Overview
Nowadays most of us confront one of the most commonly used word "immunity" which is our body's defense mechanism to fight infection, but how immunity is developed? or why does somebody have more immune power than others? - these are the questions that often arise.
Lets us discuss the fundamentals related to our immunity in the subsequent paragraphs of this blog.
Immunity is the functional outcome of the immune system.
The immune system is composed of a network of cells, tissues, and organs.
They serve together to develop bodily defense mechanisms against any harmful foreign substances that invade our body and cause diseases.
The included foreign invaders are bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other harmful parasites.
Lodging and multiplication of these tiny microbes cause infection.
Therefore, the task is performed by the immune system in a harmonized manner by involving every structural and functional unit of the immune system.
The maintaining of this harmony is crucial to fight and win against harmful invaders.
Any discrepancy of coordinated functioning of the immune system leads to the onset of infection or immune-mediated disease.
Infection can be defined as the process of invasion and reproduction of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other harmful parasites, and provides symptomatic or asymptomatic syndromes. For example, pneumonia, typhoid, dengue, etc.
The immune-mediated disease can be demonstrated as the onset of ailment due to the unspecified reaction of the immune system, e.g. allergic reactions.
Impact of fertility in immune system disorders impact fertility
Fertility can be impacted because of immunity disorders in multiple ways.
The immune system of individuals with autoimmune disorders not only attacks foreign invaders but mistakenly threatens the body’s own tissue/organ.
This type of mistake can prevent ovulation by triggering inflammation.
Destroying of sperm, embryos are also common in individuals with an auto-immune disorder.
Healthy immunity is essential for accepting nurturing the embryo inside the uterus so that pregnancy can be continued till full-term.
The immune system of a pregnant woman also takes part in placenta formation and growth by triggering certain blood vessels to facilitate the development of healthy offspring.
A weak immune system not only increases the risk of infection during gestation but is also unable to support a pregnancy.
Why is an immune response not the same for every individual?
Often you may feel that some of our neighbors do not get infected with a cold or a cough or other infection as frequently as you are.
Certain factors influence immune system activity and are responsible for this discrimination, which includes
Inadequate sleep leads to an imbalance of immune system regulators.
Often it has been observed that common cold and flu are associated with inadequate sleep.
Sugar-loaded food habit is often triggered by a bacterial or fungal infection.
The gut wall contains several good bacteria, which are also essential for immunity.
But excess sugar obtained from food produce a favorable environment to grow bad microorganism.
Thus the negative effect of sugar can produce on the immunity system.
Heavy alcohol consumption is harmful to the immune system, as it reduces the efficiency of T cells, B cells, and other immune response-producing cells like natural killer cells, monocytes, macrophages, etc.
But occasional drinking of red wine is good for the immune system due to its antioxidant activity
Excessive stress also increases the susceptibility of viral infection and triggers different allergic stimulating agents like histamine.
Excess release of histamine initiates asthma by constricting bronchi.
Apart from the above-mentioned factors, smoking, exposure to chemicals, and extreme exercise also negatively affect immunity.
How immunity disorders in infertility are treated?
Couples with immune system disorders require consulting with fertility treatment experts.
Abnormal immune function obstructs normal conceiving and also increases the significant risk for miscarriage.
Fertility physicians can guide couples to overcome the problem by recommending an appropriate treatment plan.
It is not necessary to opt for assisted reproductive technology for every instance but may require additional treatment to support the pregnancy.
Often people are not aware of immune system disorder can impact their fertility and cause recurrent miscarriage.
Therefore, fertility experts may often recommend some immune system disorder tests that are not routine tests for infertility.
But it is not rare that infertility disorders like recurrent loss of a pregnancy or multiple failed IVF cycles have an association with immune system disorders.
Fertility physicians can also order to test for immune disorders for accessing unexplained infertility.
Instead of generalized treatment, a customized tailored infertility treatment plan requires for immune system disorder.
In most cases, IVF and closely monitoring the pregnancy will result in a successful outcome.
Essential nutrients for boosting immunity
Immunity can be boosted and that is possible through taking assistance from the following:
Vitamin D, which is naturally synthesized in our body in presence of sunlight capable of boosting immunity.
But due to lack of sun exposure, often individuals need to take vitamin D supplementation.
Probiotics help to improve balancing the good bacteria in the gut wall and restrict the growth of pathogenic bacteria, thus providing a beneficial effect to the immune system.
In pharmacy stores, different brands of probiotic drinks are available, although yogurt is a natural probiotic.
All the sour taste fruits like orange, lemon are a good source of vitamin C and improve the immunity of the body.
Vitamin C is specifically effective against the cold virus.
The antioxidant property of vitamin C also provides a beneficial effect on the immune system by scavenging the free radicals.
All the protein-containing foods like egg, fish, meat, nuts, and pulses assist in the synthesis of antibody, which reacts against invaders or antigens.
To become stress-free is a need for a cheerful mood and that can achieve through yoga, meditation, and reading motivational blogs and write up.