May 2020 – October 2021

And then the Covid-19 pandemic unfolded, altering every corner of our continent, affecting all people, and sadly ending millions of human lives around the globe. The delivery of ART care was severely interrupted. Yet the wish to found a family surpasses the most violent pandemics since time immemorial; and it is first and foremost families and homes that provide shelter in times of crisis. The pandemic pushed back not only fertility and infertility care but so much else in human development and did so disproportionally among vulnerable and marginalized communities and countries from the Developing South.  

But despite many challenges, there was also progress and productivity. Here are five highlights: 

 

    • Infertility Fact Sheet released by the World Health Organization providing high-level guidance on the disease of infertility and recognizing the importance of fertility care, including access to ART, in the context of human rights (Sept 2020).

 

 

    • Thirty-year anniversary report from the Latin American Registry for ART published in RBMOnline (Zegers-Hochschild et al, 2021 May 31). The paper represented a great tribute and chronicle of ART in Latin America and reflected the impact of a successful registry and professional network in advancing access to ART and to quality care.

 

    • Stepping Stones virtual webinars bridged some of the gap caused by the cancellation of FAM2020, the intended inaugural Fertility Africa Meeting. Facilitated jointly by AFFS, ANARA and SASREG and hosted in turn by colleagues from North, Southern and East Africa these webinars provided not only high-quality educational activities, but also opportunity to meet and learn about each other, and to remain connected despite the need for social distancing.

 

    • And throughout this time, centres continued to share their data. As a result, the annual report for 2018 and 2019 has been accepted for publication and will soon appear in RBMOnline.