Infertility

What is Infertility?

Failure of getting pregnant after trying for more than 12 months is termed as infertility. If a woman conceives but fails to carry a pregnancy to the full term is also diagnosed as case of infertility.

Infertility is a condition where men and women both have equal chances of fertility problems. About one-third of infertility cases are due to problems related to women while another third of infertility cases are due to problems related to men. The remaining third of cases may be caused by a combination of men and women infertility or they may have no known cause.

Causes of Male Infertility:

Male infertility may be related to any issues of the following:

• Lesser number of sperm
• Poor quality of sperm
• Improper shape of the sperm
• Inadequate movement of the sperm

There are a variety of risk factors associated with infertility in men that include-

• Older age
• Smoking cigarettes
• Heavy use of alcohol
• Being overweight or obese
• Exposure to toxins, such as pesticides, herbicides, and heavy metals
• Having certain diseases & consuming certain medicines

Causes of Female Infertility:

Infertility in women can be caused by any of the following:

• Anovulation (No formation of ovum or egg in the ovary)
• Failure of Fertilization (Inability of fusion of oum & sperm)
• Failure Implantation or Conception (Inability of fertilized egg in attaching to the lining of the uterus where it grows and develops into a baby)

Risk factors for female infertility include:

• Increasing age
• Smoking cigarettes
• Heavy use of alcohol
• Being overweight, obese, or significantly underweight
• Having certain sexually transmitted infections that can damage the reproductive system
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• Hormonal imbalances
• Certain disease like- Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), Endometriosis, Uterine fibroids etc.
• Certain Medications and drugs

Reproductive Health According to Ayurveda:

According to ayurveda, reproductive health, in both men and women, depends on the health of the reproductive tissue or Shukra dhatu. In women, Shukra creates the ovum as part of the monthly cycle, and in men the semen is formed due to sexual stimulation. The Shukra is created as part of a long chain of metabolic transformations. It starts with the digestion of food, then goes on to transformation of food to nutrient fluid, blood, muscle, fat, bone, bone marrow, and finally, to Shukra tissue. Thus the Ayurveda provides a truly comprehensive and balanced approach for treating infertility.

Infertility According to Ayurveda:

According to ayurveda vitiation of shukra dhatu results in the infertility. There are various factors which are responsible in the vitiation of shukra dhatu like –  

• Lack of proper nutrition which can happen due to poor digestion, lack of balanced diet
• Sexual overindulgence
• Mental disturbances like anxiety, depression and insomnia
• Eating extra hot and spicy food
• Controlling your sexual urges for longer period of time

Treatment of Infertility in Ayurveda:

Infertility as a medical problem had been described by Ayurveda thousand years ago. Ayurvedic treatment of infertility is based on improving a couples’ overall health and enhancing Shukra dhatu.

There are many foods and herbs that specifically enhance the “Shukra dhatu” in both men and women. The most commonly known and used herbs such as Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), Shatavari (Asparagus racemousus), Amalaki (Emblica officinalis) etc. A combination of herbs, not individual herb, is used in the treatment of infertility with the purpose of correcting an organic or functional problem that causes infertility.