For many couples, one of the most important goals in their life is to start a family. Unfortunately, a number of factors can occur that make having children difficult for otherwise healthy parents. 12% of married women, or 1 in 8 couples, have trouble getting pregnant or sustaining a pregnancy. Approximately one-third of infertility is caused by problems in both partners or is unexplained, one-third attributed to the male partner, and one-third attributed to the female partner.
One of the most common factors contributing to infertility is age. Most women hit peak fertility between the ages of 20 and 24. Between the ages of 29 and 33, a couple with a normal, functioning reproductive system has only a 20-25% chance of conceiving in any given month. By the age of 40, only 40% of women who wish to have a baby will be able to conceive.
Fortunately, there are options available to help couples struggling with infertility. IVF treatments, sometimes called artificial insemination, are very common, and between 85 and 90% of infertility cases are treated with drug therapy or surgical procedures. With insurance companies in fifteen states now required to cover some form of infertility treatments, 44% of women experiencing infertility have sought medical assistance, be it in a fertility center or through a recommendation from their primary care physician. Approximately 65% of women who have received infertility procedures have given birth.
Infertility is a widespread problem, effecting 6.7 million women between the ages of 15 and 44, but with advances in fertility medications, IVF treatments, and other surgical procedures, infertility specialists are able to help more patients every day. Because of IVF success rates and the growing number of fertility clinics in the nation, 11.9% of women, approximately 7.4 million, have received any infertility treatments in their lifetimes. That’s a lot of new babies.
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