Fertility Apps

New Delhi, June 19 (IANS) As millions of people get prepared for the International Yoga Day around the world, those staying indoors, after going through a lethal second Covid wave in India, can find solace in some fresh iOS apps for their overall well-being from the comforts of their homes.To stay fit during the pandemic, people can use iOS apps like Beats & Breath, Restorative Yoga, Flow State, Pure Meditation, Yoga-Go, Aura, Endel, Motivate and the popular Breathe apps.According to Nidhi Mohan Kamal, Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga trainer and certified strength fitness trainer, yoga has been her go-to-ritual for mental health and a way to connect with divine in these stressful times. "Don't worry about complicated poses and vinyasa if that intimidates you, just breathing deeply and a few basic poses can be amazing too, the important thing is to show up on the mat everyday with devotion to yourself and creator," she told IANS."Connection with your breath is known to be the best way to beat stress out of your life, I have been using Apple Watch for 4 years now, and the Breathe App has been helpful in mindful breathing everyday," she added.With its long holds, deep breathing and focus on low physical activity, Restorative Yoga app is meant to give your body a break while still providing a challenge for the mind. In that spirit, this is a playlist of meditative music meant to complement the pace and mood of a great restorative practice.In the Flow State iOS app, there is a playlist designed specifically for vinyasa practice. Flow State playlist keeps rotating selections regularly, so if users hear something they like, they can add it to their library. While ‘Calm' is one of the best apps for sleep, meditation and relaxation, the ‘Yoga-Go' app is a source of home-based yoga workouts. Yoga-Go workouts only take between 7-30 minutes, and you can burn up to 200 calories per session. It integrates with HealthKit, so users can export nutrition and exercise data from Yoga-Go to HealthKit, and import fitness data and weight and body measurements from HealthKit to Yoga-Go.The ‘Endel' app creates personalised soundscapes to give your mind and body what it needs to achieve total immersion in any task. Endel's soundscapes are algorithm-powered and designed to gently rise and fall in line with your immediate internal and external conditions like location, time zone, weather, and heart rate.--IANSna/

Over the last 3 to 4 decades, average sperm count in men as well as sperm quality, have declined alarmingly on a global scale. 1 out of 20 men, at present, are facing different fertility challenges. The growing numbers can be accredited to the exposure to environmental chemicals that disrupt ones endocrine balance. Dr. Shweta Goswami, Associate Director- Fertility, Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, Noida says: "Ever-increasing cases of obesity and the trend of delaying parenthood, be it due to work or any other personal reason, have also been great contributing factors. It is pertinent to understand that the reasons behind male infertility can vary greatly, though these are usually linked to congenital, acquired and idiopathic factors that directly or indirectly affect the sperm." What do the numbers say? Dr Goswami tells: "One out of six couples who are trying to conceive are not able to achieve pregnancy naturally and are diagnosed with infertility. In fact, an article on Male Infertility, published in The Lancet on December 10, 2020, clearly suggests that 12 percent of couples globally, with a malefactor being a primary or contributing cause in approximately 50 percent of couples'." Also, Read► How excess sugar consumption causes fatty liver Impact of the current pandemic on male fertility Ever since the first case of the pandemic was reported in 2019, experts all across the globe have been thriving seamlessly to explicate the unknowns of the deadly virus, Covid-19. While many new facts have come to light, studies are still going on to find out more about the virus and its side effects. Mounting evidence has pointed towards the negative impact of the virus on male infertility, she says. "A study, COVID-19 and male reproductive function: a prospective, longitudinal cohort study', published in the journal Reproduction in January 2021, suggests that the human reproductive system may be potentially vulnerable to COVID-19 infection and the same can lead to significant impairments in semen volume, progressive motility, sperm morphology, sperm concentration and the number of spermatozoa. "It is not uncommon for a virus to attack the male reproductive tract as previously documented evidence has shown that there are a variety of viruses that can severely impact male fertility. In light of the global decline in sperm quality, the virus has led to further concerns," says the expert. The expert burst male infertility myths If we are talking about male infertility how can we forget the myths that surround it? Here are a few myths and misconceptions related to male infertility that need to be busted: Myth 1- Infertility is a female problem and males have nothing to do with it This common myth prevailed in our society for a very long time. In fact, there are still people out there who believe that infertility is only related to females. It is important to understand that infertility is not a gender-specific problem and can affect both females as well as males. Male infertility predominantly depends upon the quality and quantity of the sperm. Studies suggest that two-thirds of the males with fertility issues have found to have low sperm count or impaired sperm quality. Rest can be contributed to problems in the male reproductive tract, genetic conditions, hormonal imbalance and other factors. Myth 2- Only women need to take care of their health when it comes to planning for pregnancy. This is completely false as the quality of the sperm is as important as the quality of the egg. There are various factors that can affect the quality of the sperm which include excessive smoking, drinking, substance abuse, exposure to harmful chemicals, wearing tight fitted underwear's and sexually transmitted diseases. As most of the problems concerning male infertility are related to sperm, it is extremely important to incorporate healthy habits into your daily routine. Myth 3- Men can have children as long as they live No doubt males do not have a fertility window like females but this does not mean that they can impregnate their partner anytime they want. Although it is possible for some males to have children in their 70s, the time taken for or achieving the pregnancy is considerably longer than males who are below 45 years of age. This happens because sperm quality is likely to decrease after a certain age. It is also important to note that the chances of miscarriage and premature birth are higher when the man is older. Not only this, if you are planning a pregnancy after crossing 70 years of age, the child is quite likely to have genetic, chromosomal and developmental defects. Read More► How age affects a women's fertility as compared to men?

