WHO Releases First-Ever Global Guideline on Infertility Care, Calls for Fairer Access Worldwide
Oluwatobi Adu 
ABUJA, Nigeria – The World Health Organisation, (WHO) has launched its first-ever global guideline on infertility care, urging member states to prioritise equitable access to prevention, diagnosis and treatment as millions worldwide continue to face financial and social challenges in seeking fertility services.
Announced Friday through a new WHO publication, the guideline responds to rising global demand for fertility care and the persistent barriers caused by high costs and inadequate health system integration.
WHO estimates that infertility affects one in six people of reproductive age globally — yet access remains severely limited, with many countries relying on out-of-pocket payments. In some settings, the cost of a single IVF cycle can exceed twice the average annual household income.
“Infertility is one of the most overlooked public health challenges of our time,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “Millions face this journey alone — priced out of care or forced to choose between their hopes of having children and their financial security.”
“Empowering people to make informed choices about their reproductive lives is both a health imperative and a matter of social justice,” she stated.
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Otamere Gladness 
Hussaini Ibrahim 
