Arthur L Greil1, Kathleen S Slauson-Blevins2, Stacy Tiemeyer3, Julia McQuillan3, Karina M Shreffler4. 1. 1 Department of Sociology, Alfred University , Alfred, New York. 2. 2 Department of Sociology, Old Dominion University , Norfolk, Virginia. 3. 3 Department of Sociology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln , Lincoln, Nebraska. 4. 4 Department of Family Demography, Oklahoma State University , Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Fewer than 50% of women who meet the medical/behavioral criteria for infertility receive medical services. Estimating the number of women who both meet the medical/behavioral criteria for infertility and who have pro-conception attitudes will allow for better estimates of the potential need and unmet need for infertility services in the United States. METHODS: The National Survey of Fertility Barriers was administered by telephone to a probability sample of 4,712 women in the United States. The sample for this analysis was 292 women who reported an experience of infertility within 3 years of the time of the interview. Infertile women were asked if they were trying to conceive at the time of their infertility experience and if they wanted to have a child to determine who could be considered in need of services. RESULTS: Among U.S. women who have met medical criteria for infertility within the past three years, 15.9% report that they were neither trying to have a child nor wanted to have a child and can be classified as not in need of treatment. Of the 84.9% of infertile women in need of treatment, 58.1% did not even talk to a doctor about ways to become pregnant. DISCUSSION: Even after taking into account that not all infertile women are in need of treatment, there is still a large unmet need for infertility treatment in the United States. CONCLUSION: Studies of the incidence of infertility should include measures of both trying to have a child and wanting to have a child.
BACKGROUND: Fewer than 50% of women who meet the medical/behavioral criteria for infertility receive medical services. Estimating the number of women who both meet the medical/behavioral criteria for infertility and who have pro-conception attitudes will allow for better estimates of the potential need and unmet need for infertility services in the United States. METHODS: The National Survey of Fertility Barriers was administered by telephone to a probability sample of 4,712 women in the United States. The sample for this analysis was 292 women who reported an experience of infertility within 3 years of the time of the interview. Infertile women were asked if they were trying to conceive at the time of their infertility experience and if they wanted to have a child to determine who could be considered in need of services. RESULTS: Among U.S. women who have met medical criteria for infertility within the past three years, 15.9% report that they were neither trying to have a child nor wanted to have a child and can be classified as not in need of treatment. Of the 84.9% of infertile women in need of treatment, 58.1% did not even talk to a doctor about ways to become pregnant. DISCUSSION: Even after taking into account that not all infertile women are in need of treatment, there is still a large unmet need for infertility treatment in the United States. CONCLUSION: Studies of the incidence of infertility should include measures of both trying to have a child and wanting to have a child.