IMAP Statement on Advancing Fertility Care

Purpose of the statement

This statement provides evidence-based guidance on the recognition, diagnosis, and management of infertility, particularly in low-resource settings. This statement is a resource for IPPF Member Associations (MAs) to promote equitable access to evidence-based family-building options, dispel common misconceptions about infertility, and offer practical recommendations to optimize patient-centred care and outcomes. It was endorsed by IMAP in February 2026.

Background

Infertility, recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a disease, affects approximately 1 in 6 reproductive aged individuals worldwide, making it one of the most common chronic conditions faced by individuals of childbearing age. An estimated 52.6 to 200 million couples experience an inability to become pregnant, have one or an additional child, with most residing in low- and middle-income countries. 

Every individual has the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental well-being, as well as the freedom to decide the number, timing, and spacing of their children. However, infertility can pose a significant barrier to these rights, impacting personal autonomy and overall well-being. Beyond its medical implications, infertility carries profound emotional and financial consequences, which are further exacerbated in low-resource settings by unavailability of healthcare services, inadequate healthcare infrastructure, prohibitive costs, and socio-cultural barriers to treatment. In some cultures, infertility can result in social ostracization and even gender-based violence, intensifying the challenges faced by affected individuals, particularly women.

A priority for International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) is ensuring access to high quality, rights-based, affordable fertility care, tailored to local infrastructures and sensitive to cultural contexts. IPPF recognizes that family planning includes building a family as much as limiting its size. This guideline provides evidence-based recommendations for fertility care in sexual and reproductive health services.

You can read the statement in full below.