Infertility in Mazandaran: an etiological study

This study was conducted to determine the clinical patterns and major causes of infertility in mazandaran province in north of Iran.

The medical records of 3734 consecutive couples attending two infertility clinics in Mazandaran province north of Iran from 2003 to 2008 were recorded. The couples had not had a viable birth after at least 1 year of unprotected intercourse and were investigated fully.

Of the entire sample 78.7% had primary infertility and 21.3% had secondary infertility. The mean duration of infertility of couples was 5.7 ± 4 years. The etiology of infertility in couples revealed a male factor in 38.9% a female factor in 34.7% combined factors in 14.6% and an undetermined cause in 11.8%.

In this study delayed attendance of infertile couples to the infertility clinic was found. Therefore there is a need to revise public health program on infertility to focus on the education and prevention of infertility and its risk factors.