Distributed Ventures’ Post

This is a great illustration of why male care matters for families as part of today’s fertility journey. Male care - and specifically a focus on male fertility - can play an important role in lessoning the burden women shoulder in the care journey as well as the financial burden households face. Distributed Ventures portfolio company Posterity Health is tackling this important issue with their #hybridcare, #virtualcare model. #fertility #familyplanning #digitalhealth #femtech #womenshealth #malecare

Fertility journeys can be complex but each person hopes for a simple outcome: the shortest pathway to a healthy baby. I'm incredibly proud of our team at Maven Clinic for developing a unique business model that aligns our incentives with those of the families we care for--while also supporting our clients and our partner fertility clinics to ensure every person gets the care they need. Sometimes that care is IVF. Many times it is not. Today we announced our "Trying to Conceive" coaching program, a service that over 85% of people who are struggling to get pregnant opt into if offered. We are helping people understand the reasons why they are not getting pregnant, and providing support to track ovulation and optimize sperm. We have found that over 30% of those in this program are able to conceive without IVF. When this happens everyone wins. The fertility clinics can deploy their bandwidth to care for people who most need their services. The purchasers can use their benefit dollars to help as many people as possible. And most importantly, more families find the shortest pathway to a healthy baby. https://lnkd.in/eEcaZSzH

Grand View Research projected the global fertility tourism market to grow 30% from 2022-2030. IVF as we know it today isn't attainable for the majority of Americans. Families who can't afford the cost will seek solutions elsewhere. When you can get way more at a fraction of the cost, it makes all the sense in the world. This is why Conceivable’s fully automated IVF lab isn't just a technological advancement; it's a geographic and financial solution to the hurdles that individuals grapple with when contemplating IVF. #FertilityTourism #FertilityTreatment #IVF

It’s National Fertility Awareness Week so I thought I would take this opportunity to highlight some ways employers can support employees who are struggling with infertility and undergoing assisted conception treatment. I’ll refer to IVF below but note there are lots of different treatment types. The World Health Organization estimates that one in every six people of reproductive age worldwide experience infertility. The Fertility Network UK estimates that approximately 3.5 million people in the UK are dealing with fertility challenges. So, chances are, you may have an employee who is preparing for, or undergoing, fertility investigations or assisted conception treatment such as IVF. There is no specific statutory right to time off for assisted conception treatment. The usual pregnancy rights for employees don’t kick in until the final stages of IVF when the fertilised egg is transferred into the woman’s uterus. Employers may want to consider implementing a specific IVF and assisted conception policy covering time off for appointments; additional support whilst at work (for example, a private space to administer medication or access to counselling services); and time off in the event of unsuccessful treatment. The Fawcett Society have recently published a really interesting and comprehensive employer guide which I'll post a link to in the comments. If you want to discuss how your organisation can create a fertility-friendly workplace, get in touch for a chat. 

In the US, 8.5% of women are infertile and 12% of women report using fertility services at some point. In Israel, 5% of 2019 births were IVF assisted; Japan pays 70% of the costs of advanced fertility treatments. This week's newsletter puts the Alabama IVF rulings in context. See https://lnkd.in/ePh7tCtN #ivf #lowfertility

It's National Fertility Awareness Week and the charity Fertility Network UK has been highlighting the issue of access to IVF, and the cost of it. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has long recommended that at least three cycles of IVF are provided by the NHS. However, after years of austerity, very few NHS trusts actually offer three cycles, and some will not guarantee providing any at all. This leaves prospective parents having to find a way to fund expensive private treatment, and the cost of living crisis has made that even more difficult. Fertility Network UK’s research has shown that an alarming number of prospective parents have had to use up their savings, take on loans or credit card debts or sell belongings in order to pay for fertility treatment. The emotional and physical strain of IVF should not be compounded by the stress of having to find a way to fund it, and Fertility Network UK is right to call on the government to do more. At Freeths, we know that going through fertility treatment can take a toll, and we are experienced at advising clients on the legal issues that can arise from it sensitively and sympathetically. If you or someone you know needs support with the legal aspects of fertility treatment, donor conception or surrogacy, please do contact me at tom.burgess@freeths.co.uk or Joanne Thomas at joanne.thomas@freeths.co.uk.    

Wonderful News! BC will now start paying for one round of In-Vitro-Fertilization! Fertility has always been a strange topic in our medical system. Testing why a person was infertile was "medicine" and covered by insurance, but treating infertility with IVF or other methods was "elective." I have had many patients with infertility struggle with the hefty costs of IVF. Seeing their heartbreak and explaining how fertility treatments were considered a privilege and not a right in our medical system has been painful for me. This will be a huge step towards changing the lives of our BC residents. One thing to note is that most couples require 2-3 cycles before they have a successful pregnancy. Having a single round covered will help with the cost of that but not fully address the issue of infertility. The UK's National Health Service covers 3 rounds of IVF for this reason. However, I don't want to complain when I see this kind of progressive improvement, and I understand the budgetary constraints of a new program. Thank you to our province for understanding that fertility may actually be medicine and not just a privilege of the wealthy. #IVF #infertility #britishcolumbia #goodnews #familyplanning

An IVF baby is now born every 45 seconds... the The Economist this month covers the miracle of life through assisted reproduction, as well as some of industry challenges. 💉 Here's my take on the key points: 1) IVF is still cost-prohibitive for many. 💸 Companies such as ours - Sunfish - are more important than ever to expand access. In lower income countries, a single attempt can cost 50% - 200% of people's average annual income. 2) The declining women's ovarian reserve (eggs 🥚) is one of the major barriers to extending fertility - fortunately, startups such as Gameto and Conception are leading the way for innovation. 3) Success rates through IVF are improving - but most families still require multiple attempts. 🎲 The rise of improved analytics, #generativeai, and predictive modeling can help our sector improve outcomes. #fertilitytreatment #fertility #financing https://lnkd.in/dyuVJTNv

Soaring living costs and rising treatment fees are pricing fertility patients out of the chance to become parents. Patients are cashing in on pensions, selling homes and cancelling weddings to fund treatment for infertility, recent research by Fertility Network UK has shown. Here at IVF Matters, I am passionate that fertility support should be accessible to everyone who needs help to start a family and I'm pleased to announce that we now offer Fertility Finance packages for any treatment pathway you need with us. You shouldn't have to sell your engagement ring or your house to fund treatment, there are other options available to you. Our Fertility Finance packages enable you to progress your treatment without any further delay and progress your dream of starting a family. https://lnkd.in/e6gTmvxF #fertility #fertilitytreatment #fertilityawareness #fertilityjourney #fertilityfinance #fertilitypatients #infertility #fertilityloan #fertilityclinic #londonclinic #fertilityspecialists #accessiblefertility #fertilitypreservation #ivfcommunity #ivfclinic #fertilitydoctor #ivftreatment #eggfreezing #embryofreezing

ETHealthworld Fertility Conclave 2023: Telangana Governor calls for de-stigmatisation of fertility treatments IVF, a revolutionary medical procedure that has offered hope to millions globally, is now a beacon of hope for many Indians. However, despite its proven efficacy, it remains out of reach for a considerable segment of our society. The reason, unfortunately, is the deep-rooted stigma surrounding assisted reproductive technologies (ART). This stigma manifests in various forms, from cultural and social taboos to misconceptions about IVF and its implications: Dr Soundararajan Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan | Prabhat Prakash | #ETFERTILITYCONCLAVE | #FERTILITY | #ART | #IVF | #HEALTHNEWS Read more: