Epress.am News from Armenia
Dr. Vicken Sepilian with the CHA Fertility Center in Los Angeles, in Armenia for just a week, held a press conference today in which he spoke on the matter of infertility in the US and in Armenia.
Sepilian stated that the percentage of couples in the world who are infertile is 10–15%, but in Armenia, that percentage is higher — 18%.
“There are different reasons [for this]: the number of abortions in Armenia is comparatively higher, which can become a serious cause for infertility. In the US, you’ll rarely come across a woman who suspended pregnancy 20 times through artificial means, and yet, in the US, I had an Armenian woman come visit me who had had 20 abortions. Also stress plays a huge role in women,” said Sepilian, noting that the main reasons for women’s infertility in the US are viruses and age, as women start to think about having children at 30–35 years of age.
Dr. Sepilian added that 85% of couples who seek treatment at the CHA Fertility Center succeed in getting pregnant.
“Quite often, we doctors have to become psychologists in order to assist couples first to overcome stress. A doctor must be able to hold a patient’s hand and assist them,” he said.
One of the other participants in the press conference, Edward Hambardzumyan, head of the Armenian Association of Reproductive Medicine, added that Dr. Sepilian and a number of other well-known doctors were invited to Armenia with the RA First Lady Rita Sargsyan’s support. He also placed importance on the fact that, in Armenia, fertility issues are given significance at the state level.
“A number of conferences will take place in Armenia, and invited doctors will give lectures,” he said.