The Evolution of Infertile Couples’ Profiles in a Congolese Population during Sixteen Years of Observation

Abstract

Background: Infertility is a dramatic situation for a couple, especially in the Sub-Saharan area, known as extremely pro-natalist. Until this day infertility of tubal origin due to infection sexually transmitted, post abortum or postpartum origin is the most frequent. Worldwide we are witnessing the transition of pathologies: from infectious to non-communicable ones. Objective: To analyze the evolution of infertile couples’ profiles over time to improve management in the future. Setting: University clinic of Kinshasa and a private clinic, the Edith Medical Center. Design: A cross-sectional analytical study. Patients: A total of 4456 patients who sought care for infertility from January 1999 to December 2014 were enrolled. Main Outcome: The evolution of socio-demographic, clinical and paraclinical parameters of infertile couples over time. Results: The average age of female patients was 33.1 ± 5.7 years and it increased by 36 days every year and the male partner by 29 days per year. The average number of cigarette rods consumed decreased by 5% per year. The average intercourse frequency per week decreased by 2% every year. A fifth of patients (21.8%) were obese. And the average BMI increased by 0.04 kg/m2 per year. Tubal occlusion was the main lesion found in hysterosalpingogram and diagnostic laparoscopy. Conclusion: Patients were more and more aged and gaining weight. A part from infection which is the main cause of infertility this day; in the future, infertility care providers will be facing non-communicable diseases, namely obesity.