A PROSPECTIVE EVALUATION OF CAUSES AND TREATMENT OF INFERTILITY IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL, ERODE

 Objective: Infertility has a serious impact on the psychosocial well-being of women in the developing world. The objective of the study was to evaluate the causes and treatment pattern of infertility patients in a tertiary care hospital.Methods: The prospective observational study focused on the sociodemographic properties of infertile patients, causes of infertility, and various treatments carried out in a tertiary care hospital, Erode, Tamil Nadu.Results: Of 200 cases, the majority was due to female factor (45.5%), followed by male factors (26%), both gender factors (25.5%), and unexplained etiology (6%). It was observed that major causes of male infertility (MI) were oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OATS - 48.42%), followed by asthenozoospermia (17.89%), azoospermia (11.57%), erectile dysfunction (7.36%), oligoasthenozoospermia (5.26%), varicocele (3.15%), oligospermia (2.10%), necrozoospermia (2.10%), asthenoteratozoospermia (1.05%), and asthenozoospermia+erectile dysfunction (1.05%). In cases of female infertility (FI), the pattern of causes was polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD) (29.6%), followed by tubular block (13.23%), cyst (6.66%), hypothyroidism (4.44%), endometriosis (4.44%), hormonal problems (4.44%), fibroid (3.7%), fibroid+cyst (3.7%), premature ovarian failure (2.96%), thin endometrium (2.96%), multifollicularovary (2.96%), PCOD+hormonalproblems (2.96%), and hypothyroidism+hormonal problems (2.22%). Intrauterine insemination was the most commonly assisted reproductive technology employed, followed by in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Of 200 infertile couples, 57 (28.5%) were unable to conceive within 6 months and 72 (36%) after 6 months following first consultation, 44 (22%) defaulted/lost follow-up/were still under consultation, 13 (6.5%) conceived with the help of assisted reproductive treatment, 10 (5%) conceived with the help of drug treatment, anddd 4 (2%) had spontaneous pregnancy.Conclusion: The major cause of infertility was found to be PCOD in females and OATS in males. The most commonly prescribed drugs were antioxidants for males and progesterone for females