THE World Health Organization (WHO) has issued its latest global guidance on infertility, providing 40 recommendations and six good practice statements to improve prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of infertility. This guidance reflects decades of progress in sexual and reproductive health, including advances in medically assisted reproduction, while emphasizing the importance of equitable access to care.
Key Recommendations Across Infertility Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment
The guideline addresses prevention strategies, including providing fertility information, reducing infertility risks linked to sexually transmitted infections, lifestyle factors, and tobacco use. Diagnostic recommendations cover ovulatory dysfunction, tubal disease, uterine abnormalities in women, and semen analysis for men. Treatment recommendations focus on conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome, tubal disease, uterine septae, varicocele, and unexplained infertility. Good practice statements highlight essential aspects of care, such as selecting tests, listening to patients, guiding treatment decisions, clinical follow-up, and documenting outcomes.
Evidence-Based, Equity-Focused Guidance for Global Health Systems
Developed using the GRADE approach, the recommendations account for the balance of benefits and harms, patient preferences, feasibility, and equity. Many recommendations are conditional due to gaps in evidence, underlining the need for further research. The WHO emphasizes that these guidelines are intended for healthcare providers, policymakers, and organizations supporting reproductive health, with the goal of integrating fertility care into universal health coverage.
Reference
World Health Organisation Guideline Development Group for Infertility; Mburu G et al. Recommendations from the WHO guideline for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of infertility†. Hum Reprod. 2025; DOI:10.1093/humrep/deaf212.
