The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday unveiled its first-ever global guidelines aimed at improving the prevention, detection, and treatment of infertility, a condition affecting roughly one in six people worldwide.
Pascale Allotey, WHO’s Director of sexual and reproductive health, highlighted the global impact of infertility.
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“The prevention and treatment of infertility must be grounded in gender equality and reproductive rights,” she said, noting that it affects individuals and couples across all regions and income levels, yet access to safe and affordable care remains highly unequal.
Infertility, defined as the inability to conceive after 12 months of unprotected sex, can have far-reaching consequences, including emotional distress, social stigma, and financial strain.
In many countries, patients cover most of the treatment costs themselves, with in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) sometimes costing twice the average annual household income.
The WHO guidelines offer 40 evidence-based recommendations, urging countries to integrate fertility services into national health strategies and funding.
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Key measures include improving male diagnosis, ensuring effective clinical management, increasing investment in prevention, and addressing risk factors such as untreated sexually transmitted infections and smoking.
The organization aims to make fertility care safe, effective, and accessible for everyone, helping reduce the global burden of infertility while also tackling its social and financial impacts.
