No matter how you ended up on the path of needing reproductive assistance the road can be long and stressful full of ups and downs. Whether you are part of the 12% of couples in the US that have been labeled as “infertile” or you have chosen to seek reproductive assistance for any number of other reasons, you’re not alone.
What is infertility?
Chances are if you are here you already know, infertility is the inability to conceive after one year or longer of unprotected sex. Infertility affects 1 in 8 couples, and it affects men and women equally. The disease is treated through a variety of ways, including Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART).
But needing infertility treatment doesn’t just mean you are “infertile.” There are other reasons you may find yourself on this journey. However, which way you ended up here we support you and your process.
Statistics:
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About 7% of men (4.7 million) and about 11% of women (6.7 million) of reproductive age in the United States have experienced fertility problems.
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Studies suggest that after one year of having unprotected sex, 12% to 15% of couples are unable to conceive, and after two years, 10% of couples still have not had a live-born baby.
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⅓ of infertility cases are male factor, ⅓ are female factor, and ⅓ are both
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More than 1 million babies have been born via ART
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One study suggests that half of women undergoing fertility treatment find it the most upsetting experience of their lives
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Another study suggests that over 80% of women undergoing infertility have anxiety
Resources:
SART – Society For Assisted Reproductive Technology
ASRM – American Society for Reproductive Medicine
Resolve – The National Infertility Association
NIH – National Institutes of Health
Sources:
https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/infertility/conditioninfo/common
http://www.reproductivefacts.org/resources/infographic-gallery/images/causes-of-infertility/