Infertility on the rise as lifestyle changes take a toll

Modern times have brought major changes in the environment, in social mores and the environment, which have all had an impact on men’s and women’s fertility levels. Today, marriages mostly take place when people are in their late 20s or early 30s. 

There have been rapid changes in the environment – global warming, reducing ozone levels in the atmosphere, air and water pollution, sometimes contaminated food too. 

Urbanisation has meant marked changes in lifestyle – junk food consumption, obesity, smoking, alcohol, altered sleep cycles, restricted physical activity, excess use of electronic gadgets and a target-oriented, stressful work environment. 

These factors have collectively affected men’s and women’s fertility reserves.   Global Research reports that infertility is rising, its current incidence being 1520 per cent. This is clearly a five- or six-fold increase in the last decade and it is due to the lifestyle and environmental changes around us. 

The WHO, governments and NGOs should join hands to bring awareness to young couples and motivate them to undergo infertility treatments sooner rather than later if they fail to conceive naturally.

Today’s times require both partners to work to afford a decent standard of living. Consequently, they are unable to start infertility treatments early enough. 

Treatments for other medical conditions – such as, diabetes, hypertension or dyslipidemia – require fewer doctor’s visits. Infertility treatment requires six or seven visits a month and often couples fail to complete it. 

What also happens is that when the couple encounters failure despite treatment, their frustration and disappointment lead to unhealthy practices, like over eating, which, in turn, leads to obesity. This further worsens the outcome of the treatment. 

Most couples also tend to react to current time constraints and put off pregnancy. They feel that they can access modern fertility treatments, such as Intra Uterine Insemination, In Vitro Fertilisation or Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection at a later time. This is usually because they can also afford it.

Many fertility consultants, such as Drs. Saravanan Lakshmanan and Mahalakshmi Saravanan from ARC International Fertility and Research Centre, have been actively spreading awareness about this to childless couples via social media, YouTube videos, and print and electronic media. 

There is today greater awareness also about sperm or egg freezing among younger couples who are unable to complete their families before 30-35 years of age. Sperm or eggs frozen at a younger age can be used at a later date for the same person to have a healthy child. 

Fertility consultants offer multiple treatment options, with adequate counselling along the way, and are hand-held to the next treatment process if they fail to achieve pregnancy with the more basic treatments. Those looking for privacy or being seen on priority, many fertility consultants do have a dedicated team that can fulfill this requirement.

All those in this speciality have a single message for young couples: don’t waste your precious youth, seek earlier treatment if failing to conceive naturally.