the gene.Some of the diseases that PGD is employed to check for include:• Huntington's Disease• Exchange of chromosomal material that may cause a miscarriage, mental retardation or congenital anomaly• Marfan Syndrome• Cystic Fibrosis• Hemophilia• Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy• An abnormal number of chromosomesWhat is PGS?PGS test determines if an accurate number of chromosomes are present in the cells of the embryo.

This helps to identify which embryos have a higher chance of implanting and producing a healthy pregnancy.

If an embryo is having more or less than the usual number of chromosomes, then the chances of miscarriage is high.

Actually, this is one of the most common reasons why a fertilized egg fails to implant in the uterus or even if it implants, the chances of miscarriages are high.IVF has a high risk of multiple pregnancies as 2-3 embryos are transferred into the uterus to maximize the probabilities of a successful pregnancy.

Becoming parents is one of the happiest moments for a couple.

Some hormonal problems are caused when the pituitary gland in the brain doesn't release the proper hormones, or hormone levels are imbalanced due to stress, diet, exercise, radiation or a condition called polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).

PCOS may cause eggs to get released at irregular intervals or totally stop releasing eggs.

Prolactin is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland within the brain.

Prolactin has different functions in the body but the most important of them is to regulate periods and stimulate the breasts to grow and produce milk after giving birth.

Once the woman has given birth to a baby the prolactin level increases, which prepares the body for breastfeeding.

(FET) is a part of IVF treatment where a frozen embryo, which is created using a full IVF cycle, is thawed and transferred into a woman’s uterus, under the guidance of ultrasound.

Embryos are transferred into a woman uterus by a simple painless procedure.In an IVF cycle, one or more embryos develop, and these embryos are usually frozen for later use.

Usually, only one or two embryos are transferred into the women’s uterus during an IVF cycle as there are more chances of multiple pregnancies.

The remaining embryos are frozen for future use.

The embryos in day 2 (four-cell stage) — day 5 (blastocyst stage) are frozen to be used.

These embryos are transferred to a freezing machine where the temperature is made to drop rapidly to -150 degrees Celsius and then stored in liquid nitrogen tanks at -196 degrees Celsius.Sometimes even fresh embryos are transferred without freezing the embryos and this is called a fresh embryo transfer or just embryo transfer.

How to determine blocked fallopian tubes?If you fail to conceive even after one year of having regular sexual intercourse without any contraceptive usage, a fertility doctor will recommend examining your Fallopian Tubes.A blocked fallopian tube may cause some women to experience pain in the pelvis or belly, which can happen around the menstruation cycle or be constant throbbing pain.

Sometimes, a blockage in a fallopian tube can also cause an ectopic pregnancy.

Tests for Blocked Fallopian Tubes:Our fertility specialist’s may suggest a laparoscopy or a hysterosalpingogram (HSG).

In an HSG test, liquid dye is inserted by a catheter introduced through the vagina (cervix) into the uterus.

Then, X-rays help see if the pigment flows freely into the abdomen or there is a blockage.

Another method of HSG is with ultrasound that uses saline and air or foam.In a diagnostic laparoscopy, 3 small holes are made in the abdomen and these holes are used to introduce a camera and other instruments to go into the reproductive organs of the lady.

Therefore, you must follow some crucial steps to find the best IVF centre for your treatment.Deciding on the right hospital for your fertility treatment is a subjective decision and is rather challenging.It would be best if you consult your doctor, local support group and anyone else who has taken treatment earlier, for feedback and recommendations.We have picked out some valuable tips to help you choose the best IVF centre.

Sole practitioners – Usually it is a small clinic, run by a single doctor, with very basic facilities for treating infertility, along with other gynecology and obstetric treatment.

Small practices that have limited infrastructure – These are slightly bigger clinics with their own andrology labs, pharmacies and a small IUI setup.

These are managed by 1 or 2 doctors with skeletal staff.

Hospital-based Setups – These are IVF centres that are setup inside existing multi-specialty hospitals, where infertility is one more department amongst many other departments.

The 3rd one (Individual IVF Centres) will certainly be better than 1 and 2, but they may not have the best team or the collaboration required for best outcomes between multiple specialists of different departments.IVF chains provide the best outcomes as there are multiple branches and the availability of good specialists who can collaborate and consult their own seniors and peers tend to provide great outcomes.

There are plenty of questions for anyone undergoing infertility treatment, especially when there is no success after repeated consultations and treatment.

It could be due to abnormalities in the egg, abnormalities of the sperm or an improper selection of the embryo to transfer into the uterus or an issue in the uterus (endometrium), imbalance in the hormones etc.One such cause is a thickened or non-uniform zona pellucida layer around the egg.

Soon after fertilization of the egg by the male sperm, the formed embryo starts growing and eventually forms cells that make up a protective shell around the embryo and this is called zona pellucida.

The embryo passes into the uterus after fertilization and naturally breaks out of its shell, expands and then implants into the wall of the uterus where the foetal development occurs.

The procedure which helps to break a thickened zona pellucida in-vitro to help with subsequent implantation is called Assisted Hatching.

