US Pharm. 2016;41(9):6.
According to the National Survey of Family Growth, 7.6 million women (12.3%) aged 15 to 44 years and of varying marital statuses suffered from impaired fecundity in 2011-2013, a 12.8% increase over 2006-2010 (10.9%). In 2011-2013, the prevalence was nearly double (24.2%) among married childless women. The highest prevalence was in married childless women aged 40 to 44 years (47.1%), followed by those aged 35 to 39 (39.3%) and 15 to 34 years (14.5%). The greatest increase in the prevalence of impaired fecundity (34.5%) was in married childless women aged 15 to 29 years, in whom the rate rose from 11% (2006-2010) to 14.8% (2011-2013). The only fertility service whose use increased (14.3% in 2011-2013 over 2006-2010) was medical assistance to prevent miscarriage, which affects 15% of all pregnancies.
Infertility: The percentage of married women aged 15 to 44 years who are infertile has remained relatively stable—about 14%—since 2006. However, among married infertile women, there was a disparity across age groups: Women aged 40 to 44 years (29.7%) had the greatest prevalence, followed by women aged 35 to 39 years (24.7%), and the rate significantly dropped among women aged 30 to 34 (9.1%) and 15 to 29 years (7.4%). In 2011-2013, fewer infertile women sought advice (–20%), ovulation drugs (–12.5%), artificial insemination (AI) (–8.3%), or testing (–3.9%) than in 2006-2010. Since 2002, medical help (5.6%) and advice (5.2%) were the top two infertility services sought by infertile women aged 15 to 44 years. In 2011-2013, one-fourth of married childless women aged 35 to 39 years received infertility services, followed by those aged 40 to 44 (23.6%), 30 to 34 (15.1%), and 15 to 29 years (4.2%). Between 2006-2010 and 2011-2013, more childless women aged 15 to 29 (+31.3%) and 35 to 39 years (+23.4%) received infertility services, whereas fewer of those aged 30 to 34 (–1.3%) and 40 to 44 years (–1.7%) received services.
Ovulation Drugs: Ovulatory problems account for 20% to 30% of infertility cases. Of all infertility services used by childless women to achieve pregnancy, ovulation drugs were the single most frequently used intervention. Use of ovulation drugs ranged from 2.4% (in women aged 25-29 years) to 8.6% (35-39 years). Their use was highest among women aged 25 to 34 years (80%), followed by those aged 30 to 34 (77.5%), 35 to 39 (57.3%), and 40 to 44 years (52%). Besides ovulation drugs, AI was the second most common intervention for infertility in women aged 30 to 34 (56.3%), 35 to 39 (45.3%), and 40 to 44 years (38.3%).
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