Yes, mitochondrial disease can affect fertility.
Stats : The prevalence of mitochondrial illness has been estimated to be one in four thousand in the United States and one in five thousand all over the world.
“Mitochondria are increasingly recognised as playing a significant role in fertility. Indeed, in assisted reproductive technologies, mitochondrial activity is an important indication of sperm and oocyte quality.”
Let’s first see about
What are Mitochondria?
Dr. Puneet Rana Arora says, In the realm of cellular energy generation, mitochondria, commonly known as the “powerhouses of the cell,” assume a pivotal position. Diseases that impair mitochondrial activity can disrupt several physiological processes, including reproductive health.
The principal role of these entities is to generate energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a crucial chemical for facilitating many cellular activities.
Learn about important mitochondrial functions in the body.;
1. Energy Production:
2. Unique DNA:
3. Other Functions:
– Regulation of Cell Death: Mitochondria play a role in apoptosis (programmed cell death), which is crucial for removing damaged or unnecessary cells.
– Calcium Storage: They help regulate calcium levels within cells, which is important for cell signalling, muscle contraction, and other functions.
– Heat Production: In certain cells, mitochondria can generate heat, helping regulate body temperature.
Many health problems can happen when mitochondria don’t work right, especially in areas that need a lot of energy, like the brain, heart, muscles, and reproductive organs.
What is Mitochondrial dysfunction ?
According to Dr. Puneet Rana Arora, Director & Founder of CIFAR Infertility Centre, Gurugram, Haryana, the term “mitochondrial failure” or “mitochondrial dysfunction” refers to the malfunctioning of mitochondria, the “powerhouses of the cell.” The malfunctioning of mitochondria, which are responsible for producing energy for the cell, can lead to several issues.
Common causes of mitochondrial dysfunction include:
• Genetic mutations: Variations in nuclear or mitochondrial DNA can throw off the proteins needed for mitochondrial operation.
• Environmental factors: Damage to mitochondria can result from specific drugs, poisons, or pollution.
• Diseases: Mitochondrial malfunction has been linked to some disorders including diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s disease.
Symptoms of mitochondrial dysfunction
The symptoms of mitochondrial dysfunction are very different based on which tissues are affected and how bad the condition is.
Some common symptoms may include:
- Neurological problems, including seizures
- Baby Developmental delays, learning disabilities
- Respiratory disorders like breathing issues
- Loss of muscle coordination, muscle weakness & fatigue
- Increased risk of infection
- Dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system
- Gastrointestinal conditions
How does Mitochondria are responsible for infertility?
Mitochondria are what make energy in cells, and keeping them healthy is important for many cellular processes, like reproduction. This is how mitochondrial disease might affect getting pregnant:
Egg Quality: Dr Puneet Rana Arora Says as an egg matures and a baby grows, mitochondria are very important for providing the energy that the cells need. When mitochondria don’t work properly, the quality of an egg can go down, which makes it harder for pregnant women to get pregnant.
Sperm Quality: If mitochondrial dysfunction occurs in men, it can also impact sperm motility, a crucial process for fertilization. Poor sperm quality can also lead to infertility issues.
Embryo Development: Dr. Puneet Rana also says that because the embryo is dependent on the mother’s mitochondria in the early stages, mitochondrial diseases can slow down embryonic development. This can raise a woman’s risk of miscarriage or failed implantation.
Premature Ovarian Failure: Some mitochondrial disorders are linked to premature ovarian insufficiency, which means that the ovaries stop working earlier than normal, which makes it harder to get pregnant.
Diagnosis of mitochondrial dysfunction can be challenging and often requires a combination of tests, such as:
- Blood tests
- Muscle biopsy
- Genetic testing
- Imaging studies
Treatment for mitochondrial dysfunction
The main goal of treatment for mitochondrial failure is usually to ease the symptoms. More tailored treatments for mitochondrial disorders are still being researched.
When mitochondrial disease makes it hard to get pregnant, in vitro fertilisation (IVF) or other forms of assisted reproduction may include choices like mitochondrial replacement therapy (MRT), which uses healthy mitochondria from a donor egg to increase the chances of getting pregnant. These are at experimental and research based settings yet.
Where can I have the treatment for mitochondrial dysfunction?
Treatment for mitochondrial dysfunction and advanced reproductive technologies like mitochondrial replacement therapy (MRT) are specialized services and are offered at research settings only . It is not yet available in India except in research.
We at CIFAR, the Centre for Infertility & Assisted Reproduction, under the guidance of Dr. Puneet Rana Arora, an IVF Expert and Oncofertility Expert in India, provide counselling and other methods available to combat recurrent implantation failures.
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