A medical practitioner at the National Hospital, Abuja, Dr Esele Samuel, has said that having several sexual partners could cause secondary infertility.
Esele told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that multiple sexual partners had a higher risk of contacting Sexual Transmitted Diseases (STDs) which could cause infertility.
The gynaecologist described secondary infertility as a condition where couples who had successfully been pregnant once are having difficulty in conceiving again after one to two years of unprotected regular sexual intercourse.
He said STDs were illnesses that could be transmitted between humans by means of sexual behaviour through vaginal intercourse, oral and anal sex.
Esele said there were male factors that could affect secondary infertility, such as untreated gonorrhoea, a type of STD found in men, which causes sores on the external part of the penis and testicles, which, he said, could physically damage a man’s ability to reproduce.
Others factors included taking drugs such as marijuana and smoking, both of which cause male infertility, and decrease seminal fluid that could move sperm speedily into the vaginal.
“Chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart diseases also caused infertility issues,’’ he said.
Esele also explained that untreated STDs for women could cause Chlamydia disease, which could develop into Pelvic Inflammatory diseases (PID), causing blockage of both fallopian tubes and making fertilisation impossible.
He said irregular menstrual cycle, tumours that grow as fibroid, blocking the mouth of cervix and leading to miscarriages, and abortions done by inexperienced doctors could also lead to infertility.
On the age factor, he said, “healthy partners below 30 years having intercourse regularly had higher possibility of getting pregnant. The peak of a woman’s fertility is in her 20s while women above 35 and 40 years and above have less advantage.’’
He however said that if a female partner had a child at her peak period, she may likely have difficulty conceiving in the later years of her age.
Esele explained those spouses, who experience frequent miscarriages, irregular and painful periods, unusual increase in vaginal discharge, decrease in sex drive and painful ejaculation needed medical attention before conception could occur.