Iran has high infertility rate

Shahrzadnews -- Iranian insurance companies say the cost of infertility treatment is on a par with cosmetic surgery, and refuse to reimburse policy-holders.

Statistics from a recent national survey of 17 thousand Iranian married couples reveal that over 20.2% suffer from infertility problems, a rate higher that the world average.

Head of the Ibn Sina Infertility Research Centre Dr. Mohammad Mehdi told the Fars News Agency: “Though the condition is medical it can lead to social problems for childless couples, including divorce, polygamy and domestic violence. In the more serious cases sufferers have committed suicide.”

The survey found that in urban areas over 19.9% of married couples had been treated for infertility, while the figure for rural areas was 22%. The women were on average 20.1 years old, the men 25.4. The average age of an Iranian woman at the time of her first pregnancy is 21.

Iranian insurance companies say the cost of infertility treatment is on a par with cosmetic surgery, and refuse to reimburse policy-holders.

According to the World Health Organisation, between 12 and 15% of married couples worldwide suffer from infertility. The figure for countries such as the United Kingdom is around 7%, while in some African countries it’s as high as 30%.