The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
The face of IVF in Connecticut
About 4.4% of babies in the state are born via ART, compared to 2.3% nationally
After getting married in 2019, Shiraine McLeod and her husband hoped to have a baby, but after months of trying, she knew something was wrong.
“I never had a scare, so something was just nagging in the back of my mind, like, ‘Maybe you might want to look into this,’ ” she said.
She said her fallopian tubes were damaged, so they decided to give in-vitro fertilization, better known as IVF, a try through Illume Fertility, a Norwalk-based clinic. After her first embryo transfer, McLeod, who lives in New Milford, gave birth to her son, Lejend, in December 2022.
Although stigma and barriers persist, the use of IVF and other fertility treatments — also known as assisted reproductive technology, or ART — has more than doubled over the last decade, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The number of babies born through ART in 2021 made up about 4.4 percent of all infants born in Connecticut, exceeding the national average of 2.3 percent, according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What is ART?
ART refers to all fertility treatments that involve handling either eggs or embryos. IVF is the most common treatment, accounting for more than 99 percent of ART procedures performed nationally, according to Health and Human Services.
The most recent data on ART procedures is available through the CDC as part of the National ART Surveillance System. It looks at all procedures that have started to transfer at least one embryo. Of the 501 operating fertility clinics nationwide, 453 reported data to the CDC.
Data takes about two years to collect since surveyed clinics report information on ART cycles, pregnancy and birth outcomes.
The most recent data was released in December 2023, but it highlights ART services in 2021.
How many babies are born through ART?
According to the CDC, an estimated 246,087 ART procedures were performed nationwide in 2021, resulting in the births of 86,146 infants.
In Connecticut, six clinics reported performing 4,109 ART procedures, resulting in 1,926 pregnancies and 1,605 live-birth deliveries.
Data also indicates that parents who use ART are more likely to give birth to
“Sometimes it’s just harder to get pregnant for whatever reason, and our job is to figure out what that reason is and then how we can help make that happen.”
Dr. Cynthia Murdock
“I was motivating them to go that route and embrace IVF and not see it as a downfall,” McLeod said. “I did have my reservations in a certain way…but at the same time, I was really open in the fact that I shouldn’t be ashamed of this.”
Shiraine McLeod
multiple infants in a pregnancy, like twins and triplets. ART accounts for approximately 12.5 percent of multiple infants born compared with 3.2 percent of all infants in the birth population.
However, infants conceived through ART were more likely to be born prematurely or are born with a lower birth weight.
Why do people use ART?
Dr. Cynthia Murdock, a reproductive endocrinologist at Illume Fertility and McLeod’s doctor, said people seek out IVF procedures for many reasons.
Following an initial consultation and a series of tests, Mudock said doctors can identify the cause of infertility. Genetics, age, an unhealthy weight and substance use can increase the risk of infertility in all genders, according to HHS. HHS also reported several gender-specific conditions that increase infertility.
Another reason people turn to ART and IVF is to help preserve their fertility options for the future. These procedures can be especially beneficial for individuals who aren’t ready for children at the time of the procedure or are about to start treatments that may affect fertility, such as chemotherapy. More than 120,000 patients diagnosed with cancer were of reproductive age, and it is estimated that more than 69 percent of these patients needed ART services in 2018, according to HHS.
Murdock said treatment is offered based on the cause of infertility and the needs of patients and their loved ones. Many people can use medications and other procedures to help them conceive.
IVF is typically recommended if those lower levels of care are ineffective or if the cause of infertility is complex, such as low sperm or egg count or scar tissue in the pelvic region, she said.
“Sometimes it’s just harder to get pregnant for whatever reason, and our job is to figure out what that reason is and then how we can help make that happen,” Murdock said.
In McLeod’s case, Murdock recommended she start with IVF since there was damage to her fallopian tubes.
McLeod was pregnant after her first transfer. She said she’s already had another consultation to start the IVF process again by mid-year for another baby.
She said Lejend is “super sweet, adorable, and very independent.” They came up with the name since her husband is often compared to John Legend.
“I had a very smooth pregnancy… and I believe that that was an indication of how his personality was going to be because, for lack of a better term, he’s a smooth kid,” McLeod said. “It’s been the best experience so far.”
What are the barriers to ART procedures?
According to a crosssectional study by JAMA Network, the number of barriers to reproductive health services increased between 2017 and 2021.
One of the major barriers is access, including finding a clinic that offered certain services or where staff spoke the same language as the patient. Finding transportation or child care worsened the gaps in care, according to the study.
The study found that people who identified with historically marginalized populations saw the most significant increase in the number of barriers.
HHS also reports that since multiple procedures are often needed to conceive successfully, it can be costly. A single cycle of IVF is estimated to range from $15,000 to $20,000. On average, more than two IVF cycles are needed to become pregnant.
IVF treatment is often not covered by insurance, with HHS reporting that 29 states don’t require private insurance to cover fertility services.
According to RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, Connecticut is one of 21 states, including D.C., that passed laws mandating insurance companies cover certain fertility services. It is also one of 15 states that covers IVF.
However, barriers remain, as recently highlighted by State Comptroller Sean Scanlon while speaking in favor of pending legislation aimed at providing equal access to coverage for the treatment and diagnosis of infertility. He said that the current health insurance coverage in Connecticut discriminates against singles and LGBTQ couples who have trouble getting pregnant.
Addressing misconceptions
Of women 25 to 44 years old, 15 percent of white women seek infertility treatment, but only 8 percent of Black women will, according to a 2019 study.
As a Black Caribbean woman, McLeod said there are often many misconceptions and stigma around IVF in her communities, so she kept her IVF journey a secret from most of her family and friends. She said she was looking to protect herself emotionally from potentially negative reactions.
After becoming pregnant though, McLeod said she wanted to share her IVF story.
She said her parents and in-laws were shocked at the news and tried to discourage her from sharing her story online, saying it was a private matter. Eventually, they came around to supporting McLeod’s decision, but she said it took time, education and the arrival of her son.
After sharing her experience on social media, McLeod said she received supportive messages from friends and strangers, including a few couples that said her story motivated them to go through with IVF treatment finally.
“I was motivating them to go that route and embrace IVF and not see it as a downfall,” McLeod said. “I did have my reservations in a certain way…but at the same time, I was really open in the fact that I shouldn’t be ashamed of this.”
Murdock said the narrative and stigma around IVF have been slowly changing as more and more people, like McLeod, share their stories.
In recent years, she’s noticed patients are learning about fertility treatments from neighbors and family members who have used IVF and shared their experiences with them.
Murdock said people shouldn’t be afraid to talk with their doctors and ask questions about infertility.
“You want people to understand it’s not your fault and you shouldn’t feel shame and guilt about coming and seeing a fertility doctor,” she said.