Only those with other medical conditions which reduce the chances of conceiving and are undergoing an IVF procedure are recommended to for this procedure.● Women with age >35yr● Frozen embryo transfer where the chemicals used to preserve the embryo might thicken the outer shell of the embryo.● Increased Follicle-stimulating Hormone levels on 2nd day of the menstrual cycle.● Zona pellucida with a thickness of >15um Various Methods of Assisted HatchingThere are various methods for Assisted Hatching: ● Mechanical methods:Method 1: This is done as a part of the IVF procedure before the embryo is transferred into the uterus.

A baby is a blessing from heaven, to cherish.

GarbhaGudi fertility centre has been delivering miracles to couples since 2011, it has been amongst the best fertility centres in Bangalore, playing a key role in bringing more than 6000 babies into the world.Choosing a fertility centre for treatment is a commitment emotionally, financially, and psychologically.

Finding the right fertility centre is one of the key decisions which needs to be made to ensure a successful result.

Garbhagudi is a leading fertility chain, with treatment options to help couples have their bundle of joy.What sets apart GarbhaGudi from other fertility clinics?Our TeamWe are a team of committed entrepreneurs, healthcare specialists, doctors, and embryologists led by Dr. Asha S Vijay, who is a renowned gynaecologist and fertility specialist.Our Success RatesThe success rate at GarbhaGudi is over 65% in IVF and we have helped more than 6000 couples in their journey towards parenthood.

We are known for our holistic approach and transparency in treatment.Types of Service Offered:We offer IUI, IVF / ICSI, Donor cycles (semen, egg, and embryo), Surrogacy, surgical treatment like hysteroscopy/laparoscopy, surgical sperm retrieval (TESA, PESA, Micro TESE, etc.)

We give the highest level of importance to the following, which directly has a bearing on the success of the IVF cycle.-         The quality of the equipment-         The media and the consumables used in embryo culture-         The experience of the embryologist and the team influences the success rateAt GarbhaGudi, we have the best infrastructure, manned by highly qualified and experienced embryology staff.

JOY BEYOND FEAR, YOUR BABY IS MEANT TO BE HEREMothering a child is the most awaited phase of life for a woman.

When you have tried to conceive for more than a year with unprotected sex and the results are disappointing, you tend to believe that it is no more going to happen.Infertility is one of the rapidly growing issues in the current times.

IVF is one of the most well-known treatments for infertility and is preferred by most couples worldwide.

Let us look into the ‘pain in IVF’ aspect in more detail.IVF involves a series of steps and this makes most women wonder if the process is painful.Understanding the process step-by-step• Fertility drugs - The procedure begins with fertility drugs that are prescribed for stimulating ovulation.

This is where the developed eggs are retrieved from the ovaries.

The retrieval of the egg involves the insertion of a thin probe through the vagina to aspirate the fluid and egg follicles from the ovaries with the help of the thin needle attached to the probe.

Infertility has been increasing drastically in recent times due to a number of factors like lifestyle, stress, pollution, environmental conditions, etc.

What is IUI?It is usually the first line of treatment for infertility which involves retrieval of sperms, identifying healthy sperms, and placing them directly into the uterus for further conception to occur.

Sometimes, it is less likely that you might conceive at the first IUI cycle.

The number of IUI cycles to be tried depends on the age of a woman and is generally between 3-6 cycles.Apart from age, the success of IUI depends on a number of factors like:• Quality of eggs.• Quality of sperm.• Ovulation.• Endometrial lining.If there is an issue with any of the above, IUI has chances of failure even with repeated attempts.What should you do if multiple IUIs have failed?Once you have failed with multiple attempts at IUI, the next step would be to proceed with an IVF.

With IVF procedure, the egg and the sperm are combined and developed in a laboratory setting to form a viable embryo and the embryo thus formed is placed inside the uterus to carry out further pregnancy.

With ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) during an IVF, even with male factor infertility, the chances of conception are increased.

First and foremost, you need to know how "fertile" you are and what are the chances of conceiving.

If a woman has not been able to get pregnant after trying for a long period of time, it becomes important to see a doctor who could recommend a series of fertility tests in order to better define and identify any underlying adverse condition.

A dye (liquid form) is injected via the vagina.

An alternative method includes using air or saline in place of dye, and then an ultrasound scan is done.

This type of testing involves inserting a probe into the vaginal canal.

• Pap smear is usually done to identify if there are any changes in the cells within the cervix which could be causing conditions that can interfere with fertility in women.

Globally, IUI is the most opted infertility treatment solution.

It is simple, safe and effective.

IUI procedure involves the insertion of the sperm into a woman’s uterus when she is ovulating.

IUI is a boon for a couple with moderate male infertility issues, unexplained infertility and a few other infertility conditions.If a woman is taking fertility medications to increase the number of eggs when she has an IUI, her chance of getting pregnant with twins, triplets, or more is higher than if she were not taking fertility medications.

Whenever there are multiple pregnancies, babies are more susceptible to low birth weight or can even be born prematurely.

Considering this, the following are some of the scenarios and how it is managed.If there are too many eggs developing (more than 2) with a chance of being fertilized, then the cycle is cancelled and the couple are told not to have intercourse too, to prevent multiple pregnancies.If there are 2 dominant follicles, IUI may be continued with consent from the couple.If there is only one dominant follicle, IUI is continued.After insemination, if the scans show multiple pregnancies, then the doctor with the couple take a decision on fetal reduction.