1. F ERTILITY T REATMENT : DONOR EGGS Introduction to Family Studies Professor Connie Gager

2. F INAL E XAM Final Exam Review on Wednesday Posting projects to the wiki

3. I NFERTILITY IN THE U.S. Like all topic we discuss in this class, infertility takes place in the larger U.S. context First, the tendency to delay marriage and childbearing for economic reasons has increased the age at which women attempt conception And the incidence of impaired ability to get pregnant increases with age: In 1988, 4% of childless women aged 15-24 had impaired fecundity, 13% of those aged 25-34 21% of those aged 35-44 Source: Mosher & Bacharach, (1996), Understanding U.S. fertility: Continuity and change in the National Survey of Family Growth, 1988- 1995

4. I NFERTILITY IN THE U.S. What is the culture of fertility in the U.S.? Children are central to family in the U.S. Enormous pressure on women to reproduce Although the stigma of being childless has lessened, the term still suggests couples are “missing something.” Greater usage of the term child free marriages: couples who expect and intend to remain childless Source: The Marriage and Family Experience, 19 th edition, Chap 10

5. I NFERTILITY IN THE U.S. The U.S. is also a Capitalist economy Much money can be made through infertility treatments In the United States in 2006, over $7.1 billion dollars was spent on fertility drugs alone. This enormous figure does not include the private sale of unused fertility drugs, herbal supplements or black market drugs sold outside the United States. Source: Helium.com: http://www.helium.com/tm/680838/infertility-heart- wrenching-conditions

6. I NFERTILITY IN THE U.S. Of the 62 million women of reproductive age in 2002, about 1.2 million, or 2%, had had an infertility-related medical appointment within the previous year An additional 10% had received infertility services at some time in their lives. Additionally, 7% of married couples in which the woman was of reproductive age (2.1 million couples) reported that they had not used contraception for 12 months and the woman had not become pregnant. IN SUM infertility is a growing issue in the U.S. Source: CDC, 2004 Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Report: Fertility Clinic Report by State http://www.cdc.gov/ART/ART2004/faq.htm#1

7. I NFERTILITY IN THE U.S. What is assisted reproductive technology (ART)? According to this definition, ART includes all fertility treatments in which both eggs and sperm are handled. In general, ART procedures involve surgically removing eggs from a woman’s ovaries, combining them with sperm in the laboratory, and returning them to the woman’s body or donating them to another woman. Source: CDC, 2004 Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Report: Fertility Clinic Report by Statehttp://www.cdc.gov/ART/ART2004/faq.htm#1

8. I NFERTILITY IN THE U.S. IVF ( in vitro fertilization ). Involves extracting a woman’s eggs, fertilizing the eggs in the laboratory, and then transferring the resulting embryos into the woman’s uterus through the cervix. This may involve the woman’s own egg or an egg from a donor Because an ART procedure includes several steps, it is typically referred to as a cycle of treatment.

9. P EGGY O RENSTEIN – D ONOR E GGS Donor eggs are now used in 12 percent of all in vitro fertilization (I.V.F.) attempts, making it among the fastest-growing infertility treatments.in vitro fertilization Most of the mothers using donor eggs are in their 40s. The birthrate among women ages 40-44 has risen 62 percent since 1990 The birthrate among women in their late 40s has more than doubled.

10. P EGGY O RENSTEIN – D ONOR E GGS Among those who used I.V.F. in 2004: about 1/3 of the 43-year-olds used donor eggs by 47 years old, 91 percent used a donor egg

11. P EGGY O RENSTEIN – D ONOR E GGS # of attempts 1,802 # of attempts 15,175 # of babies 5,449 19922004

12. P EGGY O RENSTEIN – D ONOR E GGS Jewish donors, Asians, Ivy Leaguers, and those with proven fertility, are considered “exceptional donors” and can command a hefty premium. A recruitment ad on New York’s Craigslist offered up to $10,000 for Asian donors. On some sites Orenstein visited, agencies were asking $15,000 for donors with proven fertility. There have been reports of agencies charging more than double that for other highly desirable women.

13. P EGGY O RENSTEIN – D ONOR E GGS Yet there is often no way to know whether the information the donor gives, including her medical history and educational background, is accurate. According to a 2006 study conducted by researchers at New York University found that donors routinely “lowballed” their weight The heavier they were the more they lied. What do we call this? Social desirability bias

14. P EGGY O RENSTEIN – D ONOR E GGS Each profile listed: the donor’s age (“over the hill” if more than 30) hair color eye color weight ethnicity marital status

15. P EGGY O RENSTEIN – D ONOR E GGS Each profile listed: education level high school or college G.P.A.’s, college major evidence of “proved” fertility blood type bust size favorite movies, foods, and TV shows

16. P EGGY O RENSTEIN – D ONOR E GGS What would you do? What characteristics would be important to you?