More than 90 per cent of respondents in the National Fertility Awareness survey incorrectly believed or were uncertain whether in vitro fertilization could help a woman have a baby with her own eggs right until she hits menopause. In reality, less than two per cent of IVF procedures are successful for women in their mid-late 40s using their own eggs.Another eye-opening statistic from the survey: how few people realized just how costly IVF can be. Many women believed it was under $5,000; in Canada, the costs generally range from $8,000 to $12,000 per cycle.
No wonder we get so little sympathy from the general public -- they honestly haven't got a clue about what we're up against. :p
The author of the study, Judith Daniluk, a counselling psychology professor at UBC, has launched a new website, My Fertility Choices, aimed at debunking myths and helping adults make educated choices.
“The concerning part is more people are ending up childless by default, because when they delay and they get to the point where they start to pursue treatment, treatment can’t compensate for age-related declines,” Daniluk said. “We don’t want you to get blindsided.”Did anything in the survey results surprise you? (I'm assuming the results would be relatively the same if it were done in the United States or elsewhere.)
As a Canadian abroad, I hadn't heard about this survey (so thanks for bringing it to my attention), but I can't say I'm surprised how ill informed people are And I'm saying that mostly on the basis of the experiences I've had since facing loss/IF... The number of foot-in-mouth scenarious never ceases to amaze me, even if I know people are clueless. But I'm glad this lack of awareness is at least being discussed in the media, and that some are trying to change it!
ReplyDeleteNo surprises. I would think the Hollywood people who get pregnant late in their 40's probably helps along the thought by the public that women have until menopause to get pregnant with their own eggs.
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