Infertility rate on the rise in China

BEIJING - Over 40 million people in China are suffering from infertility and the number is growing, experts say.

Factors like heavy workload, stress, environmental pollution and unhealthy lifestyles are known to be related to a rising infertility levels, said Huang Hefeng, director of the Zhejiang reproductive medical centre.

Huang made the remarks at the launch of the website www.fertility.com.cn by the Chinese Medical Association and the Switzerland-based pharmaceutical company Merck Serono, China Daily reported Sunday.

When a couple having regular sex can’t conceive within a year, they are diagnosed with infertility, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Infertility is the third most serious disease worldwide in the 21st century, after cancer and cardiovascular diseases, WHO says.