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March 28, 2024
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One-sixth affected by infertility, says WHO

According to a WHO poll, one out of every six persons worldwide suffers with infertility.

Rates also differ slightly between high-, middle-, and low-income countries.

In high-income countries, 17.8% of adults will experience infertility at some point in their lives. In low- and middle-income nations, 16.5% of adults will experience infertility at some point in their lives.

WHO is pushing all governments to make fertility treatment more accessible.

Infertility happens when a couple is unable to create children despite having regular sex.

According to the WHO, a person is infertile if they cannot conceive after 12 months of regular, unprotected sex.

Women who do not ovulate can be treated with medication or surgery, while couples with difficulty conceiving can undergo intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF).

These therapies are available through the NHS, but IUI and IVF are frequently limited or have rigorous eligibility requirements.

According to the WHO, most people in most countries pay for fertility treatments themselves rather than through government health facilities. However, due to this, many people may find it difficult to pay their payments.

According to the survey, people in impoverished countries spend more money on fertility care than people in affluent countries.

Some believe that excessive expenses hinder them from seeking therapy, preventing them from becoming pregnant when natural techniques fail.

“The report demonstrates an essential fact: infertility does not care who you are,” stated WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom.

Is there a hidden crisis?

The world’s population has risen dramatically over the last century. Only 2.5 billion people lived on Earth 70 years ago, which is still within a person’s lifespan. There will be eight billion people on the planet by 2022. Nevertheless, population growth has slowed, owing primarily to sociological and economic issues.

Birth rates are at an all-time low worldwide. Almost half of the world’s total population lives in countries with fertility rates of less than two children per woman. Without migration, these countries’ populations will continue to decline. One factor for the decline in birth rates is that women are becoming more financially independent and in control of their reproductive health. Furthermore, research suggests that many couples in low-birth-rate countries would prefer to have more children than they do, but they don’t due to societal and economic considerations such as the need for additional family assistance.

At the same time, fecundity, or a person’s physical ability to bear children, may decline. Furthermore, a study found that male reproductive issues are on the rise. This includes fewer sperm, lower testosterone levels, and a rise in erectile dysfunction and testicular cancer.

A dangerous environment

Rebecca Blanchard is a veterinary teaching associate and researcher at Nottingham University in the United Kingdom. She investigates how contaminants in the home influence men’s ability to bear children. She employs dogs as sentinels, much like an early warning system for health problems.

Her research focused mostly on the compounds found in plastics, fire retardants, and other common household products. Some of these compounds are prohibited, yet they are still present in the environment due to their use in obsolete products. Her research has revealed that these substances can disrupt our hormones and make it difficult for people and canines to bear children.

Several studies have indicated that chemicals in plastics, over-the-counter drugs, the food chain, and the air can harm a woman’s fertility. It can happen to both men and women, as well as babies. It has been discovered, for example, that black carbon, compounds that endure forever, and phthalates can all reach babies while they are still growing.

Some animal studies reveal that sperm is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of rising temperatures, which could severely impact male fertility. For example, heat waves have been shown to harm insect sperm, which has been observed in humans. In addition, a 2022 study discovered that high ambient temperatures, such as those produced by global warming or working in a hot place of business, reduce sperm quality.

Excessive alcohol consumption can cause infertility

A lousy diet, being too lazy, stressed, and drinking or taking drugs can contribute to male infertility. It can also be caused by things in the surroundings.

People have had children later in life in recent decades. Women are frequently reminded of their biological clocks, while males can become pregnant at any age. Yet, this perception is changing. It has been demonstrated that older fathers have less fertile and healthier sperm.

More and more individuals want to learn more about male infertility, discover novel ways to prevent, diagnose, and cure it, and spread the word about the need for environmental protection.

But can anything be done to safeguard or improve sperm quality?

Read Also: Male infertility: The role pollution plays

Exercise and a healthier diet are two things that have been related to improved sperm quality. Blanchard also recommends opting for organic foods and plastics free of BPA, a toxin related to male and female fertility issues.

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