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Why pregnant women have intense dreams and nightmares: Experts explain

Dr Puneet Rana Arora, reproductive health expert and director at CIFAR, Gurugram, echoes this, noting that the brain is actively processing emotional and physical changes. According to him, lighter, interrupted sleep makes it easier to remember dreams, while the growing emotional connection to the baby can make them feel more vivid and deeply personal.

World Tuberculosis Day 2026: Pulmonologist says one TB patient can infect about 15 others

The TB bacteria can infect the fallopian tubes, endometrium, or ovaries, causing blockage, scarring, or poor implantation. In males, it can infect the testes or the ducts, causing poor sperm transport. But the real danger lies in its silent progression.

"The symptoms of genital TB are not usually obvious. They may present with irregular menstrual cycles, pelvic pain, infertility, scanty menstruation, unusual vaginal discharge, fever, weight loss, scrotal pain or swelling, scrotal masses, and infertility," said Dr Puneet Rana Arora, Director- Gynaecology & IVF Expert, CIFAR, Gurugram.

अक्सर हम यही मानते हैं कि टीबी सिर्फ फेफड़ों से जुड़ी एक बीमारी है, लेकिन क्या आप जानते हैं कि यह महिलाओं के रिप्रोडक्टिव सिस्टम को भी अपना शिकार बना सकती है? गुरुग्राम स्थित CIFAR की डायरेक्टर और रिप्रोडक्टिव हेल्थ एक्सपर्ट, डॉ. पुनीत राणा अरोड़ा के अनुसार, महिलाओं के लिए टीबी एक गंभीर खतरा बन सकती है, जिसे 'जननांग टीबी' (Genital TB) कहा जाता है। यह समस्या विशेष रूप से उन महिलाओं को अपना शिकार बनाती है जिनकी इम्युनिटी कमजोर होती है।

महिलाओं के शरीर पर कैसे होता है असर?
जब टीबी का संक्रमण महिलाओं के प्रजनन अंगों तक पहुंचता है, तो यह गर्भाशय, फैलोपियन ट्यूब और अंडाशय को भारी नुकसान पहुंचाता है। इसका सबसे खतरनाक नतीजा बांझपन के रूप में सामने आता है।

दरअसल, टीबी के कारण फैलोपियन ट्यूब में सूजन या ब्लॉकेज आ जाती है। इस रुकावट के चलते महिला के अंडे और पुरुष के शुक्राणु आपस में मिल नहीं पाते हैं। इसके कारण कई और गंभीर परेशानियां जन्म लेती हैं, जैसे:।

• पीरियड्स का अनियमित होना या पूरी तरह से रुक जाना।
• गर्भधारण करने में बहुत अधिक कठिनाई होना।
• गर्भ ठहरने के बाद बार-बार गर्भपात हो जाना।

Women within this decade are capable of getting pregnant without any difficulties. However, their fertility level decreases as time progresses, especially when they are over 35 years old. This is mainly due to a reduction in the quantity and quality of eggs produced by the ovaries. In addition, hormonal changes influence ovulation among women within this decade. This makes it slightly harder to get pregnant within this decade as opposed to the 20s.

Dr. Puneet Rana Arora, Director-Reproductive Health Expert, CIFAR, Gurugram, explained in an interview with Health and Me just how women's fertility starts to decline in the 30s. The expert listed some of the common challenges and offered solutions as well.

On World TB Day, conversations around tuberculosis often focus on its effects on the lungs. Yet, a lesser-known form, Genital Tuberculosis (GTB), quietly affects women’s reproductive health, often going unnoticed until it significantly impacts fertility. Genital Tuberculosis is a form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Unlike pulmonary TB, it does not present with obvious respiratory symptoms, making it far more difficult to detect. “Genital Tuberculosis (GTB), a subtle yet serious type of extrapulmonary tuberculosis, may have a profound impact on female fertility without causing any obvious symptoms,” says Dr. Puneet Rana Arora, Director, Gynaecology & IVF Expert, CIFAR, Gurugram.

Many people take pride in working long hours and handling heavy workload. But what if they were told that this constant drive for productivity and being constantly connected could harm something very important: fertility? This issue affects both men and women, and it extends beyond couples who wish to have children. Know how daily habits can impact reproductive health, and five simple lifestyle changes that can help improve fertility.

Using screens in the evening exposes us to blue light, which lowers melatonin production. Melatonin is a hormone that helps regulate the sleep cycle. “When melatonin levels drop, our sleep cycles can be disturbed,” reproductive health expert Dr Puneet Rana Arora tells Health Shots. This makes it harder for our bodies to recover and maintain a healthy balance of hormones.

Pregnancy stress may be caused by several reasons, such as hormonal fluctuation, bodily pain, anxiety of delivery, economic burden, and changes in relationships. Long-term stress during pregnancy, however, is undesirable, and the adverse effects are sleep loss, increased blood pressure, and even preterm labor or low birth weight.

Pregnancy is a time of transformation in a woman’s life, characterized by drastic physical, emotional, and psychological changes. Although it is a time of happiness and expectation, it also turns out to be a time of higher stress and tension. Proper management of stress and good mental health during pregnancy are essential for both the baby and the mother in formation. Dr Puneet Rana Arora, Gynaecologist & IVF Expert, Director-CIFAR, Gurugram, shared tips for mums-to-be to take care of mental health.