عوامل تاثیرگذار بر پاسخ به درمان ناباروری: مورد ایران  Factors Affecting Response to Infertility Treatment: Case of Iran

1. Introduction Infertility is defined as the inability of a couple to conceive a child after one year of regular sexual life without contraceptive techniques (Tekin et al., 2004). Infertility is one of the major health-therapeutic problems in different societies. The high prevalence (8 to 12%) of this problem makes it very important. A significant proportion of infertility is dependent on environmental conditions and acquired risk factors which are preventable. Different environmental conditions show the necessity of studying the different causes of infertility in each region. In today’s modern world there are many reasons for infertility in men and women, one of the most important of which from the viewpoints of experts is the age of the couple. Couples should be aware that the fertility rate of a woman under 25 years of age is more than 80% but for a woman over 35 this rate is under 50% (Tekin et al., 2004). It is likely that the number of ova is limited after reproductive age; that factor alone can reduce fertility and increase the risk of birth defects in the fetus and newborn. In addition, men over 35 compared with men under 35 have less chances of fertility, and the risk of chromosomal abnormalities is higher in their children. One of the factors with a significant impact on male infertility is environmental, industrial and air pollution, which minimizes the sperm counts, and decreasing fertility (Tekin et al., 2004). According to studies, obesity and ovarian dysfunction in women are risk factors for infertility. Various studies conducted around the world have shown that women who are overweight or obese require more time to get pregnant, compared with normal or standard weight women, and pregnancy in obese women is more likely to be unsuccessful. According to experts, obesity in men and women increases the level of hormones in their bodies, affecting the reproductive process. In fact, abnormal secretion of hormones can lead to weight gain and negative effects on the male and female germ cell production (Tekin et al., 2004).