According to the World Health Organization, one out of every 6 people in the world suffers from infertility, which underscores the urgent need to expand access to affordable and good quality treatments.
Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus indicated, in a new report, that one out of every 6 people in the world is unable to conceive a child during a stage of his life, regardless of the region he lives in or the resources available to him.
The organization confirmed that this situation represents a “major health problem” affecting 17.8% of the adult population in rich countries, and 16.5% of the population of low- or middle-income countries.
“The report, the first of its kind to be issued in 10 years, revealed an important fact that infertility does not discriminate between people,” Ghebreyesus said.
The report did not refer to the medical or environmental reasons behind infertility, or how this health problem has evolved over time, but it provided a preliminary idea of its prevalence by analyzing all the studies that dealt with it between 1990 and 2021.
He showed that “infertility affects a large portion of the world’s population” because this health problem affects 17.5% of adults worldwide.
Infertility affects millions
Ghebreyesus stressed that “infertility affects millions of people,” and despite that, “it has not been covered by sufficient studies, while the necessary treatments for it face a lack of funding and are not available to many due to its high costs and the social stigma associated with the problem.”
“The large percentage of those affected by infertility shows the need to expand access to fertility care, and to ensure that this issue is not marginalized in research and health policies, so that effective and affordable treatments become available to those who wish to get rid of this problem,” he added.
Disease of the reproductive system
According to the WHO, infertility is a disease that affects the male or female reproductive system, and is defined by the inability to reach a pregnancy result following 12 months or more of regular intercourse without the use of contraception. Infertility can cause psychological stress, ostracism and financial distress for sufferers.
“Pregnancy is usually accompanied by great social pressure,” said Pascal Allotti, Director of the Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health at the organization, during the presentation of the report to reporters, adding that “bearing children is still in some countries a necessary process linked to society’s view of femininity and marriage. It often represents Failing to conceive is a social stigma.”
She pointed out that “people who face the problem of infertility often suffer from anxiety and depression,” noting that there is “an increased risk of domestic violence associated with infertility.”
The WHO called on countries to develop methods of preventing, diagnosing, and treating infertility that include assisted reproductive technologies such as artificial insemination.