The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) Practice Committee issued a “more inclusive” definition of “infertility” to accommodate same-sex couples and promote “equitable access to infertility treatment and care.”
“This new and inclusive definition is driven by the clinical needs of patients who come from different places and with different treatment needs,” the organization said in a news announcement on October 15.
According to the ASRM, “infertility” is a “disease, condition, or status” that can be characterized by “the inability to achieve a successful pregnancy based on a patient’s medical, sexual, and reproductive history, age, physical findings, diagnostic testing, or any combination of those factors.”
The ASRM further defines “infertility” as “the need for medical intervention, including, but not limited to, the use of donor gametes or donor embryos in order to achieve a successful pregnancy either as an individual or with a partner,” and adds, “Nothing in this definition shall be used to deny or delay treatment to any individual, regardless of relationship status or sexual orientation.”
“This revised definition reflects that all persons, regardless of marital status, sexual orientation, or gender identity, deserve equal access to reproductive medicine,” Jared Robins, the ASRM CEO, said in a news release. “This inclusive definition helps ensure that anyone seeking to build a family has equitable access to infertility treatment and care.”
Research presented at the American Society For Reproductive Medicine’s 2023 Scientific Congress in October showed that New York’s expansion of the “infertility” definition prompted greater insurance coverage of infertility-related services, leading to more same-sex female couples pursuing fertility treatments.
“As more and more LGBTQIA+ individuals seek to build families, it is vital that we have both the scientific know-how and social policies to support them,” stated Paula Amato, who was recently instated as the ASRM’s president. “This kind of research moves us closer to our goals of equal access to quality reproductive health care for all people.”