Latest news with #fertilitycrisis
CNN
10 hours ago
- Health
- CNN
Financial constraints big driver of global ‘fertility crisis,' UN finds
Job insecurity and unaffordable housing are among the biggest reasons why millions of people worldwide can't have the number of children they want, the United Nations said Tuesday, calling for 'urgent action' to address the 'fertility crisis.' Together with market research firm YouGov, the UN's sexual and reproductive health agency UNFPA conducted a survey across 14 countries to find out whether people are able to have the families they want. They found that almost a fifth of adults of reproductive age do not believe they will be able to have as many children as they would like, the UN said in a report Tuesday. 'Financial limitations' were reported as a factor for this by 39% of the 10,000 respondents who have or want to have children. In the Republic of Korea, South Africa and Thailand, more than half of such respondents cited this barrier. Unemployment or job security was the second-most common factor, reported by 21% of the respondents worldwide, with the third being housing constraints. Nearly one in five people mentioned fears about the future, including climate change, wars and pandemics, as a reason. 'I want children, but it's becoming more difficult as time passes by,' a 29-year-old woman from Mexico said in the survey. 'It is impossible to buy or have affordable rent in my city. I also would not like to give birth to a child in war times and worsened planetary conditions if that means the baby would suffer because of it.' The barriers to having children also include the lack of a suitable partner and limited childcare options. 'The issue is lack of choice, not desire (for children or more children), with major consequences for individuals and societies,' Dr. Natalia Kanem, executive director of UNFPA, said in a news release Tuesday. 'That is the real fertility crisis, and the answer lies in responding to what people say they need: paid family leave, affordable fertility care and supportive partners.' Conversely, nearly one in three people have experienced an unintended pregnancy, according to the UN report, with the figure reaching 51% in Morocco. Governments and societies have historically prioritized national or societal needs over individual agency, the UN said. Coercive policies and financial incentives are often used to influence women's fertility, with some countries criminalizing abortion and others, such as Japan, restricting access to voluntary sterilization, the organization noted. More than one in 10 women and men in Nigeria have more children than they wanted, with a lack of access to family planning services in poorer communities among the reasons, the UN found. 'Both preventing unintended pregnancies and enabling intended pregnancies are profoundly consequential for people's human rights and welfare. Both require supportive environments, policies and norms,' the report said. 'And for both, scholars and policymakers are increasingly looking beyond just women to include men in these measurements, and beyond just heterosexual couples, to include those on the gender continuum and single individuals,' it added. Programs to alleviate poverty and end gender-based violence, as well as support for single mothers and members of the LGBTQ+ community, will help to address these issues, according to the report. The 14 countries surveyed – the United States, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, India, Indonesia, Italy, Hungary, Germany, Sweden, Brazil, Mexico, Morocco, South Africa and Nigeria – represent more than a third of the global population, the report noted. In total, more than 14,000 people aged 18–88 were surveyed.
