Released on: June 2, 2008, 3:09 am

Press Release Author: Soumya Rajan

Industry: Healthcare

Press Release Summary: Infertility affects at least one out of every eight couples.
But a majority of people are still ignorant about this common condition. Dr.
Sulochana Gunasheela seeks to dispel some of the common myths surrounding
infertility.

Press Release Body: The Reality: Infertility is no longer regarded as \"her\" problem.
What most people are not aware of is the fact that infertility is a female problem
in only 35% of the cases, a male problem in 35% of the cases, a combined problem of
the couple in 20% of the cases and unexplained in 10% of cases. Infertility
treatment should focus on the couple together and recognize that they function as a
team. It is imperative that both the man and the woman be evaluated during the
process of infertility treatment.
The Myth: A 35-year-old woman can get pregnant as easily as a 25-year-old woman.
The Reality: Today, many women postpone childbearing to establish a career. They
also tend to marry late. Women hear of female celebrities in their 40's having
children and often believe that they can ignore their biological clock. Some women
can wait, but not many. According to the American Society of Reproductive Medicine,
it is estimated that two-thirds of women will not be able to get pregnant
spontaneously after 40 years of age.
A woman\'s fertility peaks at 20 and declines thereafter, dropping most rapidly after
she is 38. A 25-year-old woman who is regularly having unprotected intercourse has
an 86% chance of getting pregnant within a year. By the time she is 35, her chances
drop to 52 %.
The Myth: Stress causes infertility.
The Reality: It is not impossible for stress to cause a certain degree of
infertility. In fact, approaching the doctor for problems of infertility and the
compulsion of having to spend a lot of time on treatment can itself induce a lot of
stress. It is very important to reduce the element of stress in both cases.
There are some women who have a hidden problem of the adrenal gland, which is caused
due to a deficiency of an enzyme known as 21-hydroxylase. This enzyme is required in
the route of conversion of cholesterol to Cortisol. Deficiency of this enzyme causes
a diversion in the metabolic pathway leading to production of male hormone.
During periods of stress, there is an increased demand for corticosterone in the
body. While the system is getting ready to supply the same, the deficiency of
21-hydroxylase enzymes may show up, resulting in production of increased male
hormones. This can cause irregular and infrequent menstrual periods, sudden
development of facial acne, and infrequent ovulation. So, one may say that stress
has some relation to infertility, at least in some women.

(The above article has been written by Dr. Sulochana Gunasheela, India's leading
infertility expert and to more details one can visit the website
www.gunasheelahospital.org or call on 080 - 26673585)


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