Generator fumes may cause infertility, expert warns

Unstable electricity in the country may have more negative effects on the lives and health of Nigerians, as a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Ilorin has said that one of the alternative power sources to which many people now resort during power outages, is a potential cause of infertility.Prof. Abdul-Gafar Jimoh said, 'Excessive use of alternative energy leads to the release of hydrocarbons and they are having far-reaching consequences on the sperm production process in men and the ovulation process in women'.'In our society, the level of pollution that we are witnessing now cannot be compared to what we saw in the 70s and 60s. Almost every other house has a generating plant and when there is no public power supply, they all release fumes and pollute the air.'The internationally renowned expert defined infertility as 'inability to establish a pregnancy within a specified time, usually one year, in a couple having regular unprotected sexual intercourse'.He also revealed that infertility is currently on the increase in Nigeria, pointing out that it is as high as 20-25 per cent of married couples, adding that one in every five couples has fertility problems.Professor Jimoh also said that age also plays crucial role in infertility in Nigeria as many people in the country now marry late. He recollected that 20 years ago, many young girls married at the age of 25 years or even earlier but today, people are getting married at the age of 32 years or older, adding that for men, it is even slightly higher.'At this age, reproductive function is already declining', he noted, adding that 'for somebody who is between 16 and 21 years, fertility is almost 75 per cent.By the time he/she gets to age 40, fertility has declined to eight per cent.'The Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology further established that in the US, 10 per cent of women between the ages of 30-44 years have impaired fertility and about 25 per cent of these women will have infertility problems when they get married, pointing out that 'on a general level, we are looking at 37 per cent of infertile women between age 35 and 44 years having infertility. As age progresses, the problem of fertility also progresses.'The Consultant also explained that 'a higher percentage of women are having fertility problem because they are not marrying early; if they marry early, the problem should be less'.The don, however, challenged men to realise that they are directly responsible for infertility in up to 40-50 per cent of cases, advising men to avail themselves of the opportunity of treatment options.
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