50% of women in UAE face infertility issues

Dubai - Infertility cases in Dubai could double by 2030, finds study

During the inauguration of the Aster IVF & Women Clinic - a speciality clinic launched by Aster DM Healthcare - a study was unveiled revealing that fertility treatments in the UAE need to become easily accessible and affordable to tackle the growing infertility numbers among couples.
The study also mentioned that one in five couples in the UAE face fertility issues - a higher figure than in other parts of the world.
Studies reflect that infertility is becoming increasingly common in the region. As per the Dubai Health Authority's (DHA) latest findings, around 50 per cent of women in the UAE face issues pertaining to infertility.
Statistics also show that in Dubai alone the incidence of infertile women seeking treatment per year could nearly double from 5,975 cases in 2015 to 9,139 cases by 2030.
The study findings were launched by former Miss World, actress, philanthropist and author, Diana Hayden, a strong and vocal advocate for the removal of stigmas associated with infertility.
Hayden was in Dubai to launch the Aster IVF & Women Clinic.
Speaking at the opening of the clinic, Alisha Moopen, Executive Director and Group CEO of Aster DM Healthcare, stated that the Aster IVF & Women Clinic was an extension of its specialty care to the families in the communities it operates in.
This is in large part caused by a shifting demographic trend coupled with late marriages, and consequently, late attempts to start a family.
Diana Hayden said: "An increasing number of couples only look to enter parenthood when they feel they are a hundred per cent ready for it. Late marriages have also led to an increase in age at which people opt to have their first child. However due to the decreasing level of hormones with age in both men and women, the reality is that we are witnessing lower rates of fertility.
"Yet in today's world of medical advances, one is able to ensure that it is possible for women to conceive and couples to experience parenthood at their convenience. This is provided they have the best treatments and procedures of IVF available to them, such as the Aster IVF & Women Clinic, Including specialised doctors who are committed to advancing the cause of fertility."
Another factor associated with rising infertility is obesity, as a high Body Mass Index (BMI) is associated with infertility.
The high level of diabetes in the region is another significant factor. According to government health statistics around 25 per cent of adults in the UAE have diabetes and a similar percentage of population is pre-diabetic.
Smoking in both men and women has also been suggested as a cause of infertility. Natural conception is twice as difficult for smoking women, as it causes lower sperm counts in men and also reduces the success rates of fertility treatments.
With global, regional and local infertility rates rising, so is the demand for IVF. The United Nations study says that the global IVF market is estimated to grow up to US$21.6 billion by 2020.
Located in Al Mankhool, Bur Dubai, the Aster IVF & Women Clinic, the clinic is also a specialty extension of the obstetrics and gynaecology department at the Aster Hospital in Mankhool.
Alisha explained: "At our hospitals and clinics we have witnessed countless couples nervously seek counsel on how to act on issues of infertility."
reporters@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai