Increasingly, doctors are seeing a rise in male infertility as well.

“Male infertility now contributes 35 to 40 per cent of all cases that we see,” said Dr Selvaraj. Low sperm count, erectile dysfunction and a low libido could all lead to low fertility levels, she said.

While Dr Dinakaran placed the figure at 30 per cent, she too agreed that this seemed to be on the rise. More men were becoming diabetic and getting hypertension at a young age, often in their early thirties, Dr Dinakaran said.

Incidence of diabetes in the city now stands at nearly 17 percent. “Earlier it always used to be women who would be blamed for the inability to conceive, but families are beginning to realise that there could be problems with men as well. At least in cities, the realization has sunk in. “In rural areas, even now, the woman is held responsible. The man can always marry again and it is socially acceptable,” said Dr Dinakaran, relating the case of a man who married three sisters all of whom were unable to conceive. In the end, a hospital test confirmed his infertility.

“The work environment, pressure and the intensely stressed out lives men lead all contribute towards this. If they have diabetes or hypertension, it just adds to the difficulty in conception,” said Dr Dinakaran, adding that expectations were now higher than ever. Lack of a nutritious diet and exercise exacerbated this. Heat generated from sitting too close to computers or laptops may also be a possible factor, Dr Dinakaran added.