The World Health Organization (WHO) considers infertility a pathology and defines it as the absence of conception after 12/24 months of regular targeted unprotected sexual intercourse. Infertility in Italy affects about 15% of couples while, in the world, about 10-12%.
This pathology can concern men, women or both (couple infertility). However, it may also happen that there is an impossibility for that particular union between individuals to conceive life.
The Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS, the National Institute of Health in Italy) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health promotes studies and research on environmental, psychological, clinical, infertility causes and promotes information campaigns for its prevention.