Chalfont, PA -- (SBWire) -- 02/28/2014 --"Fox News Alert: Number of test tube babies in US hits record percentage." What's behind attention-getting headlines like these?
Year after year, more IVF procedures are done in the US and correspondingly an increasing percentage of American babies are conceived via this technique. The newest reports show over 165,000 cycles of IVF performed in 2012 resulting in the birth of 62,000 infants (1.5% of all US births). Many factors account for the increasing popularity of assisted reproductive technology:
1.Couples are waiting longer to get married and start families. The average age of first mothers is now 26, as opposed to 21 in 1970.
2.Our changing economy and societal expectations have made led to more couples electively waiting for "the right circumstances" to start a family, however the "right time" may not arrive until the female partner is under the pressure of her biological clock
3.Over 3 million IVF children have now been born and more celebrities (Brooke Shields, Celine Dion, etc.) have been forthcoming about their IVF journeys, as a result the use of these technologies has come to seem more "mainstream".
4.In those states with mandated coverage for IVF (MA, NJ, NY, MD, IL) the number of IVF cycles performed has skyrocketed, and is now 4 to 6-fold higher more commonly performed than in to states with NO mandated coverage for IVF.
5.The IVF process itself has improved over time. In 2012, the average pregnancy rate was 47% per attempt in women under age 35 (source: www.sart.org) as compared to 37% in 2000. Even compared to the very recent past, fewer medications are needed and technology improved, fewer embryos are being transferred at one time thereby reducing the multiple pregnancy rate. In 2000, 5-8% of IVF conceptions were multiple pregnancies; in 2012 the multiple rate was 1%.
How do fertility clinics in Philadelphia compare to the national trends? At Pennsylvania Reproductive Specialists, the per cycle pregnancy rate now stands at 74% per attempt in women under age 35 (vs. 47% for the USA overall). Furthermore, Dr. Annette Lee and her all-female staff provide these exceptional success rates in a supportive, nurturing atmosphere where each patient is treated as an individual, not a number. Many of Dr. Lee’s patients come to PRS for artificial insemination in Philadelphia specifically to avoid an impersonal, factory-like experience.
Many patients assume they cannot afford fertility care because Pennsylvania does not mandate insurance coverage for IVF. These women are pleasantly surprised to learn that they actually do have coverage for diagnostic testing and/or lesser fertility treatments and may even qualify for need-based financial assistance from pharmaceutical companies. To find out about insurance coverage and fertility options, contact Pennsylvania Reproductive Specialists at info@prsfertility.com or 215-822-8400.
About Pennsylvania Reproductive Specialists
Dr. Annette Lee, M.D., the only physician at Pennsylvania Reproductive Specialists, is double board-certified in OB/GYN and Reproductive Endocrinology. After over a perfecting her clinical skills in some of the largest and most successful IVF centers in the US, she established PRS in 2009 with the goal of offering the same cutting edge care in a very patient-friendly environment. Vitals.com awarded Dr. Lee the “Patient’s Choice award in 2010,2011, 2012 and 2013 based on exemplary patient reviews and rating.
For more information call 215-822-8400 or visit www.prsfertility.com.
Pennsylvania Reproductive Specialists Contributes to Record Number of IVF Pregnancies