A Study on the Status of Patients with Infertility in a Department of Oriental Gynecology for the last Three Years and on the Future Policy of Infertility Treatment in Oriental Medicine

최근 3년간 일개 불임전문 한방병원에 내원한 불임환자의 실태분석과 한방불임치료정책에 대한 제언

Objectives : This study was to analyze the status of patients with infertility in the department of oriental gynecology in an oriental medical hospital and propose infertility treatment in oriental medicine. Methods : This study was presented with 2,153 cases of infertile women who had visited the department of oriental gynecology in one oriental hospital in Seoul from 2002 to 2004. Results : The total number infertile patients has decreased year by year. The age range of patients was getting higher and the age group between 30 and 35 took up about one half of the total patients. The duration of infertility for less than 3 years held about 50-60% of the total patients, and the mean duration of infertility was $39.18{\pm}29.57$ months (2004). The most common occupations of females were professionals or administrative managers. The secondary infertility was increasing and unexplained infertility increased from 38.2% (in 2002) to 54.4% (in 2004). However the duration of treatment was shorter. This shows that the age range of the patients having oriental-medicine treatment is gradually getting higher and the number of the patients having oriental-medicine treatment and compliance is decreasing. Conclusions : More studies about objectification of oriental medicine need to precede any other studies. Then, it is thought to be necessary to rebuild cooperative relationships between oriental & western medicine through systematic research and political supports and to establish firm foundations of oriental medicine.