Private MD News

Study: Financial concerns trump treatment after fertility testing

Category: Infertility Testing-Male

The recession may affect more than just bank accounts, as some infertile couples are deciding to forego fertility treatments because of financial concerns, according to data presented this week at the annual meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

According to one survey, 58 percent of couples diagnosed as infertile who opted not to pursue treatment said cost was their primary reason to defer, HealthDay News reports. Additionally, about 7 percent of couples who had embryos in cold storage discarded them between October 2008 and March 2009 - a figure that was about three times higher than the preceding six months.

"It's financially challenging for some patients to pursue fertility treatments," said Andrew La Barbera, scientific director of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. "In most states insurance coverage for assisted reproductive technology (ART) is not mandated. Most patients have to pay for ART procedures themselves and it's not easy."

Researchers also found that depression and age played roles in decreasing the chance that a couple would pursue treatment, while a college education and higher incomes made the occurrence of the therapy more likely.

According to WebMD, fertility tests can include analysis, physical examination, blood tests, endometrial biopsies, laparoscopy or hysterosalpingogram.