1. Islamic Anti-dotes to Childlessness
Sa’eid Ahmad

2. Synopsis Introduction Types of infertility Causes of Infertility
Management of Infertility
Medical Management
Psychological Management
Islamic antidotes
Conclusions

3. Introduction
﴿لِلَّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاء يَهَبُ لِمَنْ يَشَاء إِنَاثًا وَيَهَبُ لِمَن يَشَاء الذُّكُورَ * أَوْ يُزَوِّجُهُمْ ذُكْرَانًا وَإِنَاثًا وَيَجْعَلُ مَن يَشَاء عَقِيمًا إِنَّهُ عَلِيمٌ قَدِيرٌ﴾الشوري:50

4. Introduction
The inability to create a desired pregnancy that culminates in the birth of a child is likely to create a life crisis for women and their partners.
Women seeking fertility treatment look to doctors for care, counsel and health teaching.
© 2008, March of Dimes Foundation

5. Introduction (Ctd)
Primary infertility: The inability to conceive after 1 year of unprotected intercourse for a woman younger than 35, or after 6 months of unprotected intercourse for a woman 35 or older (Speroff & Fritz, 2005).
Secondary infertility: The inability of a woman to conceive who previously was able to do so (Speroff & Fritz, 2005).
Infertility is more common in older women. However, increased age reduces the efficacy of treatment.
© 2008, March of Dimes Foundation

6. Definitions Infertility:
Couples that have been unable to conceive a child after 12 months of regular sexual intercourse without birth control.
Women who have repeated miscarriages are also said to be infertile.

7. Making a baby…
وَهُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ مِنَ الْمَاء بَشَراً فَجَعَلَهُ نَسَباً وَصِهْراً وَكَانَ رَبُّكَ قَدِيراً 
In order for a woman to become pregnant, egg must be released from one of the ovaries
Egg must go through the fallopian tube toward the uterus
Sperm must join with the egg in the fallopian tube (fertilization)
Fertilized egg must attach to the uterine wall (implantation)

8. Scope of the problem
About 12% of women (7.3 million) in the United States aged had difficulty getting pregnant or carrying a baby to term in 2002
10 to 15% of couples in the U.S. are infertile.

9. When to see a doctor?
Women in their 30s who've been trying to become pregnant for six months should speak to their doctors as soon as possible.
Irregular periods or no menstrual periods
Very painful periods
Endometriosis
Pelvic inflammatory disease
More than one miscarriage

10. What Increases the Risks?
Age
Stress
Poor diet
Smoking
Alcohol
Overweight
Underweight
Caffeine intake
Too much exercise

11. What Increases the Risks?

12. Infertility Causes of Infertility Divine Will
Physical: obstruction/barrier
Divine Will
Biochemical: hormones/genetics
Psychological: stress

13. Causes of Infertility Couple (Speroff & Fritz, 2005)
Women (Speroff & Fritz, 2005)
© 2008, March of Dimes Foundation

14. Causes of Infertility: female
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
Severe endometriosis
Ovulation disorders
Elevated prolactin Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
Early menopause
Benign uterine fibroids
Pelvic adhesions

15. Causes of Infertility: male
Pre-testicular causes
Refer to conditions of poor hormonal support and poor general health
Drugs, anabolic steroids, alcohol
Riding (bicycle riding, horseback riding)
Tobacco smoking
Genetic

16. Causes of Infertility: male
Testicular factors
Conditions where the testes produce semen of low quantity and/or poor quality despite adequate hormonal support
Age
Genetic defects on the Y chromosome
Tumours
Idiopathic failure
Trauma
Infections; Mumps
Idiopathic oligospermia - unexplained sperm deficiencies account for 30% of male infertility.

17. Causes of Infertility: male
Post-testicular causes
Conditions that affect the male genital system after testicular sperm production
Defects of the genital tract
Problems in ejaculation; Vas deferens obstruction
Infection, e.g. prostatitis
Retrograde ejaculation
Impotence

18. Other causes Medications Thyroid problems Cancer and treatment
Other medical conditions associated with delayed puberty or amenorrhea
HIV/AIDS, kidney disease and diabetes
Fertilization Problems (1) = Anti-sperm antibodies (ASA) (2) = Oocyte membrane proteins

19. Treatment of Childlessness
Depends on causes, if identified
Medications
Surgery,
Artificial insemination or assisted reproductive technology.
Assisted reproductive technology (ART)
In vitro fertilization (IVF):
Most effective
Recommended when both fallopian tubes are blocked
ART works best when the woman has a healthy uterus, responds well to fertility drugs, and ovulates naturally or uses donor eggs.

20. Complications of some treatment modalities
Multiple pregnancy
Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS)
Ovaries may enlarge and cause pain and bloating
Bleeding or infection
Low birth weight
Birth defects

21. Islamic Panacea Patience and trust
ذِكْرُ رَحْمَةِ رَبِّكَ عَبْدَهُ زَكَرِيَّا
إِذْ نَادَى رَبَّهُ نِدَاء خَفِيًّا
قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي وَهَنَ الْعَظْمُ مِنِّي وَاشْتَعَلَ الرَّأْسُ شَيْبًا وَلَمْ أَكُن بِدُعَائِكَ رَبِّ شَقِيًّا
وَإِنِّي خِفْتُ الْمَوَالِيَ مِن وَرَائِي وَكَانَتِ امْرَأَتِي عَاقِرًا فَهَبْ لِي مِن لَّدُنكَ وَلِيًّا
يَرِثُنِي وَيَرِثُ مِنْ آلِ يَعْقُوبَ وَاجْعَلْهُ رَبِّ رَضِيًّا
يَا زَكَرِيَّا إِنَّا نُبَشِّرُكَ بِغُلامٍ اسْمُهُ يَحْيَى لَمْ نَجْعَل لَّهُ مِن قَبْلُ سَمِيًّا
قَالَ رَبِّ أَنَّى يَكُونُ لِي غُلامٌ وَكَانَتِ امْرَأَتِي عَاقِرًا وَقَدْ بَلَغْتُ مِنَ الْكِبَرِ عِتِيًّا
قَالَ كَذَلِكَ قَالَ رَبُّكَ هُوَ عَلَيَّ هَيِّنٌ وَقَدْ خَلَقْتُكَ مِن قَبْلُ وَلَمْ تَكُ شَيْئًا
قَالَ رَبِّ اجْعَل لِّي آيَةً قَالَ آيَتُكَ أَلاَّ تُكَلِّمَ النَّاسَ ثَلاثَ لَيَالٍ سَوِيًّا
فَخَرَجَ عَلَى قَوْمِهِ مِنَ الْمِحْرَابِ فَأَوْحَى إِلَيْهِمْ أَن سَبِّحُوا بُكْرَةً وَعَشِيًّا

22. Islamic Panacea Love and affection Prayers Patience and trust
{رَبِّ لا تَذَرْنِي فَرْدًا وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الْوَارِثِينَ}
رَبِّ هَبْ لِي مِن لَّدُنْكَ ذُرِّيَّةً طَيِّبَةً إِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ الدُّعَاء
Patience and trust
{ وَامْرَأَتُهُ قَآئِمَةٌ فَضَحِكَتْ فَبَشَّرْنَاهَا بِإِسْحَاقَ وَمِن وَرَاء إِسْحَاقَ يَعْقُوبَ } هود71
Medical consultation

23. وآخر دعوانا أن الحمد لله رب العلمين!!!