4 in 5 Australians want more fertility education, according to new report
December 18, 2023 8:31 am EDT
[i] Ipsos and Organon. The Australian Fertility Report. 2023. Data on File
- Around 16% of couples experience infertility, with a rising share of women in their 30s and 40s turning to fertility treatment to have at least one (more) child.[1],[2]
- Despite the prevalence of infertility and the growing trend of fertility treatment, the research points to gaps in knowledge of reproductive health, affordability, and success rate.1,3,12
- Experts are calling for access to accurate information on achieving optimal reproductive health outcomes so Australians can decide if, when and how often they have children.[3]
AUSTRALIA, 13 December 2023 – Women’s healthcare company, Organon, has today released the Australian Fertility Report, which provides key aspects of women’s knowledge and experiences with fertility and reproductive health. The report reveals gaps in fertility knowledge among Australian women, particularly in relation to what they can do to improve the chance of having children.1 Although women are aware of a variety of fertility treatments, many women still lack adequate fertility awareness in relation their own bodies.1,[4]
The report draws on findings from a new national survey commissioned by Organon of 2,044 women aged between 18-45 years in Australia, which found that despite one quarter (25%) of women currently or previously having difficulty conceiving, only 16% of these women accessed fertility treatments. Only 11% of all women surveyed have accessed fertility treatment. Women who have had trouble conceiving but have not accessed fertility treatments state that the reasons are concerns over the potential personal and emotional toll of the procedure (73%).1
A common misconception is that the inability to conceive a baby is usually due to female infertility.5 In fact, infertility is comparable in men and women until middle age, after which fertility declines more rapidly, particularly for females.[5]
While most (71%) women surveyed are aware of different types of fertility treatments including IVF and egg freezing,1 experts suggest there is a lack of understanding of how and when to start exploring fertility treatments.[6],[7],[8]
Head and Professor of the Discipline of Obstetrics & Gynecology in the School of Women’s & Children’s Health, Professor Bill Ledger, says that in recent years, women’s knowledge of their fertility options has increased. Yet, more are presenting later in life to plan a family due to a lack of awareness regarding timing and accessibility.
The increasing rate of infertility (1 in 6 couples) is consistent with recent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics that shows women are having children later in life, compared to previous years.2,[9] However, many women believe that education about fertility should be given earlier.1,5
“People often don’t think about fertility until it becomes an issue. That is why there is a need for education through a more holistic life course approach to reproductive health, including family building, to reduce difficulty conceiving and to help Australians achieve their desired family-building intentions,” continued Professor Ledger.
The report also showed that most women understand endometriosis (90%) and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) (88%) as major health issues women should talk to their doctors about before trying to fall pregnant.1 This finding supports existing Australian studies that emphasise how a diagnosis may influence fertility treatment and outcomes.[10],[11]
Sydney-based woman Teniele Spicer, who is expecting her first child, said she had always planned to have children, but a diagnosis of Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) meant she started her fertility journey earlier than planned.
“If it wasn’t for the conversations I had with my GP at 18-years-old that led to my diagnosis of PCOS, I doubt I would have started thinking about my fertility options until much later, which would have left me scrambling to start my fertility journey when I should have already started,” said Ms Spicer.
“Conversations between Australians that want to have children and their GPs need to begin early. As in my case, with knowledge comes power, and with a largely supportive public system, we actually do have the power to act early on fertility.”
According to the Organon Women’s Fertility Study, women who have faced difficulty conceiving, the key factor for not using fertility treatments is affordability (81%),1 despite some fertility treatments subsidised through Medicare or covered by private health insurance. Additional barriers include a perception of the personal and emotional toll of procedures (73%) and concerns about the success rate of treatments (70%).1
“At Organon, we believe it is critically important to empower women in their choices and improve
their health throughout their lives,” said Nirelle Tolstoshev, Managing Director of Organon ANZ. “Findings from the Australian Fertility Report demonstrate the need for fertility-awareness education to be at the top of the agenda to enable Australians to have children if and when they choose to.”
— ENDS —
Media Contacts
Amy Miller
WE Communications
0431 072 422
Meshlin Khouri
Organon
0447 279 553
Issued by WE Communications on behalf of Organon Australia Ltd.
