Abstract

CAUSES OF MALE INFERTILITY: UNANI PERSPECTIVE

Salma Mirza*

ABSTRACT

Infertility is a multidimensional problem with social, economic and cultural implications affecting approximately 8-10% of couples. Children are the pleasant fruits of the tree of life. People who do not have children are considered as unlucky. Infertility is the inability of a couple to achieve pregnancy within 12 months of unprotected intercourse. Sterility is an absolute state of inability to conceive. Secondary infertility or sterility are the same states developing after an initial phase of fertility. Male infertility by itself does not threaten the life, but it has devastating psychosocial consequences on infertile male, because an infertile man is generally treated as an incomplete man in Indian subcontinent. Male reproductive health refers to a man’s ability to procreate, and to bring a living being into existence. Male reproductive health has social and psychological impact on normal life.Reports in recent years have shown that incidence of male infertility has increased as a result of various factors such as environmental pollution, stress and lifestyle. In Unani system of medicine Zoafe bah is a broad term which encompasses different disease entities like Istirkhae Qazeeb (Erectile dysfunction) Surate Inzaal (Premature ejaculation) and Qillate Haiwane Manwiya (oligospermia) etc. The concept of Qillate Haiwane Manwiya (Qillatless, Haiwane Manwiya-Sperm) can be correlated with the concept of oligospermia (Oligo-less, spermia-spermatozoa). The important causes of Qillate mani are kasrate istifragh, excessive use of mudirrat, sue mizaj of alaate mani, excessive use of drugs like afyoon (opium) and bhang and excessive riding etc. Thus in this article it has tried to throw a light on causes of male infertility mentioned in Unani system of medicine.

Keywords: Unani Medicine, Causes, Male infertility.