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Human reproduction is as natural as breathing. It is essential to the continued existence of our society. Even though the date of man’s first appearance on earth is widely disputed, conception methods are generally agreed upon by all. Infertility on the other hand is not a natural occurrence, but unfortunately is reportedly experienced by over six million women per year. The inability to conceive after a year of unprotected intercourse in women under 35, or after six months in women over 35, or the inability to carry a pregnancy to term is called infertility (General Infertility 1.1). Women between the ages of 14-44 who were reported to have suffered from some form of fertility impairment increased from 8% in 1982 to 10% in 1995, an increase from 4.6 million to 6.2 million women (Rice 50). Being infertile differs from being sterile. Being sterile means that you are unable to conceive a child, in sterility, you or your partner has a physical problem that precludes the ability to conceive a child, being diagnosed infertile means that becoming pregnant may be a challenge rather than impossibility (General Infertility 1.4). Because the expense of infertility treatments are not always covered in health plans, economic status is a major factor in determining who is able to seek professional help to solve infertility problems. Infertility treatments are a $1 billion a year industry in the United States (General Infertility 1.6). Other than the financial burden that is associated with dealing with the problem, infertility may have an effect on marital and sexual satisfaction.
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