Dr Christos T. Pappas
MD, PhD, MSc, BSCCP
One of the biggest health problems in our country, which has reached almost epidemic proportions, is infertility. By infertility we mean the difficulty a couple faces in conceiving and having a child.
A couple is considered infertile after one year of systematic attempts. Today it is estimated that about 1 in 6 couples faces a fertility problem.
The rise in infertility is the result of many different factors. Today, for many women, starting a family is postponed to later stages because of studies, training and establishing a career. This has increased the age of women, with a consequent reduction in the chance of conception and childbearing. Another very common factor is a problem with the fallopian tubes, as a result of some past inflammation, which often goes unnoticed because of the lack of symptoms.
Other factors affecting women include endometriosis, anatomical abnormalities of the uterus, polycystic ovary syndrome, etc. In addition, problems with male semen are found more and more often, as a result of genetic predisposition, infections of the reproductive glands, and the effects of toxic factors such as smoking, alcohol, a sedentary lifestyle and other environmental factors.
Finally, in a large percentage of couples no specific cause is found. These cases are described as "unexplained infertility".
The methods of assisted reproduction are intrauterine insemination and IVF. The choice of method is individual and concerns each couple separately. The couple's history must always be investigated and the appropriate tests arranged to clarify the causes of the difficulty in conceiving.
Contact us for more information on the subject and to book an appointment with the doctor.
One of the biggest health problems in our country, which has reached almost epidemic proportions, is infertility.