Studies show that black women are increasingly more likely to experience infertility. At least 12% of women up to age 44 but black women are almost twice affected than Caucasian women when it comes to infertility. The statistics show that just around 8% of black women seek help getting pregnant when compared to approximately 15% of caucasian women.
Black Celebrities Who Have Struggled with Infertility
If you are suffering we want you to know that you are not alone. As a matter of fact, there are a number of black celebrities that have struggled with infertility.
Gabrielle Union: Union has had around 9 miscarriages and notes she has attempted to get pregnant over a period of three years where she was in various stages of IVF treatment.Michelle Obama: Obama opens up about her infertility journey in her book “Becoming Obama” She notes she didn’t know just how common miscarriages were and notes her emotions as she went through the situation.
- Tia Mowry: Mowry opened up about her struggles with fertility-related issues and endometriosis in a Women’s Health Magazine interview.
- Remy Ma: Remy Ma has been very open about her struggles with infertility and became pregnant in July 2019 after IVF treatment. There is an article in Women’s Health Mag which details her full journey.
- Tyra Banks: Banks was one of the first black celebrities to open up about how she has struggled with infertility. You can find her open up show on FABLife.
So no, you are not alone and infertility affects black women all across the world no matter what your status is. But there is help available for you from a number of black fertility centers with expertise on fertility issues specific to the black race. We have put together some information below that will help you become more aware of your options for tackling this personal journey with fertility issues.
What is the Best Fertility Clinic in the United States?
The CDC ranks the L.A. Based Fertility Clinic at # 1. This clinic has the highest success rates for IVF treatment in the United States.
The CDC ranked the WEstern Fertility Insitute as the top spot in the United States for the highest success rates in In Vitro Fertilization in 2018.
How Many Fertility Clinics are in the US?
Prnewswire.com indicates that there are a total of 480 US fertility clinics according to an industry survey done in 2018. They note that there are 1,700 reproductive endocrinologists, more than 100 sperm banks and an unknown number of egg donors.
How Much Does a Fertility Clinic Cost?
One in vitro fertilization cycle can cost approximately $12,000. You can find ranges in prices between $10,000 and $15,000 but the prices don’t tend to get any lower than that. That is just the cost of IVF treatment and does not include the cost of medication. Additional medication can run you from anywhere between $1500 to $3000 per cycle.
Are Fertility Clinics Regulated?
Yes, fertility clinics are regulated. They are regulated by three agencies. These are the Centers for Disease Control and PReventing (the CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (the FDA) and the Centers for Medicare ad Medicaid Services. While these federal agencies do regulate fertility clinics, they do not regular all aspects of the clinics.
What is ART?
The acronym ART stands for Assisted Reproductive Technology. This is defined by the CDC s any fertility treatment where both eggs or embryos are handled. The first annual report on ART was submitted to Congress by the CDC in 1997. It was titled “ Assisted Reproductive Technology Success Rates: National Summary and Fertility Clinic Reports.”
What are the Different Types of Assisted Reproductive Technology?
There are quite a number of different assisted reproductive technologies out there. These include;
- IVF – In Vitro Fertilization is the most common form of assisted reproductive technology where the fertilization of the egg is done outside of the body.
- ZIFT – Zygote Intrafallopian Transfer, is also known as tubal embryo transfer. This method is similar to IVF where fertilization is done in the laboratory. The embryo is transferred to the fallopian tube instead of the uterus as it is done in an IVF treatment.
- GIFT – Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer involves the transfer of eggs and sperm into the fallopian tubes of women. With this technology, fertilization occurs inside the woman’s body.
- ICSI – Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection is a form of assisted reproductive technology that is used when it is the male that has the infertility factor. It is also an option for older couples who have had multiple failed IVF treatments. For this process, a mature egg is injected with a single sperm.
What is An ART Cycle?
In an assisted reproductive cycle a woman receives fertility drugs to stimulate her ovaries. These medications can be injected or taken orally. One full cycle tends to be around three weeks. In a nutshell, during this time mature eggs are collected and fertilized then transferred to the woman. The process can take longer than three weeks dependent on the health and the degree of infertility that the couple is facing.
What Percentage of Babies Born in the United States is Conceived using ART?
According to the CDC, approximately 1.7% of all the babies born annually in the United States are conceived using ART techniques.
What is the Best Age for IVF?
Age has a big effect on the success of IVF treatment. The Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART) indicates in their clinic report that the liver birth average percentages are as follows;
- Women under 35 – 9%
- Women 35 to 37 years old – 2%
In the United States, the upper limit for IVF is 50 years for those who want to carry the baby. The upper limit for donation is 45 years. For those who have frozen their eggs, they have the ability to transfer up to when they become 52 years old.
Most programs in the United States, however, have an age limit of between 42 and 45. These numbers are set because IVF live birth rate for women older than 45 years old is less than 1%.
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