Fertility Statistics


There are about 20,000 fewer women of childbearing age in 1999 than there were four years ago.
The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that there are 60.18 million women between the ages of 15 and 44.

In 1995, just 15% of women of childbearing age had ever sought infertility advise, that includes medical advise, tests, drugs, surgery or assisted reproductive technologies (ART). Only 12 percent sought advice in 1988.
"Fertility, Family Planning and Women's Health: New Data from the 1995 National Survey of Family Growth," The US Department of Health and Human Services.

In 1996, there were 64,036 cycles of ART, almost 5,000 more than the year before. More than 20,600 women had a live birth delivery through ART, almost double the number in 1995.
The 1996 ART Report from the Center for Disease Control.

The most common procedures of ART include:
71% in vitro fertilization or IVF
5% gamete intrafallopian transfer or GIFT
2% zygote intrafallopian transfer or ZIFT
14% used frozen embryos
11% percent of the procedures involved intracytoplasmic sperm injection to fertilize eggs.
The 1996 ART Report from the Center for Disease Control.

Infertility by Race
7% of Hispanic women are infertile
6.4% of white women are infertile
10.5% of black won are infertile
"Fertility, Family Planning and Women's Health: New Data from the 1995 National Survey of Family Growth," The US Department of Health and Human Services.

Infertility among married women by level of education
8.5% had no high school diploma or equivalent.
8.1% had only a high school diploma or equivalent.
6.6% had some college, but no degree.
5.6% had a bachelor's degree or higher.
"Fertility, Family Planning and Women's Health: New Data from the 1995 National Survey of Family Growth," The US Department of Health and Human Services.

More women are having their first child later in life.
In 1970, 11,704 women had their first child between the ages of 35-39. That number jumped to 44,427 in 1986. By 1997, the number leapt to 88,501. Little more than 2,400 women had their first born child between the ages of 40 and 44 in 1970. By 1986, the figure doubled to 4,419. Yet in 1997, more than 15,550 women in the demographic gave birth to their first child.
The National Vital Statistics Report, April 1999.

Infertile Couples
In 1995 2.1 million, or 7.1% of the nation's married couples were infertile. There were 2.3 million in 1988 and 2.4 in 1982.
"Fertility, Family Planning and Women's Health: New Data from the 1995 National Survey of Family Growth," The US Department of Health and Human Services.

6.1 million, 10%, of married couples had impaired fecundity (either infertile or had problems conceiving or carrying a child to term) in 1995.
"Fertility, Family Planning and Women's Health: New Data from the 1995 National Survey of Family Growth," The US Department of Health and Human Services.

The peak childbearing years for women in the US are between the ages of 25 and 29.
The National Vital Statistics Report, April 1999.

Birthrates for women in their 30s are rapidly increasing.
Birthrates for women in their 30s have risen 9.65% between 1990 and 1997. Birthrates for women aged 40-44 increased 20% from 1990-1995 and 29% from 1990 to 1997.
The National Vital Statistics Report, April 1999.

The National Institutes of Health found that from 1938 to 1996, sperm counts in the US have fallen annually about 1.5%. European have plummeted at twice as fast.
"Environmental Health Perspectives," November 1997.

One cycle of IVF costs an average of $7,800. The cost accounts for the entire process, from consultation to transfer.
"American Society of Reproductive Medicine," 1995.

Factors causing infertility
Tubal factor: 31%
Endometriosis 14%
Uterine factor: 1%
Male factor: 18%
Other factors: 18%
Unexplained: 15%
1995 ART Report from the Center for Disease Control

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This page updated September 20, 1999

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