Infertility affects couples in early 20s, shows new study, TOI | Dr Shivani Sachdev Gour

1. 5 TIMES CITY THE TIMES OF INDIA, CHENNAI * MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2017 Infertility affects couples in early 20s, shows new study ‘Genetic Defects, Toxins Lead To Cases; Most Of Unknown Origin’ “Only less than 20% of couples in their 20s actually need assi- sted reproductive technology ,” she said. Among those who un- dergo the procedure — which involves “pumping up” the ova- ries to make enough eggs — there needs to be at least a three- month break after the sixth cy- cle. “But couples, in their de- speration, switch hospitals and undergo the procedure again. This can adversely impact the ovaries,” said Dr Ramamurthy . Infertility is defined as not being able to conceive after one year (or longer) of unprotected sex. Among men, doctors at the conference attributed infertili- ty to low sperm count and sexu- al dysfunction. Sexologist Dr Narayana Reddy , who was present at the conference, said it isn’t just in- fertility that give youngsters sleepless nights. “Infertility isn’t just a medical problem. It is a psycho-social issue. Fewer people are engaging in healthy sex,” said Dr Reddy. TIMES NEWS NETWORK REPRODUCTIVE HURDLE ONE-THIRD OF INFERTILITY CASES IS BECAUSE OF FACTORS IN MEN REASONS AMONG WOMEN Diminished ovarian reserve, ovulatory dysfunction, pelvic inflammatory disease, endometriosis (when the tissue that lines the insides of a uterus grows outside), polycystic ovarian syndrome Chennai:Virility may no long- er be a marker for youth as in- fertility is hitting those as early as 21 years, a new study has shown. Arecent study by Indian So- ciety of Third Party Associa- tion and Reproduction (IN- STAR), which covered 300 cou- ples at assisted reproductive technology (ART) clinics in five states, including Tamil Nadu, found that 27% of them were in the 21to 25 years age group. “Infertility rate is still hig- hest among those above 35 ye- ars, but the incline isn’t as high as what we see among those in the 20’s,” said Dr Himanshu Ba- vishi, president of INSTAR, a society comprising IVF specia- list doctors, lawyers and ART banks. The paper was presen- ted at a two-day seminar on in- fertility management, which concluded here on Sunday . While stress, issues linked to lifestyle, poor nutrition, pol- Hundreds of idols immersed in sea, 15K policemen in tow TIMES NEWS NETWORK REASONS AMONG MEN Low sperm count, poor sperm quality, erectile dysfunction, ejaculation issues, infection, adverse impact of medication EXTERNAL FACTORS Environmental exposure to pesticides and heavy metals; alcohol consumption and smoking can also cause decline in sperm count lution and obesity have been linked to this unsettling trend, Dr Bavishi said most of them were observations by doctors and not based on research. “We are seeing an increase in yo- unger women come to us with premature ovarian failure. The reasons for this could be vari- ed, from genetic defects to tox- ins, but most of them are of unknown origin,” he said. Premature ovarian failure is the loss of normal function of ovaries before 40. This ob- structs the release of eggs regu- larly , resulting in infertility . Dr Nithya Ramamurthy , se- nior consultant gynecologist and obstetrician at Fortis Ma- lar Hospital, said low ovarian reserve could be the result of women going through repea- ted in vitro fertilisation cycles. Students from TN losing seats, assn hits out at quota system TIMES NEWS NETWORK A Prathap Chennai: With young men and children dancing to the fast-paced beat of drums in front of vehicles inching ahead at a leisurely pace, escorted by an unprecedented 15,000 policemen on security duty , the immersion of Ganesha idols passed off peacefully in the city on Sunday . More than 860 idols of various sizes and hues were im- mersed in the Bay of Bengal at different locations. Ahuge posse of policemen was posted at Srinivasapuram in Pattinapakkam (Foreshore Estate) as part of the security arrangements to prevent any untoward incidents at the five designated immersion spots at Neelankarai, Pattinapakkam, Tiruvottiyur, Royapuram Fis- hing Harbour, and Ramakrish- na Nagar, Ennore. Policemen also accompani- ed vehicles carrying idols from sensitive areas. Temporary barricades were placed in a few areas to regulate the move- ment of vehicles. Police had al- so roped in fishermen to help immerse the idols and ensure there were no cases of drow- ning. Chennai: Criticizing the state- quota seat distribution, the All India Progressive Forum’s Ta- mil Nadu wing has alleged that students from other states bag a large chunk of seats in the state’s medical colleges. “Prob- lems in issuing nativity certifi- cate has given rise to this issue. Several students falsely present nativity certificates, leading to students in the state losing out on medical seats,” they stated at a protest conducted on Sunday , which demanded Tamil Nadu to secure a permanent exemption from NEET. Presently , anyone living in the city for more than 5 years can apply for nativity certificates. “Despite the 50% allocation for state students at the PG level, many out of state students can secure the allocation by simply applying for nativity