As per Ayurveda, infertility occurs when a healthy couple is unable to achieve pregnancy after years or more or fail to conceive for several years after the first delivery. Ayurveda has been successful in treating infertility since several thousand years without the help of modern advances in medicine as it gives the ability to the infertile women or couples through treatment to become fertile, to improve the overall health of the women to be able to conceive naturally without the aid of western medicine. Ayurvedic interpretation of the female reproductive system- Ayurveda identifies the female reproductive systems as follows: „Shroni‟ means the pelvis. Female pelvis is 24 Angulas and is heavier than the pelvis of the male. There are three Srotas (also called capillaries) in women‟s body –
Types of infertility as written in classical texts
Factors for affected menstrual cycle- Menstrual cycle (an indication of the state of the health of the female) can be affected by many factors, such as diet, emotional instability, excessive physical exercise, life-style, and stress responsible for creating an imbalance of the Doshas (control the activities of the body-Vata, Pitta and Kapha).
Dosha avastha during infertility- The most easily disturbed Dosha is the Vata which causes functional defects in the egg, difficulties with implantation and is often responsible for infertility. An excessive bout of exercise, fear, anxiety or stress due to trauma, excessive fasting as is the case in eating disorders or diet including cold, light and dry substances can cause imbalance of Vata .However, infertility rarely involves only one Dosha. People with Pitta nature may experience infertility resulting in scarring of the fallopian tube, inhibiting the ascent of the sperm or descent of the ovum. Excess heat may also be responsible for depletion of Shukra Dhatu .On the other hand, Kapha people because of the dominant water element in their constitution that supports Shukra Dhatu experience the healthiest and the strongest reproductive system. Infertility in those with Kapha is initiated by a cold, heavy and oily diet along with a sedentary lifestyle. When Kapha Dosha is predominant, fallopian tubes may thicken; uterine fibroids may develop, and often involves Pitta and Vata displacement. Scar tissue is due to Pitta pushing Kapha.
The Ayurvedic approach to Infertility-“Ayurveda supports health by strengthening body‟s own self-healing and balancing mechanisms” and doesn‟t rely on intervention by any outside or foreign substance to replace or correct the hormones in the body .It focuses on the treatment of infertility holistically with an aim of improving the overall health and quality of life of the individual. According to the Charaka Samhita, “the single most important factor in the buildup of Ama (toxin created when undigested food forms in the stomach) is the Agni and all the disease occurs due to imbalance in Agni (the power of digestion). Therefore, the treatment of Ama must always include the treatment of Agni, including the use of digestive herbs and spices, eating meals timely following a proper schedule and elimination of cold foods and drinks” .Panchakarma (Ayurvedic deep internal cleansing procedure), can also be utilized to eliminate Ama. Healthy Agni will also contribute to healthy Ojas. Evaluation of person‟s Dosha is very significant for prescribing the treatment and any blockages and weaknesses in body parts for which the treatment includes appropriate diet, body therapies, herbs, sensory therapies, and lifestyle and yoga therapies.
Infertility is “a disease of the reproductive system defined by the failure to achieve a clinical pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse. There are two kinds of infertility – primary and secondary: Primary infertility means that the couple has never conceived. Secondary infertility means that the couple has experienced a pregnancy before and failed to conceive later. Globally, most infertile couples suffer from primary infertility. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are the leading preventable cause of infertility by causing 70% of pelvic inflammatory diseases responsible for tubal damage. Low fertility is becoming more common worldwide, particularly in many urban settings where women are planning their first babies at older ages.The inability to have children affects couples and causes emotional and psychological distress in both men and women. Despite the various social, psychological, economic and physical implications, infertility prevention and care often remain neglected public health issues, or at least they rank low on the priority list, especially for low-income countries that are already under population pressure. But in recent years there is increased awareness to integrate infertility prevention, care and treatment into the basic health care services.
For a woman, infertility (or a state of subfertility) can manifest itself as either (WHO)
Causes
Infertility can be caused by both men and women factors. About a third of infertility problems are due to female infertility and another third are due to male infertility. In remaining cases infertility may be due to problems in both partners or the cause is unclear.
Female infertility can be caused by a number of factors
Damage to fallopian tubes: Damage to the fallopian tubes (carry the eggs from the ovaries to the uterus) can prevent contact between the egg and sperm. Pelvic inflammatory diseases (PID) caused by various infections, endometriosis, pelvic surgery may lead to damage to fallopian tubes. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are the common cause of PIDs.
Disturb ovarian function/hormonal causes: Synchronized hormonal changes occur during the menstrual cycle leading to the release of an egg from the ovary (ovulation) and the thickening of the endometrium (inner lining of the uterus) in preparation for the fertilized egg (embryo) to implant inside the uterus. Difficulty in ovulation is seen in following conditions-
Uterine causes: Abnormal anatomy of the uterus; the presence of polyps and fibroids may lead to infertility.
Cervical causes: A small group of women may have a cervical condition in which the sperm cannot pass through the cervical canal due to abnormal mucus production or a prior cervical surgical procedure.
Male factors causing infertility
More than 90% of male infertility cases are due to low sperm counts, poor sperm quality, or both. The remaining cases of male infertility can be caused by number of factors including anatomical problems, hormonal imbalances, and genetic defects. Sperm abnormalities include:
Factors that affect the fertility of both sexes include the following
At DARSHANAM AYURVEDIC PANCHAKARMA CLINIC our aim is to provide best treatment to correct Infertility,Polycystic ovaries, Ovulatory Dysfunction , Endometriosis, Tubal blocks, Oligospermiaconditions with the help of specialized Ayurvedic Infertility treatments.