Potential births loss due to male and female infertility in Moscow

Abstract

Background. During past three decades Russia is characterized by natural population decrease. And low fertility along with high mortality is the reason for this. A small natural increase in population has been observed in Moscow since 2011, but the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted the achieved positive dynamics due to sharp mortality growth. According to a number of studies, fertility decline is caused, among other things, by high prevalence of infertility, both female and male. As a result, infertility prevalence in the capital’s population is one of the main sources of reproductive losses. The study purpose is to estimate potential births losses due to female and male infertility in Moscow compared to Russia’s indicators.
 Materials and methods. Data from reporting statistical form №12 on disease prevalence (Ministry of Health of Russia) for 2011–2021 were used for analysis. Estimation of potential births loss was made using the method developed by Zemlyanova E.V. (2003).
 Results. Prevalence of female infertility in Moscow increased 3 times in 2011–2021, male infertility – 2 times, in Russia prevalence of infertility in females increase by one third, in males – nearly twice. In Moscow infertility prevalence indicators are substantially lower than Russia’s average. In 2021 prevalence of infertility in women equaled 735.9 per 100,000, in men – 11.4 per 100,000, in Russia as a whole – 789.1 and 67.1 respectively. Thus, there is multiple difference between female’s and male’s indicators: 64:1 in Moscow and 12:1 in Russia respectively. The scales of summary potential births loss due to female infertility in Moscow estimated 16 %, due to male infertility – less than 1 %; in Russia – 18 % and 3 % respectively.
 Conclusion. Thus, potential births loss due to infertility both in women and men are present both in Moscow and Russia and summary figures equal about 17–21 %. There is a significant underestimation of cases of male infertility in primary health care. True data on infertility prevalence especially in men is possible to obtain only as a result of creation of a specialized andrological service in the healthcare system. Development and implementation of a state program on protection of male reproductive health can contribute to fertility increase.