Life in fast lane,
exposure to junk food, stress, pollution
is leading to infertility among those below 35-years-of-age.
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| Lifestyle changes in women |
The fast-changing lifestyle in urban regions is
adversely affecting the health of women and men. It can be from the air we
breathe, the food we eat, the place we stay in or the way we lead our life.
A study has found that around 12-15% of all infertility cases
referred to by doctors among women younger than 36-years-old, it was found that
they were left with less or no eggs in their ovaries.
Dr Aviva Pinto Rodrigues, Fertility Consultant at
Nova IVI Fertility, Bangalore says premature ovarian insufficiency, also known
as premature ovarian failure, is a condition where there is a physiological
decrease in the number of eggs, which could impact chances of pregnancy.
Ovarian
reserve is the pool of eggs present in the ovaries at any given time. Lesser
number of eggs in the ovaries reduces a woman’s fertility potential and makes
it more difficult for them to conceive. A percentage of these women are found
to be premature ovarian insufficiency cases, and the only option for them is to
opt for donor eggs.
This
condition can be traced back in some cases to onset of early menses. Giving the
example of a patient, whose name has been kept confidential, doctors at Nova
said after attaining early menses at the age of 14, her periods were regular
till she was 24.
After a prolonged gap in her cycle, she consulted a gynaecologist who
prescribed medicine for getting menses. Over the next few years, her dependency
on hormones kept increasing. At 27, she had only withdrawal bleeding, meaning
she could not have menses without hormone tablets. All hormone tests pointed
towards early menopause.
According to a recent study conducted by the Institute for Social and
Economic Change (ISEC), nearly 1-2% of Indian women experience signs of
menopause between 29 and 34 years of age. Additionally, this figure goes up to
8% in the case of women between 35 and 39 years of age.
The girl, who is now a 29-year-old woman and was married
five years ago. However, because of her condition, she could not conceive
naturally and had to undergo IVF treatment with donor eggs to conceive.
“Premature ovarian
insufficiency is becoming increasingly
common among young women these days. This condition needs to be
properly evaluated as it could be very
depressing and discouraging for those who dream of becoming a mother during
their reproductive age later. Some of the known causes are previous surgery on
the ovaries for benign cysts, endometriosis, drilling for polycystic ovaries
and others. These pelvic surgical procedures should be done very judiciously,”
adds Dr Aviva.
The X-chromosome abnormalities, autosomal causes,
galactosemia, autoimmune disorders, cancer treatment, Turner’s syndrome, enzyme
defects and environmental toxins are some other factors leading to premature
ovarian insufficiency.
In addition, the innumerable rounds of ovarian
stimulation done for infertility treatment without proper monitoring can also
cause a decreased ovarian reserve. Family history of premature ovarian failure is also seen in 14-30% of
cases.
Early detection is key
In a country with a population of 1.2 billion, it is estimated that a
whopping 30 million couples suffer from infertility. What is even more worrying
is the rising incidence of young women facing infertility. A condition which
was predominantly seen among older couples, infertility is now seen more
frequently in women who are younger than 35 years of age.
Some of the major symptoms of premature ovarian
insufficiency include irregular menstrual cycles, primary or secondary
amenorrhoea, hot flushes, night sweats, loss of libido and others.
Most women with premature ovarian failure are
deeply upset by the diagnosis, as it comes as a shock. It is therefore strongly recommended that even young women in their
20s who face complications in conceiving should immediately visit a fertility
expert. Early detection would provide better opportunity for early
intervention.
Treatment options
Multidisciplinary input is absolutely essential for
women with premature ovarian insufficiency. Such patients should be educated
about the condition, given counselling and psychological support. Hormone
replacement therapy is mandatory for these women because they are at an increased
risk of developing osteoporosis, cardiovascular disorders and coronary heart
diseases.
General measures like physical activity, calcium
rich diet, vitamin D supplementation, avoiding alcohol and smoking cigarettes
should be discussed. For women who desire parenthood, oocyte donation or
adoption is suggested. If a couple opts for oocyte donation, the woman’s
endometrium must be fit to carry the pregnancy, adds Dr Aviva.
Nova IVI Fertility (NIF) is the among the largest service providers in
Fertility Space. NIF aims to bring advanced Assisted Reproductive Technology
(ART) to India in partnership with IVI of Spain. The partnership has resulted
in a substantial addition to Nova's IVF services and technology, including
proprietary software, training and quality management. With IVI's know-how and
vast international expertise, NIF brings the same exceptional standard of
processes, protocols and policies to India.
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