Each year, Thalassemia affects many people across the globe, causing them to be affected with less hemoglobin in their bodies. This condition can only be inherited and is related to anemia, making patients feel tired and weak chronically.
Other than its general effect,IVF doctors in Siliguri have suggested that it can have a direct impact on the fertility of both men and women. Thus, if any of the potential parents have this condition, they need to discuss and get advice from an infertility specialist about the possible situations that may arise.
In this blog, we will be discussing this condition, its connection with infertility, as well as the role played by IVF to help with fertility situations.
Understanding Thalassemia
This condition is inherited from parents in two different forms, alpha and beta. The severity of the conditions varies for each individual and can depend on the type they inherit from their parent, along with various other aspects. An individual who has this condition needs to go through blood transfusions regularly, through which their iron levels can be maintained throughout their life. However, this also induces hormonal imbalances, which can cause issues related to infertility or even puberty. The overloading of iron in some instances can also create other complications, which can affect the reproductive system of men and women.
How Does Thalassemia Affect Female and Male Fertility?
When it comes to female infertility, this condition causes women to be affected by chronic illnesses, including iron overload caused by transfusions. According to IVF doctors in Siliguri, this causes major hormonal imbalance and can also cause serious issues such as hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. In this condition, the body stops producing reproductive hormones due to too much of iron deposits in the pituitary gland.
Some other things caused by over-deposit of iron are irregular menstrual cycle, delayed puberty, reduced ovarian function, as well as difficulty in ovulation. Women with these conditions can also face complications during pregnancy, as medical conditions such as gestational diabetes and heart strain are caused by anemia.
Similar to women, Iron overloads in men also lead to infertility issues. Iron deposits tend to affect the testes and also cause them to have reduced testosterone levels. The production of sperm is also significantly affected by the deposition of iron.
How IVF Can Help?
If either of the potential parents has this condition, IVF can be very helpful for them to achieve their daily planning goals. IVF specialists in Siliguri have stated that this procedure can counter all the challenges faced by couples with Thalassemia. Beyond the extraction of reproductive cells and fertilization, the IVF procedure involves various procedures that can be helpful for both male and female infertility.
Hormonal Therapy - This hormonal injection is used to induce ovulation in women, which can further be used to extract viable eggs for the IVF procedure.
Sperm Retrieval Techniques - An IVF specialist uses techniques such as testicular sperm extraction (TESE), in which they directly extract the sperm from the testicles. This can also be accompanied by the ICSI procedure.
Preimplantation Genetic Testing- This is an important procedure that can be beneficial for people with Thalassemia. This allows the doctors to screen the embryo and detect the possibility of any genetic disorders. This ensures that th embryo is healthy and is not affected by any possible disorders.
Donor options- In severe cases, if the cells are not viable, the parents can make use of donor eggs and sperm cells, which are provided by fertility centers.
Conclusion
Thalassemia can present unique challenges to fertility, but it doesn’t have to end the dream of parenthood. Advances in assisted reproductive technology, including IVF and genetic screening, have opened new doors for individuals and couples affected by this condition. If you and your partner are living with thalassemia and are considering starting a family, don’t hesitate to seek help from skilledIVF doctors in Siliguri.
