Men are Equal Contributors to the Pressing Issue of Infertility It is Not Just “Woman Problem”

Almost one third of infertility cases in the world are due to male reproductive problems

Bengaluru, September 29, 2020: Male infertility refers to a condition where a man is unable to cause pregnancy in a fertile woman. Of all the couples experiencing infertility, almost one third have male factor. Fertility issues are rampant in cities where people are leading stressful lives. Inadequate nutrition coupled with consumption of alcohol in excess, smoking, low fitness can all lead to decrease in the fertility level in men.

There is a staggering lack of awareness in India about the problem. Women often bear the blame for not bearing a child and male fertility issues are ignored. According to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, over 12-18 million couples in India are diagnosed with infertility every year. WHO in its report has stated that of all infertility cases in India, 50% are due to “male factor” infertility. Both men and women can experience infertility and have equal chances of facing conception issue due to infertility.

Speaking about the issue Dr. Pallavi Prasad, Fertility Consultant, Nova IVF Fertility Bengaluru, said “There is a serious stigma associated with male infertility and this leads to men shying away from sharing these issues as there is lack of awareness and acceptance. It is very unfortunate that even in metro cities like Bengaluru, people are yet not aware that men have the equal share of contribution when it comes to infertility. As a result of which, it is the women who are always blamed for having a problem. This is high time, where we should understand and accept that male Infertility is a major factor in many cases that we come across. Therefore, both men and women should make every effort as a couple to find the right help towards achieving parenthood. We, at Nova IVF Fertility especially aim to encourage the men to seek treatment and consult with equal dedication. We understand that fertility issues can be draining, frustrating and can take an emotional toll, but with proper guidance we want to help as many couples as we can to experience the happiness of parenthood”

The doctor recalls a couple, where the woman was 37 years and her husband was 44 years. They were married for 15 years and had three failed IVFs before coming to Nova IVF. In this scenario, the wife was blamed entirely for not conceiving. On investigating, husband was found to have very poor semen parameters whereas wifes’s reports were normal. Additionally, the husband was a chain smoker and alcoholic which impacted his sperm quality. After addressing and treating the male partner issues, the couple successfully conceived and delivered a healthy baby in the very first IVF cycle.

Sperm quantity, quality and motility are major factors that determine the ability to conceive a child. Around 10-15% of infertile male have a condition called ‘Azoospermia’ i.e. the absence of viable sperms in the semen. Male infertility cannot be attributed to a single factor. It can be caused due to diseases like mumps, TB, prostatitis, cancer etc. As we all know lifestyle factors like age, nutrition, delayed marriages, smoking, work stress, obesity, and exposure to pollutants can also play a role in causing the condition. In contrast to old belief that age affects only females, research has shown that older men have high amount of abnormal sperm.

Dr. Pallavi Prasad of Nova IVF Fertility further said that Male Infertility needs to be given equal importance. Speaking about the assessment, she said “At Nova Fertility, we mandatorily assess both the partners. The first step towards the male infertility treatment starts with a thorough evaluation of the medical history. Detailed semen analysis is conducted to check the count, motility, morphology of the sperm in our state-of-the-art IVF Laboratory. If the results are atypical, we conduct further investigations like hormone profiling, DNA Fragmentation or scrotal scan with Doppler. Only after getting all the results, we formulate our line of treatment. It is also beneficial to maintain a healthy lifestyle and refrain from any addiction, especially smoking. With proper help from the appropriate fertility clinic, men will be able to experience the joys of fatherhood; it is just that they have to come forth and take the first initiative through acceptance.”

About Nova IVF Fertility:

Nova IVF Fertility (NIF) is one of the largest service providers of fertility treatment across India. With an average IVF experience of over a decade our highly experienced IVF specialists and well –trained embryologists, Nova IVF Fertility has successfully achieved over 30,000 clinical pregnancies in the country. With vast international expertise, NIF brings exceptional and ethical standards of processes, protocols, and policies to India. Through personalised treatment plans of medical management, basic ART and advanced ART – all procedures aim to significantly improve the chances of a positive pregnancy. NIF currently operates 27 fertility centres across 18 cities in India (Gujarat (2), Bengaluru (3), Chennai, Coimbatore, Hisar, Hyderabad, Indore, Jalandhar, Lucknow, Mumbai (3), New Delhi (2), Kolkata (3), Pune (2), Surat, Vijayawada, Patna, Ranchi, and Siliguri).

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