Is infertility a disease or a condition or a symptom?
Is infertility a disease or a condition or a symptom? This aspect is much debated and very diverse opinions exist on this topic. But let us first review some formal considerations: The World Health Organization defines infertility to be “a disease of the reproductive system defined by the failure to achieve a clinical pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse”. There are furthermore a multitude of definitions varying from clinical, demographic, epidemiological and even as a disability. Then there are definitions for infertility relating to the male or female only. This represents one of the mine fields. Who is diseased in the end? The male, the female or the couple?
But why is there such a huge debate and does it matter if infertility is classified as a disease or not? Most of the debate apparently and mainly has to do with three major aspects: It seems that governments are unlikely to fund infertility if it is not considered a disease; secondly, many researchers in the field argue that they will struggle to get funding even from the pharmaceutical industry if infertility is not considered a disease; there are also many ethical and philosophical aspects to be considered.
Dr Hane Maung, of Lancaster University, asks whether government funding for fertility treatment should be framed as fighting disease? Dr Maung argues in this context that “…there are many causes of infertility. There may be anatomical or physiological anomalies; fertility declines with advancing age; some can conceive with one partner but not with another; those who are in same-sex relationships or childless by choice are socially infertile. It is possible that some cases of infertility could be considered diseases while other causes could not”.
A survey by the BMJ (2002), indicated that infertility appeared on the list of ‘non-diseases’ as a ‘variant of normal’ and only 38% of participants agreed that infertility is a disease (Human Reproduction, 2000).
Dickey and colleagues in a response to an Editorial in a Reproductive Biology journal clearly state: “A major obstacle to the treatment of infertility as a symptom by the Health Insurance Industry is the way it is characterized in the International Classification of Diseases, Volume 9 (ICD). In the ICD, female infertility (Code 628.0) and male infertility (606.0) are classified as diseases but are clearly treated as symptoms”! Does it make sense? No.
Ethical issues have become more prominent in the overall debate. Couples that cannot conceive are distressed and arguments about the status of fertility as disease or not does not alleviate their problem of childlessness. It is clear that more attention need to be devoted to these ethical and philosophical aspects in the context that infertility is a symptom and not a disease.
Dickey and colleagues from Louisiana State University finally make this very important point: “The facts are that infertility”….., is not a disease; “they are symptoms of underlying, sometimes serious disease in one or both marital partners. One result of considering infertility and anovulation as diseases rather than as symptoms is that unnecessarily powerful and expensive treatments may be used to obtain an immediate pregnancy, whereas chronic disease that may affect lifelong health is overlooked”.
We need to consider: Chronic back pain and chronic chest pain may simply be symptoms of serious underlying disease and as Dickey and colleagues pointed out: infertility may be caused by underlying disease too.
It seems infertility is not a disease but is complex and involve multiple factors from genetic… to… behaviour.
Prof Gerhard van der Horst (PhD, PhD)
Senior Consultant
MICROPTIC S.L.
good different one
Great blog, Thank you for sharing good information For Woman again Thanks
ivf.chaitanyahospital Best infertility doctor in chandigarh
What a fantastic post it is! This is probably the most concise post with very useful information. Keep writing.
Great post! Age is the main culprit for infertility, as after crossing 35 you’re ovarian reserves drop, and this results in declination of egg quality and count. Thanks for sharing an article. Keep Sharing.
thanks for sharing such beautiful information with us. I hope you will share some more information about infertility treatment. please Keep sharing
Hello!Thank you for sharing valuable information about ICSI Treatment. I hope you will share some more information about infertility treatment. please keep sharing! we are very grateful to you.
You guys explainied this infertility issue in a right way. Most people are have different opinions and persepctive when it comes to inferitlity. But you’ve just broke it down to simple and explained it in a two way communication manner. Nice information. I hope this article will help the right people who seeking for the advice regarding the inferitlity.
Great blog Really informative. Thank you for sharing the information about infertility a disease or a condition or a symptom
Excellent article!! Infertility, in my opinion, is a condition that can affect a person for a variety of reasons. But it was fascinating to read about it.
Conscise and informative post about two points of view on a condition that is increasingly troubling couples the world over. No matter what we choose to refer to it as, the management of infertility needs to begin with a thorough medical investigation of both partners by qualified infertility specialists to understand the root cause and addressing it, while aiding the couples to conceive and experience the joys of parenthood.
Great article! I think it is a condition and nowadays many people are facing it. Due to lifestyle changes, I think. It was a great article, thank you for sharing it.
Good article! In the current world, many men and women are in a confused state, not understanding the concept of infertility. However, this article clearly explains all about infertility and what the major reasons for someone’s being infertile are and provides insights into what necessary preventive measures need to be taken. Overall, it was a very good article, and thank you for sharing it with us.
Great post about the infertility where you explain whether it is a disease or a condition or a symptom.
Great article!! It was great learning about infertility and how it can be cured. Thank you for sharing the article. It was useful.
Nice content, very informative and productive page all the information on fertility is covered
The facts are that infertility and its frequent companion, anovulation, are not diseases; they are symptoms of underlying, sometimes serious disease in one or both marital partners.
You have a great way with words as shown in your article. You’re even good with informational content like you have here. I hope you will share some more information about infertility treatment. please Keep sharing
very informative post…! Explanation is very clear and its true , Thanks for sharing
Hello,
This blog is very useful for women!
Thanks for sharing
Hello, This information is very useful!
Thanks For Sharing!
This is a great feature for sharing this informative message. I am impressed by the knowledge.
Infertility, a typical condition, is the inability to conceive and carry a healthy pregnancy. There are numerous ways to treat infertility, such as hormone-balancing drugs, physical problem-solving surgery, and in vitro fertilisation (IVF).
Infertility is a complex issue encompassing various factors, and the debate over whether it should be classified as a disease, condition, or symptom is ongoing. The World Health Organization defines it as a disease, but there are differing opinions. The classification matters because it impacts funding and research opportunities. However, regardless of its classification, the emotional and ethical challenges faced by couples dealing with infertility remain unchanged. It is essential to address the underlying causes rather than solely focusing on immediate pregnancy solutions. Infertility requires consideration of multiple factors, including genetics and behavior.
very nice blog bhut ache knowledge mile
How is infertility treated
https://www.letsdiskuss.com/how-is-infertility-treated
Thanks for this informative effort, also share some information about by birth Infertility.