The couples Alicante They are waiting longer and longer to have children and this trend – general in Spain – leads to a higher incidence of infertility and, consequently, a lower rate of birth ratewhich in the case of the province is the lower in the last eight years.
With these data from the National Institute of Statistics (INE), from the Phi Fertility clinic, they recommend following certain healthy habits who improve fertility and advise consulting professionals, if you suspect problems with conception.
In 2023 they were born 13,151 babies in Alicante and in the decline continuesbecause this year – until July – 7,299 additional births were registered, a figure that represents 1.41% less than last year.
This week, the city hosted the 2nd National Congress of the Sterility and Infertility Section of the Spanish Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics (Seisego), which was attended by the best experts in Spain.
One of the repercussions of the decline in the birth rate – in the medium term, as Phi Fertility points out – which affects all couples with children, derived from this decline in the birth rate, is the cut out In classrooms of Education Children And Primarywhich number fifty in the province, a third of the total of the Valencian Community, although this data is not officially confirmed. In any case, whether the figures are up or down, the problem will be there if births do not rebound.
This development is no different from what is happening in Spain as a whole, since Alicante is positioned as the fifth province in number of births, although it is the fourth or fifth in number of inhabitants, generally equal to Seville, which maintains a birth rate proportional to the population. This correlation is reflected in this ranking, since it is headed by Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville and Alicante.
Dr. Tamara Engbertsfertility doctor at Phi Fertility, a clinic in Alicante, provides more information about his team’s experience.
What is the profile that the majority finds in the clinic?
The main patient profile currently seen at the clinic is a woman over 40, with one or more treatment failures, with or without a partner. Many patients who come to Phi Fertility have a diagnosis of implantation failure.
What changes have you noticed in recent years?
Egg donation continues to be the most practiced and sought-after treatment, precisely because the majority of our patients are over 40 years old and have already tried it before with their own eggs or with donated eggs, and have not obtained the expected result.
We have also encountered more LGBT couples coming for PMA treatments, whether it is ROPA, insemination with donor sperm or IVF with donor sperm.
And we are seeing with concern higher rates of infertility and an increase in cases of young women under 35 with low ovarian reserves and men under 40 with altered semiograms.
The quality of gametes generally appears to be lower and the age at which couples seek children is increasingly higher, which means that we have higher rates of infertility.
What advice would you give to those who are considering becoming a mother in the short or medium term?
That they attend a preconception consultation to assess modifiable factors that can improve the health of both members of the couple to achieve a healthier pregnancy from the start.
If they have a suspected infertility diagnosis, such as a diagnosis of endometriosis, low reserve or other, they should seek advice from a fertility clinic early on and not delay, because when it comes to fertility, time is money.
Dr. Tamara Engberts
That if there is no diagnosis that could affect fertility, the maternal age is still the postman further important at the time of a couple’s prognosis. Let us remember that in the absence of risk factors, if the woman is under 35, she can carry out a search at home for 12 months before seeking advice from a fertility specialist. When you are between 35 and 39 years old, the search. the period is reduced to 6 months and any woman aged 40 or over who wants a child must go immediately to an assisted reproduction clinic.
A healthy lifestyle is extremely important to prepare for motherhood and fatherhood and that a child is the greatest blessing there is, here at Phi Fertility we know this and we support our patients to achieve this dream.
