The problem of infertility is increasing day by day and there are many reasons for it. And, hence the Basic Infertility Course has been always suggested and will be the most demanded course for all the practicing clinicians across the globe for years to come unless we get rid of this rising cause. Today, in this section, we are going to mention something which will make you think twice before you do anything… Did you know that from 1st September 2025, the European Union has imposed a ban on gel nail polish? Because it contains TPO, Trimethyl Benzyl Diphenyl Phospho Oxide, which is a chemical which is classified as CMR I1B in animal studies. What is TPO? It is a photo-initiator which helps in fast drying after contact of UV and LED light in gel nail paint. And because of this, gel nail paint remains shiny and strong for a long time. TPO is a cancer-causing mutagenic and toxic substance. Animal studies have found that it is very harmful for pregnancy as well as infertility. So, would you like to take this risk in this festive atmosphere? Definitely not! So, what are the options we have? • One is to apply gel nail paint regularly, which is from a good company. It is safe. • The second option is press-on nails, which are non-toxic and easy to use. • The third option is dip powder nails, which are long-lasting but do not use UV light. Folic Acid & Its Role If you are pregnant, take folic acid to prevent any birth defects in your child. Folic acid and folate are two forms of the same vitamin B. folate is the form that naturally occurs in foods, while folic acid is a human -made form that is added to multivitamins and high foods. Your body requires folic acid to support the production of new cells, such as cells in your brain, cells in your blood and genetic content known as DNA and RNA present in each cell. When you're pregnant, your body needs a higher amount of folic acid because your baby also needs it for their own development. This important nutrient plays a key role in helping your baby's brain and spinal cord grow in a healthy and normal way. Taking folic acid can significantly reduce the risk of neural tube defects in your developing baby, called an embryo at this stage. The neural tube starts as a small, oval-shaped structure made of embryonic tissue, and around 28 days after conception, this tissue begins to fold and form a tube. If this tube closes correctly, it goes on to develop into the baby's brain and spinal cord. However, if the neural tube fails to close completely, which can happen when a mother doesn't get enough folic acid in her diet, the baby may be born with a serious condition called a neural tube defect. Examples of such defects include spina bifida, where the spinal column does not close properly, and anencephaly, where a large part of the brain and skull is missing. In spina bifida, the neural tube fails to close at the bottom. As a result, the parts of the spine that enclose and protect the lower spinal cord do not completely form, allowing the cord to protrude. Children with this defect often require surgery and have permanent disabilities, including leg paralysis, developmental delays, and nervous system problems. Large portions of the brain and skull do not fully develop in anencephaly because the neural tube does not seal at the top. Due to this abnormality, babies are unable to survive and often pass away either before or shortly after delivery. Other birth abnormalities including cleft lip and palate and atrial septal defect—a condition in which a hole between the right and left upper chambers of the heart fails to seal during development—may also be prevented by folic acid. Because the neural tube forms very early in pregnancy, often before a woman even realizes she is pregnant, healthcare professionals suggest that all women who are capable of becoming pregnant should take a daily multivitamin that includes 400 micrograms of folic acid. Once a woman is pregnant, her body needs a higher amount of folic acid, around 600 micrograms each day. It is important to take this multivitamin along with the folate that comes from food because the body absorbs synthetic folic acid more effectively than the natural folate found in foods. In order to ensure that these minimal levels are met, doctors frequently prescribe as much as 1,000 milligrams of folic acid every day. Some groups of women, such as those who have experienced miscarriages in the past or who lack a folic acid metabolic enzyme, may need even more. Discuss the best dosage for you with your physician. If you want to learn about the Basic Infertility Course and looking for online infertility courses, join Medline Academics. This institution is known for its hybrid and online courses and is headed by the pioneer in reproductive medicine – Padma Shri Prof. Dr. Kamini A Rao. Medline Academics offers the theory training online and the practical training offline in their centre in Bangalore. The practical training happens not just in the high-end simulation lab, but sometimes students also get the opportunity to assist senior doctors in performing tough cases which are extremely crucial for their career progression. This is all done in the clinical wing of Medline Academics. The institution has been training over thousand of students since years and continues to do so… Misconceptions about IVF We have heard that IVF babies are not your own babies. IVF babies belong to someone else. This is also wrong. IVF babies belong to you. If you have not taken a donor, If you are taking a donor, If the husband and wife are normal, Then you will not need a donor. That's why a very important thing comes here. IVF is not a magic. It is a treatment. And we are not magicians. Those who think, Get everything done. And in 40 years you come to the doctor, We have to get IVF done. This is what we see. This is a very wrong notion. If you get IVF done on time, then you will not need a donor. If you get IVF done at the age of 40, It is natural. It is not an age. Your body is not ready to have a baby. At that time, our eggs do not hatch. Or the remaining eggs are not of good quality. Periods also become regular. The sperm count and quality of the husband, that too with age, becomes very less. So, age is a big reason, to be successful in IVF. If a patient is less than 30 years, if IVF is done, the chances of being successful, will be much more than that of a 40-year-old. Because your body is healthy. And your eggs are of good quality. Your sperms are of good quality; you will not need a donor. In one-year books, it is said that, If the husband and wife are together for a year, and they are not able to have a baby, and they do not have any problem in intercourse, then they should take medical help. They should consult a doctor. If for three years, with normal medications and testing, the baby is not being born, then you should start thinking about IVF. All of you have seen such cases. It is not that there is no problem. Or it is a miracle. You and your family, do not have children. As people are getting older, people are getting married late. So, infertility, problems of miscarriage are increasing. There are such problems, which we can't even imagine. These are very common and very young patients. If you ever search for an IVF Hospital near me in google, the results would always pop up – Dr. Kamini Rao Hospitals. Besides being a top IVF centre in Bangalore with 2 centres and planning for new centres shortly, this hospital also works as the clinical wing for Medline Academics. The hospital along with treating patients, also trains fertility specialist every year. Besides the regular clinical posting for the fellowship in reproductive medicine students, the hospital also provides extended clinical practices under expert supervision.