Access to infertility services: characterizing potentially infertile men in the United States with the use of the National Survey for Family Growth.

OBJECTIVE

To characterize the population of subfertile and infertile men in the United States who lack access to infertility services.

DESIGN

Analysis of the 2011-2013, 2013-2015, and 2015-2017 waves of the National Survey for Family Growth (NSFG) dataset.

SETTING

Not applicable.

PATIENT(S): Noninstitutionalized civilian men, ages 15-45 years, who were married or lived with a woman and had not undergone a vasectomy.

INTERVENTION: Not applicable.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Access to infertility services.

RESULT(S): Compared with people who had used infertility services, unevaluated men who self-reported as infertile or subfertile were younger, had lower household incomes, were less educated, and were less likely to be married. Unevaluated infertile men were less likely to have a regular place where they received health care, were more likely to be uninsured, and had a poorer perception of their personal health. On multivariable logistic regression analysis, average household income, marital status, education level, and current insurance status remained significant.

CONCLUSION(S): Infertile men who had not used infertility services were less educated, were less likely to have been married, and had a lower household income and private insurance rate compared with men who had used infertility services. These demographic and health care utilization differences can help inform public policy related to fertility.