The World Health Organization (WHO) today called on countries to make fertility care safer, fairer and more affordable for all in its first-ever global guideline for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infertility.

Infertility is estimated to affect 1 in 6 people of reproductive age at some point in their lives. While demand for services is rising worldwide, access to care remains severely limited. In many countries, tests and treatments for infertility are largely funded out-of-pocket – often resulting in catastrophic financial expenditures. In some settings, even a single round of in vitro fertilization (IVF) can cost double the average annual household income.

“Infertility is one of the most overlooked public health challenges of our time and a major equity issue globally,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “Millions face this journey alone – priced out of care, pushed toward cheaper but unproven treatments, or forced to choose between their hopes of having children and their financial security. We encourage more countries to adapt this guideline, giving more people the possibility to access affordable, respectful, and science-based care.”