[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E364]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            RECOGNIZING NATIONAL INFERTILITY AWARENESS WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MARILYN STRICKLAND

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 26, 2023

  Ms. STRICKLAND. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate National 
Infertility Awareness Week. Started in 1989, we salute the parents, 
doctors, researchers, and others for working to destigmatize 
infertility and bring awareness to the many barriers people face when 
trying to start and build their families.
  Most Americans are not aware that approximately one in five Americans 
are impacted by infertility. The disease affects both men and women of 
all races, religious backgrounds, and economic status.
  Through the revolutionary contributions of research scientists and 
considerable medical advancements, fertility treatments have vastly 
improved since the first successful in vitro fertilization pregnancy 
and live birth occurred in 1978. Such advancements include early 
infertility detection through detailed and data-driven testing, 
advanced egg-freezing technology, and progressive procedures that allow 
young cancer patients to preserve their fertility prior to undergoing 
lifesaving chemotherapy treatments. Organizations like RESOLVE: the 
National Infertility Association advocate for millions of individuals 
and couples in this country who need medical assistance to have a 
family. Other groups, such as the Military Family Building Coalition 
(MFBC), have focused on raising awareness for active duty 
servicemembers and their spouses facing unique challenges with family 
building. They are actively working to bring awareness to these unique 
challenges and advance laws and policies that will help our 
servicemembers sacrificing for our country achieve their dream of 
building or expanding their own family. The Alliance for Fertility 
Preservation stresses the importance of affordable fertility 
preservation options for individuals undergoing cancer treatment. In 
fact, in the absence of comprehensive and reliable fertility 
preservation and family building healthcare coverage, the option of 
having children may not otherwise be available for millions of 
Americans without the financial assistance of organizations like 
RESOLVE, AFP, and MFBC, and countless other worthwhile organizations.
  While advancements have been a substantial step forward for family 
building, significant medical, financial, and health equity barriers 
still exist for others who require medical assistance to combat 
infertility.
  During this National Infertility Awareness Week, I call on my 
colleagues in Congress to do more to remove many of the barriers that 
currently exist for those experiencing infertility challenges in their 
pursuit of having a child. The ability to have children and the timing 
of building a family is a basic human right, and thus we must work 
together to pass legislation to create a path for these American 
families.

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