Expert analysis: What's driving infertility rates among Indian couples?
Infertility is on rise in India and current statistics have revealed that 27.5 million couples actively seeking children suffer from infertility; affecting both men and women equally while at least 10-15 percent of married couples are experiencing fertility issues at some point. 1 in 2 millennials are delaying having family and think they can conceive later but 54% of those delaying pregnancy face issues in conception in their 30's.
Understanding fertility and family planning
Understanding fertility and the factors that influence it is crucial in making informed decisions about when to start a family. In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Rajeev Agarwal, IVF specialist and Medical Director at Renew Healthcare, explained, “Fertility refers to a person's ability to conceive and carry a pregnancy to full term. While some couples may conceive easily, others may face challenges along the way. Factors that can affect fertility include age, underlying health conditions, lifestyle choices, and genetics. It's important to remember that both men and women contribute to fertility, so seeking professional help should not be limited to one partner. By understanding fertility and its complexities, you can better navigate your family planning journey.”
He elaborated, “There are various fertility issues that can affect both men and women. For women, conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, and blocked fallopian tubes can contribute to fertility challenges. Symptoms of these conditions may include irregular periods, pelvic pain, and hormonal imbalances. In men, low sperm count, poor sperm motility, and structural abnormalities can impact fertility. Symptoms of male fertility issues may include difficulty achieving or maintaining an erection, pain or swelling in the testicles, or abnormalities in semen analysis results. It's important to note that some individuals may not experience any obvious symptoms, making regular check-ups with a fertility specialist even more crucial.”
Dr Rajeev Agarwal asserted, “Seeking help from a fertility specialist sooner rather than later increases your chances of successful conception and pregnancy. By identifying and addressing any underlying issues early on, you can explore a variety of treatment options tailored to your specific needs. Delaying seeking help can not only prolong the journey to parenthood but may also reduce the effectiveness of certain treatments.”
Bringing her expertise to the same, Dr Sweta Gupta, Director, Infertility and IVF at Max Multi Speciality Centre in Panchsheel Park, said, “Infertility can affect both men and women, even though women are more often blamed. Reasons are many, about 40% due to male factors, 40% due to women factors, rest of the cases are due to unknown or combined factors. In women, physiological factors as advanced age can decrease egg reserve, hormonal imbalance can affect release of egg. Gynaecological problems like polycystic ovarian disease, endometriosis, and congenital malformations can be associated with subfertility in women. Endocrine problems are common in India like diabetes, thyroid or prolactin that can effect ovulation or egg release.”
According to her, “Sexual transmitted disease can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, tubal blockage and subfertility. Infections like tuberculosis have been rampant in some areas in India, which can block tubes, decrease ovarian reserve and make uterus unfavourable. In males, it can reduce semen quality, quantity and overall fecundity. Lifestyle can be associated with abnormal weight, which can reduce fertility. There is a considerable reduction in fecundity among women with a body mass index that exceeds 25 kg/m2. Excessive consumption of caffeine, smoking, alcohol are associated with reduced reproductive outcome. Diet, environment, pollution, occupation can also effect health and reproductive outcome in particular.”
