subject: Has Infertility Increased – Or Just Awareness and Treatment Availability? [print this page] Has Infertility Increased Or Just Awareness and Treatment Availability?
Is infertility on the rise? According to recent press statements made by the British Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), more women are going through fertility treatment than ever before.
In 2007, in England, 36,648 women received fertility treatments. Compare that to 34,855 in 2006. Also, according to the HFEA, more than twice as many women received treatments in 2007 than in 1992.
So, if you look at just these numbers, one might think infertility is increasing. However, all these facts and figures tell us is that treatment of infertility is rising.
It wasn't too long ago that IVF treatment was new, "experimental", and available to only the very well off. Also, some kinds of male infertility were not even treatable. Now with ICSI, families who would have only been able to have a child through sperm donation now don't have to. I'm sure that makes a difference in people's family building decisions.
Another thing to consider is the growing awareness of infertility. I read a great article at CNN.com, an essay written by a father dealing with male infertility. Can you imagine reading this in a mainstream publication 15 years ago? I can't.
Plus, these numbers don't include a big part of the population those without access to treatment or who cannot afford treatment. In England, some couples can get fertility treatments for free or a very low price through government health insurance. However, not everyone qualifies, and these couples are left to seek private clinics.
How many couples would go through fertility treatments, but don't, because of money? These numbers don't tell us.
Don't get me wrong -- I'm not saying that infertility is not increasing. Only that these figures alone don't give us the entire picture.
More research should be done, especially with reports of chemicals and toxins in our everyday lives being shown to have an impact on fertility. We need to know if infertility really is a growing problem, and if yes, why, and what can we do about it.
What do you think? Do you think more people are experiencing infertility? Or do you think people are just more aware of treatment options? Share your thoughts below in the comments! I'd love to hear from you.
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