Timely Issue of Infertility Addressed in New Thriller

This year, Infertility Awareness Week, April 20- 26th, 2025, seeks to spotlight the challenges related to infertility, aiming to make in vitro fertilization more accessible to couples across the U.S.

According to the CDC, in the United States, infertility is a common problem in the U.S., with one in 5 (19%) married women between the ages of 15 to 49 years with no prior births unable to get pregnant after a year of trying.

In the book, infertility is just one of many problems faced by fictional couple Cassie and Jake Nichols. But it is an issue faced by millions.

Since the majority of states don't cover the costs associated with infertility procedures like IVF, a couple must often come up with the money themselves. This leads to an exorbitant amount of stress placed on an already anxious couple hoping to conceive.

An estimated 85,000 infants were born as a result of IVF in 2021, according to data provided by the U.S. Health and Human Services Department.

While IVF costs vary across the nation, a handful of states have enacted legislation requiring insurers to pay the costs for the procedure, which can be quite steep. One procedure can cost anywhere between $12,000 to $25,000 per cycle. Typically, a number of procedures are required to ensure a viable pregnancy.

Nineteen states have mandated insurance coverage for some level of infertility treatment, according to the National Infertility Association.

Twelve states require qualified employers to include IVF coverage in the insurance coverage offered to employees: Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island.

In the book, tension builds as Jake, realizing how much they have spent on the procedures, puts his foot down and tells Cassie they will need to stop.

While some may see the ultimatum as unreasonable, anyone on a budget knows there is an endpoint to how much one can spend.

This is the crux of the issue Cassie and Jake face.

The exorbitant cost can result in undue stress on couples who reside in states where the pricey procedure isn't covered.

Infertility Awareness Week is a good starting point to address reproductive challenges faced by so many. While a global issue, here in the U.S., the new administration recently signed an executive order expanding access to fertility treatment options.

Hopefully, by next year's awareness week, change will have been effected, and coverage for IVF will be available across all states in the U.S.

Denise Forsythe
7349 via Pseo del Sur 515453
Scottsdale, AZ 85258
denise@deniseforsythe.com

Denise Forsythe is a freelance business and ghost writer and the author of the domestic suspense novel, Misconception, and the forthcoming, Misconstrue. Follow her at deniseforsythe.com

This release was published on openPR.