The condition is somewhat similar in Kashmir. According to a study carried out by the Department of Endocrinology at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences in 2008, 15.7 percent of women in Kashmir who are of child-bearing age will never have a child without clinical intervention. PCOS (Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome) is believed to be one of the main reasons for this problem.Kashmir’s renowned endocrinologist, Dr. Ashraf Ganaiesays that in recent years there has been a tremendous increase in the number of PCODpatients. A specific unpublished study revealed that 90% of female infertility problems are due to PCOD and related diseases, 5% are due to POF (Premature Ovarian Failure) and another 5% due to other stresses in our lives.
“These problems are not only female specific. It is also present in males as a metabolic syndrome. We call it a genetic disorder,”says Dr. Ashraf, who believes late marriages areadding to this problem.
All these problems have lead to a blooming of IVF (In-vitro Fertility) treatment centers in the valley. The IVF is a treatment where fertilization of the egg is done outside the womb in a Petri-dish. The man’s sperm and woman’s egg are fertilized in a vitro (glass) dish and after fertilization the resulting embryo is transferred into the uterus of the woman.Worldwide success rate of this IVF treatment is 40%.
However, the percentage varies with age. It is highest when the patient is between 25-30 years while for patients below 21 and above 40 it can be less than 20 percent. Initially it was used on women who had tubal factor infertility, a condition in which the fallopian tubes are blocked, damaged or absent but today it is tried on most of the infertilitypatients.
IVF started in Kashmir valley in 2003 with Rotunda Hygeia Clinic that hire doctors from outside the state for the treatment.A few others are run by the gynecologists from the valley. The first clinic is believed to have done about 1000 successful pregnancies in 8 years. Such clinics witness a huge rush of patients with each passing year and with increasing number of problems leading to infertility.
“In females it is because of stress, POF, late marriages, endometriosis, fibroids, PCOS, tubal blocks, PID (pelvic inflammatory disease), pelvic Koch’s, hormonal disorders (prolactin and thyroids). In males it is due to contact with pesticides, alcohol consumption, smoking, in laptop users, people exposed to more heat like drivers and mechanics as due to heat their sperm count gets reduced so naturally their mortality decreases,” says Dr.Ruheel Nisa, Lab Director Rotunda Hygeia clinic. “Most of the infertility problems in males are due to the interrogation in jails.”
Infertility in tortured people is very common in Kashmir where two decades of conflict has inflicted psychological as well as physical sufferings.“In jails people (males) are interrogated on their private parts resulting in their infertility.
Females have also got effected equally, like PTSD (Post traumatic stress disorder) leads to their infertility.For the rape victims, mostly, it is very difficult to conceive,” says Dr. Ashraf. Dr. Arshid, Psychiatrist, government Psychiatric hospital is of the similar opinion.He also says stress changes neuro-hormonal environment of the body affecting fertility.
Stress disorders have reduced the reproductive age of Kashmiri women by almost 10 years, reveals a finding by Dr Abdul Hameed Zargar, former Director SKIMS. The finding shows that 11 percent women out of the 2,000 women examined between 2004 and 2006 in J&K suffered from premature menopause — a rise of 2 per cent from the late 90s. Some experts also claim reproductive age has reduced but Dr. Ashraf says it is puberty which starts early, then due to late marriages like at 30 or 32 reproduction period reduces. more
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