Women on fertility treatment lack financial, emotional, and clinical support, says report

Patients undergoing fertility treatment lack critical financial, emotional, and clinical support, a new report has found.

The report, conducted by Maven Clinic, examined 500 women from the US who pursued or considered pursuing fertility treatment and found that 97 per cent of them did not have all the information needed when first considering treatment.

More than two in three women (68 per cent) with a spouse or partner said their partner was overlooked in discussions and 65 per cent said they felt like they left the fertility clinic with more questions than answers, the findings have also shown.

In addition, nearly 90 per cent of patients who took part in the survey felt they would have had to cut back on expenses to pay for treatments while 81 per cent said the emotional stress of fertility treatment was equal to if not stronger than the financial stress of it.

“Maven’s latest survey data reveals that for the millions around the world who experience infertility, the gaps in care are more like chasms, leaving them emotionally and financially vulnerable,” said Kate Ryder, founder and CEO of Maven Clinic.

“There is a clear business case for employers and payers to provide financial coverage as well as more holistic support across the full range of fertility and family-building experiences.”

Dr Neel Shah, Maven chief medical officer, said: “Every person deserves an approach to care that provides a more empowering and efficient path to building a family.

“Our research underscores how overwhelming the current care model has become, alongside the opportunities to provide more trustworthy and accessible support.”

Maven’s research comes on the heels of new data from the World Health Organisation finding that one in six people globally experience infertility, making the need for holistic support that addresses the breadth of patient needs increasingly important.

The new findings are hoped to offer healthcare and benefit decision makers the insights needed to better support patients through every potential stage in their fertility and family-building journey.