The contributions from 3 infertility specialists that comprise this article give an overview of the present situation in terms of infertility and its etiology and look at recent advances in infertility management, the various public health and ethical issues involved, and changes that have occurred in the attitude of family planning clinics toward infertility management. Worldwide, an estimated 60-80 million people are affected by infertility, with sexually transmitted diseases and post abortion and postpartum pelvic infections contributing a growing share of these cases. Despite spectacular advances in infertility management, the investigation and successful treatment of infertility is expensive and remain inaccessible to poor couples in developing countries. This is a key equity issue between rich and poor and between developed and developing countries. Although procedures such as artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization, and embryo transfer offer hope to infertile couples, some methods will be unacceptable from a medical or ethical point of view and not every biological development should be introduced into clinical practice. Family planning programs can play a key role in preventing infertility through sex education and encouraging the use of harmless contraceptive methods. In all cases, however, it is important that family planning personnel who work with infertile couples assess the likely psychosocial impact on the family of a child produced by techniques such as artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization.