Globally Every 6th Person is affected by Infertility, WHO Says
World Health Organization (WHO), has published the new report “Infertility Prevalence Estimates” – saying the major population of the world is facing the infertility problem in their lifetime.
As per the reports, around 17.5% of the adult population, or you can say roughly 1 in every 6th person globally is experiencing an infertility problem.
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The new estimates show there is limited variation in the occurrence of infertility between the different regions. The rates are similar for all class high-, middle- and low-income countries, representing that this is a major global health challenge.
Lifetime prevalence was 17.8% in high-income countries and 16.5% in low- and middle-income countries.
“The report also reveals an important truth that: 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.”
Infertility is a kind of disease found in both the male and female reproductive systems. Infertility is defined by the failure to achieve a pregnancy after 12 months or more despite having regular unprotected sexual intercourse.
Couples unable to conceive face significant distress, stigma, and financial hardship, affecting people’s mental and psychosocial well-being.
High-Cost Infertility Treatment like IVF
Despite this much severe condition of infertility among people solutions for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infertility – including assisted reproductive technology such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) – 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.
People in the poorest countries spend a greater proportion of their income on fertility care compared to people in wealthier countries.
High costs frequently prevent people from accessing infertility treatments or alternatively, can catapult them into poverty as a consequence of seeking care.
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“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.
Dr Pascale Allotey is also the 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) further says “Better policies and public financing can significantly improve access to treatment and protect poorer households from falling into poverty as a result.”
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.
It calls for greater availability of national data on infertility disaggregated by age and by cause to help with quantifying infertility, as well as knowing who needs fertility care and how risks can be reduced.
Watch News on this Infertility Report: Video
Source: WHO
