Hyderabad: City-based infertility specialist Dr Durga G Rao revealed that southern states have a low fertility rate, adding that Telangana and Andhra Pradesh currently have an average fertility rate of 1.7.
“Infertility amongst adults is a rising concern globally. With one in four infertile couples coming from India. The country is at risk of becoming a global epicentre of infertility,” she remarked.
Average fertility rate should be at 2.1
The fertility specialist added that the average fertility rate should be 2.1 which will allow a generation to replace itself. While the fertility rates are fine for the next decade, there is a rapid decline in the southern state.
“There is a serious decline which needs to be addressed as we move forward to have the same kind of population within the southern states,” the doctor reiterated this is in contrast with the northern states which have a very high fertility rate.
Case registered over damage to aircraft of Apollo Hospital’s chairman
“Three decades ago 1 in 6 couples had fertility issues which has now reduced to 1 in 4. Explaining the reason for focusing on infertility, Durga said, adding that “in the future, if we continue to move at the same rate, there will be a time when the population would be stagnant or running down. This is an issue countries like Japan and Korea are currently facing.”
In these countries, the older population is on the rise and the younger population is on the decline; which will impact the nation’s economy, since most of the funds are being spent on healthcare for the aged.
“Despite being the most populous country in the world, if the fertility issues aren’t taken care of, India will likely face the same problems,” she added. At the moment only a few states in India have an average fertility rate of 2.1.
The fertility specialist further highlighted that a sedentary lifestyle is a reason for a low fertility rate.
“Most couples have different work shifts, smoking and consumption of alcohol have become a way of life today,” she remarked.
Doctor calls for awareness campaigns
The use of plastic items for storing food and water was also highlighted as a factor affecting fertility. The specialist also called for a campaign on fertility to raise awareness among the public similar to the campaigns done for HIV AIDS. “Right education at the right time is essential to understand the dangers of infertility,” she added.
Social freezing
There is a need to spread awareness on social freezing, in case women want to have children later.
The doctor also highlighted the need for men and women to get themselves checked for fertility adding that men should get themselves checked for fertility once they reach 30 years of age and women must get themselves checked after 32 years.
Listing some of the techniques used in fertility treatments, Dr Rao said, “A few treatments offered by our fertility centre include CAPA In Vitro Maturation (IVM), a drug-free IVF option that is beneficial for patients with PCOS or PCOD and offers a wide range of advanced treatments, including Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Aneuploidies (PGT-A), Endometrial Receptivity Analysis (ERA), Magnetic-Activated Cell Sorting (MACS), and Microsurgical Testicular Sperm Extraction (Micro TESE), all aimed at increasing chances of delivering healthy, biological children to the couples with chromosomal abnormalities.”
