India's fertility rate was 5.92 in the 1960s. This indicates that if a woman survived through her reproductive years, she would typically have nearly six children. This amount was much greater than the "replacement level" required to keep the population steady.
By today's standards, the fertility rate has significantly decreased. In 2023, the fertility rate fell to 2, only 0.1 points below the needed replacement level (the average number of children a woman has to have to replace herself and her generation), according to the most recent data. Experts caution that even this slight variation may ultimately result in a population reduction.
Why the drop? Aside from the obvious increase in couples choosing not to have children, there are a number of other explanations for this decline in fertility. Aside from this, research and experts indicate that infertility among indians has clearly increased.
The World health Organization (WHO) defines this as "the inability to make a fertile female pregnant after one year of unprotected intercourse" for men. 40–50% of infertility cases among young couples in india are caused by male infertility, which has grown to be a serious problem. This represents 15% of the global population. We questioned a number of experts about the reasons behind this glaring disparity between india and other countries, and their responses all seemed to point to the same thing: the evolving way of life.
"The quality of life we lead is greatly impacted by environmental factors: pollution, pesticides, food adulteration, and the air we breathe, all of which contribute to infertility," says Dr. Durga G. Rao, co-founder and medical director of Oasis Fertility. Preservation is more important than ever because lifestyle variables including stress, poor food, lack of sleep, and pollution can affect male fertility.
Additional variables include late marriages, hard job schedules, obesity, poor diets, and lifestyle choices including smoking, drinking, and drug use, according to Dr. sheetal Jindal, senior consultant and medical head of the medical genetics program at Jindal IVF in Chandigarh.
All of these have contributed to a decline in sperm quality and count in many men, especially those in their late 20s to early 40s, which has increased demand for fertility preservation methods. Sperm freezing is useful in this situation.
Enter: Sperm freezing Sperm freezing has become a feasible alternative for maintaining male fertility as understanding of male infertility has grown. A method for preserving sperm for later use is sperm freezing, also known as sperm cryopreservation. This is important for men who now have low sperm counts and may experience infertility in the future. It's especially important for men who are receiving medical therapy.
Sperm freezing is a vital lifeline for men undergoing medical treatments that may impact their fertility, according to Dr. Nishi Singh, head of fertility at Prime IVF. Men are increasingly using this technique for a variety of reasons, including as cancer treatments, high-risk occupations, or a desire to have alternatives.
A semen sample, which can be collected naturally by ejaculation or, in certain situations, surgically, is usually taken at the start of the operation.
According to Dr. Rao, "The sperm sample is processed to remove impurities and mixed with a cryoprotectant before being frozen." By doing this, the sperm is guaranteed to continue functioning even after thawing, maintaining its capacity to fertilize an egg when necessary.
After that, a cryoprotectant solution is applied to these chosen sperm cells to prevent harm during the freezing procedure. After that, the sperm is kept in liquid nitrogen at extremely low temperatures, where it may survive for years—20 years, to be exact.
Sperm freezing is now a reasonably priced and easily available alternative in india, with storage costs ranging from Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 year.
Unlike women, males do not suffer any particular difficulties when undergoing sperm freezing; nonetheless, there is a stigma associated with the procedure (more on that later). Is there an increase in sperm freezing before then, though?
Is there a rise in sperm freezing? Even in india, the practice of freezing sperm is becoming more popular. Although precise figures are more difficult to get, india Today interviewed a number of specialists, and they all seemed to concur that the trend is picking more steam.
Dr. Singh claims that males in their late 20s to early 40s are the ones that exhibit this tendency the most. "The rising demand is linked to lifestyle choices, medical conditions, and the increased awareness of fertility preservation options," says Dr. Singh.
According to the experts, men who could be exposed to high-risk situations—like those in occupations that require long hours or dangerous conditions—are also using sperm freezing. They can pursue occupations without the stress of imminent family planning thanks to this choice.
Rise in egg freezing too Because endometriosis is a degenerative illness, Riya*, a 28-year-old woman, was recommended to freeze her eggs early.
Another, 38-year-old Sheetal*, who was still looking for a spouse, sought egg freezing in order to prolong her window of fertility.
When we asked Dr. Rao to describe some actual situations of women who choose to freeze their eggs, she gave us these two examples, among many more.
Oocyte cryopreservation, also known as egg freezing, has become more popular among women, particularly those living in cities, who decide to put off having children for a variety of reasons. Additionally, women with hormonal problems such as PCOS also receive these therapies since they may experience infertility in the future, which is also becoming more common among women.
With the help of this technique, women may save their eggs and concentrate on other aspects of their lives, allowing them to create a family at a later date.
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