Lifetime infertility prevalence was 17.8 per cent in high-income countries and 16.5 per cent in low to middle-income countries. theSun theSundaily WorldHealth healthcare Health fertility news
A logo is pictured outside a building of the World Health Organization during an executive board meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, April 6, 2021. -REUTERSPix: A new report says one in six people worldwide experience infertility at some point in their lifetime, highlighting the need for affordable, quality fertility care and calling the ability to have a child an essential human right, reported UPI.
The report reveals an important truth: infertility does not discriminate, said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general at WHO. The sheer proportion of people affected shows the need to widen access to fertility care and ensure this issue is no longer sidelined in health research and policy, so that safe, effective and affordable ways to attain parenthood are available for those who seek it.
In most countries, fertility treatments are paid out-of-pocket and can create financial hardship, affecting people’s mental and psychosocial well-being, the report said. Better policies and public financing can significantly improve access to treatment and protect poorer households from falling into poverty as a result, Allotey said.