It’s an issue that affects as many as 48 million couples and 186 million individuals worldwide but one that remains largely misunderstood: infertility. Defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the inability to achieve a pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse, infertility is characterized as a disease that can have significant physical, mental, and emotional repercussions.
For the 10% of women in the United States (6.1 million) who have trouble getting pregnant, and for anybody who hopes to be a parent, infertility can be a confusing diagnosis often accompanied by one suggested solution in the form of in-vitro fertilization (IVF). And while IVF can be a profound tool (and in some cases, a life-changing opportunity), it’s far from the only option for infertility.