InterNational Council on Infertility Protests the New Infertility Public
Service Campaign by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine

 
ARLINGTON, Va., Aug. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- INCIID, the InterNational Council on
Infertility Information Dissemination, a non-profit organization dedicated to
providing infertility information and support, expresses concern at the new
public service announcements depicting infertility as a preventable disease.

"The American Society for Reproductive Medicine's new campaign does a
disservice to thousands of infertile couples who struggle with not only the
heartbreak of infertility, but a society that does little to understand the
truth about infertility," said INCIID president Theresa Venet Grant.  "We are
very disappointed that the ASRM has chosen to highlight the small percentage
of preventable cases of infertility instead of increasing awareness of the
large number of people who struggle with endometriosis, polycystic ovarian
syndrome, poor egg quality, bad sperm motility, etc."

The public service campaign of the ASRM, which was announced today, will
present infertility as a preventable disease and cites such behaviors as
smoking, obesity, high-risk sex and postponing childbearing until later years
as the sources of infertility.

"To try to prevent infertility is a noble effort," continued Grant. "However,
in the process, the ASRM is promulgating a 'blame the victim' scenario that
does little to help improve how infertility is perceived in society.

"Sadly, infertility predominantly receives public attention from extreme
situations like high-order multiple births, not a realistic view of the
couple struggling to conceive a child.  This ad campaign, while
well-intentioned, will create a greater misunderstanding of infertility's
causes and the struggle of the infertile couple."

INCIID.org, which provides a doctor- and peer-based support network of
information, receives more than 350,000 page views each day from more than
25,000 men and women seeking treatment for infertility.  For the past six
years, INCIID has championed the issues of infertility insurance, access to
medical treatment and infertility discrimination.

The InterNational Council on Infertility Information Dissemination (INCIID --
pronounced "inside") is a nonprofit, consumer advocacy organization dedicated
to helping couples explore their family-building options.  INCIID is funded
by consumer contributions, professional memberships, and corporate
contributors.  In accordance with the rules that govern nonprofit, 501(c)3
corporations in the United States, INCIID and its board of directors operate
independently of any corporate entity.

SOURCE  InterNational Council on Infertility Information Dissemination

CO:  InterNational Council on Infertility Information Dissemination; INCIID;
    American Society for Reproductive Medicine; ASRM

ST:  Virginia

IN:  HEA MTC ADV

SU:  NPT

08/06/2001 15:46 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com


Back