Infertility Awareness: Just the Facts

I often gauge my reader’s interest/reactions to see if I’m on track with a topic or trend. Specifically, I’ve been chatting about the need for publicly funded IVF for close to a year now – and I keep coming back to it with good reason.

SUPPORT from my readers. AGREEMENT with the need for change. SHARING stories and strategies.

I’ve made emotional pleas; have argued facts and figures, and have even taken a step-by-step approach to how both the Ontario and Alberta governments can actually save hundreds of millions of dollars over just 10 years. I welcome you to re-revisit any of my previous posts if you’d like a refresher on why publicly funded IVF just makes sense.

Today, I simply want to give you the facts in black and white.

READ ALL ABOUT IT

“Infertility is a significant medical condition. Just because a person wanders around and appears healthy, but is really not, is not something that is covered adequately by most provincial governments,” he said. “I don’t think they appreciate the issues of not being able to have a family and the cost that is born by those who can’t.” – National Post, May 23rd, 2012

“Dr. Cal Greene, the head of Calgary’s fertility clinic, who has been campaigning for publicly funded IVF treatments, said Tuesday the Alberta government has no financial excuse to sidestep the issue. ‘This is an idea whose time has come. It’s been shown to work in other jurisdictions. It’s time to apply that to the Alberta experience,’ said Greene. ‘It would end reproductive discrimination based on income, so treatment would be available to everyone.'” – Calgary Herald, May 23rd, 2012

ONTARIANS STILL SUPPORT THE CAUSE

• 75% of Ontarians polled, 25 years and older, support a policy of funding IVF similar to Quebec’s
• 83% of those planning to vote NDP, 80% of those planning to vote Liberal, and 73% of those planning to vote PC – all significant majorities – support adopting a policy of funding IVF similar to Québec’s
• 60% of Ontarians, 25+ agree that the government should cover in-vitro fertilization in some way
• 57% agree that if the cost of in-vitro fertilization was covered, it would result in fewer multiple births through IVF and reduce costs to the healthcare system

THE IMPACT FOR ALBERTANS WOULD BE STAGGERING

• An overall 60% reduction in the rate of multiple births through IVF
• 44% fewer twins and 90% fewer triplets
• 585 fewer premature babies born
• A reduction in prenatal, delivery and neonatal costs of about $29 million
• A reduction in long term disability costs of approximately $156 million
• A net savings to the healthcare system of $78 million

Wondering just how much a premature baby costs the province? Taking into consideration that most twins/triplets are born pre-term (before 37 weeks gestation), here is a breakdown:

Source: Funding of IVF in Alberta: A Cost-Benefit Analysis

Can I get a collective YIKES!

So what can you do? If you live in Ontario, Conceivable Dreams and its supporters will be asking all candidates where they stand on funding of IVF and whether they will commit to helping 1 in 6 Ontarians create families in a safe way that helps reduce costs to the healthcare system.

If you live in Alberta, Generations of Hope has organized a petition urging the government to fund IVF and other fertility treatments. The petition is available to sign online at www.generationsofhope.ca as well as at the office of the Regional Fertility Program. To date 11,500 Albertans have signed the petition.

For all the families struggling with fertility, we can lend our voice – and reward them with the gift of life.

“First comes love; 
then comes marriage;
then comes mommy with her baby carriage…”

Ideally. And certainly possible – for all.

This post was sponsored by Generations of Hope. The opinions on this blog are my own, and I happen to wholeheartedly support publicly funded IVF.