Switzerland: A new report from the World Health Organisation (WHO) stated that about one-sixth of people around the world are affected by infertility during their lifetime, indicating the importance of access to affordable, high-quality fertility care.

According to the UN’s health agency, 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, remarked in a statement.

“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,” the Director-General added.

Most medical care for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of infertility, including assisted reproductive technology such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF), remains underfunded and inaccessible to many due to the high cost and limited availability.

“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,” Dr. Pascale Allotey, Director of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research at the WHO, observed.

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

The WHO report was based on studies on the global and regional prevalence of infertility from 1990 to 2021.

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