Late marriages, absentia hubbies behind Goa’s high infertility rate: Experts

PANAJI: It is estimated that the number of couples in Goa struggling to conceive could be as high as 20-25% when compared to other states, where around 10-15% are faced with the condition. Although no studies are available, experts say absentia husbands and late marriages owing to lifestyle choices are the two prominent factors behind the spread of the reproductive system disease among couples in the state.
Noted gynaecologist Dr Jayant Kamat, who runs an IVF clinic in Ponda, says the absentia husband phenomenon is the prime reason for high infertility among Goa couples vis-a-vis their counterparts in other states.

While declining to quote figures in the absence of a dedicated study that could conclusively prove doctors’ presumptions, Kamat says, “Many Goan husbands work in the Middle East as well as in other foreign lands, including the UK. Most visit their homes once a year for about month, and some, once in six months. In such a situation, if the woman trying to have a baby is in her mid- or late thirties, chances of her falling pregnant diminish further,” he explains.
Kamat also says that men who work in a ship’s engine room as engineers or technicians, are likely to have lower sperm counts. “Exposure to heat for long hours, such as in an engine room, affects sperm count,” he says.
Dr Kedar Padte, a much sought-after gynaecologist and obstetrician based in Panaji, puts Goa’s infertility rate at 20-25 %, which, he says, is 10 % higher than the national average. “It is a serious problem,” says Padte, and names late marriages as the primary cause. “Another factor is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which impacts women’s hormone levels and causes them to skip menstrual cycles, therefore making it even more difficult for them to get pregnant.”
Head of the obstetrics and gynaecology department at the Goa Medical College, Dr Guruprasad Pednekar, estimates that Goa’s infertility rate could be 10-15%, or even higher. “Fortunately, due to a high level of awareness, couples in Goa don’t waste much time in seeking help if they experience difficulty in getting pregnant. In other states, ignorance of the issue may result in couples not seeing a doctor at all,” he says.