Society

Infertility rate on the rise in China: experts

By Shan Juan (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-11-07 15:33

More than 40 million people in China are suffering infertility on the mainland and the number is still increasing, found the latest epidemiology study.

Factors like heavy workloads, stress, environmental pollution and unhealthy lifestyles are known to be related to a rising infertility level, said Huang Hefeng, director of the Zhejiang reproductive medical center at the launch of an information support website www.fertility.com.cn held by the Chinese Medical Association and the Switzerland-based pharmaceutical company Merck Serono.

When a couple having regular sex couldn’t conceive within a year, they are diagnosed with infertility, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The organization expects infertility and sterility to be the third most serious diseases worldwide in the 21st century, after cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

Huang urged the patients to go to see the doctor as soon as possible, instead of seeking various so-called folk remedy.