Geneva, April 4, (dpa/GNA) – Infertility affects about one in six people worldwide, a new report published by the World Health Organization (WHO) revealed on Monday.
The report found about 17.8% of the adult population in high-income countries, experienced infertility, while 16.5% of the adult population were affected in low and middle-income countries.
WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the report revealed infertility did not discriminate.
“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.”
WHO defined infertility as 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,” the WHO said.
The prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infertility remained underfunded, and inaccessible due to high costs, social stigma and limited availability, the report said.
The WHO drew its conclusions after selecting and evaluating 133 studies from more than 12,000 studies worldwide from 1990 to 2021.
GNA