'Help needed for couples with conception problems'

More than nine in 10 couples who have problems conceiving do not receive the treatment they need to help them have a baby, according to experts.
Only six per cent of the 90 million couples with conception difficulties worldwide receive the treatment they need, says a new international action group - the Assisted Conception Taskforce (ACT).

The taskforce also found there is an appalling lack of awareness of the options available to couples who are having fertility problems.

Sandra Dill, chair of ACT, said: "As this research clearly shows, only six per cent of couples experiencing conception difficulties actually receive the treatment they need. Either people don't try to find help, or they find it difficult to access and drop out."

A survey of more than 100 people in Australia, Britain, Germany and France found that nearly half (48 per cent) found the options presented to them by the medical profession were confusing or uninviting.

Only 15 per cent of couples said they were confident and informed about the assisted conception treatment options open to them.

Dispelling myths

The research carried out by Professor John Collins of McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, also found that 85 per cent of people will never seek any help for their conception problems.

Of the 15 per cent who did seek help, less than half (42 per cent) will actually make it through to the point of receiving treatment.

The aims of ACT, made up of patients and health professionals in 17 countries, include providing clear advice and information about treatments and dispelling myths about the processes involved.

Ms Dill said: "The concept of a patient being 'infertile' is an unhelpful and inappropriate description for people who have conception difficulties and may contribute to the reluctance attached to seeking medical help.

"One of the key activities of the ACT group is to provide clear advice and guidance for patients, dispelling the myths and misunderstanding associated with conception difficulties and providing a helping hand along the assisted conception pathway."