USE OF INFERTILITY SERVICES IN THE UNITED-STATES

Objective: To examine the characteristics of women in the 1988 Nationa l Survey of Family Growth who reported having obtained medical service s for impaired fecundity. Methods: From a national sample of 8450 wome n between the ages of 15-44, drawn from the civilian, noninstitutional ized population of the entire United States in 1988, we estimated the use of infertility services in the United States. Multivariate statist ical modeling was used to identify the characteristics associated with use of infertility services among the 770 women who reported impaired fecundity in this survey. Results: Of all women with impaired fecundi ty, 43% had obtained some form of infertility service and 24% had obta ined specialized infertility treatment-ovulation drugs, treatment of f allopian tubes, artificial insemination, or in vitro fertilization. Ol der, white, married women of higher socioeconomic status were most lik ely to have obtained specialized services, and a history of endometrio sis was also strongly associated with having received such services. C onclusion: Most women with impaired fecundity had not obtained inferti lity services. Use of specialized services was strongly associated wit h certain sociodemographic variables or a history of endometriosis.