The appendix is usually removed due inflammation of the appendix. This is commonly known as appendicitis. At the moment, the actual purpose of the appendix is still mostly unknown. Yet if the organ is infected it can lead to a great amount of damage to the body. If appendicitis goes untreated it can lead to death eventually due to the high amount of bacteria.
What are tonsils then? Tonsils are two little lymph nodes which are located on the sides of the back of the throat. The lymph nodes are supposed to act as an extra line of defense against illnesses. However, the tonsils themselves can become infected which is then called tonsillitis. If the tonsils continually become infected removing them may be the best treatment option.
The tonsils and appendix are both located in very different places in the body. Plus both of the organ do not play much if any role in reproduction. However, some claims have recently emerged stating that having the tonsils and or appendix removed increases the difficulty to get pregnant. Yet according to experts, this is not exactly the case. In fact, the article shows just the opposite occurring.
Studies show that women who have had the tonsils or appendix removed increases the rate to get pregnant. The study was conducted by the University of Dundee, U.K. The study collected data over a course of 15 years. The study was started by the co-author of the University of Dundee Sami Shimi. She believed at the time that women with their appendix removed might have a harder time getting pregnant.
Yet over the course of the study, the results started to prove that hypothesis wrong. The results of the study started to show that women with the appendix organ removed had higher fertility rates. After finding out these results Shimi organized a larger group and lengthened the amount of time for the study. Multiple scientists started to analyze the link between the tonsils and appendix removal to fertility. The results started to show an increase in fertility for women who had these procedures done.
The fertility rate for women who had one of the procedures done was around 54%. Yet women who had both procedures done showed a fertility rate increased by five. The fertility rate for women who had neither procedure done was in the 40s range. The difference is not extremely prevalent yet it is definitely noticeable. Yet other factors could definitely be at play.
Fertility is linked to multiple things dealing with the body. This includes weight, hormones, genes, immune system, among multiple other factors. Therefore one should not attribute all of their fertility successes or failures towards tonsils or the appendix. People can still have children with both of these organs intact. So no one needs to rush off and have an operation due to lack of fertility.
The main point the study seemed to be trying to make was that the tonsillectomy and appendectomy do not negatively effect fertility. The early hypothesis was that the two procedures made it more difficult to get pregnant. However with more research the study showed women, even with these procedures, could have successful pregnancies. Yet neither is truly better than the other. The numbers are different yet all three sides still maintain a fairly good rate of fertility.
The study is certainly an interesting window into how procedures affect fertility. More research is needed in order to fully confirm what determines the success of pregnancies. Some of it might be linked more towards chance. Yet there are multiple controllable factors like diet and exercise which may help to increase fertility.
