FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
Infertility affects one in six people of reproductive age worldwide, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced today, as it published new global guidelines containing recommendations for improving access to prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
The WHO said access to fertility care remains "extremely limited" despite the scale of the problem. In many countries, tests and treatments are largely paid for by patients themselves, leaving them with a huge financial burden.
In some countries, a single cycle of in vitro fertilization (IVF) can cost “twice the average annual income of a family.”
"Infertility is one of the most overlooked public health challenges of our time and a major global equality issue," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
"Millions of people face this journey alone, excluded from care because of cost, pushed towards cheaper but unproven treatments, or forced to choose between the hope of having children and their financial security ," he said.
The guide, WHO's first on infertility, contains 40 recommendations covering clinical pathways for diagnosing common causes of infertility and guidance on how treatment can progress, from counselling and advice on the duration of intercourse, to procedures such as intrauterine insemination or IVF.
The health agency said infertility can cause significant stigma, emotional distress and financial hardship. It called for more investment in prevention, including information about fertility, age-related factors and untreated sexually transmitted infections.
Lifestyle measures, such as a healthy diet, physical activity, and cessation of tobacco use, are recommended for people planning or trying to become pregnant.
The guide also emphasized the need for psychosocial support.
"Prevention and treatment of infertility must be based on gender equality and reproductive rights," said Pascale Allotey, director of the WHO's department for sexual, reproductive, maternal, child and adolescent health and ageing.
Lini një Përgjigje