Date:19/09/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/09/19/stories/2005091905570400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

ICMR to take up study on prevalence of infertility

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: A team of researchers from the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) would shortly undertake a nationwide study on the prevalence of infertility in India, R.S. Sharma, Deputy Director of ICMR, said on Saturday.

So far, there had been no official study of the problem. Research scientists and doctors from private enterprises had carried out small studies that estimated the prevalence of infertility in India to be 15 per cent and the male factor was responsible for half of it.

The study would be carried out through ICMR's Human Reproductive Research Centres in

10 States, Mr. Sharma said. With national guidelines for assisted reproductive techniques (ART) soon to be finalised, ICMR felt the need to have comprehensive data on infertility, he said.

"We are currently relying on foreign data. That is not very specific to us," he said.

ICMR, he said, would also shortly start its third phase of the study of genomics of male infertility. At present, the study was being carried out at the Indian Institute of Science.

Mr. Sharma said ICMR, with help from the State Government, had developed guidelines for accreditation of ART centres. The guidelines govern the physical requirements of the centre, training of the staff, informed consent and confidentiality.

He said there were more than 400 ART centres in the country but that many of them provided "questionable services with poor success rates."

The average success rate in India was only around 30 per cent, he added.