By: Noreena Akbar

Infertility

• Inability to conceive after 12 months of having sexual
intercourse with average frequency ( 2 to 3 times per
week), without the use of any form of birth control.

• Infertility is a disease of the reproductive system

defined by the failure to achieve a clinical pregnancy
after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual
intercourse.
 Types of Infertility

 There are two basic types of infertility:

1. Primary Infertility: Couple has never produced a

pregnancy.
2. Secondary Infertility: woman has previously been
pregnant, regardless of the outcome and now unable to
conceive.
 Clinical Based Study

 In our environment, 20-30% is primary while 70-80%
cases is secondary.

 In the developed countries primary is 80% as against

secondary of 20%.

 Population based studies suggest that secondary

infertility is more than primary infertility
worldwide.
 Factors Affecting Fertility

 Age of women
after the age of 40 the fertility rate decreases by
50% while the risk of miscarriages increases.
 Age of the men
increased age affects coital frequency and sexual
function.
 Nutrition
for women, weight 10% to 15% below normal or
obesity may lead to less frequent ovulation and
reduced fertility.
 Cont…

 Factors that can contribute to fertility problems
include:
• Toxic agents, such as lead, toxic fumes and
pesticides
• Smoking and alcohol
• Biological causes
 All these factors may cause:
In women: reduced conceptions and increased
risk of fatal wastage
In men: reduced sex drive and sperm count
 Effects

 Infertility is a traumatic experience for both men and women,
affecting all facets of their lives that includes marital, physical,
emotional, social, financial, and spiritual.
 Childlessness is a complex problem that affects not only
biological but also the emotional health of women.
 Infertility sometimes results in marital discord, as relationship
between husband and wife is affected very badly. In some
cases, the marital disturbance can last for a long period and
eventually results in a divorce. In a more complex scenario, the
male partners are forced to subsequent marriages that affects
the psychological health of female counterpart.
 Infertile individuals face different life crisis such as emotional
and mental instability (Lee, 2001).
 Cont…

 According to Greil (2010), infertile individuals going through
the painful procedures of infertility became more introvert and
aggressive to some extent.

 Women authorized significantly high level of emotional

distress across various fields such as overall psychopathology,
uneasiness, and sadness (El-Kissi et al., 2013).
 Prevalence

 There is an overall increase in prevalence of
infertility in the last 3 decades compared to 3
decades before that.

 The 12-month prevalence rate ranged from 3.5% to

16.7% in more developed nations and from 6.9% to
9.3% in less-developed nations, with an estimated
overall median prevalence of 9%.
 WAYS TO IMPROVE
INFERTILITY

 Lose weight
 Manage stress
 Exercise
 Eat healthy
 Basic knowledge about sex
 Attitudes toward
Infertility

There are different attitudes of society towards infertility:
Negative attitude of society: Infertility is in itself is a stress.
In many developed countries, it has become a taboo which
stresses the individuals suffering from infertility. Society
have different attitudes towards infertile men and women
(Rouchou, 2013).
 Attitude towards men: Men with infertility suffers a lot of
stress. But as men are more superior than women and
their dignity is more important, so the infertility of men is
less discussed and disclosed in Asian countries. But
when men’s infertility is disclosed, they suffer more stress
than women.
 Cont….

 Attitudes towards women: women suffering from
infertility suffers a lot of societal pressure for not
bearing child. Women are threatened to be divorced
or to accept her husband’s another marriage. This
affects women’s psychological and physical health as
well.
 In developing countries like Pakistan such women
are stigmatized and even not allowed in baby-
showers as she is considered unlucky for others too.
In events like mehndi they are not allowed to start
the rasm etc.
 Cont…

 Positive attitude of society: In many developed
countries, many people are seeking treatment and
sympathetic attitudes from peers, family and social
circle. People are getting familiar to this pain which
is felt by infertile individuals.
 Basic workup for
infertility

 Evaluating both partners is essential
Detailed history and physical examination for both.
 Couple should be informed about
Different causes of infertility tests and procedures
required to make a diagnoses Various therapeutic
possibilities
 Public awareness
Team of trained staff should be arranged to make
public awareness about infertility. Psychological
needs of infertile individuals should also be
addressed
Remedies toward positive
attitude

 Public enlightenment on sex education and sexual
responsibility.

 Adequate prevention and treatment.

 Appropriate counselling on late marriages and post

postpoment of childbearing till the third decade of
life
 Cont…..

 Religion plays an important role to think positively
toward this health problem as infertility can occur in
any indiviual because its not in the hands of human.
 When people will be aware of this problem they will
show empathetic behavior toward indiviuals with
infertility.
 Social and emotional support is very effective for
indiviuals suffering from infertility.