Updated projections of infertility in the United States: 1995-2025

Abstract

Objective: To project the number of infertile women aged 15-44 every 5 years from 2000 to 2025.

Design: Data are used from Cycle 5 of the National Survey of Family Growth conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics. Population projections prepared by the U.S. Bureau of the Census are used as the base population for 2000-2025. Prospective demographic projections are used to estimate the number of infertile women.

Participants: The National Survey of Family Growth (Cycle 5) interviewed 10,847 women aged 15-44 in 1995.

Main outcome measure(s): Number of infertile women.

Result(s): The number of women experiencing infertility will range from 5.4-7.7 million in 2025, with the most likely number to be just under 6.5 million.

Conclusion(s): This is a substantial revision (upward) in the number of infertile women, largely a result of the increase in the observed percentage of infertile women in 1995. This is the base population of concern to providers; of particular interest is the percentage of infertile women who seek medical treatment.