CNN
10 hours ago
- Health
- CNN
Financial constraints big driver of global ‘fertility crisis,' UN finds
Job insecurity and unaffordable housing are among the biggest reasons why millions of people worldwide can't have the number of children they want, the United Nations said Tuesday, calling for 'urgent action' to address the 'fertility crisis.' Together with market research firm YouGov, the UN's sexual and reproductive health agency UNFPA conducted a survey across 14 countries to find out whether people are able to have the families they want. They found that almost a fifth of adults of reproductive age do not believe they will be able to have as many children as they would like, the UN said in a report Tuesday. 'Financial limitations' were reported as a factor for this by 39% of the 10,000 respondents who have or want to have children. In the Republic of Korea, South Africa and Thailand, more than half of such respondents cited this barrier. Unemployment or job security was the second-most common factor, reported by 21% of the respondents worldwide, with the third being housing constraints. Nearly one in five people mentioned fears about the future, including climate change, wars and pandemics, as a reason. 'I want children, but it's becoming more difficult as time passes by,' a 29-year-old woman from Mexico said in the survey. 'It is impossible to buy or have affordable rent in my city. I also would not like to give birth to a child in war times and worsened planetary conditions if that means the baby would suffer because of it.' The barriers to having children also include the lack of a suitable partner and limited childcare options. 'The issue is lack of choice, not desire (for children or more children), with major consequences for individuals and societies,' Dr. Natalia Kanem, executive director of UNFPA, said in a news release Tuesday. 'That is the real fertility crisis, and the answer lies in responding to what people say they need: paid family leave, affordable fertility care and supportive partners.' Conversely, nearly one in three people have experienced an unintended pregnancy, according to the UN report, with the figure reaching 51% in Morocco. Governments and societies have historically prioritized national or societal needs over individual agency, the UN said. Coercive policies and financial incentives are often used to influence women's fertility, with some countries criminalizing abortion and others, such as Japan, restricting access to voluntary sterilization, the organization noted. More than one in 10 women and men in Nigeria have more children than they wanted, with a lack of access to family planning services in poorer communities among the reasons, the UN found. 'Both preventing unintended pregnancies and enabling intended pregnancies are profoundly consequential for people's human rights and welfare. Both require supportive environments, policies and norms,' the report said. 'And for both, scholars and policymakers are increasingly looking beyond just women to include men in these measurements, and beyond just heterosexual couples, to include those on the gender continuum and single individuals,' it added. Programs to alleviate poverty and end gender-based violence, as well as support for single mothers and members of the LGBTQ+ community, will help to address these issues, according to the report. The 14 countries surveyed – the United States, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, India, Indonesia, Italy, Hungary, Germany, Sweden, Brazil, Mexico, Morocco, South Africa and Nigeria – represent more than a third of the global population, the report noted. In total, more than 14,000 people aged 18–88 were surveyed.
CNN
10 hours ago
- Health
- CNN
Financial constraints big driver of global ‘fertility crisis,' UN finds
Job insecurity and unaffordable housing are among the biggest reasons why millions of people worldwide can't have the number of children they want, the United Nations said Tuesday, calling for 'urgent action' to address the 'fertility crisis.' Together with market research firm YouGov, the UN's sexual and reproductive health agency UNFPA conducted a survey across 14 countries to find out whether people are able to have the families they want. They found that almost a fifth of adults of reproductive age do not believe they will be able to have as many children as they would like, the UN said in a report Tuesday. 'Financial limitations' were reported as a factor for this by 39% of the 10,000 respondents who have or want to have children. In the Republic of Korea, South Africa and Thailand, more than half of such respondents cited this barrier. Unemployment or job security was the second-most common factor, reported by 21% of the respondents worldwide, with the third being housing constraints. Nearly one in five people mentioned fears about the future, including climate change, wars and pandemics, as a reason. 'I want children, but it's becoming more difficult as time passes by,' a 29-year-old woman from Mexico said in the survey. 'It is impossible to buy or have affordable rent in my city. I also would not like to give birth to a child in war times and worsened planetary conditions if that means the baby would suffer because of it.' The barriers to having children also include the lack of a suitable partner and limited childcare options. 'The issue is lack of choice, not desire (for children or more children), with major consequences for individuals and societies,' Dr. Natalia Kanem, executive director of UNFPA, said in a news release Tuesday. 'That is the real fertility crisis, and the answer lies in responding to what people say they need: paid family leave, affordable fertility care and supportive partners.' Conversely, nearly one in three people have experienced an unintended pregnancy, according to the UN report, with the figure reaching 51% in Morocco. Governments and societies have historically prioritized national or societal needs over individual agency, the UN said. Coercive policies and financial incentives are often used to influence women's fertility, with some countries criminalizing abortion and others, such as Japan, restricting access to voluntary sterilization, the organization noted. More than one in 10 women and men in Nigeria have more children than they wanted, with a lack of access to family planning services in poorer communities among the reasons, the UN found. 'Both preventing unintended pregnancies and enabling intended pregnancies are profoundly consequential for people's human rights and welfare. Both require supportive environments, policies and norms,' the report said. 'And for both, scholars and policymakers are increasingly looking beyond just women to include men in these measurements, and beyond just heterosexual couples, to include those on the gender continuum and single individuals,' it added. Programs to alleviate poverty and end gender-based violence, as well as support for single mothers and members of the LGBTQ+ community, will help to address these issues, according to the report. The 14 countries surveyed – the United States, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, India, Indonesia, Italy, Hungary, Germany, Sweden, Brazil, Mexico, Morocco, South Africa and Nigeria – represent more than a third of the global population, the report noted. In total, more than 14,000 people aged 18–88 were surveyed.