certificates while doing their undergradu- ate in a TN college,” they said. To curb this, they demanded that only students who studied Class X and XII in the state should secure a state-quota seat. UNTIL NEXT YEAR: Escorted by an unprece- dented 15,000 policemen on security duty, the immersion of Ganesha idols passed off peacefully in the city on Sunday. More than 860 idols of various sizes and hues were immersed in the Bay of Bengal at different locations. Police had also roped in fishermen to help immerse the idols and ensure there were no cases of drowning. Senior police officials visited the spot to ensure that members of the public did not get too far into the water Historian reveals secrets of bronze sculptures C Suresh Kumar the mold. “In this process, the mold is broken to take the metal image out. So, even if the sculptor desires, he cannot make the same image twice. This makes every metal sculpture unique,” said Madhavan. The making of metal images might take sever- al months, she said, and added that tradi- tional metal image makers in places such as Tanjavur, Kumbakonam and Swami- malai still use this time-tested method. While we use the term ‘bronze images’ to indicate these metal images today , Mad- havan said, they are mostly made of pan- chaloha, an alloy of five metals, and also of pure metals like gold, silver and copper. “The word cheppu thirumeni – a sacred copper body – is frequently used to identi- fy these images,” she added. TIMES NEWS NETWORK Chennai: Hereafter, when we look at the bronze image of a deity at a temple or an art gallery , it would be rewarding to take a few more minutes to appreciate it — not only for its beauty , but for the manufactur- ing process behind it. In a guided tour of the bronze gallery at the Government Museum, Egmore, on Saturday , organised by Namma Mylapore, historian Chithra Madhavan explained the intricate process used to make metal images. In what is called the ‘lost wax method’, a preliminary image of the sculpture is made of beeswax and is coated with a type of clay found particularly in and around the Cauvery Delta. Holes are pierced in Historian Chithra Madhavan (right) with visitors at the Government Museum on Saturday. The event was a part of the Madras Week celebrations this setup and it is left to dry . Later, molten metal is poured into the clay mold, which melts away the wax and takes the shape of A Prathap CITY LIGHTS Pick-me-up By the time Union minister for parliamentary affairs Ananth Kumar finished his speech, students assembled in the Vivekananda auditorium at Anna University on Sunday were not exactly sitting bolt upright. The next speaker was the chief guest, Venkaiah Naidu, on his first visit to the city after being elected Vice- President. In chaste Tamil, albeit with a Telugu accent, Naidu welcomed all the guests on the dais and addressed the audience. This was enough to energize the surprised students who broke into loud applause. Soon, they followed it up with another round of cheering when Naidu said he could understand Tamil, but would not deliver his entire speech in the language, as he couldn't speak it very well. - Siddharth Prabhakar Less is more DANCE ON AIR: Russian ballerinas perform at the Russian Centre of Science and Culture in city on Sunday vehicle struggles to manoeuvre the lanes and bylanes of the neighbourhood in the wee hours. The area is notorious for transsexuals accosting unsuspecting passersby during the night. Residents say it is high time the police got a smaller, sleeker vehicle to patrol the area more effectively. - Daniel George Not so foolproof visitors are ready to go through a bit of inconvenience for the sake of security, what puzzles many is the callous behavior of port employees in a high security zone. It is not uncommon to see empty liquor bottles and plastic cups tossed about inside the harbour by the side of the sea and the ships. Clearly, some are more equal than others. - V Ayyappan Rampant sexism happens behind closed doors. However, at a recent seminar on infertility in the city, reproductive organs emerged as more than just a textbook presentation – the female genitalia was the subject of jokes in bad taste and whispers that invited sniggers. Although women doctors outnumbered the male white coats, most of the speakers were men. When one doctor on stage used female organs to describe his camaraderie with another doctor, and promptly burst into laughter, the room was silent, with some in the audience smiling uncomfortably. - Ekatha Ann John The Nungambakkam police carry out night patrols in a huge tempo with a lone policeman accompanying the driver to keep a watchful eye on criminals and anti-social elements. Perhaps the idea is to make the mode of transport sufficiently intimidating to strike fear into the hearts of potential law- breakers. However, the bulky With newer threats emerging, departments and agencies that handle security are on their toes. Ports across the country want to issue their own ID cards to people who work on ships and everyone who enters gets a thorough frisking. Though From sex to the organs that play a role in the act, medical conferences on reproductive medicine often entail lively discussions of case studies and a narration of what