National, Regional, and Global Trends in Infertility Prevalence Since 1990: A Systematic Analysis of 277 Health Surveys

20122,295 citationsJournal Articlegold Open Access

Authors

Maya Mascarenhas · University of California, San Francisco

Seth Flaxman · Carnegie Mellon University

Sheryl Vanderpoel · World Health Organization

Gretchen A Stevens · World Health Organization

Abstract

We analyzed demographic and reproductive household survey data to reveal global patterns and trends in infertility. Independent from population growth and worldwide declines in the preferred number of children, we found little evidence of changes in infertility over two decades, apart from in the regions of Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Further research is needed to identify the etiological causes of these patterns and trends.

Topics & Keywords

Reproductive Health and Technologies Assisted Reproductive Technology and Twin Pregnancy Ovarian function and disorders

UN Sustainable Development Goals

Good health and well-being

Publication Details

Published in: PLoS Medicine

Volume 9, Issue 12, pp. e1001356-e1001356

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1001356

Field-Weighted Citation Impact: 62.42