Infertility affects 1 in 6 people globally, says UN health body

By Peter Kenny

GENEVA (AA) – Around one in six adults worldwide are affected by infertility in their lifetime, a new report published Tuesday by the World Health Organization showed.

Around 17.5% of adults experience infertility, showing the urgent need to increase access to affordable, high-quality fertility care for those in need, said the report.

“The report reveals an important truth: infertility does not discriminate,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus.

“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.”

Estimates show limited variation in the disease’s regional prevalence.

The report shows comparable rates for high-, middle- and low-income countries, signposting infertility as a global health challenge.

Lifetime prevalence was 17.8% in high-income countries and 16.5% in low- and middle-income countries.

Infertility is a disease of the male or female reproductive system, defined by the failure to achieve a 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, says the WHO.​​​​​​​

While the report shows evidence of the high global infertility prevalence, it highlights a data deficit from many countries and some regions.