Breaking the misconception that infertility is a medical condition related only to women, a study has proved that infertility affects both men and women.

It is alarming to know that the incidence of male infertility is on the rise with 40 to 45 per cent of all infertility cases in Coimbatore being because of male factors, a study carried out by Nova IVI Fertility, said.

“Several cases of male infertility go undiagnosed and untreated because attention focuses only on the female partner or because men are reluctant to seek help and accept that they could be the cause for failure to conceive, Fertility Consultant at Nova IVI Fertility,” Dr. Meenakshi told reporters here on Wednesday.

“Coimbatore today is seeing an increasing number of male infertility cases, with majority of the patients falling in the age group of 29 to 35 years,” she said.

Male infertility could be genetic or caused by an infection, testicular or pelvic injury or a severe medical condition, Meenakshi said, adding that lifestyle factors such as age, nutrition, lack of regular exercise, work stress, exposure to environmental pollutants also playing a key role in the development of infertility in men.

“Habits such as smoking, drugs and alcohol, obesity and poorly controlled diabetes can negatively influence fertility in men,” she pointed out.

For women’s reproductive issues, one can reach out to an obstetrician or gynaecologist for initial evaluation. For men on the other hand, comprehensive infertility care units are the best options, she said.

Treatment options for male infertility are varied and range from simple tablets to IUI (injecting sperms directly into the uterus) to IVF-ICSI (test tube baby) depending on the cause and severity of the condition, Meenakshi said.