France's Ministry of Solidarity and Health has released findings from a landmark study on infertility—a topic long overlooked by medicine and society alike. Commissioned to leading experts, the report details key causes, including delayed parenthood and widespread exposure to endocrine disruptors.
Infertility is a global issue, hitting industrialized nations like France hardest. It affects couples unable to conceive after one to two years of regular, unprotected intercourse, impacting both women and men. While assisted reproductive technologies (ART) offer hope, associated risks are mounting, according to Prof. Samir Hamamah, head of reproductive biology at Montpellier University Hospital, and Salomé Berlioux, president of the Chemins d'Avenir association.
Published on February 21, 2022, the Ministry's report highlights infertility affecting 3.3 million people in France. Over decades, reliance on ART has surged, with IVF births rising by 0.5% every seven to eight years. Today, 2.5% of French children—or one in 40—are born via IVF.
This uptick in ART reflects a genuine decline in natural fertility for both sexes. The report cites everyday exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (reprotoxins), alongside tobacco, cannabis use, obesity, and poor nutrition.
Delayed childbearing is another major factor. Before 2000, 25% of children had mothers averaging 35 years old and fathers 38. In 1975, the average maternal age was just 24. Female fertility declines after 30, accelerating at 35 due to diminishing ovarian reserve and oocyte quality.
For men, risks rise after 40 and spike at 50, primarily from a 50% drop in sperm concentration between 1973 and 2011.
