TY - JOUR
T1 - Now is the time to introduce new innovative assisted reproduction methods to implement accessible, affordable, and demonstrably successful advanced infertility services in resource-poor countries
AU - Ombelet, Willem
AU - Van Blerkom, Jonathan
AU - Boshoff, Gerhard
AU - Huyser, Carin
AU - Lopes, Federica
AU - Nargund, Geeta
AU - Sallam, Hassan
AU - Vanmechelen, Koen
AU - Campo, Rudi
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2025. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology.
PY - 2025/1/17
Y1 - 2025/1/17
N2 - Nearly 200 million people worldwide suffer from infertility. Disparities exist between developed and developing countries due to differences in the availability of infertility care, different reimbursement policies and socio-cultural differences surrounding procreation. In low- and middle-income countries, specialized infertility centres are either scarce or non-existent, mostly in private settings, and accessible only to the fortunate few who can afford them. The success and sustainability of ARTs will depend on our ability to optimize these techniques in terms of availability, affordability, and effectiveness. A low-cost, simplified IVF system has been developed and shown to be safe, cost-effective, and widely applicable to low-resource settings. Combined with inexpensive mild ovarian stimulation protocols, this could become a truly effective means of treating infertility and performing assisted reproduction at affordable prices, but only if such programmes are sincerely desired and supported by all relevant stakeholders. A receptive political, governmental, and clinical community is essential.
AB - Nearly 200 million people worldwide suffer from infertility. Disparities exist between developed and developing countries due to differences in the availability of infertility care, different reimbursement policies and socio-cultural differences surrounding procreation. In low- and middle-income countries, specialized infertility centres are either scarce or non-existent, mostly in private settings, and accessible only to the fortunate few who can afford them. The success and sustainability of ARTs will depend on our ability to optimize these techniques in terms of availability, affordability, and effectiveness. A low-cost, simplified IVF system has been developed and shown to be safe, cost-effective, and widely applicable to low-resource settings. Combined with inexpensive mild ovarian stimulation protocols, this could become a truly effective means of treating infertility and performing assisted reproduction at affordable prices, but only if such programmes are sincerely desired and supported by all relevant stakeholders. A receptive political, governmental, and clinical community is essential.
KW - accessible
KW - affordable
KW - assisted reproduction
KW - infertility care
KW - LMICs
KW - low- and middle-income countries
KW - simplified IVF
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85218441026&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/hropen/hoaf001
DO - 10.1093/hropen/hoaf001
M3 - Review article
C2 - 39935763
AN - SCOPUS:85218441026
SN - 2399-3529
VL - 2025
JO - Human Reproduction Open
JF - Human Reproduction Open
IS - 1
M1 - hoaf001
ER -