Prevalence and distribution of causes of infertility according to women’s age – a cross-sectional study in a tertiary healthcare hospital setup

OBJECTIVES: Infertility has disastrous consequences, particularly for women. Causes of infertility in developed countries have been investigated but there is a significant lack of data among Indian female population. The aim of the present study was to analyze the causes and the proportion of the individual factors contributing to infertility, considering the age factor. METHODS: The data of 204 infertile women (18-45 years) were collected from the files in tertiary care hospitals. Causes and age of infertile women were grouped. The prevalence of each cause was evaluated. Data analysis was done using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) version 17.0. RESULTS: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) was the most common (14.71%) cause of female infertility. Ovulatory dysfunctions (25.55%) were the foremost cause in primary infertility, whereas in secondary infertility, uterine factors (26.86%) were most common. The incidence of primary and secondary infertility was more evident in patients who were more than 30 years of age. CONCLUSIONS: Causes of infertility vary according to the age. The causes of female infertility were unexplained infertility, ovulatory disorders and uterine factors most commonly affecting women at ≤30 years.