Secondary infertility on the rise among urban Indian women, claims study

Instances of women facing problems getting pregnant for the second time or while carrying a second child for the full period of pregnancy is a growing concern in urban India, says a recent study by Nova IVI Fertility.

About 20-30 per cent cases of infertility are related to 'secondary infertility' of the general infertility population, the study says. While at least 20 per cent cases are reported in Mumbai, Chennai registered the highest with 29 per cent cases of secondary infertility, followed by Hyderabad (25 per cent), Bangalore (25 per cent) and Kolkata (23 per cent).  

Secondary infertility is the inability to conceive or carry a pregnancy after a woman has conceived earlier. "The main causes for secondary infertility are similar to those of primary infertility like tubal block, endometriosis (tissue growth outside uterus), fibroid uterus (growth in the muscular wall of the uterus), altered sperm parameters with the added burden of age and lifestyle issues", says Dr Richa Jagtap, Clinical Director and Consultant
Reproductive Medicine, Nova IVI Fertility.
According to her, the common reasons for secondary infertility are maternal age, pelvic infections, surgery, changes in sperm quality or quantity and lifestyle factors such as weight gain, which contributes to ovulatory disorders in women, Among men,  excess weight causes a rise in male estrogen levels which can negatively affect sperm production.

Nova IVI Fertility (NIF), a subsidiary of Nova Medical Centres was formed in 2011 as a partnership between Nova and IVI of Spain, one of the largest reproductive medicine companies with 28 centers across 8 countries. NIF currently has nine fertility centers in Ahmadabad, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Jalandhar, Kolkata, Mumbai and Bangalore.