The global fertility rate is rapidly heading south yet little is being done by governments to halt the free-fall, according to a new report.
A campaign launched by the International Federation of Fertility Societies (IFFS) claims most governments have failed to recognise and address the potential impact of infertility on economies and societies.
Its report, published in Human Reproduction Update this week, said that not including the effects of migration, many countries were predicted to have a population decline of more than 50% from 2017 to 2100, with significant implications for family planning and economic development.
“By 2050, 77% of predominantly high-income countries, and by 2100, 93% of all countries will have a total fertility rate below the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman,” the IFFS said.
“One in six people of reproductive age grapple with infertility and the problem affects women and men equally, with factors such as some sexually transmitted infections, smoking, excessive alcohol intake, obesity, and poor nutrition can negatively affect both male and female fertility.
“Alarmingly, infertility risk factors such as air pollution and the proliferation of harmful and poorly regulated chemicals are increasing, making it critical for policymakers to develop and implement policies that reduce environmental infertility risk factors.”
Dr Luca Gianaroli, IFFS Director of Education and former chairman of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, said that solutions to improving birth rates included “policy measures supporting families and working women.”
“While more than 10% of all children are born with fertility assistance in some wealthy countries, there is great variation in access to care and the high cost remains a barrier across the board,” he said.
“A limited number of countries have started public funding of fertility treatment to mitigate falling birth rates, and the IFFS is asking that more countries consider providing financial assistance for individuals needing fertility care.
“These include measures such as compensation for extended pregnancy leave and childcare, parental leave, and increased access to assisted reproductive technology services. The economic benefits to society of providing fertility care clearly exceed the cost of treatment, and these benefits will only increase as populations become more aged.”
The report also noted that there have been “major advances in fertility care that have dramatically improved family building opportunities (for infertile couples, singles and members of the LBGTQ+ community) over the last three decades,” but equity remained a challenge across countries, cultures and economies.
Among their many recommendations, the IFFS has highlighted four main calls to action that will be part of their ‘More Joy’ global awareness and education campaign:
- Governments and companies need to develop policies to reduce infertility risk factors and make fertility care more affordable, accessible, and equitable.
- There is an urgent need to develop simpler, less intensive and less expensive assisted reproductive technologies.
- Health care professionals need to educate their patients about infertility prevention and include fertility awareness as part of family planning and contraceptive education.
- Infrastructure and support are needed to increase access to care, especially in low-resource countries.