Infertility affects a ‘staggering’ 1 in 6 people worldwide, WHO says – CTV
April 4, 2023
An estimated 1 in 6 people globally are affected by infertility, according to a new report from the World Health Organization, which emphasizes that the condition is common.
Rates of infertility — defined as not being able to conceive after a year of having unprotected sex — are similar across all countries and regions, Monday’s WHO report says.
“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.
“Lifetime prevalence of infertility does not differ by income classification of countries,” he said. “Lifetime prevalence was 17.8% in high-income countries and 16.5% in low- and middle-income countries, which, again, was not a substantial or significant difference.”
