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Hum. Reprod. Advance Access originally published online on March 21, 2007
Human Reproduction 2007 22(6):1506-1512; doi:10.1093/humrep/dem046
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© The Author 2007. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

NEW DEBATE

International estimates of infertility prevalence and treatment-seeking: potential need and demand for infertility medical care

Jacky Boivin1,4, Laura Bunting1, John A. Collins2 and Karl G. Nygren3

1 School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Tower Building, Park Place, Wales CF10 3AT, UK 2 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McMaster University, Hamilton and Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada 3 IVF-Clinic, Sophiahemmet Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden

4 Correspondence address. Tel: +12920876707; Fax: +12920874858; E-mail: boivin{at}cardiff.ac.uk

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of the present study was to review existing population surveys on the prevalence of infertility and proportion of couples seeking medical help for fertility problems.

METHODS: Population surveys, reporting the prevalence of infertility and proportion of couples seeking help in more and less developed countries, were reviewed.

RESULTS: Estimates on the prevalence of infertility came from 25 population surveys sampling 172 413 women. The 12-month prevalence rate ranged from 3.5% to 16.7% in more developed nations and from 6.9% to 9.3% in less-developed nations, with an estimated overall median prevalence of 9%. In 17 studies sampling 6410 women, the proportion of couples seeking medial care was, on average, 56.1% (range 42–76.3%) in more developed countries and 51.2% (range 27–74.1%) in less developed countries. The proportion of people actually receiving care was substantially less, 22.4%. Based on these estimates and on the current world population, 72.4 million women are currently infertile; of these, 40.5 million are currently seeking infertility medical care.

CONCLUSIONS: The current evidence indicates a 9% prevalence of infertility (of 12 months) with 56% of couples seeking medical care. These estimates are lower than those typically cited and are remarkably similar between more and less developed countries.

Key words: infertility/population/prevalence/treatment-seeking

Submitted on October 6, 2006; resubmitted on December 22, 2006; accepted on January 2, 2007.


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