Around 1 in 6 people worldwide experience infertility, says WHO

The new estimates in the report show limited variation in the prevalence of infertility between regions.
(News Agency)Around 17.5 per cent of the adult population, roughly 1 in 6 worldwide, experience infertility, according to a new report by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The report stated that as per new data there is an urgent need to increase access to affordable, high-quality fertility care for those in need. Infertility is a disease of the male or female reproductive system, defined by the failure to achieve pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse.It can cause significant distress, stigma, and financial hardship, affecting people’s mental and psychosocial well-being, as per WHO.
The new estimates in the report show limited variation in the prevalence of infertility between regions. The rates are comparable for high, middle and low-income countries, indicating that this is a major health challenge globally.Lifetime prevalence was 17.8 per cent in high-income countries and 16.5 per cent in low and middle-income countries. “The sheer proportion of people affected show 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,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO. Dr Pascale Allotey, Director of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research at WHO, including the United Nations’ Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP) said that millions of people face catastrophic healthcare costs after seeing infertility treatment, making this a major equity issue, a medical poverty trap for those affected.”Better policies and public financing can significantly improve access to treatment and protect poorer households from falling into poverty as a result,” said Dr Pascale Allotey. Despite the challenges, solutions for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infertility remain underfunded and inaccessible to many due to high costs, social stigma and limited availability. At present, in most countries, fertility treatments are largely funded out of pocket – often resulting in devastating financial costs.High costs frequently prevent people from accessing infertility treatments or alternatively, can catapult them into poverty as a consequence of seeking care. While the new report shows convincing evidence of the high global prevalence of infertility, it highlights a persistent lack of data in many countries and some regions and calls for greater availability of national data on infertility.