´Surprising´ and ´welcome´ World Health Organisation global statistics on human infertility

A new WHO report – described as the “first of its kind in a decade” has led to an estimation of one in six people affected by infertility in their lifetime; the WHO emphasizes the condition is common.

The data came from 133 previously published studies on infertility prevalence, and includes an analysis of infertility data from 1990 through to 2021, according to sources.

Based on that data, the researchers estimate that lifetime prevalence of infertility—representing the proportion of people who have ever experienced infertility in their reproductive life—was 17.5% in 2022.

“In our analysis, the global prevalence of lifetime infertility was 17.5%, translating into 1 out of every 6 people experiencing it in their lifetime,” Dr. Gitau Mburu, a scientist of fertility research at WHO, said Monday.

Despite this common occurrence, solutions for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infertility remain “underfunded” and “inaccessible” to many patients due to high costs, Allotey said.

Public health groups typically call serious attention to overpopulation as a major public health concern, so the spotlight that the WHO report turns on infertility not only is surprising but is welcome, said Dr. David Keefe, reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist at the NYU Langone Fertility Center in New York.

“That report did not surprise me in terms of the content, because it’s been known for some time that infertility is much more prevalent than anyone wants to think about: Having a child and having a family is kind of a universal dream or aspiration for people from every country, from every region. What surprised me was the World Health Organization coming out in support of it,” said Keefe, who was not involved with the WHO research.

It was a welcome acknowledgment of the other foot dropping on the population front,” he said. “The acknowledgment that this is a worldwide problem and that additional attention must be devoted to it in terms of policy and strategy is welcome.”

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