The World Health Organization (WHO) warned this Tuesday that one in six people worldwide suffers from infertility at some point in their lives, for which they made an urgent call to increase access to treatment.
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“Infertility is a widespread public health problem and in some countries it can cause the impression of a woman or a failed couple,” explained the director of sexual and reproductive health at the WHO, Pascale Allotey.
At a press conference in which the data was presented in Geneva, the research found that sterility affects regarding 17.8% of the adult population in rich countries and 16.5% of people in poor countries. and under development.
One in six people affected globally by infertility – WHO pic.twitter.com/zWn4RYk6gG
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“This report, the first of its kind in ten years, is revealing of an important fact: infertility does not discriminate,” said WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Infertility is defined as the inability to achieve a pregnancy following 12 months or more of regular, unprotected intercourse, according to the WHO, which said reproductive technology such as in vitro fertilization or IVF remains underfunded.
In most countries, fertility treatments are paid for out of pocket and can create financial hardship, affecting people’s “mental and psychosocial well-being,” according to the report.
“Millions of people face catastrophic healthcare costs following seeking infertility treatment, making this a significant equity issue and, all too often, a medical poverty trap for those affected,” said Dr. Pascale Allotey, WHO Director of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research.
“Better public policies and financing can significantly improve access to treatment and, as a result, protect the poorest households from falling into poverty,” Allotey said.
Others, who suffer from infertility, find the cost of treatments prohibitive and choose not to pursue fertility options, which the WHO calls an “essential human right.”
“Every human being has the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health,” the organization said.
“Individuals and couples have the right to decide the number, timing and spacing of their children. Infertility can deny the realization of these essential human rights.”
