Infertility Awareness Week Spotlights Challenges for Many Canadians

Written by: Nicole Patton (she/her), Coordinator, Communications and Events, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and Jenni Bozec (she/her), Communications and Outreach Officer, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology

According to the Government of Canada, one in six couples trying to conceive experience infertility. These statistics make clear that fertility-related challenges are very common, so much so that almost every Canadian either experiences infertility or knows someone who has. April 18th to the 24th marks Canadian Infertility Awareness Week, a time in which we reflect on the challenges of infertility and rally to support those in our community. 

Unfortunately, COVID-19 has impacted this already stressful situation for many Canadians, as described by Dr. Kimberly Liu, Division Head of Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility at the University of Toronto’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. 

“People with infertility or undergoing fertility treatment often require many appointments for their diagnostic work-up and treatment, and often require multiple treatment cycles,” said Dr. Liu. “This past year, COVID continues to significantly impact patients - many fertility clinics were partially or fully closed in the Spring of 2020 and then many faced a backlog and wait times with reopening. In addition, the financial impacts of COVID has affected many patients’ ability to access fertility treatments which are not completely covered by the provincial healthcare plan.” 

However, even during these difficult times, research and education on infertility continues grow. Dr. Danielle Bentley is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Anatomy within the Department of Surgery and in Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, where she teaches clinical embryology in the University of Toronto’s new MHSc in Laboratory Medicine. 

A professionally focused Masters program, it prepares students for a role in an embryology clinic or laboratory. “Students are getting a lot of hands-on experience. It's teaching them exactly how to perform their future job roles,” explains Dr. Bentley, “They're getting clinically oriented experiences where they're learning directly from professionals in the field. The number of individuals turning to fertility clinics continues to grow so we’re going to need more professionals within those spaces to support these patients.” 

“I think we, as a society, do not do a very good job talking about infertility,” continues Dr. Bentley, “There is often this perception of failure that comes with infertility, whether it's primary infertility, secondary infertility, early pregnancy loss, stillbirth, or miscarriage. People don’t want to ‘fail’ in public, so they often keep silent. This silence creates a sense of loneliness when it doesn't have to be that way." 

Even with education and research continuing to expand, healthcare providers like endocrinologists, obstetricians, gynaecologists and primary care physicians hope to continue to support their patients through their infertility challenges. “Although we highlight infertility awareness this week,” said Dr. Liu, “we recognize that the experience of infertility affects patients on a daily basis.” 

Healthcare providers agree that it remains important to support those in our community and to continue to advocate on their behalf.

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