MN Report
Karachi: Voicing concern that infertility is a growing health problem in Pakistan, experts said almost 15 to 20 per cent of couples are suffering from this disorder and of them 40pc are men and 30pc women.
However, the good news is that almost 80pc cases of infertility can now be treated successfully due to `good choice’ of drugs, they added.
Elaborating on the subject, the experts deplored that in most of such cases women are victimized even if their spouse suffer from infertility merely because of social customs and taboos although most of such men still could not have baby despite contracting multiple marriages.
These views were expressed by experts at the third public awareness seminar on "Infertility-Is it treatable?" held here at the PMA House in connection with Pak-China MEDCONG.
Speaking on the occasion, Associate Professor Civil Hospital Karachi Dr Nusrat Shah stressed the need for addressing growing incidence of infertility in Pakistan.
"Nowadays we are examining young girls of 19 to 22 years with polycystic ovarian disease leading to infertility and such girls start developing mustaches and hair on chin,” she said, adding that parents of such girls should think to get them married as decrease in such symptoms is noticed after marriage and birth of babies.
Prominent gynaecologist Dr Sher Shah Syed said that if any couple does not have a baby in a year despite enjoying good marital relationship than they should think of possibility of infertility. Such couples should contact an MBBS doctor who can refer them to a gynaecologist or urologist as per need, he said.
Infertile couples should not go to fake ‘bangali babas’ and ‘hakeems’ as they cannot help them at all.
Infertility is a major part of science and almost 80pc of such cases can be treated successfully. Almost 15pc of all infertile cases are not diagnosed with any deficiency, but still they are unable to conceive. In such case they should go for test tube baby. Some men do not have sperm at all and doctor cannot help such men, he opined.
Consultant Gynaecologist Dr Kaneez Fatima and PMA Karachi chapter’s president Dr Shaukat Malik also addressed the seminar.