Primary report on the risk factors affecting female infertility in South Indian districts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala

Abstract

In the present study an effort has been made to find out common factors responsible for female infertility in the three study areas. The prevalence of female infertility was 45.67% in Kanyakumari 44.24% in Thirunelveli and 41.91% in Thiruvananthapuram. Primary infertility is as common distressing problem in India as in other parts of the world. Zargar et al reported that the magnitude of primary infertility in India was 50%.. The present study clearly indicates that primary infertility was more dominating than secondary infertility in South India. A woman reaches her maximum fertility potential at the age of 30. We observed maximum number of infertile females in the age group of 25 - 30 years indicating a shift in the fertility potential age. Maximum women had 1- 5 years of infertility duration but Sumita and Ranjit reported that 57.5% were infertile for 2 - 5 years. We established more infertility in urban than rural areas while Mokhtar et al reported more infertility in rural areas. In India women with high school education and above have markedly higher infertility rate than the less educated. Kerala had set an example by having high female literacy and lower infertility. Interestingly the infertility percentage of unemployed females was more in all three study areas than the employed suggesting lifestyle stress. The incidence of infertility among women with a positive infertility family history among mothers and sisters was 24% and 32% respectively. In Kanyakumari 13.14% couples Thirunelveli 25.34% couples and Thiruvananthapuram 16.96% couples had a temporarily migrant male partner working abroad who failed to persist getting infertility treatment. According to Dabral and Malik usage of family planning methods increases with education of women. However we observed very few educated couples using contraceptives. Frank found that women with PCOS were concomitant with increased risk of infertility. Which is true in the present study where PCOS was the major cause for infertility.