A woman not being able to conceive due to reproductive health issues or struggles with not bearing a child, depicts the issues of infertility.
Infertility is a worldwide problem affecting 8-12 percent of couples (50-80 million) during their reproductive lives (WHO, 1991).
Issue of infertility among women has always had serious social ,health and demographic implications.
Depending upon the enormity of the problem , infertility can be either primary or secondary. Primary infertility is when someone is not able to conceive at all while Secondary infertility is when someone has previously conceived but is no longer able to conceive or bear a child again.
Like the rest of the world, Jammu and Kashmir has not remained unaffected by the phenomenon while a good percentage of women are struggling with the issues of not bearing a child.
According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 2019-21 the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir UT, has been witnessing a sharp fall in total fertility rate (TFR) while the infertility rate has gone up to an alarming extent.
The trend of having two children during the lifetime of women has undergone a change , while the women in Jammu and Kashmir now have an average of 1.4 children in their childbearing age which depicts a declining trend of fertility rate among women in the valley.
The rate revealed through the survey is far below the national average which was revealed by the previous survey conducted back in 2015-16.
The health experts in Kashmir valley attribute the aggravation of infertility rates to a number of factors with delayed marriage and contemporary lifestyle considered some of the major causes behind the issue of infertility.
“ Infertility is one of the major reproductive health concerns women folk are struggling with. Majority of the patients that visit the gynae clinics these days are having the problem of infertility ” said Dr Nighat Firdaus , Professor/ former Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Lal Ded hospital.
Causes
According to health experts some of the prominent causes of infertility are
Late marriages,
Sedentary lifestyle
Obesity
Thyroid problems
Changing food habits.
Stress
PCOD, PCOS
Hyperprolactinemia
Food adulteration
Sleep Deprivation
Stress
Experts believe that the changing lifestyle has inflicted immense stress on our lives. Stress is a major reason behind so many health issues, they said.
“Stress is a major reason behind so many health issues people are struggling with, in current times. . Sleeplessness is also one such cause that is correlated with stress and infertility. Prolonged use of technology, again, stressful lives, etc have also added to the problems”, Dr Nighat Firdaus said.
Other changes such as the sedentary lifestyle of contemporary times, lack of exercise , more inclination and dependence on junk food have contributed immensely to problems of infertility.
Delayed Marriages
Adding, “The age of marriages has gone up universally and in all the classes of a society. This has not risen in Kashmir only or India but in the entire world. Therefore there must be something common. With the change in our way of living, other changes are inevitable.” Dr Nighat said.
The noted gynecologists of Kashmir valley are of the opinion that the age of marriage has drastically gone up in the valley.
They said whether it is the upper class or the weaker section of our society, the marriage parameters have undergone a swath of changes, late marriages being one among them.
“Many years back, the age of 24, 25, 26 was a trend for marriages. However in contrast at present the age has touched 28, 29 or at times 30, so at this age family starts to search for a match for their children”, says Dr Bashir Ahmad a senior gynecologist of valley.
“Aging factor inflicts a gradual transformation in your body, your body structure changes as you age so does reproductive health leading to major reproductive health issues,” he added.
PCOD / PCOS
This is a hormonal condition that can cause frequent or prolonged menstruation and can interfere with reproductive health.
PCOD means Polycystic Ovarian Disease while PCOS is polycystic Ovarian syndrome are also responsible for infertility however not always. Health experts said that the condition begins with disorder PCOD , which later becomes syndrome. Its other symptoms include irregular periods, obesity, and hair growth.
Like any other health issue these are also health issues that need to be addressed with timely intervention”, Dr Nighat said.
Adding, “The major causes of PCODs , PCOSs are lifestyle, eating habits, sedentary lifestyle. lack of exercise,lack of proper sleep, fatty liver, obesity. Thirty years back there was no PCODs or PCOS like issues.”
“Infertility has increased High risk pregnancy . High risk pregnancies have become very common due to several reasons infertility being one such reason. Once a female with fertility issues conceives through IVF or natural processes they become high risk”, Dr Nighat said.
Experts say that twenties , Mid twenties or little later is the right age to bear a child because fertility is very high,conception is easy,medically also a woman is completely fit to give birth. Women can deliver normally without any problems.
Other causes behind increasing infertility are
Hyperprolactinemia: If prolactin levels are high and the female is not pregnant or breastfeeding, it may affect ovulation and fertility.
Thyroid: An overactive or underactive thyroid gland can lead to a hormonal imbalance that interferes with ovulation causing infertility.
Chronic conditions
Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI)
Poor egg quality
Surgery: Pelvic surgery
Submucosal fibroids
“Food adulteration or the change in the food habits has posed immense health challenges and infertility being one.
The intake of junk food, fast food has triggered reproductive health issues among women”, Dr Basheer said.