Notes to Editors
Research Summary
The national survey was commissioned by Organon and conducted in March 2023.1 The objective of the survey was to understand women’s perceptions and attitudes towards fertility, including their awareness and knowledge of fertility and fertility options, and their drivers and barriers associated with the different options.1
Participants included a nationally representative sample of n=2,044 women aged between 18-45 years old and included a mix of women who currently have or have had biological children (52%), are currently pregnant or actively trying to conceive (18%) or are planning to become pregnant in the next 2 years (25%).1
About Fertility
Fertility is the natural ability to have a child.2 Infertility is when a couple has had regular unprotected intercourse for a year but have not become pregnant.2 Infertility affects about 1 in 6 Australian couples in reproductive age and is just as likely to impact females or males.5 There are many causes of infertility, for both males and females. For example, low sperm count for males and blocked fallopian tubes in females or underlying causes including endometriosis for females and testicular problems in males.[12]
About Organon
Organon (NYSE: OGN) is a global healthcare company formed through a spin-off from Merck& Co., Rahway, NJ, USA (NYSE: MRK) known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, focused on improving the health of women throughout their lives. Here for her health, the company has a portfolio of more than 60 medicines and products across a range of therapeutic areas. Led by the reproductive health portfolio coupled with an expanding biosimilars business and stable franchise of established medicines, Organon’s products produce strong cash flows that will support investments in future growth opportunities in women’s health. In addition, Organon is pursuing opportunities to collaborate with biopharmaceutical innovators looking to commercialize their products by leveraging its scale and presence in fast-growing international markets.
Organon has a global footprint with significant scale and geographic reach, world-class commercial capabilities, and approximately 9,000 employees with headquarters located in Jersey City, New Jersey, USA.
For more information, visit www.organon.com/australia.
References
[1] Family Planning Australia (n.d.). Infertility. Accessed November 2023. Available at: https://www.fpnsw.org.au/factsheets/individuals/fertility-and-infertility/infertility
[2] Lazzari, E., Potančoková, M., Sobotka, T. et al. Projecting the Contribution of Assisted Reproductive Technology to Completed Cohort Fertility. Popul Res Policy Rev 42, 6 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11113-023-09765-3
[3] Commonwealth of Australia, Ending the postcode lottery: addressing barriers to sexual, maternity and reproductive healthcare in Australia. Accessed November 2023. Available at: https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/committees/reportsen/RB000075/toc_pdf/EndingthepostcodelotteryAddressingbarrierstosexual,maternityandreproductivehealthcareinAustralia.pdf
[4] Mazza, D., Hampton, K., Fertility-awareness knowledge, attitudes and practices of women attending general practice. Australia Family Physician Volume 44, Issue 11 (November 2015). Accessed November 2023. Available at: https://www.racgp.org.au/afp/2015/november/fertility-awareness-knowledge-attitudes-and-practi
[5] O’Bryan, M. & McLachlan, R. (2023). Male Fertility May be the World’s Canary Down A Coal Mine’, Pursuit. Accessed November 2023. Available at: https://findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/news/67762-https—pursuit.unimelb.edu.au-articles-male-infertility-may-be-the-world-s-canary-down-a-coal-mine
[6] Sandhu, S., Hickey, M., Braat, S. et al. Information and decision support needs: A survey of women interested in receiving planned oocyte cryopreservation information. J Assist Reprod Genet 40, 1265–1280 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-023-02796-x
[7] Pearson, L., Holton, S., McLachlan R. et al. Australian men’s fertility information seeking attitudes and behaviour: A qualitative investigation. Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare Volume 29 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.srhc.2021.100621
[8] Ford, E.A., Roman, S.D., McLaughlin, E.A. et al. The association between reproductive health smartphone applications and fertility knowledge of Australian women. BMC Women’s Health 20, 45 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-020-00912-y
[9] Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2023, November 18). Australia’s mothers and babies. Accessed November 2023. Available at: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/mothers-babies/australias-mothers-babies/contents/overview-and-demographics/maternal-age
[10] K M Moss, J Doust, H Homer, I J Rowlands, R Hockey, G D Mishra. Delayed diagnosis of endometriosis disadvantages women in ART: a retrospective population linked data study. Human Reproduction, Volume 36, Issue 12, December 2021, Pages 3074–3082, https://doi.org/10.1093/humrep/deab216
[11] Cunha, A., Povoa, A.M. Infertility management in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a review. Porto Biomed J. 2021 Jan 26;6(1):e116. doi: 10.1097/j.pbj.0000000000000116.
[12] Health Direct (2022). Infertility. Accessed November 2023. Available at: https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/about-infertility