The Increasing Concern With Infertility

Abstract

A RELATIVELY large number of married American couples of reproductive age are infertile.¹In 1976, more than one in ten couples had failed to conceive after at least one year of marriage during which no contraceptives were used. Also in 1976, seven percent of American women stated that they had sought professional consultation during the preceding three years to increase their chances of having a baby.²Thus, we estimate that almost three in every four couples with a perceived infertility problem actively requested medical evaluation in the mid-1970s. Some authorities believe the demand for infertility services has escalated in recent years.³ Available data partially support this perception. The estimated number of visits to private physicians' offices for infertility-related consultation increased from approximately 600,000 in 1968 to more than 900,000 in 1972 and remained near that level through 1980 (Table 1). While a slight absolute decrease occurred in