National Infertiity Awareness Week

I saw on Facebook today that this week is National Infertility Awareness Week.  Those who are not new to my blog know this is something my husband and I have been battling with for almost 2 years come June.  Due to the wonderful diagnosis of a rather severe case of PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) that my world has been rocked with, we have found ourselves in this infertility club.  This is the type of club you never signed up for voluntarily and somehow no matter how much we refuse to pay dues, it just won't kick us out!  Honestly I was not even aware there was such a thing as a National Infertility Awareness Week until I saw several postings about it.  Ironically, this time last year on the 24th of this upcoming week, Brian and I found out we were expecting.  The baby did not make it and we have found ourselves stepping up the infertility ladder as we continually have upped the ante with fertility drugs and two necessary surgeries to no pregnancy avail since.  Also ironically, this Friday the 26th we have an appointment with the Reproductive Endocrinologist to come up with what our next game plan will be in which we have absolutely no clue what that will entail as we have been told nothing.  Sounds odd to have an appointment set up and the nurse not even be able to shed any kind of light on what it will encompass or options we may be going over but we just go with the flow I guess.  All I am hoping for is that Friday will give us some answers and above all possibly renewed hope since much has been lost to be honest.  The irony of what this week entails is nothing short of astounding.

So in honor of National Infertility Awareness Week I've decided to share some facts (would say fun facts however there is absolutely nothing fun about infertility let me tell you!)

 U.S. National Library of Medicine, Center for Disease Control reports:

1 in 6 couples is infertile, that is just shy of 20% of couples.

Infertility affects 7.3 million people in the U.S.

40% of cases the problem rests with the male, in 40% with the female, 10% with both partners, and in a further 10% of cases, the cause is unknown.

1 in 25 males has a low sperm count and 1 in 35 is sterile.

Only 20% of couples diagnosed with infertility will eventually become pregnant without treatment.

6% of U.S. births are conceived with ovulation treatment/stimulation medications.

Approximately 85-90% of infertility cases are treated with drug therapy or surgical procedures.

 Fewer than 3% need advanced reproductive technologies like in vitro fertilization (IVF).

67% of those treated for infertility will go onto have a baby.

In turn, 33% will never conceive.

15 states have passed laws requiring that insurance policies cover some level of infertility treatment: Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas and West Virginia.