WASHINGTON –Laura Brown and her husband, Dave, waited until they were 38 and 42, respectively, before trying to have a baby. Laura says they were ready to move on to the next phase of their lives together, and were “really frustrated and disappointed” when they weren’t able to conceive. After two years of trying unsuccessfully, the Browns joined the ranks of 7.3 million people in the U.S. affected by infertility.
According to the National Survey of Family Growth, 12 percent of women of childbearing age struggle with infertility. That’s one in every eight couples. But Laura Brown said her determination was unwavering when it came to becoming a mother.
Almost half of the couples having trouble conceiving seek medical intervention, according to RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, a Washington-based non-profit that advocates reproductive health and provides support for people facing infertility. The most common treatments are drug therapy or surgical procedures. Less than 3 percent need advanced reproductive technologies like in vitro fertilization (IVF). IVF is the most expensive and intrusive procedure available for treating infertility, but it also has the highest rate of success.
Laura Brown said that she and her husband chose IVF based on her age and their financial situation. “We didn’t have time to waste on procedures with less record of success,” she said. Brown’s treatment was a three week process that included daily doctor visits, medication injections, and lots of blood work. On her own, Brown also received regular acupuncture and changed her diet to better her chances of becoming pregnant. “Getting pregnant became a full-time job,” she admitted.
Image courtesy of Brown family
Laura and David Brown had their daughter, Ruth, last October.
All in all, the Brown’s medical expenses topped $15,000. They were lucky because Laura’s insurance policy covered 50 percent of treatment costs, with a lifetime maximum of $15,000. She says they know how lucky they were to have partial insurance coverage and family support covering the rest of the costs. Many couples aren’t as fortunate. And this year, Laura’s company changed providers, altering her policy. “Timing-wise we really lucked out because none of the [insurance] plans I signed up for this year would provide for IVF in any way, shape, or form.”
Fifteen states have passed laws requiring that insurance policies cover some level of infertility treatment, yet nothing has been passed on a federal level. But with the number of Americans struggling with infertility, a federal mandate is on the horizon. This fall the Family Building Act of 2009 was introduced in both the House and Senate. The legislation would require insurers to cover infertility treatment. The health care reform bill that passed through the House also addresses the issue, including reproductive health clinics in the proposed Community-Based Collaborative Care Network.
But not everyone agrees infertility treatment should be covered by insurance companies or the government. Anti-abortion advocates like the National Right to Life Alliance believe infertility treatments in all forms, including IVF, are “morally and ethically wrong”. The argument is based on the notion that babies are conceived technically rather than naturally. With IVF, defective embryos are discarded or stored at clinics, another major problem for anti-abortion groups. Many of the groups suggest adoption as an alternative method of having a child.
Laura Brown said even her mother-in-law asked her why she was going through infertility treatment. And her boss was really religious, making it hard for her to talk about at work. “It’s really easy to start doubting yourself and asking yourself, ‘why is this so hard’, because it [having a baby] is supposed to be so normal,” she said.
But, the Browns moved forward with their decision and one round of IVF was all it took for Laura to conceive.
Their daughter, Ruth, turned one in October. The Browns say they welcome legislation that would make it possible for others struggling with infertility to have a child. The couple would like to expand their family to four, but infertility treatments and even adoption are financially impossible for them at this point.
“It’s a really personal choice, you don’t think you will ever have to think about those kind of things, but I really wanted to go through the experience of being pregnant,” Brown said.