India, Dec. 7 -- Do you have problem in conceiving for the second time even though the first child or abortion was a spontaneous one? If yes, then it is a very depressing situation that is difficult to accept and digest. The causes may be multifactorial. First is the advancing age, along with diminished ovarian reserve, weight gain and change in lifestyle. With increasing age, the quality and quantity of eggs in the ovaries decrease, which leads to reduced probability of conception. Also, the chances of abnormal pregnancies, such as Down syndrome, due to genetically abnormal eggs above the age of 35 years increases. Add to it some pelvic pathologies like fibroids and endometriosis that are bound to increase with passage of time and impair implantation. Further, sedentary habits, smoking, and alcohol abuse in the males lead to increase in DNA fragmentation of sperms, which affects fertilisation and conception. Increase in BMI of both partners is a major hurdle in the path of parenthood. So plan early, live healthy and do not hesitate to move onto IVF if you are not able to conceive. The author of this article is an IVF and fertility specialist at Jindal IVF, SCO 21, Sector 20-D, Dakshin Marg, Chandigarh, who can be contacted at 958-246-9429...