Infertility in the UAE

> 20 per cent of Emirati couples face issues. A 2017 study by the Bourn Hall Fertility Centre in Dubai found that 1 in 5 couples in the UAE face issues related to infertility.

> There are 150,000 cases of infertility in the UAE, and in 30 per cent of the cases the men are solely responsible

> Smoking is affecting fertility. Almost 20 per cent of Emirati men smoke, and heavy smokers produce up to 20 per cent fewer sperm. It may increase the number of abnormally shaped sperm, making it harder for sperm to fertilise the egg. In fact, both male and female smokers are more likely than non-smokers to be infertile.

> UAE is facing infertility due to diabetes: A report by Aster IVF concludes that with 25 per cent of adults in the UAE being diabetic and a similar percentage being pre-diabetic, combined with the rise in smoking habits, has led to the rampant rise of infertility in recent years.

> UAE residents do not know obesity affects fertility. Almost 50 per cent of UAE residents are defined as ‘overweight’, which is double the world average according to the WHO. Yet a survey done by Orchid Fertility Centre found that 51 per cent of Emirati residents did not know that being overweight can affect fertility in both men and women.

> UAE allows for gender selection. The UAE and the US are the only two countries in the world, which allow for couples to select the gender of their child