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Infertility and Public Health

The National Public Health Action Plan for the Detection, Prevention, and Management of Infertility

CDC has worked with partners to develop this National Public Health Action Plan (NAP). The purpose of the NAP is to facilitate collaborative activities within and outside the federal government to achieve the overall goal of the plan—to promote, preserve, and restore the ability of women in the U.S. to conceive, carry a pregnancy to term, and deliver a healthy infant. ‪‪This plan will identify public health priorities regarding detection, prevention, and management of infertility.

We anticipate the draft of the National Public Health Action Plan for the Detection, Prevention, and Management of Infertility will be available in the Spring of 2012. The draft NAP will be published in the Federal Register in order to provide the opportunity for public comment. The comment period will be open for 30 days. We welcome comments from individuals, organizations, institutions, agencies, infertility advocates, and other stakeholders. ‪‪

A Webinar will be scheduled to coincide with the posting of the draft NAP. ‪‪We will post information to this Web page as it becomes available. Anyone can request notification of updates via e-mail. See “Get e-mail updates” on the right side of this page.

The NAP has its origins in a white paper on infertility prevention, detection, and management as a public health priority (Macaluso et al., A public health focus on infertility prevention, detection, and management. Fertil Steril 2010 Jan;93(1):16.e1–10).

The specific objectives of the plan are as follows:

To reduce the burden of infertility and impaired fecundity by promoting behaviors that maintain fertility, by promoting prevention, early detection, and treatment of infections (e.g., chlamydial infection) and other medical conditions that lead to infertility, and by removing or reducing environmental and occupational threats to fertility.
To improve access to the diagnosis and treatment of infertility and eliminate disparities in infertility care.
To improve the efficacy and safety of infertility treatment. .
To improve the quality of life of people who live with infertility.

Tentative Outline for the National Public Health Action Plan

The NAP will provide potential action steps for stakeholders within and outside the government to effectively decrease the burden placed by infertility on the public’s health.

Introduction

Chapter 1: Detection of Infertility

Public Health Importance
The Challenge
- Clinical Detection
- Surveillance
Scientific and Programmatic Opportunities

Chapter 2: Prevention of Infertility

Public Health Importance
The Challenge
- Understanding the causes of infertility
- Public health interventions for prevention
Scientific and Programmatic Opportunities