OB-GYNs evaluate and treat a wide variety of conditions. What you see them for may depend on your age, health, and reproductive goals.

• abnormal bleeding
• pelvic pain
• genital itching
• urinary incontinence
• urinary tract or vaginal infections
• endometriosis
• breast disorders
• hormonal disorders
• infertility

1. List of symptoms you’ve been having and its characteristics such as how long has it been, what does it entail, etc.
2. Any recent (<1 year) medical tests such as blood tests, urine tests, etc.
3. If you have any existing medical conditions, bring along your prescription and related medical information
4. Information about your family history

Some of the most common early symptoms of pregnancy are missed periods, fatigue, vomiting, feeling dizzy, tenderness of breasts, urination increased, and some other symptoms. However, it should be observed that the early symptoms of pregnancy may differ from women to women. Some may go through several symptoms whereas, some may not feel all of them. The timing of the symptoms is also different in the cases of different women. Some may get them early and some may get them even after several weeks of conception.

Unless you have been identified with any complications, it is perfectly safe to travel during pregnancy. Most women find the second trimester the most ideal time to travel as you are done with the morning sickness of the first trimester and won’t get as easily tired as one does in their third trimester. Indian airline carriers allow women to travel up to 32 weeks of their pregnancy. 

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is the most common type of assisted reproductive technology (ART), used to create an embryo by bypassing certain causes of infertility, such as mild sperm abnormalities in men, and fallopian tube or ovulation irregularity in women. During IVF, a woman’s eggs are surgically retrieved and then fertilized in a laboratory by mixing with a partner (or donor’s) sperm. The fertilized egg, or embryo, is left to grow for two to five days, and is then surgically transferred back into the woman’s womb.

There are a number of factors involved in determining if a patient is suitable for IVF treatment. Appropriate candidates often include couples who may experience:

• Low sperm counts
• Endometriosis
• Problems with the uterus or fallopian tubes
• Ovulation disorders
• Sperm unable to penetrate or survive in the cervical mucus
• Other health or unexplained reproductive issues

Because the IVF process bypasses the fallopian tubes (it was originally developed for women with blocked or missing fallopian tubes), it is the procedure of choice for those with fallopian tube issues, as well as for such conditions as endometriosis, male factor infertility and unexplained infertility. A physician can review a patient’s history and help to guide them to the treatment and diagnostic procedures that are most appropriate for them.

There are a number of causes of infertility. Approximately one-third of the cases are caused by conditions solely afflicting the woman, one-third caused by conditions solely afflicting the man, and one-third are problems involving both partners or the causes are unknown. In women, the most common cause of infertility is the irregular or defective release of eggs (ovulation). The most common symptoms of ovulation disorders are a lack of regular or any menstruation. Other more common causes of infertility include blocked fallopian tubes or abnormalities of the uterus.

A woman’s ovaries house hundreds of potential eggs. Each month, during the natural ovulation cycle, the ovary selects just one egg from a pool of 100-1,000. Those eggs which are not selected undergo a natural cell death process called atresia. When a woman uses fertility medication, the body’s natural selection process is overridden, and a number of these otherwise unused eggs are allowed to grow. As many as 20 eggs may be stimulated in a given cycle. Thus when using fertility medication in the IVF process, not only is the woman not using up all of her eggs, but she is ‘rescuing’ eggs that otherwise would have undergone atresia.

The in vitro fertilization process can last anywhere from four to six weeks prior to egg retrieval. The embryo(s) will then be implanted between two to five days afterwards. Not all patients are successful on their first IVF attempt; in fact, it’s not uncommon for patients to go through multiple IVF cycles before finally becoming pregnant.