Doctors suggest of the total Indian population, approximately 20% are dealing with issue of infertility. Dr Duru Shah, owner and scientific director, Gynaecworld Fertility Center, Mumbai, agrees with this figure.
“In about one-third of the cases, there is a problem with the woman’s reproductive system and in another one third, the men are infertile. The rest are caused by a mixture of male and female problems,” says Dr Shah. While in women, changes in the menstrual cycle, ovulation and hormones could indicate infertility, for men, changes in hair growth, sexual desire, lump or swelling of the testicles, problems with ejaculations could be the causes.
Infertility in men is increasing at an alarming rate. “Presently more than 50% of infertile couples have male factor causes,” says Dr Mohan Keshavamurthy, director, urology, andrology and transplantation, Fortis Hospitals, Bengaluru.
He further adds that cases of infertility in southern states, particularly Tamil Nadu, are higher. “Measured by childbirth per women, it is 1-2 in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal and 3-4 in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar,” he says.
“Fertility treatments can be grouped under three categories for both men and women,” says Dr Shah. These treatments include the following processes:
According to Dr Manisha Singh, consultant gynaecologist and infertility specialist, Fortis Hospitals, Bengaluru, a surgery can be performed in two ways. “One is the conventional form and the other is keyhole surgery. Keyhole surgery is performed using an operative laparoscope (through the abdomen) or an operative hysteroscope (through the cervix and into the uterus),” she adds.
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The other two prominent methods employed as infertility treatments include:
The treatment of infertility is mainly based on the causative factor. “They are usually in the form of medications to decrease the oxydative stress and improve nutrition to the sperms. Surgical corrections of any mechanical issues are also done to improve the testicular environment and functioning,” says Dr Mohan Keshavamurthy, director, urology, andrology and transplantation, Fortis Hospitals, Bengaluru.
He says that the best psychological counselling for the couple is to educate them. “They must be informed of the fact that out of the millions of sperms in the semen only one sperm is enough to fertilise the ovum and there are lot of techniques to make that happen,” he says.