Global Courant 2023-05-09 18:42:48
A report from the World Health Organization shows that about one in six adults (17.5 percent) worldwide experience infertility.
The report, published April 4, categorizes infertility as a disease of the male or female reproductive system after failure to achieve pregnancy after 12 months or more.
While the topic has become less stigmatized, one expert says the lack of knowledge about infertility and affordable care leaves many without solutions.
“This is an incredibly common problem,” Dr. Prati Sharma, assistant physician at CReATe Fertility Center in Toronto, on CTV’s Your Morning Tuesday. “Access to care is a huge issue now and I think it’s really established globally and in Canada.”
There are clinics like the one Sharma works for that provide funding options for people to access egg donation, surrogacy and sperm donation. Some employers offer benefits that cover fertility assistance, but Sharma says there are still people who don’t have access to affordable care.
There could be a number of reasons why getting pregnant is difficult, Sharma said. Dividing the topics into three parts — male, female and other factors — could help sort out the potential problems, she said.
“When we talk about male infertility, we look at abnormalities in sperm production, sperm quality, number, sperm motility,” Sharma said. “Female factor can have a lot of poor. Usually it’s advanced reproductive age, so women who are older than 35, and especially older than 37 and 40, have what we call reduced ovarian reserve. Their quality and number of eggs is increasing with time decreases, but truly diminished ovarian reserve can affect women of all ages.”
In the “other” category, Sharma says factors such as uterine abnormalities, pelvic scarring, endometriosis, and hormonal problems can prevent some women from getting pregnant.
“Sometimes infertility is unexplained,” she said. “(About) 25 percent of infertility has no cause and we just treat based on the technologies we have to help conceive.”
Sharma says people under 35 should seek help after a year of trying to conceive. For people over the age of 35, she said, six months is “enough” before asking for help.
“If there is a gynecological problem — irregular periods, pelvic pain, family history of infertility or early menopause — don’t hesitate to seek treatment sooner,” Sharma said. “Because the sooner the better. We can identify problems earlier and help you faster.”
Click on the video at the top of this article to watch the full interview.
