Causes of Sterility in Bosnia-Herzegovina Population

INTRODUCTION: Infertility or sterility or barrenness is defined as a state of inability to conceive after a year of unprotected intercourse. Ovulation problems, uterine tube problems, endometriosis, uterine etiology problems, chromosomal problems which are not so rare, spermatogenesis disorders and azoospermia are stated as the most common causes of infertility. OBJECTIVE: Main objective of this research is to present most common causes of marital infertility in Bosnia-Herzegovina population. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective, descriptive- epidemiological study has been published at Bahceci IVF center in Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina). The research covered a time-period of two years. During the time-period in question, 826 marital couples from Bosnia and Herzegovina diagnosed with marital sterility approached the Center. RESULTS: Analysis of female patients as per age groups determined that the largest number of respondents belonged to the 36 – 39 age group with a total number of 293 patients, followed by 30 – 35 age group with a total number of 245 patients, and the third most frequent age group included those of ≥ 40 years of age with 179 patients in total, followed by 25–29 age group with 98 respondents. In 42% (n=350) of the couples diagnosed with marital infertility, female sterility was established as the reason, while in 36 % (n=294) of the couples, male sterility was the reason. Both marital spouses were infertile in 11% of the couples (n=92), while in remaining 11% of the couples, no diagnosis was determined and they belonged in the group of unexplainable sterility. The most common cause of sterility in women is diminished ovarian reserve (DOR), as was the case in 38.57% of respondents. This diagnosis is in direct correlation with the age of a woman. Among causes of sterility of organic and functional origin, the most common is ovarian tube problem – in 31.4% of the cases, then ovulatory problems – in 12.86% of the cases, and polycystic ovary syndrome in 6% of the cases. Other causes such as endometrioma, endometriosis and genetic factors are present in less than 2% of respondents. Regarding male sterility, problems with spermatogenesis are prevailing (decreased number and mobility of sperm cells and problems with morphology of sperm cells), oligoasthenoteratozoospermia in 81.61% of the patients. In 14.19% of the cases, azoospermia was present. CONCLUSION: All of this contributes to the negative demographic trend in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 2008, European Parliament warned of importance of infertility treatment. In collaboration with ESHRE (European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology), main guidelines to alleviate this problem were provided.