Hypertension and InfertilityDr Chaithra S.K

Hypertension or High Blood Pressure is one of the non-communicable diseases or lifestyle diseases that is affecting a large number of people across the globe, very alarmingly.

Normal BP in 120/80, we call it abnormal when upper value is 30 units more and lower value is 15 units more than your previous value. Hypertension in an infertile couple should be properly evaluated and treated because neglected and ignored hypertension can lead to kidney disease, cardiac problems, strokes, paralysis, cerebral bleed and clots which can be fatal. Also because infertility treatment involves administering a lot of hormones, BP should be properly checked, treated and controlled.

If a lady is diagnosed Hypertensive and she becomes pregnant, she should consult a good physician regarding her medications because certain antihypertensive can cause abortions, growth retardation and reduced liquor. Also, the lady should be monitored carefully and cautiously because she is prone to preeclampsia and eclampsia.

In males, we are observing a lot of young groups getting high BP because of stress, obesity, lifestyle changes. Also, smoking and tobacco addiction increase the risk of hypertension.

Men who are on antihypertensive have to be careful because it causes a lot of changes in sperm motility, morphology and semen volume. A type of HT medication called beta-blockers causes loss of libido, erectile dysfunction and impotence also. Calcium channel blockers decrease the potential of sperm to fertilize the egg. Certain antihypertensive decreases the chances of implantation of embryos because of vascular changes. So men should be aware of the antihypertensive drugs they using and their side effects when they are trying for a baby.

Couples suffering from BP issues can get their BP control by alternative methods like strict exercise plan, yoga, pranayama, good nutritious diet, cutting down on salt intake, avoiding tobacco intake, good sound sleep, reducing the exposure to electromagnetic rays of mobiles and laptops and finally meditation.

A strict word of caution is people should not stop the BP medication on their own. It has to be properly guided by a specialist otherwise it can lead to disastrous complications like cardiac arrest, cerebral haemorrhages and paralysis.