If the figures presented by AHIVF & Infertility Research Centre, Ranchi are to be believed then rural males associated with agriculture are facing the risk of becoming infertile due to their exposure to pesticides. The situation calls for attention as a large number of rural males are directly dependent on agriculture for sustenance. According to AHIVF & Infertility Research Centre (P) Ltd (AHIIRC), a pesticide was found to be the reason for infertility among 15 to 20 per cent males out of 40 per cent males treated for infertility. The data, although yet to be substantiated by any other agency, is said to be the reason of the disorder among rural males. Other reasons for infertility included infection, chronic diseases, pollution and life style of a person. “Pesticide was found a reason for infertility in rural areas particularly among males,” said Director AIIRC, Dr Jayashree Bhattacharya. Bhattacharya was speaking on the sidelines of two-day workshop organized at AHIIRC centre to provide training to researchers and practitioners of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Meanwhile, surrogacy is slowly getting attention of couples who don’t have time for the nature’s mechanism of producing child. As many as 20 to 25 cases of surrogacy have been reported in last four to five years. However surrogacy which stands for having child through other woman has to pass hurdles and break social taboo in Jharkhand too where people are as aloof about the ethics of it as people elsewhere. “We have seen that the selection of surrogate mother is very important in this. We inform biological parents about the terms and conditions before opting for surrogacy,” maintained Bhattacharya. Notably, infertility clinics claim that nearly 2 million people in Jharkhand suffer from infertility and has been a cause of embarrassment especially women. Dearth of awareness is pegged as the reason for the growing number of childless couples despite a remedy to the problem of infertility.