The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday released its first-ever global guidelines to improve the prevention, detection, and treatment of infertility, a condition affecting one in six people worldwide.
Pascale Allotey, WHO’s head of sexual and reproductive health, said infertility impacts individuals and couples across all regions and income levels, yet access to safe and affordable care remains highly inequitable. “The issue has been neglected for far too long,” she added.
Infertility, defined as the inability to conceive after 12 months of unprotected sex, can cause emotional distress, social stigma, and financial hardship.
In many countries, patients bear most treatment costs, with in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) sometimes costing twice the average annual household income.
The new WHO guide provides 40 evidence-based recommendations, urging nations to integrate fertility services into health funding and strategies.
Key measures include better male diagnosis, effective clinical management, increased 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 all, reducing the global burden of infertility and its social and financial consequences.
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