NHK
17 hours ago
- Health
- NHK
Financial worries main reason for not having ideal number of children: UN survey
A UN survey shows that more than half of people without their ideal number of children cite economic instability as the main reason. The United Nations Population Fund surveyed about 14,000 people in 14 countries from 2023 to 2024 and released the results on Tuesday. The countries include those with low fertility rates such as South Korea and Italy, and others with high rates. Asked what the ideal number of children is, "two" was the most common reply in all the countries. People with fewer children than they consider ideal were asked what factors led to this situation. Fifty-four percent said financial worries, such as job instability or housing conditions. Twenty-four percent said health reasons such as difficulty conceiving, and 19 percent said fears about the future, such as climate change and wars. UNFPA Executive Director Natalia Kanem cited lack of choice as the main issue. She said, "That is the real fertility crisis, and the answer lies in responding to what people say they need: paid family leave, affordable fertility care and supportive partners."
Daily Mail
25-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE I'm a doctor... here are the surprising reasons America is facing a fertility crisis
The US is facing a fertility crisis as the number of new babies born each year continued to decline as women are waiting later than ever to have children. As of 2024, the total fertility rate is 1.6 children per woman in the US or 1,626.5 births per 1,000 women - a sharp decline from 66.3 live births per 1,000 women in 2004. Parents-to-be are also having more trouble getting pregnant as experts say that an increasing number of people are looking at IVF solutions and surrogacy to have children. Globally, approximately 17.5 percent of adults of all genders or roughly one in six people, experience infertility, according to the World Health Organization. Additionally, about nine percent of men and about 11 percent of women of reproductive age in the US have experienced fertility problems. Apart from women deciding to have children later in life, experts also believe that worsening mental health, exposure to toxins in the environment and hormonal imbalances are also contributing to the declining birth rate. Now, fertility experts have told what women can do to improve their reproductive health, as the NIH projects 7million women are expected to experience infertility in 2025. According to Dr Jessica Sharratt, an expert in Oriental Medicine and founder of Heal Los Angeles, an increase in chemicals in the environment, as well as worsening lifestyle habits may be to blame. She told 'While there are so many factors contributing to rising infertility in women, the ones that feel most significant - and most overlooked - are toxic exposures and chronic nervous system dysregulation. 'We've made huge strides in raising awareness about environmental toxins, but the impact on fertility is still wildly underestimated. 'We're swimming in a sea of synthetic chemicals — pesticides on our food, plastics in our water, hormone-disrupting ingredients in our skincare and "clean" beauty products. 'These exposures don't cause an immediate twinge, which is part of the problem. You don't feel it when you swipe on deodorant or eat produce sprayed with glyphosate — but that doesn't mean your body isn't responding. 'These chemicals build up quietly over time, especially in fatty tissues and reproductive organs, and they interfere with the delicate hormonal symphony required for ovulation, implantation, and full-term pregnancy.' A 2017 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found women who consume more than two servings of high-pesticide fruits or vegetables - which include strawberries, grapes and kale - each day were 18 percent less likely to become pregnant and 26 percent less likely to have a live birth than women with the lowest exposure. The researchers asked 325 women undergoing infertility treatment as part of the Environment and Reproductive Health (EARTH) study to answer questions about their regular diet. They then compared the information with US government data on average pesticide residues on fresh fruits and vegetables in order to estimate the women's diet-related exposure to pesticides. Additionally, Dr Jamie Stanhiser, a fertility expert at the Reproductive Partners Fertility Center in San Diego, believes reproductive conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), stress and anxiety may also be to blame. She told the website: 'Health conditions such as obesity, PCOS, diabetes, and autoimmune diseases are increasing. All of these disorders are associated with an increased risk of infertility.' PCOS is a hormonal disorder that affects women of reproductive age and causes the ovaries to produce higher than normal levels of androgens, leading to hormonal imbalances. This can often lead to irregular periods and infertility. Dr Stanhiser added: 'People are experiencing increased stress without also increasing their healthy stress management techniques. 