A recent World Health Organization research has revealed that, one in six adults globally, or around 17.5% of the adult population, struggle with infertility.
According to The Punch, infertility affects many people throughout their lives, demonstrating the critical need to provide access to high-quality, affordable fertility care for those who are in need, according to the UN agency.
The latest figures reveal little regional difference in the prevalence of infertility. The rates are comparable in high-, middle-, and low-income nations, demonstrating that this is a significant worldwide health issue. In high-income countries, the lifetime prevalence was 17.8%, but in low- and middle-income countries, it was 16.5%.
The inability to conceive after 12 months or more of regular, unprotected sexual activity is considered infertility, a disorder of the male or female reproductive system. It can have a negative impact on people’s mental and emotional wellbeing by causing severe distress, stigma, and financial difficulty.
Despite the severity of the problem, there is still a lack of funding and widespread access to solutions for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of infertility, including assisted reproductive technology like in vitro fertilization. These barriers include high costs, social stigma, and a lack of accessibility.
The majority of fertility treatments are currently paid for out of pocket in most nations, which frequently results in crippling financial costs. Comparatively to those in affluent nations, those in the poorest countries devote a larger percentage of their income to fertility care.
High prices frequently prevent people from accessing infertility treatments or can catapult them into poverty as a consequence of seeking care,” the WHO said in a press statement made available to our correspondent.
Director General of the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, stated that the report illustrates an important truth: infertility does not discriminate.
According to him, “the sheer number of people affected underlines the need to expand access to fertility treatment and ensuring this problem is no longer ignored in health research and policy so that safe, effective, and inexpensive options to achieve motherhood are available for those who seek it.”
According to director of sexual and reproductive health and research at WHO and the United Nations Special Programme of Research, Development, and Research Training in Human Reproduction, Dr. Pascale Allotey, “millions of people face catastrophic healthcare costs after seeking infertility treatment, making this a major equity issue and all too often, a medical poverty trap for those affected.” Improved regulations and public funding can greatly increase access to care and prevent poorer households from experiencing a relapse into poverty as a result.
The new analysis reveals a chronic shortage of data in many nations and some regions even though it provides compelling proof of the significant global prevalence of infertility.
To help quantify infertility, as well as to identify who needs fertility care and how risks can be decreased, it advocates for increased availability of national data on infertility that is broken down by age and reason.
The WHO is advocating for increased policy attention to infertility.
“We’re pushing for additional evidence, better evidence, to be able to address the treatment concerns, and we’re advocating for broader access to infertility therapy.”
