110 HRES 322 IH: Supporting the goals of National U.S. House of Representatives 2007-04-19 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IV 110th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 322 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 19, 2007 Mrs. McCarthy of New York (for herself, Mrs. Myrick, and Mrs. Capps) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce RESOLUTION Supporting the goals of National Infertility Awareness Week® to raise awareness about the disease of infertility and the challenges men and women face in building a family, including protecting fertility, and for other purposes.

Whereas RESOLVE: the National Infertility Association is celebrating its 18th annual National Infertility Awareness Week® during the week of November 4–10, 2007; Whereas infertility is defined as the inability to conceive after 1 year of unprotected intercourse or 6 months if the woman is over age 35, the inability to carry a pregnancy to live birth, or the inability to conceive due to sterilizing medical treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery; Whereas infertility is a disease which affects men and women and is a female condition in 35 percent of the cases, a male condition in 35 percent of the cases, a combined condition of the couple in 20 percent of the cases, and unexplained in 10 percent of the cases; Whereas infertility is different for each person who faces it, and the most important thing a person must do is to be informed about the disease; Whereas according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United States has 7.3 million men and women with infertility, constituting 12 percent of women of reproductive age, or 1 in 8 couples; Whereas approximately 140,000 cancer patients diagnosed annually during their reproductive years will undergo potentially permanently sterilizing medical treatments; Whereas during the last decade, health care providers have made great strides in the ability to diagnose and treat infertility as well as preserve fertility; Whereas infertility is a medical problem that may be treated; Whereas at least 50 percent of those who complete an infertility evaluation will respond to treatment with a successful pregnancy; Whereas some infertility problems respond with higher or lower success rates; Whereas those who do not seek help have a spontaneous cure rate of about 5 percent after a year of infertility; and Whereas it is important that infertility patients have access to educational programs across the United States on a variety of family-building options, including assisted reproductive technologies, adoption, third-party reproduction, and child-free living: Now, therefore, be it

That— (1)the House of Representatives— (A)recognizes that infertility is a disease; (B)recognizes that knowledge about infertility will help people make educated decisions about family building whether through medical intervention, adoption, or deciding not to have children; (C)commends RESOLVE: the National Infertility Association and other national and community organizations for their efforts to promote greater public awareness about the disease of infertility; and (D)supports the goals of National Infertility Awareness Week® to raise awareness about the disease of infertility and the challenges men and women face in building a family; and (2)it is the sense of the House of Representatives that the Federal Government has a responsibility— (A)to endeavor to raise awareness and improve education about infertility, fertility side effects, and fertility preservation options; (B)to encourage research that will improve infertility treatments and outcomes and fertility preservation technologies; and (C)to continue to consider ways to improve access to information on infertility and fertility preservation options.