According to a new WHO research released today, infertility affects a large number of people over the course of their lives. Worldwide, around 1 in 6 adults, or 17.5%, struggle with infertility, demonstrating the critical need to provide access to high-quality, reasonably priced fertility care for individuals who are in need.
The latest figures reveal little regional difference in the prevalence of infertility. The rates are comparable in high-, middle-, and low-income nations, demonstrating that this is a significant worldwide health issue. In high-income countries, the lifetime prevalence was 17.8%, while in low- and middle-income nations, it was 16.5%.
“The report reveals crucial truth: infertility does not discriminate,” stated Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the WHO. “The sheer number of affected people highlights the need to increase access to fertility care and ensure that this issue is no longer marginalized in health research and policy, so that those who seek parenthood have access to safe, efficient, and affordable means of doing so.”
The inability to conceive even after the period of 12 months or more of regular, unprotected sexual activity is considered infertility, a disorder of the male or female reproductive system. It can have a negative impact on people’s mental and emotional wellbeing by causing severe distress, stigma, and financial difficulty.
Despite the severity of the problem, assisted reproductive technology (ART) like in vitro fertilization (IVF) and other treatment options for infertility remain underfunded and out of reach for many because of their high prices, negative societal connotations, and scarcity.
Currently, most nations require patients to pay for their own fertility treatments, which can have disastrous financial consequences. Comparatively to those in affluent nations, those in the poorest countries devote a larger percentage of their income to fertility care. People are frequently prevented from receiving infertility treatments by high expenses, or alternatively, seeking care may force them into poverty.
“Millions of people face catastrophic healthcare costs after seeking treatment for infertility, as well as making this a major equity issue, a medical poverty trap for affected people,” said Dr. Pascale Allotey, Director, of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research at WHO, which includes the United Nations’ Special Programme of Research, Development, as well as Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP). Better regulations and public funding can greatly increase access to care and prevent poorer households from experiencing a relapse into poverty as a result.
The new analysis reveals a chronic shortage of data in many nations and some regions even though it provides compelling proof of the significant global prevalence of infertility. To help quantify infertility, as well as to identify who needs fertility care and how risks can be decreased, it advocates for increased availability of national data on infertility that is broken down by age and reason.
