Infertility affects ‘staggering’ 1 in 6 people globally, WHO says

High angle view of an affectionate young Asian couple sitting on the bed, holding hands and holding a positive pregnancy test together. (Credit: d3sign/Getty Images)

One in six people around the world will be unable to conceive a child, the WHO has estimated.

In a report published on Monday, the U.N.’s health agency estimated that around 17.5% of the global adult population—or 1 in 6 people worldwide—would be affected by infertility in their lifetime.