London, June 7 (IANS) Now, online daters in the UK can flaunt Covid vaccine badge on their profiles, the media reported on Monday.Apps such as Tinder, Match, Hinge, Bumble, Badoo, Plenty of Fish, OurTime and Muzmatch have all partnered with the UK government to boost vaccine uptake in the country, the BBC reported.The new initiative is an "incredible asset" to the UK's Covid-19 vaccination programme, Minister Nadhim Zahawi was quoted as saying.Some apps will provide incentives including free credits or access to premium features like profile boosts, virtual rose giving and "super likes" for people who add the vaccine badge on their profiles.US-based Bumble will enable its members to share pandemic dating preferences such as views on social distancing, mask-wearing and whether users are comfortable meeting in crowded places. However, there will be no way to verify whether the users displaying the badge have genuinely taken the vaccine or not, the report said.A research by London-based Elate Date showed that more than 60 per cent of people on its platform did not want to date anti-vaxxers. And a recent YouGov poll of nearly 5,000 UK adults found that only 28 per cent of those who responded said they would not date someone unvaccinated, only 2 per cent said they would not date someone who had received the jab.In the US, the syringe emoji has become the new winky face, while a double-dosed selfie on your profile will, it's claimed, bring you double the number of dates. According to OKCupid, users who claimed to have already received the Covid vaccine were being "liked" at twice the rate of users who said they weren't interested, media reports said.Tinder, in January, found a 238 per cent spike in vaccine mentions in user bios, while Bumble reported "a steady increase" in the number of people including "vaccine" or "vaccinated" in their profiles.--IANSrvt/pgh

Mostly, women are aware of reproductive facts and something called a biological clock ticking away. This comes into prominence especially when couples plan their pregnancy. One should keep in mind that fertility is age-related for both men and women and this understanding is pivotal because it helps in conceiving, the baby's health depends on it and one can make informed choices during pregnancy. How age affects a women's fertility as compared to men? Fertility with age has a different effect on men and women. A woman is born with certain number of eggs that only get depleted over a period of time, and after some time she can't produce any more eggs. But in the case of a man, he can produce sperms his entire life. Therefore, it signifies the women's pregnancy health window is short as compared to a man's, who can even father a child in their 60s and 70s. So, let's have a look at the fertility across different age groups: Fertility in their 20s: According to the experts, this is the perfect age group for a woman to have a healthy pregnancy. This is the age when women are most fertile. The difference in fertility in their early 20s and late 20s is almost negligible. Also, Read► Zinc may help with fertility during the Covid-19 pandemic Some of the great advantages of pregnancy during this age group are: * As your eggs have lesser odds of carrying genetic abnormalities, the chances of your child having any genetic disorders such as Down Syndrome, Thalassemia, etc. is minimal. * The risk of miscarriage lays only 10 per cent. * Less likely that you will have premature baby or baby with low birth weight. * Even the mother has lower risk of any health complications like gestational diabetes or hypertension. The disadvantages of this phase are: * In first pregnancy, the risk of pre-eclampsia, a pregnancy complication, becomes higher * If you have PCOD or uterine fibroids or any underlying medical condition, achieving a pregnancy is complicated. * When it comes to male fertility, they don't have to worry at all. If at all infertility has been diagnosed in a man, then it's all because of his lifestyle choices that lead to obesity, hypertension, contraction of any sexually transmitted infection and diabetes. This can be reversed in the case of men by altering lifestyle choices. Sexually Transmitted Infections in men affect the motility and concentration of sperms. Also, Read► Lifestyle changes may up fertility for obese, infertile women Fertility in their 30s: If a woman wants to conceive in this phase of her life, then the chances of expecting are between 15 and 20 per cent each month provided they don't have any underlying health conditions. A study has confirmed that women in 30s have 30 per cent chances of conceiving in their first try. But, fertility tends to decline when a woman reaches 35 because of the decreased quality and quantity of the eggs. Even the chances of conceiving naturally after 35 are also minimal. The increased level of the follicle-stimulating hormone in a female body makes her more prone to having twins or triplets. The risks of conceiving in 30s are: * Higher C-section rates * Higher chances of genetic issues in the newborn * Increased rates of miscarriages and stillbirths * Elevated risks of ectopic pregnancy Fertility in your 40s and beyond: In case of a woman, it's not impossible to conceive in this age but one should take notice of the fact that during each ovulatory cycle, pregnancy rate dips to 5 per cent between 40 and 44, whereas beyond 45 it gets reduced to 1 per cent. According to Center for Disease Control, half of women across the globe undergo fertility issues in 40s. The risk factors of conceiving remains the same as it is in their 30s. Since there are risk factors involved, there is no guarantee that a female can conceive for sure. Even a man's fertility also declines in this age group as the sperm count and semen volume also decreases. But, one should not give up hope and consult a fertility expert at the right time. Ultimately, the perfect time to get pregnant is when you feel it's the right time for you. It's completely fine if want to feel more confident in your career and finances to start building your family. If you do choose to wait, do consult with your doctor or a fertility specialist to make sure no health issues will come as surprise once you're ready. The fertility expert will not only help you know your ovarian reserve but can also suggest ways and means to preserve your fertility till you are ready to become a mother. Read More► Diet Drinks, Soda Might Be Harming Your Fertility