National Infertility Awareness Week

Things To Know About Infertility

Some basic facts and statistics

• 1In America alone, infertility affects over 6 million women and their partners - that's about 10 percent of the reproductive age population. One in six couples will encounter difficulty getting pregnant and experience infertility to some extent.
• 2Infertility is not always "the woman's fault" - indeed, infertility affects male and female reproductive systems nearly equally. In approximately 30% of all infertility cases, there are both male and female factors causing difficulty in achieving successful pregnancy.
• 3In approximately 30% of cases, the causes will remain "unexplained infertility" despite full medical work-ups and extensive diagnostic testing. This only points out the complicated nature and many causes of infertility, and how even today medical science cannot provide all of the answers.
• 4There is no such thing as a "miracle cure for infertility", despite thousands of websites and unscrupulous individuals promising such. The causes and reasons for infertility are far too numerous and different to all be "solved" by one single approach or drug product.
• 5Infertility is a disease. Albeit it took until 2009 for the World Health Organization to officially define infertility as a disease. This was an important milestone in recognizing the serious medical nature of infertility and helping to bring it more recognition and hopefully governmental and scientific support.
• 6Infertility is a disability. In 1998, the U.S. Supreme court held that infertility is a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). However, most insurers in the United States still provide no coverage - or only extremely limited coverage - for medical treatment related to infertility. Many of those affected with infertility have to struggle in the workplace not just to afford expensive IF treatments but to receive fair treatment and understanding if they must take time off for procedures, testing, or rest during a difficult pregnancy.