Male infertility rising in Madurai: experts

"Some of the reasons for sperm count falling are stress, junk food, overexposure to mobile phones and laptops"

City doctors have expressed concern over the increase in infertility among men. Couples who have been waiting for a child should not delay consulting doctors, they say.

S. Chandralekha, Medical Director of Iswarya Women’s Hospital and Fertility Centre, said at a press conference here on Monday that the sperm count in males was coming down due to various factors and in nearly 50 per cent of cases, the delay in pregnancy was because of male infertility.

“Some of the reasons for sperm count falling are stress, junk food, overexposure to mobile phones and laptops. The couple must go for a medical check-up six months after marriage as there is nothing wrong in consulting an (ART) specialist,” she suggested.

In November last year, 18 women were conceived through reproductive technology and 24 test tube babies were delivered at the hospital, the staff said.

Further, Dr. Chandralekha said that it would be ideal if women got married by 23 since age was a crucial factor in deciding fertility.

The senior gynaecologist motivated childless couples not to hesitate in going for assisted reproductive procedures. According to experts, fertility problem is attributed to the changes in the lifestyle of people, rise in women employment, stress and late marriage.

Concurring with Dr. Chandralekha, Uma Devi, Head of Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Government Rajaji Hospital, said equal number of males and females visited the hospital with fertility problems.

Once the proposed Reproductive and Child Health Centre comes up at the GRH, the department would soon get advanced facilities on a par with private hospitals, she added.