TEHRAN - Approximately, from every five Iranian couples, one is infertile, the head of Avicenna fertility center, affiliated to Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, said. 

The prevalence of infertility in some areas is due to the growth of slums around the cities, the environmental features, the urban life style and the increasing age of marriage.Generally, the prevalence of infertility in the country is about 15 to 20 percent, which is close to the world levels of infertility, but the rate is higher in some provinces of the country, ISNA quoted Dr. Mohammadreza Sadeqi as saying on Tuesday. 

The most up to date methods for treating infertility are now practiced in the country, but the fertility services and centers are not equally available in different parts of the country.  For example, there are more than 50 fertility clinics and centers in Tehran, but there is only one of such clinics in some provinces.  

The prevalence of infertility in some areas is due to the growth of slums around the cities, the environmental features, the urban lifestyle and the increasing age of marriage. 

The age of marriage in Iran

According to a report released by Statistical Center of Iran, the average age of marriage, both for men and women, increased by 39 months during the past four decades. 

The statistics was released based on the 8th nationwide census, surveying the age of marriage from Iranian calendar year 1355 (March 1976-March 1977) to 1395 (March 2016-March 2017). 

According to the statistics, in the year 1395, the average age of first marriage in Iran was 27.4 for men and 23 for women, up from 24.1 for men and 19.7 for women in 1355.

Mohammad Baqer Abbasi, an official with National Organization for Civil Registration, said in July 2018 that in the Iranian calendar year 1396 (March 2017-March 2018), some 146,000 babies were born a year or less after their parents' marriage, which constitute 10 percent. While some 18 percent of births occurred up to two years after the date of the marriage. 

The latest Iranian census conducted in 2016 put Iran’s population at 79,926,270 with a male to female ratio of 1.027.

SJ/MG