Dubai: The Dubai Health Authority held a smart clinic on the high incidence of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOD) that is the most common cause of infertility among UAE women.
“Polycystic ovarian syndrome and obesity are among the common causes of infertility among women. There is a high prevalence of this syndrome here in comparison to Europe and it is not known why,” said Mary John, director of the Dubai Gynaecology and Fertility Centre (DGFC), answering questions of residents participating in the smart session on Monday.
According to the World Health Organisation, one in every four couples in developing countries has been found to be affected by infertility.
Male factor problems, on the other hand, are also the most common causes of infertility among men in the UAE, said doctors from the DGFC, who were invited to the session.
A DGFC spokesperson said that it received 2,700 cases annually and has had 4,000 successful births after treating couples with infertility problems.
Other than Dr John, Dr Hana Tahwara, assistant director of DGFC, Dr Wael Medkour, consultant at the centre, and Estylini Andronikou, laboratory director at DGFC, took part in the session.
Dr Medkour said unlike the common perception that women are the sole reason for infertility, in around 40 per cent of infertile couples, the male partner is either the sole cause or a contributing cause of infertility.
Male factors including structural abnormalities and sperm production disorders, to name a few, are the main causes of infertility among men, said Andronikou.
“Male factors are hereditary and marriage among relatives is a common cause for male factor problems. Smoking and having an unhealthy lifestyle are also contributors. It always helps to avoid heat in the scrotum area, for example. Avoid sauna and hot baths, etc,” she said.
When asked about giving birth after the age of 40, Dr Medkour said:“It is very rare for women to give birth after the age of 40 and, according to international statistics, chances of giving birth after the age of 45 is zero per cent,” said Dr Medkour.
Andronikou added that the anti-mullerain hormone, which is related to the fertility ovarian reserve, starts to decrease among women starting from the age of 27. “Women reach the peak of fertility at the age of 25 up to the age of 27. It then starts to gradually decrease,” she said.
Fertility centre receives international accreditation
The Dubai Gynaecology and Fertility Centre (DGFC) which has been in existence for over 54 years, having been established in 1991, received international accreditation from the Canadian Authority for Accrediting Fertility Centres, making it the first specialised laboratory of its kind to receive the certification in the Middle East.
Dr Mary John, director of DGFC, said the centre got the accreditation after undergoing a series of evaluations on 29 criteria by a group of specialists from the Canadian authority. She added that the evaluations focused on specialisation as well as technical and medical equipment of the centre.
Dr Hana Tahwara, assistant director of DGFC, pointed out that the centre provided services such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF) operations, intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and freezing eggs, to name a few.
Dr Tawhara added that the centre progressed significantly in the last few years as it was able to raise the rate of successful fertility operations to 57 per cent. This is higher than the international rate of 40 to 50 per cent. It was also able to increase the rate of successful microscopic insemination operation to 57 per cent and IVF to 67 per cent. The preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) cases during 2015 totalled 169 and had a success rate of 57 per cent, she said.
