Competing interests: We have read and understood BMJ policy on declaration of interests and have the following interests to declare: SJD reports travel funding for scientific meetings from industry to institution, consulting fees from Science for Africa Foundation to institution, speaker honorariums paid to institution, member of science and technology advisory group, Human Reproduction Programme, WHO (meeting travel expenses); non-compensated leadership roles with the International Committee Monitoring Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ICMART) and African Network and Registry for Assisted Reproductive Technology (ANARA). GDA has received consulting fees to ARC Fertility from Labcorp and Cooper; and non-compensated leadership roles with ICMART and World Endometriosis Research Foundation. FZ-H reports honorariums for two industry sponsored regional symposiums; board member and director of various national and regional organisations related to sexual and reproductive health.