'Health disorders including anxiety and depression are increasing significantly in the United States and can increase the risk of infertility while also interfering with an individual or couple's ability to seek fertility treatment. 'The relationship between mental health and fertility is bidirectional, meaning that infertility is very hard to experience and therefore can also increase the risk of anxiety and depression.' Previous studies have shown a link between mental issues such as depression, anxiety and severe stress and infertility in women. A 2024 literature review that analyzed over 3,000 studies noted that out of 100 infertile and 100 fertile women in Pakistan, 29 percent with infertility had severe stress. The review also found there was a higher prevalence of depression and anxiety in women with infertility compared with fertile control groups in Hungary and Pakistan. Male infertility has also been on the rise as studies show it affects about 10 to 15 percent of American men who are trying to conceive. This can be due to a variety of reasons including grief, depression, low sperm count, swollen veins in the testicles, genetic disorders and chemotherapy. With the US facing a fertility 'crisis,' doctors also revealed their recommendations to improve fertility in women. According to Dr Jamie Knopman, a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist and director of fertility preservation at CCRM Fertility of New York, following a Mediterranean diet - filled with fruits, grains, nuts and fish - as well as exercising regularly can make a big difference. She said: 'For food, I recommend a balanced, healthy diet - a plate that is colorful and has foods from all different groups. I don't like fad diets and think they are not helpful for the body or one's fertility. 'I am a fan of the Mediterranean diet because it has been demonstrated to lower inflammation, and inflammation can contribute to infertility.' The Mediterranean diet emphasizes plant-based foods and healthy fats including vegetables, fruit, beans, lentils, whole grains, fish, extra virgin olive oil and nuts. It can help maintain health, as well as keep the body well nourished. 'For exercise, I am a big fan of moving your body – movement really is medicine. That is why I never tell patients to stop exercising while going through fertility treatment. 'I always tell patients you can strength train, ride the stationary bike, walk on a treadmill on an incline, and more while undergoing fertility treatments.' Furthermore, Dr Elizabeth King, a certified fertility expert at her namesake clinic in Irvine, California, recommends eating an anti-inflammatory diet and learning how to regulate your nervous system. She told this website: 'Eat an anti-inflammatory diet. Do a food sensitivity test to know what you need to avoid that may be causing inflammation, as well as following a traditional anti-inflammatory diet. 'Organic fruits and vegetables combined with lean proteins and healthy fats can fight oxidative stress by providing essential nutrients and antioxidants. 'Learn to regulate your nervous system by figuring out a practice that works for you, like meditation, yoga, prayer, exercise, or dance, and make sure you are getting good sleep.' Additionally, about nine percent of of men and about 11 percent of women of reproductive age in the US have experienced fertility problems However, for those looking to seek consults with fertility experts and opt for the fertility treatment in-vitro fertilization, Dr Iris Insogna of the Columbia University Fertility Center suggests: 'For heterosexual couples, if the female partner is under the age of 35, it is important to seek an evaluation with a fertility specialist if you have not conceived on your own within 12 months of trying. 'If the female partner is 35 or older, it is important to seek an evaluation with a fertility specialist if you have not conceived within six months of trying. 'For same sex couples, single parents by choice, or women over 40, it is reasonable to consult a fertility specialist at any time.' Dr Knopman added: 'Throughout any fertility journey it's important to be kind to yourself. A lot of people take these recommendations and think, "I am not getting pregnant because I had a glass of rosé or ate French fries." Not only is that attitude unhelpful, it's also wrong.'
