A new report by the World Health Organization (WHO) has revealed that around 17.5% of the adult population worldwide – roughly 1 in 6 individuals – experience infertility. The study, which analyzed data from 133 studies spanning 1990 to 2021, found limited variation in infertility rates between high, middle, and low-income countries, with lifetime prevalence estimated at 17.8% in high-income countries and 16.5% in low- and middle-income countries.
Infertility, defined as the failure to achieve pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse, can have significant impacts on individuals’ mental and psychosocial well-being. Despite its prevalence, the report found that solutions for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of infertility remain underfunded and inaccessible for many due to high costs, social stigma, and limited availability.
Fertility treatments are largely funded out-of-pocket in most countries, with high costs frequently preventing individuals from accessing the care they need. This is particularly challenging in low- and middle-income countries, where direct medical costs for a single round of in vitro fertilization (IVF) can be higher than the average annual income. In many cases, seeking fertility care can result in devastating financial costs and even push individuals into poverty.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General at WHO, emphasised the importance of widening access to fertility care and increasing research and policy attention to the issue. “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,” he said.
The report also called for greater availability of national data on infertility, disaggregated by age and cause, to help quantify infertility, identify who needs fertility care, and develop strategies to reduce risks.
Separately, new research funded by HRP and WHO and published in the journal Human Reproduction Open assessed the costs associated with infertility treatments in low- and middle-income countries. The analysis found that direct medical costs for a single round of IVF were often higher than the average annual income, indicating prohibitive costs for most people in these parts of the world. (Modified from the World Health Organisation)
