Clinical patterns and major causes of infertility in Mongolia.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the clinical patterns and major causes of infertility in Mongolia, based on the clinical and laboratory findings of both partners, and to compare the findings with data from the published World Health Organization (WHO) multicenter study.


METHODS
Four hundred and thirty infertile couples who attended the Infertility Clinic of the State Research Center on Maternal Child Health in 1998-2002 were included in the study. The couples had not had a viable birth after at least 1 year of unprotected intercourse and agreed to be fully investigated according to the WHO protocol 'Standardized Investigation of the Infertile Couple'.


RESULTS
The mean duration of infertility of couples was 4.9 +/- 0.2 years. 43.7% of women had secondary infertility. In the females, the prevalence of past history of sexually transmitted infection (STI) and pelvic inflammatory disease were 33.5% and 25.1%, respectively. In the male partner, 44.2% reported a history of STI and 27.7% had previous testicular damage. 32.8% of women had a tubal factor. The most common causes of male infertility were obstructive azoospermia (8.4%), male accessory gland infection (6.7%) and acquired testicular damage (5.4%). In 45.8% of couples, infertility was due to a female factor and in 25.6% of cases, infertility was due to a male factor. 9.8% of couples had no demonstrable cause in either partner and 18.8% of couples had an infertility diagnosis in both partners.


CONCLUSIONS
Patterns of female infertility did not differ significantly from those in the WHO study. Male infertility had a unique pattern, as there was a high prevalence of obstructive azoospermia and previous testicular damage.
Bayasgalan
Gendaram
G
State Research Center on Maternal and Child Health and Human Reproduction, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. gendaram@yahoo.com
Naranbat
Dondog
D
Tsedmaa
Baatar
B
Tsogmaa
Bayanmunkh
B
Sukhee
Dombojav
D
Amarjargal
Olzvoi
O
Lhagvasuren
Tserenkhuu
T
Radnaabazar
Janchiv
J
Rowe
Patrick John
PJ
D000328:Adult; D005184:Fallopian Tube Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008986:Mongolia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000453:epidemiology; D000292:Pelvic Inflammatory Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D012661:Semen / Q000166:cytology; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D013733:Testicular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D014944:World Health Organization