One in six people worldwide affected by infertility: WHO
UN health organization calls for cheaper and more accessible treatments to help those who want to start a family.
About one in six people worldwide will be affected by infertility in their lifetime, according to a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO), which says more needs to be done to improve access to affordable, high-quality fertility care.
The UN health agency says about 17.5 percent of the adult population experiences infertility, with little variation in the prevalence of infertility between different parts of the world.
The lifetime prevalence was 17.8 percent in high-income countries and 16.5 percent in low- and middle-income countries.
“The report reveals an important truth: infertility does not discriminate,” Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO’s director-general, said in a statement.
βThe sheer number of people affected demonstrates the need to broaden access to fertility care and ensure that this issue is no longer sidelined in health research and policy, so that safe, effective and affordable ways to achieve parenthood are available for those who strive.”
Infertility is a disease of the male or female reproductive system, defined by the failure to conceive after 12 months or more of trying. For those affected, it can cause great distress, stigmatization and financial hardship, affecting their mental and psychosocial well-being, according to the WHO.
Most medical care for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infertility, including assisted reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), remains underfunded and inaccessible to many due to high cost and limited availability.
Fertility treatments are often financed out of pocket.
The UN agency found in a separate report on the cost of infertility treatment that the direct medical costs patients pay for a single round of IVF often exceed average annual income.
“Millions of people face catastrophic health care costs after seeking treatment for infertility, making this a major equality issue and all too often a medical poverty trap for those affected,” says Dr. Pascale Allotey, Director of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research at WHO, said in the statement.
“Better policies and public funding can significantly improve access to treatment and keep poorer households from falling into poverty.”
The WHO report was based on studies of the global and regional prevalence of infertility from 1990 to 2021.