A: 有不少研究表明，过去几十年里不育率在上升。不育究竟是什么概念？

B: 不育有不同的定义，人口学家倾向于把不育定义为人口中育龄妇女无子女的状况。

A: 医学界是如何定义不育的？

B: 根据世界卫生组织的定义，不育是不能怀孕。一对夫妇经过两年的正常性交、未避孕、女性没有怀孕，可以认为是不育。

A: 导致不育率上升的原因是什么？

B: 原因是多方面的。除了夫妇双方的生理、心理、生活方式和环境因素外，女性推迟生育也是主要原因。

A: 不育会给夫妇带来哪些影响？

B: 不孕的后果是多方面的，包括社会反响和个人痛苦。在许多文化中，不能怀孕承受着一种污名。在不育夫妇中往往发生婚姻不和谐。

A：尽管如此，当今的辅助生殖技术如体外受精给不育夫妇带来了希望。

Quite a number of  studies suggest that the infertility rate is on the increase in the past  decades. Whatever is the definition of infertility?

Definitions of  infertility differ, with demographers tending to define infertility as  childlessness in a population of women of reproductive age.

   How is infertility defined in the medical  community?

According to the World  Health Organization, infertility is the inability to conceive a child. A  couple may be considered infertile if, after two years of regular sexual  intercourse, without contraception, the woman has not become pregnant.

What factors contribute  to the rise in the infertility rate?

There are many different  causes of infertility. Apart from the couple’s physiology, psychology lifestyle  and environment factors, women delaying childbirth is also a major reason.

What are impacts of  infertility on infertile couples?

The consequences of  infertility are manifold and can include societal repercussions and personal  suffering. In many cultures, inability to conceive bears a stigma. Also marital  discord often occurs in infertile couples.

For all the consequences,  advances in assisted reproductive technologies, such as IVF, can offer hope  to many infertile couples.

   Yes. But many more infertile couples will  enjoy a happy life if barriers in terms of medical coverage, fairness and  affordability are further overcome.