In the UN agency’s first estimates of infertility prevalence in more than a decade, researchers found that around 17.5 percent of the global population experience infertility, with similar rates across continents.

 

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Edited by| Hugh Gey

Health   section -  CJ journalist

World – April,4,2023

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“The report reveals an important truth – infertility does not discriminate,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general at WHO.

“The sheer proportion of people affected shows the need to widen access to fertility care and ensure this issue is no longer sidelined in health research and policy so that safe, effective and affordable ways to attain parenthood are available for those who seek it,” he added.

In the report - which is based on more than 130 studies between 1990 and 2021 - infertility is defined as a disease of the male or female reproductive system that prevents pregnancy after at least 12 months of regular, unprotected sex.

It found that rates vary little internationally, with a lifetime prevalence of 17.8 percent in higher-income countries and 16.5 percent in low and middle-income nations.

“For millions around the world, the path to parenthood can be difficult to access, if not impossible,” said Dr. Tedros, adding that the causes are “varied and often complex”.

But while diagnosis and treatment may be required in every region, services are often inadequate or prohibitively expensive. In most countries, care is still privately funded, meaning that trying to have children can result in devastating financial costs.

“Millions of people face catastrophic healthcare costs after seeking treatment for infertility, making this a major equity issue and, all too often, a medical poverty trap for those affected,” said Dr Pascale Allotey, director of sexual and reproductive health and research at the WHO.

“Better policies and public financing can significantly improve access to treatment and protect poorer households from falling into poverty as a result.”

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