Frame Fertility survey reports that half of adults are delaying family building due to inadequate health information
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — A new survey of US respondents, ages 18-44, shows that when it comes to family building, there is lack of access to reliable and evidence-based information, with nearly 90% reporting that they receive their information from the internet, social media, friends or family. These sources of information are used 70% more often than a doctor. Moreover, 50% reported that they are delaying building a family due to lack of information and are also concerned about their own health or their partner’s health.
The survey was conducted by Frame Fertility, an evidence-based engagement and coaching platform that helps members take a proactive approach to fertility and family building, to examine the current state of the industry in the United States. Frame surveyed 500 respondents about their current understanding of family building including the need for support as they navigate the complex and emotional journey of building a family.
In addition, the survey found that this lack of support and information is impacting people on many levels, including their mental health. In fact, 91% reported feeling some degree of anxiety about the prospect of starting a family with 82% experiencing extreme anxiety.
Starting a family is of the utmost importance to Americans, with 85% of respondents reporting that becoming a parent or expanding their family is the most important or one of the most important life goals they have, and of those, more than one-third (34.7%) are actively trying to build or expand their family now.
“We know that a majority of people want to have children, but are getting their fertility and family-building information from sources that are at best confusing, and at worst, wrong or harmful,” said Jessica Bell van der Wal, CEO and Founder of Frame Fertility. “This study uncovered that over 93% of people want to be proactive with their fertility and family building, providing a window for employers and health plans to engage with their younger audiences. It’s time to make this support part of the core offerings to prevent downstream crises, missed and incorrect diagnoses and unnecessary procedures.”
Additional findings of Frame’s family building survey include:
- The recent judicial ruling restricting abortion care has changed people’s approach to family building: About half of people (48.3%) reported that the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade changed their family plans in some way and more than 1 in 4 (28%) people have even expedited their decision to start a family.
- The major source of anxiety when it comes to building or expanding their family can be addressed with proactive, evidence-based solutions: 68% of people are most concerned about their health or their partner’s health when thinking about building or expanding their family.
- Despite the recent popularity of fertility treatments, people are actually more likely to consider adoption as a family building option: Adoption is the second most common method people have considered for building and/or expanding a family. One-third of people would consider using fertility treatments like egg freezing or IVF, and those numbers are even lower in some areas of the country.
- Providing family building support is at least as critical as career development: Respondents indicated they were more afraid of not being able to have kids than not progressing in their career, with 33% of Gen Zers most fearful of not being able to have kids.
“This research reinforces the opportunity that employers and health plans have to provide meaningful guidance and support to individuals on the path to parenthood,” said Hassan Azar, former Fortune 100 benefits leader and Executive Advisor to EHIR. “The core of a well-constructed family building benefit should focus on providing trustworthy, evidenced-based, objective information and recommendations. Employers that seek to provide top-tier benefits programs need to include comprehensive family-building benefits for their workforce.”
