How To Plan A Pregnancy If Your Partner Is Infertile: Explained By Our Expert

Infertility has become a common problem among couples these days. Having a baby and planning to become parents is one of the most exciting moments for a couple. But the situation is not the same for those experiencing difficulties in conceiving and fertility problems. Infertility can affect you physically, emotionally and financially. It can also affect your relationship in ways you had never imagined. However, there is no need to worry as there are various facilities available to help people dealing fertility problems, in the present times.
 

"Infertility is quite common today. Nearly 15-20% of the population today is dealing with fertility problems. Along with poor living habits and poor quality of lifestyle, stress is the main reason why people are getting infertile. Couples have such schedules where they hardly get time to spend with each other," says Delhi-based gynaecologist Dr Bandana Sodhi.

Also read: 5 Shocking Factors To Blame For Male Infertility: Tips To Overcome It

She says that stress can contribute to poor lifestyle and affect fertility to a great extent.

Speaking about ways to plan a pregnancy if your partner infertile, she says, "If a correctible cause is causing problems with fertility, then couples should work towards correcting it."

Correctible causes refer to health conditions in either the male or the female partner, which are preventing pregnancy. She addresses the health conditions which cause infertility among females, and says, "A women suffering from ovulation problems will find it difficulty in planning a pregnancy. But it is a correctible cause which can be treated with medications or inducing an ovulation. Then, if there is any blockage in the fallopian tubes, then doctors find out the cause of the blockage and treat it. A surgery can also be done to treat any blockage in the fallopian tubes. If there's something anatomically wrong with uterus, like a septum, this too can be surgically corrected."
 

Also read: 7 Reasons For Secondary Infertility In Men Every Couple Must Know About

She goes on to add, "Some females are unable to get pregnant because of a cyst in the ovary. A number of women are suffering from Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. These women find it difficult to get pregnant. Some women cannot get pregnant because their hormones go haywire. All these conditions can be corrected with medicines and pregnancy can be planned."

Hence, factors which cause fertility can be evaluated and treated. "Not every problem is blind-ended. And if none of these treatments work out, then there are methods for couples to get pregnant and they should accept them with an open mind," says Dr Bandana.

Test tube babies and surrogacy are a few methods which help couples dealing with infertility successfully have a baby.

Moving over to factors that cause infertility in male partners, Dr Bandana says that the main issue is shown in the semen analysis. "If the semen analysis shows that the sperm count is less than what is required for fertility, then there are medicines which can help in enhancing the sperm count. A trial of medications can be given to males which can help in improving their fertility," she says.

Also read: Female Infertility: 7 Important Signs And Symptoms You Must Know

"In case the male partner has gone through a varicoceles surgery - which refers to enlarged veins in the testicular region, then their size can be reduced surgically as well. In some cases, there is no sperm production at all. Doctors try to find out the reason behind this obstruction. This is the time when couples resort to sperm banks for getting pregnant," Dr Bandana adds.

Hence, infertility is no longer a major cause of concern now.

(Dr Bandana Sodhi is a Senior Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Moolchand Hospital.)

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