India’s first fertility survey — Helping Families — has revealed that as many as 46 per cent of couples in the 31-40 age group are infertile.
The survey was conducted across nine major cities of India with a sample size of 2,562 respondents, both urban and rural. Additionally, one of the key findings of the survey is that 51 per cent of young couples in the 31-40 age group surveyed in Mumbai were found to be infertile when compared to 40 per cent of young couples in the same age group in Delhi.
In the 31-40 age bracket, 49 per cent couples have already undergone IVF treatment and the rest of them were considering opting for infertility treatment.
Poor sperm count is a major problem among men due to the increasing stress, toxicity in the environment, smoking, promiscuity, etc. “About 20 years ago, the normal sperm count was said to be 40 million and above. Now, the WHO guidelines have brought down the normal sperm count to 15 million and above,” said Dr Hrishikesh Pai, an IVF expert, president elect, ISAR 2014, and scientific director-Advanced Infertility Centre, Lilavati Hospital.