This is Bob Doughty with the VOA Special English DevelopmentReport.

A man and a woman are considered infertile if they cannot producea pregnancy after twelve months of trying. For centuries, the lackof ability to have children was blamed only on women. Scientists nowknow that men, too, can be infertile.

The organization PATH says infertility affects an estimatedsixty-million to eighty-million people. It says the great majoritylive in developing countries. PATH is the Program for AppropriateTechnology in Health. This non-profit group is in Seattle,Washington.

There are many different causes of infertility. Some are genetic.Others involve physical problems or injuries. Still others areenvironmental, like pesticides and other chemicals. Experts say dietand the use of alcohol and drugs can also affect fertility.

Some of these causes are preventable. So are others, such asinfections spread through sex. Dirty conditions during childbirthcan also cause infections that make women infertile. So can unsafeways to end unwanted pregnancies. And so can the tradition in somecultures of cutting the female sex organs.

In industrial countries, the best-known current treatment forinfertility is a process called in vitro fertilization. Thisinvolves joining an egg with sperm in a laboratory. Once fertilized,the egg is placed in the woman to develop into a fetus. Treatmentscan also involve the use of fertility drugs to increase theproduction of eggs.

But experts say cultural and religious beliefs may prevent peoplefrom seeking modern treatments. In Italy, for example, a new lawtook effect this month. The Medically Assisted Reproduction Lawrestricts or bans the use of many kinds of technologies. In othersocieties, people often blame evil spirits when a couple cannot havechildren. So people seek traditional treatments.

In any case, technologies for assisted reproduction costthousands of dollars. So public health systems usually do not offerthem. Many experts say public health systems should do more toeducate people about preventable causes of infertility. Theseinclude sexually transmitted diseases.

The experts also say doctors should require an examination ofboth the man and the woman when a couple is infertile. The groupPATH says men are the cause, or part of the cause, of infertility inmore than half of couples.

This VOA Special English Development Report was written by JillMoss. This is Bob Doughty.