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Introduction
"Of
all nature's gifts to the human race, what is sweeter to a man
than his children?"
-Marcus Tullius Cicero
Infertility,
whether male or female, is defined as the inability of a couple
to achieve conception or bring a pregnancy to term after a year
or more of regular, unprotected sexual intercourse.
According
to WHO, between 2 and 10% of couples worldwide are unable to conceive
a child and a further of 10-25% experience secondary Infertility
i.e. are unable to conceive a second or subsequent child. About
15% of couples of childbearing age seek medical help for infertility,
usually after about two years of failing to conceive. Among these
couples, infertility is exclusively a problem in the female in
about 30-40% of cases, exclusively in the men in about 10-30%
of cases. In 15-30% of cases, both partners have detectable abnormalities.
After thorough medical examinations, the causes of infertility
remain unexplained in 5-10% of couples. WHO believes that around
60-80 million couples in the world are infertile.
Becoming
pregnant is not that easy even for people who do not have fertility
problems, human being is one of the least fertile creature on
earth. There is only a fairly short time within the menstrual
cycle when conception is possible, making the chances of conception
only 25% each month. It is estimated that 10% of normally fertile
couple fail to conceive within their first year of attempt and
5% after two years.
Infertility
is a crisis of the deepest kind. It threatens many aspects of
a couple's life- not only the partners relationship to each other,
but it also effects them individually and their relationship with
friends and family.
Infertility
therapy is now highly successful, with pregnancy rates obtained
with most treatment comparable to natural pregnancy rates. For
those couples who do not become pregnant after several treatment
cycles, the decision to continue treatment is made depending on
their individual wishes and needs in consultation with medical
experts.
Management
of infertility includes both the physical and emotional care of
couple. Therefore, support from physicians, nurses and all people
involved in treating the infertile couple is essential to help
them to cope with the various aspects of their condition. Counseling
and contact with other infertile couple is essential to help them
to cope with the various aspects of their condition. Counseling
and contact with other infertile couples and patients association
provides much needed help outside the medical environment.
Stats
and facts
- Infertility
affects about 10 percent of the reproductive age population.
- Twenty-five
percent of infertile couples have more than one factor that
contributes to thier infertility.
- In
approximately 40 percent of infertile couples, the male partner
is either the sole cause or a contributing cause of infertility.
- Irregular
or abnormal ovulation accounts for approximately 25 percent
of all female infertility problems.
- Most
infertile cases 85% to 90% can be treated with conventional
medical therapies such as medication or surgery.
- While
vital for some patients, in vitro fertilization and similar
treatments accounts for less than 5 percent of infertility
services.
- Twelve
percent of all infertility cases are a result of woman either
weighing to little or too much.
- it
is possible for women with body weight disorders to reverse
their infertility by attaining and maintaining a healthy weight.
- Men
and women who smoke have decreased fertility.
- The
risk for spontaneous abortion is higher for pregnant women
who smoke.
- Up
to 13 percent of female infertility is caused by cigrette
smoking
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