Frame’s Post

A new survey conducted by Talker Research (formerly OnePoll U.S.) on behalf of Prelude Fertility revealed that only 6% of women feel confident about fertility-related topics such as IVF. This research reveals a gap in fertility education for American women including the basics of reproductive health, a lack of conversation between women and their healthcare providers about their fertility, and misunderstandings around advanced maternal age. Read more about the data in the New York Post. #fertility #womenshealthmonth

📢📢📢 Huge shoutout to Pamela Pure, Barrett Cowan, MD and the entire team at Posterity Health for the vital work they’re doing to improve couples’ fertility journeys 🍼🍼🍼 and improve standard of care. 👩⚕️📈 Many employers recognize the importance of fertility offerings in their benefits package. Yet often women bear a disproportionate burden of the infertility journey when male infertility factors aren’t considered. Male partners can and should be considered as part of the standard of care in the fertility journey for so many reasons … couples experience improved outcomes faster, go through less emotional hardship, and incur less expense. APPEAL TO EMPLOYERS AND BENEFITS CONSULANTS - PLEASE CONSIDER AMMENDING PLAN DESIGN TO INCORPORATE MALE CARE AS A PRE-AUTH FOR EMPLOYER-SPONSORED IVF CYCLES. Employees will thank you and you’ll save money. 🤑

Around the world, more and more couples are struggling to get pregnant due to increasing rates of infertility. Despite excess demand for fertility treatments, services like IVF remain incredibly expensive and inaccessible to the majority of the people. Interplay is proud to support the disruption of the fertility market as investors in Fertilidad Integral, a Mexico-based startup building the first comprehensive and affordable fertility platform in LatAm. Take a look at our most recent blog post for more information on Fertilidad Integral and how they are increasing accessibility to fertility treatments. https://lnkd.in/ewfD_HBs

Media reporting of the HFEA's latest statistics appears to place blame for fertility treatment success/failure firmly with women. I find this type of reporting incredibly difficult, knowing the intensely arduous journey that many people go through to try and have a child. Women are not "jeopardising their chances of success by waiting". They are: - Trying naturally for at least 2 years as required by many GPs prior to a fertility referral; - Trying other treatments such as ovulation inducing medication or IUI prior to being referred for IVF (IUI being a necessary prerequisite for same sex couples looking to access NHS funded IVF); - Undergoing long periods of waiting for invasive tests and procedures such as a hysteroscopy, HyCoSy or polypectomy before starting their fertility treatment; - In some cases waiting years for a diagnosis of conditions like endometriosis to get a clear treatment plan. These are very real issues that stand in the way of even being able to commence fertility treatment, and that is before we get to the postcode lottery and funding issues that HFEA are helpfully shining a light on. For the MSM to imply that women are dragging their heels and squandering their opportunity is frankly insulting. To be clear, this is not meant to be critical of the HFEA, which does a brilliant job of reporting important statistics to help our understanding of clinic performance, success rates and impact of add ons to treatment. Their statistics give a clear view of the facts and the barriers that patients face in accessing treatment, and present this in an impartial and sensitive manner. I firmly believe the media have a responsibility to report this impartially without blaming and shaming women who, frankly, have more than enough on their plates. HFEA source: https://lnkd.in/ekM4pj4P #Infertility #ivf #fertility #diversityandinclusion #womenshealth #wellbeing #mentalhealth

Fertility isn't just a female issue, it's a shared journey Historically, the conversation around infertility has primarily centered on women, with the common misconception being that the inability to conceive is usually due to female factors. However, the reality is that male infertility accounts for over 40% of fertility problems. Yet, the conversation surrounding male reproductive health remains largely overlooked and underreported. Many people are unaware of the significant role men play in the fertility equation. Culturally, male infertility has often been considered an "invisible" issue. The good news is that there are steps everyone can take to optimize their chances of conceiving. By empowering both partners with knowledge about fertility, we can create a more supportive and informed approach to family-building. Just as women are increasingly considering egg freezing as a way to take control of their reproductive timelines, men can also take proactive steps to optimize their fertility. Getting a fertility evaluation and understanding the lifestyle factors are important considerations for anyone hoping to start a family. Simple Steps Men Can Take to Improve Fertility: 🍔 Maintain a healthy weight 🧘♂️ Manage stress levels 🍻 Limit alcohol and tobacco use 🧪 Reduce exposure to environmental toxins 💤 Prioritize sleep and exercise At Ovul Concierge, we believe in taking a holistic, personalized approach to fertility care. We recommend comprehensive testing and provide guidance to help men identify any issues and take actionable steps to optimize their reproductive health. Everyone can take control of their reproductive futures if they desire to do so. Why not let Ovul Concierge help you along this pathway to parenthood. Ovul Concierge - www.ovulconcierge.com A Pathway To Parenthood

Good news in male fertility support services 🎆 The majority of fertility services and products are aimed at women, so it is brilliant to see updates like this! @herafertility and Reproductive Solutions (RSI) have partnered to expand support services for men navigating their fertility and fatherhood journey. This collaboration combines Hera Fertility’s AI-powered at-home semen analysis with RSI’s ProteX collection device, while also introducing educational workshops, support groups, and mental health resources tailored specifically for men. The partnership aims to raise awareness and drive innovation in male fertility, addressing the growing concerns around sperm health with advanced technology. It also is designed to provide men and couples with deeper insights into fertility while offering the emotional and educational resources needed to navigate the process with confidence. It is great to see partnerships and services such as these which fosters an inclusive environment where men are encouraged to take an active role in family planning. #malefertility https://lnkd.in/euKGySD9

