Infertility affects 17.8% of the adult population in rich countries and 16.5% of people in poor and developing countries. The problems of having a child occur all over the world and in people from all kinds of socioeconomic backgrounds.

The director general of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, stressed that for the agency it is "a major health problem" that affects people of all ages and backgrounds. He said infertility "does not discriminate" in the presentation of the report.