The infertility meaning in Urdu is baanjh pan or be-aulaadi. Dictionaries stop there, but at a clinic you will also hear English words such as ovulation, semen analysis, IUI, IVF and ICSI. This guide explains each one in plain words, using what the World Health Organization (WHO), the NHS and other medical organisations say, so that both partners can follow the conversation with the doctor.
What does infertility mean?
The WHO describes infertility as a disease of the male or female reproductive system, defined by the failure to achieve a pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse. "Unprotected" means without contraception. The NHS puts it simply: infertility is when a couple cannot get pregnant (conceive) despite having regular unprotected sex.
The word describes a difficulty getting pregnant. It is a medical description, not a judgement about either partner.
Primary and secondary infertility
Doctors often add one of two words:
- Primary infertility: the NHS says this is where someone who has never conceived a child in the past has difficulty conceiving.
- Secondary infertility: the NHS says this is where someone has had 1 or more pregnancies in the past, but is having difficulty conceiving again.
So a couple who already have a child can still be told they have secondary infertility.
Is infertility only a woman's problem?
No. The NHS says fertility problems can affect either partner. The WHO lists causes in both the male and the female reproductive system, and it notes that women in a relationship with a man are often perceived to be the ones with infertility, whether or not they are. It says infertility has significant negative social impacts on couples, and that women frequently experience violence, divorce, social stigma, emotional stress, depression, anxiety and low self-esteem.
This is why both partners are seen at the first consultation at Mother & Child International Hospital (MCI): fertility problems can come from either side.
Words about the woman's body
| English word | Urdu (Roman) | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Ovaries | baiza daani | The NHS says that in IVF, eggs are removed from the ovaries |
| Ovulation | anday ka ikhraj | The NHS calls it the monthly release of an egg |
| Fallopian tubes | naliyan | The NHS lists blocked or damaged fallopian tubes as a common cause of infertility |
| Womb (uterus) | rehm, bacha daani | The NHS says the embryo is placed in the womb to grow and develop |
The NHS lists the common causes of infertility as a lack of regular ovulation, poor quality semen, blocked or damaged fallopian tubes, and endometriosis. A few of the words behind these causes:
- Endometriosis: the NHS says this is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows in other places outside the womb.
- Blocked fallopian tubes: the WHO lists these among the tubal disorders that can cause infertility. It says they can be caused by untreated sexually transmitted infections, or by complications of unsafe abortion, postpartum sepsis (infection after childbirth) or abdominal or pelvic surgery.
- PCOS: polycystic ovary syndrome, which the WHO lists among the disorders of the ovaries that can cause infertility. The NHS infertility treatment page calls it polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS). Our guide on PCOS and getting pregnant explains it.
- Fibroids: the WHO lists fibroids among the benign (non-cancerous) disorders of the womb that can cause infertility.
Words about the man's side
- Semen analysis (semen test): MedlinePlus says it measures the amount and quality of a man's semen and sperm. The laboratory looks at the number and structure of the sperm, their movement, the volume of semen and other features of the fluid.
- Sperm count: the number of sperm, one of the things MedlinePlus says the laboratory checks in a semen analysis.
- Motility and morphology: the WHO and the HFEA (the UK's fertility regulator) use these words for the movement of the sperm and their shape.
Before a semen analysis, MedlinePlus says not to have any sexual activity that causes ejaculation for 2 to 3 days before the test, and that this should not be longer than 5 days. It says the sample should reach the laboratory within 30 minutes. Follow the instructions your clinic gives you.
Our pages on semen analysis and male infertility explain the test and the causes in more detail.
The WHO lists causes on the man's side that include a blockage in the reproductive tract, problems with hormones, the testicles not producing sperm, and abnormal sperm function and quality. The NHS also describes surgical sperm retrieval, where sperm are collected surgically. It is usually done as an outpatient procedure under local anaesthetic, but a general anaesthetic might be used, depending on the type of procedure. The sperm are frozen for use later.
Treatment words: IUI, IVF, ICSI and "test tube baby"
| English word | Urdu (Roman) | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| IUI (intrauterine insemination) | IUI | The NHS says sperm are inserted into the womb through a thin plastic tube passed through the cervix |
| IVF (in vitro fertilisation) | IVF | The NHS says eggs are fertilised with sperm in a laboratory and the embryo is placed in the womb |
| Test tube baby | test tube baby | The everyday name for IVF in Pakistan |
| ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) | ICSI (ixi) | The HFEA says a single sperm is injected directly into the egg, instead of mixing sperm and eggs |
| Embryo | janeen | The NHS calls a fertilised egg an embryo |
| Embryo transfer | embryo transfer | Placing the embryo in the womb through a thin tube |
IVF, step by step
The NHS describes the main steps of IVF: a daily injection or nasal spray for 2 to 3 weeks to stop the ovaries producing eggs naturally, then daily injections for 2 weeks of a medicine that increases the egg supply, collecting the eggs with a needle passed through the vagina, mixing the eggs with sperm in the laboratory, and placing an embryo in the womb a few days later. It says a full cycle takes about 3 to 6 weeks. Our guide to IVF injections explains the medicines.
Warning signs after IVF
The NHS gives two lists of symptoms to act on after IVF.
Contact your fertility clinic or the doctor treating you as soon as possible if you have:
- pain and bloating in your tummy
- feeling and being sick
- feeling faint
- coughing up blood
- vaginal bleeding or a brown watery discharge
- pain or discomfort when going for a poo or wee
At MCI, call us for these symptoms rather than sending a message (calls are answered 9am to 8pm; the number is on our contact page). Outside those hours or if you cannot reach us, go to a hospital emergency department.
Call 1122 (in Pakistan) or go to the nearest hospital emergency department immediately, and do not drive yourself, if you have:
- difficulty breathing
- pain in your chest or upper back
- being very thirsty and peeing less than usual (dehydration)
- swelling in any part of your body
- tummy pain, low down on one side
- pain in the tip of your shoulder
When ICSI is used
The HFEA says doctors may recommend ICSI for reasons that include a very low sperm count, sperm that are abnormally shaped or do not move normally, a previous IVF cycle in which none or very few eggs were fertilised, and sperm that had to be collected surgically. Apart from the way the egg is fertilised, ICSI follows the same steps as IVF.
When to see a doctor
The NHS says it is a good idea to see a doctor if you have not conceived after a year of trying. It says women aged 36 and over, and anyone who is already aware they may have fertility problems, should see a doctor sooner.
What to expect at MCI
At MCI in Mirpur, the first consultation, the ultrasound scan and the semen analysis are free, and both partners are seen. You can talk to us in Urdu or English, in Mirpur or by video. Treatment depends on a doctor's assessment at the consultation. MCI offers fertility tests for women and men, IUI, IVF, ICSI, and freezing of embryos, eggs and sperm, using only the couple's own eggs and sperm. See our fertility tests and treatments.
For patients in Pakistan, IUI costs Rs 6,000. IVF or ICSI costs Rs 80,000 from consultation to embryo transfer; medicines are separate and usually cost Rs 50,000 to 70,000. Our treatment prices are on the costs page. To book a free consultation, contact us on WhatsApp or by email.