This week is #nationalinfertilityawarenessweek, so Distributed Ventures wanted to share some important insights related to the infertility care journey.    - There are over 36,000 OB-GYNs in the United States. - There are fewer than 200 Reproductive Urologists who specialize in male fertility.  - 1 in 6 couples have trouble getting pregnant and >50% of the time there is a male factor involved. - 42% of adults have used fertility treatments or personally know someone who has, compared to just 33% five years ago.    Fertility treatment is an essential part of healthcare, and more couples are demanding access to care.  At the same time, the burden of care falls disproportionally on the woman. We believe the future of reproductive care includes the male partner.   Involving the male early represents a transformational change in reproductive care. Our portfolio company Posterity Health is leading this change as a virtual Center for Excellence. To support their goal of creating end-to-end male care, they have just launched the new Hormone Management Program aimed at supporting male hormonal health.   As Co-Founder and CEO Pam Pure said, “Just as all women are treated by physicians with specialized gynecologic training and expertise, we believe men deserve treatment from male fertility specialists. We offer male fertility expertise through a combination of virtual visits, at home diagnostics, and in-person consults to make our patients feel as comfortable as possible through their journey. Our goal is to eliminate the stigma associated with male infertility and provide men with a place they feel confident in for advice, coaching and recommended treatment.”   We’re so proud to support Posterity Health’s mission in balancing the care journey for households on their fertility journey! We'd love to hear thoughts from you on this topic.    #niaw #fertility #startup #healthtech #benefits

The lines that made me see red: (Unsurprisingly my algo is trained to fertility experts, so usually I feel GREAT we are talking about reproductive health with more accuracy) Then I see ish like this. And it's no wonder why blatant misinformation is still rampant! Let's break this down so articles like this don't do you a major disservice. First off - no hate to the cited doctor, but this irresponsibly explained. Maybe more shade intended to the author, because I'm not quite sure how this busts any "harmful fertility myths" more than it perpetuates them. I'm not going to call it baseless or inaccurate, but I AM going to frame it with a lot more helpful context (bc that's my vibe). Issue 1: "There is only an 85% probability that one would get pregnant if the person is involved in sex every day for one year." COME ON NOW. This essentially equates pregnancy success to throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing what sticks. 🍝 There's so much wrong with a reproductive health expert saying this I almost don't even know where to start. But here goes: 1. The fertile window is about 6 days each cycle. 6 DAYS. So having sex everyday for a year with the intent to conceive is not only stressful, it's downright pointless. 2. This in no way helps women even understand they HAVE a fertile window, much less how to target it. Which yes, there are ways to identify the fertile window without a doubt. 3. The 85% success rate after a year of trying is pretty close to accurate, but last I checked 85% isn't "only," it's the majority. Why the fear monger-y language? Yet let's be real. Knowing how to target the fertile window + optimal hormonal balance + healthy sperm and eggs involved = what's ACTUALLY going to be increasing your chances along w/ cumulative effort over time. Issue 2: "Even when everyone is fertile, there's a less than 10% chance of conception each month" Fertility statistics are notoriously murky, But the ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) and ASRM (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) agree the chance of success for a healthy couple each month is actually closer to 20-25% each month. And these are not only more comforting odds, They're a lot more helpful when setting expectations. Another crappy part? This article goes on to point out some really great & helpful info! Yet to me, it's completely overshadowed by the glaring issues above and the overall tone of the article. If you see fertility info that makes you feel uncomfortable, stressed, or anxious... Please feel free to send it my way for a scientific yet empowering breakdown. ~~~ Hi! I'm Michelle, your fertility/reproductive health BFF for no matter where you are in life, and no matter your future fertility plans. It's my mission to get critical fertility information to you well before you "need" it.

WOMEN'S HEALTH | New research reveals a gap in fertility education for American women including basics of reproductive health, a lack of conversation between women and their healthcare providers about their fertility and misunderstandings around advanced maternal age. The survey of 2,000 American women aged 18 to 40 showed that seven in 10 (70%) of respondents who have not faced fertility issues before, note that they have never had a conversation with their primary care doctors, obstetricians or gynecologists about their fertility. Read the full story & access ready-to-use news copy + stats + visuals: https://hubs.ly/Q02xJL9m0 #womenshealth #fertility #fertilityeducation #reproductivehealth #womenshealthmonth

Thank you to Forbes for highlighting Lauren Makler, our co-founder and CEO, and Cofertility, in the latest article on the Rise of The IVF Influencers. At Cofertility, we know firsthand that family-building is a journey. We feel so passionately about supporting our members who share their stories—whether creators, influencers, or simply our peers—because we know that by doing so, they’re helping make topics of infertility and egg donation feel less taboo and potentially even motivating others to take a more proactive approach to their own fertility. A survey from HRC Fertility found that 60% of Gen Z are concerned about their future fertility. This concern is reflected in the growing trend of egg freezing, which has seen a dramatic increase—from just 475 women in 2009 to nearly 25K in 2021. We know that social media plays a big role in helping destigmatize topics around fertility and reproductive preservation and we’re proud to create and champion content that is transparent, educational, and sparks meaningful conversation. Click here to check out the article: https://lnkd.in/gQ23qb3J #IVF #FertilityJourney #EggFreezing #GenZ #Cofertility #FamilyPlanning (Sources linked in comments)