title: An epidemiologic survey on the causes of infertility in patients referred to infertility center in Fatemieh Hospital in Hamadan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Infertility is considered as a major health care problem of different communities. The high prevalence of this issue doubled its importance. A significant proportion of infertility have been related to environmental conditions and also acquired risk factors. Different environmental conditions emphasized the need to study the different causes of infertility in each area.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the frequency causes of infertility in infertile couples.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross sectional descriptive study 1200 infertile men and women that were referred to infertility clinic of Fatemieh Hospital during 2010 to 2011, were examined. This center is the only governmental center for infertility in Hamadan. Sampling was based on census method. Information about the patients was obtained from medical examinations and laboratory findings. To analyze the data, descriptive statistics such as frequencies and the mean were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of primary and secondary infertility was 69.5% and 30.5% respectively. Among the various causes of infertility women factors (88.6%) had the highest regard. In the causes of female infertility, menstrual disorders, diseases (obesity, thyroid diseases, and diabetes), ovulation dysfunction, uterine factor, fallopian tubes and cervical factor had the highest prevalence respectively. The causes of male infertility based on their frequency included semen fluid abnormalities, genetic factors, vascular abnormalities, and anti-spermatogenesis factors, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Etiology pattern of infertility in our study is similar with the many other patterns that have been reported by the World Health Organization. However, frequency of menstrual disorders is much higher than other studies that require further consideration.
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Child and Maternity Care (RCCMC), Midwifery Department, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyedeh Zahra
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Masoumi
authors.affiliation: Chronic Disease Research Center, Mother and Child Health Department, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Iran.
authors.forename: Parisa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Parsa
authors.affiliation: Nahavand Social Security Clinic, Hamadan, Iran.
authors.forename: Nooshin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Darvish
authors.affiliation: Malayer Mehr Hospital, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Iran.
authors.forename: Sahar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mokhtari
authors.affiliation: Endometrium and Endometriosis Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahnaz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yavangi
authors.affiliation: Modeling of Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
authors.forename: Ghodratollah
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Roshanaei
keywords: Etiology; Female infertility; Male infertility