Infertility is the inability in a woman to conceive or a man to induce conception. It means the inability of a couple to achieve a pregnancy after repeated intercourse without contraception for a year. The problem could be either with the man or the woman or both.
Infertility must be distinguished from impotence among males and frigidity in females. Frigidity and impotence both indicate a failure to perform the sexual act or to perform it imperfectly.
Normal conception takes place when the sperm of the male, inserted into the vagina during coitus travel through the uterus and unites with the ovum secreted by the ovaries. If this union fails to occur, the woman does not conceive.
Causes ? Male
? According to Ayurveda the general causes are ? defective sperms, congestion of the ducts that carry sperm, trauma sustained by the genital organs, functional disorders or congenital defects of the reproductive organs, general diseases and improper development of reproductive organs.
? Sterility among males could be caused by problems with sperm, sperms may be abnormal, too few in number (oligospermia) or absent (azoospermia) or lack the motility to reach penis for ejaculation.
Heat, can greatly reduce sperm production and make sperms move slowly. Exposure to excessive heat, prolonged fever, un descended testes and varicose veins in the testes may increase temperature of testes.
Hormonal disorder like hypothyroidism, hypo gonadism, disorders of the adrenalin gland or pituitary gland can impair production of sperm. Genetic disorders like abnormality of the sex chromosomes can interfere with sperm production.
The other causes for reduced sperm output are mumps (mumps orchids) that affect the testes, injury to the testes, exposure to industrial or environmental toxins and drugs. Use of anabolic steroids may affect hormone levels and thus also interfere with sperm production.
Serious disorders of the testes, blocked ?Vasa deferentia? missing seminal vesicles and blockage of both ejaculatory ducts may result in total absence of sperm.
Occasionally, semen moves in the wrong direction. This disorder is called retrograde ejaculation and is more common among men who have diabetes or who have pelvis surgery. Infertility then results.
Diagnosis
Semen analysis is the primary step in treating infertility in men. Parameters measured in semen analysis are: sperm count, motility, morphology, volume, fructose and pH.
Sperm count should show over 20 million sperm per milliliter. As for motility, 60% of observed sperm or at least 8 million per millimeter should show good forward movement. The WHO criteria are that normal motility is when at least 50% of the observed sperm move forward normally.
Regarding morphology, a sample is normal if 30% of the observed sperm have normal morphology. Volume of the sample should be between 1.0 ml and 6.5 ml. WHO criteria specify that any volume greater than 2.0 ml is normal.
Fructose level, as per WHO?s specification, should be 13 mol per sample. Absence of fructose may indicate problem with the seminal vesicles.
Causes – Women
The common cause of infertility in women is the problem with ovulation ? that is, the ovaries do not release an egg each month. For instance the ovaries may not produce progesterone. This female hormone causes the lining of Uterus to thicken in preparation for a potential fetus. Ovulation may not occur if the brain does not release/ secrete gonadotropin ? releasing hormone that stimulates pituitary gland to produce the hormones that trigger ovulation.
Ovulation problems may also be due to:-
? Congenital deformities such as the mouth of the Uterus being clogged or displacement of Uterus, inflammation of the mouth of the womb, anemia, blood poisoning etc.
? Thyroid or adrenal gland disorders, diabetes, obesity or psychological stress.
? Irregular, painful, scanty menstruation.
? If the fallopian tubes are blocked, the egg can not reach Uterus or the sperm can not reach the egg.
? Structural disorders like birth defects of the Uterus, fallopian tubes, fibroids in the Uterus, adhesion in the Uterus also block the fallopian tubes.
? Mucus in the cervix is supposed to thin down & become clear and elastic so that the sperm can easily move through mucus to the Uterus to the fallopian tubes where fertilization takes place. It the mucus does not change at ovulation (because of infection), pregnancy does not occur. If the mucus contains antibodies that kill sperm before they can reach eggs, then also pregnancy does not happen.
The amazing fact about ovulation is that Baby girls are born with 1
to 2 million eggs in the ovaries and no more eggs develop after birth.
Diagnosis
A simple test to determine whether ovulation is occurring is to take the woman?s temperature at rest (basal body temperature) each day. An increase of more than 0.9 degree F (0.5 degree C) indicates that ovulation has occurred. However basal body temperature is not 100% reliable. More advanced techniques like Ultrasonography or ovulation predictor kits are now available. The level of progesterone in blood and saliva are also tested. If necessary endometrial biopsy also in done.
Ayurvedic conception of infertility
Ayurveda considers that primarily physical disorders are to be corrected before the treatment for conception is started. And after this, special care is given to manage the healthy growth of fetus.
The ?shodana chikilsa? in Ayurveda consists of
1. Snehapanam ? special herbal ghee or oil is given early morning, starting with low dosage and increasing the dosage slowly.
2. Sweedanam ? Medicated steam bath is given
3. Virechana ? Medicated purgation to void the body of all toxins
4. Kashaya vasthi ? special medicated enema to strengthen the nervous system.
5. Sneha vasthi ? medicated oil given as enema to clear problems of genitourinary tract.
6. Ottaravasthi ? specially made ghee to irrigate the vaginal tract. It clears problems of Uterus.
After proper rest, vajeekarna is done to improve the quality,
Quantity, count and mobility of semen and also to improve the stamina of the patient. This is the real aphrodisiac treatment.
Wonderful and miraculous herbs are available in Ayurveda to treat female/ male infertility. All you need is to consult an experienced Ayurvedic physician.
Recommended Yogasanas
I Suryanamaskara:
II Yogasana
1. Shirshasana
2. Halasana
3. Baddha Konasana
4. Kurmasana
5. Ardha Matsyendrasana
6. Paryankasana
7. Paschimothanasana
8. Mulabandasana
9. Sarvangasana
10. Bhujangasana
11. Dhanurasana
12. Upavista Konasana
13. Kandasana
14. Shavasana
Diet regimen:
Onion juice with honey / ghee, Amla powder, milk, butter and a high protein food (fish, white meat, and eggs) are recommended.
