One in six adults suffers from infertility, according to a landmark report from the World Health Organization (WHO).
The UN agency released its first global estimate on the issue in more than a decade, stating that the “massive percentage” of those affected showed the need to widen access to expensive fertility treatments.
Still, the team admitted they couldn’t definitively say that infertility rates had risen over the past decade.
This is despite gloomy warnings that rising obesity and aging populations ‘threaten the very survival of humanity’.
By region, the Eastern Mediterranean, an area that includes the Middle East and North Africa, had the lowest global infertility rate at just 10.7 percent.
Although the WHO estimates that one in six adults worldwide will experience infertility during their lifetime, there are regional differences. The Eastern Mediterranean recorded the lowest rare infertility rate at just 10.7 percent, followed by Africa at 13.1 percent and then Europe at 16.5 percent. The Western Pacific recorded the highest rate at 23.2 percent, followed by the Americas at 20 percent. No figure was available for the Southeast Asia region due to a lack of quality studies in that area
This meant that only about one in ten men and women would struggle with fertility at some point in their lives.
Infertility was defined as not getting pregnant after 12 months of regular unprotected sex.
The highest infertility rate of 23.2 percent, nearly a quarter of the population, was recorded in the Western Pacific. This area includes China and Japan, as well as Australia and New Zealand.
In Europe, including the UK, the infertility rate was 16.5 percent, about one in six.
And in the Americas, a region that includes the US, the figure was around 20 percent, one in five.
Overall, the WHO said the global average rate was 17.5 percent.
It doesn’t mean these people could never have children – with couples affected by infertility being able to use techniques such as IVF to conceive.
However, WHO noted that access to fertility treatments is expensive. It means it is unreachable in parts of the world.
And women who experience infertility may face stigma and even violence due to societal expectations about having children, the report said.
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the report showed the magnitude of the infertility problem and the need to address it.
“The report reveals an important truth: Infertility does not discriminate,” he said.
“The 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 for it. ‘
Dr. Pascale Allotey, WHO director of sexual and reproductive health and research, added that a lack of affordable fertility treatments could lead families to financial ruin.
Experts found no substantial difference in infertility rates between rich and poor countries, a finding they say showed the magnitude of the problem and the need for universal access to fertility treatments
WHO’s calculations were based on 133 studies from around the world from a pool of 12,000, but even this select group had problems with the way they were conducted. problem
“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,” she said,
“Better policies and public funding can significantly improve access to treatment and keep poorer households from falling into poverty.”
The WHO calculated its infertility rates by analyzing 133 high-quality studies from around the world conducted between 1990 and 2021.
However, they said one of the main problems they found was a lack of consistent and high-quality data in many countries.
For example, they found no quality data for Southeast Asia that could be used to calculate an estimate for that region.
Another problem was that the vast majority of studies (109) analyzed women’s infertility exclusively, while only a few looked at men or couples as a whole.
The report’s authors said they haven’t looked at the causes of infertility, and they can’t say whether the problem is increasing over time.
Dr. James Kiarie, WHO’s head of contraception and fertility care, told journalists: ‘We cannot say from the data we have that infertility is on the rise.
“So we have to say the jury is probably still out.”
More research is needed on infertility to identify clear causes, the team said.
Pregnancies among women over 40 have risen to the highest level since records began before the turn of the century (brown line). Still, attitudes among teens have fallen over the same period, despite a slight uptick last year (grey line)
The latest data from the Office for National Statistics shows that 523,513 conceptions occurred outside marriage or civil partnership, while 301,470 occurred within one
Known causes of infertility include genetic problems, health or hormonal problems, or exposure to some treatments, such as chemotherapy.
But in about a quarter of cases, no cause for infertility can be found, according to the NHS.
Some studies have also pointed to an increase in obesity and exposure to chemicals and pollution as another possible factor.
According to the NHS infertility estimates, one in seven couples will struggle to have a baby after 12 months of trying.
According to the Center for Disease Control, in the US one in five women who try to conceive experience infertility.
Infertility treatment varies depending on the cause of the problem, with surgery as an option or if there is a physical problem.
Fertility treatments, such as IVF, can be used if there is a problem with sperm or egg quality.
However, eligibility for IVF on the NHS is assessed on a case-by-case basis, with local health services having the final say. And wait times can be long.
Brits can also pay for IVF privately, but this can be expensive, rising to £5,000 per cycle.
The WHO report only covers infertility and there are other factors why some countries have seen falling birth rates.
Women prioritizing careers over having children, couples trying to save for a house before having children, and the cost of living are all responsible for the fall in the birth rate in the UK.
Some have even attributed climate change fears to the fact that some young people are not having children.