title: Infertility in Mazandaran province - north of Iran: an etiological study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence and etiology of infertility are not similar in different parts of the world. There are only few reports of this topic in Iran.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study was conducted to determine the clinical patterns and major causes of infertility in Mazandaran province in north of Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  The medical records of 3734 consecutive couples attending two infertility clinics in Mazandaran province, from 2003 to 2008, were reviewed. The couples had not had a viable birth after at least 1 year of unprotected intercourse and were fully investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the entire samples, 78.7% had primary infertility and 21.3% had secondary infertility. The mean duration of infertility in couples was 5.7±4 years. The etiology of infertility in couples revealed; male factor in 38.9%, female factor in 34.7%, combined factors in 14.6% and undetermined cause in 11.8%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, delayed attendance of infertile couples to the infertility clinic was found. Therefore, there is a need to revise public health program on infertility to focus on the education and prevention of infertility and its risk factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Embryology, Cellular and Molecular Center,  Imam University Hospital, Infertility Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
authors.forename: Abbasali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karimpour Malekshah
authors.affiliation: Department of Embryology, Infertility Center, Imam University Hospital, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Esmailnejad Moghaddam
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Infertility Center, Imam University Hospital, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
authors.forename: Narges
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Moslemizadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Infertility Center, Imam University Hospital, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
authors.forename: Sepideh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Peivandi
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Infertility Center, Imam University Hospital, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
authors.forename: Ayyub
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barzegarnejad
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Infertility Center, Imam University Hospital, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
authors.forename: Nadali
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Musanejad
authors.affiliation: Department of Embryology, Fatemeh Zahra Infertility Center, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
authors.forename: Gholamali
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jursarayee
keywords: Male factor; Ovarian dysfunction; Primary infertility; Secondary infertility; Varicocel