Fertility Services Market

Fertility services are procedures or treatments used to cure genetic and fertility issues and assist with conception. These services include assisted reproductive technology (ART) methods and drugs that help single parents, infertile couples, and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community in planning a family.

Factors such as declining fertility rate, technological advancements in fertility treatments, growth in the median age of first-time motherhood, and rise in obesity, along with the consumption of alcohol/cigarettes, are leading to infertility which is eventually driving the market for fertility services. However, high procedural costs of assisted reproductive techniques in developed markets and ethical & social concerns related to the ART treatment is hampering the overall growth of the fertility services market.

Likewise, reimbursement for fertility treatment serves as an opportunity for the growth of the market.

Over the years, fertility services have witnessed high growth due to late marriages, improved contraceptive methods, and the growing number of women prioritizing their careers over starting a family which has also led to the growth in the median age of first-time motherhood. According to Eurostat, the mean age of women in the European Union (EU) on giving birth to their first child has increased from 28.7 in 2013 to 29.1 in 2017. Additionally, according to a report by the United Nations Department of Economics and Social Affairs World Fertility, the average age of first-time pregnancies in women has also risen over the years and was found to be higher in women in their late 20s or early 30s in France. As the median age for first-time motherhood keeps increasing, a growing number of women are expected to face complications in conceiving naturally which also leads to infertility. For instance, according to the National Center for health statistics, in 2015, the fertility rate was 62.5 births per 1,000 women, which dropped by 2% to 60.2 births per 1,000 women in 2017. This downfall in the fertility rate increases the number of women opting for ART treatments, which eventually drives the fertility services market.

The growing availability of funding and reimbursement for certain fertility treatments can be a huge opportunity for the market during the assessment period.

According to the data stated by the IVF Worldwide, in Austria, 70% of the treatment and drug costs for IVF/ICSI are reimbursed by IVF-fund in specific indications.Additionally, in Germany, patients up to 40 years of age for 4 IVF or IVF/ICSI cycles or 2 GIFT are reimbursed. Moreover, according to the ESHRE Fact Sheets 2017, Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, and Slovenia are reputed to have the most generous reimbursement policies in Europe, with almost full coverage for up to six cycles of IVF. In addition, the extent of state support varies from around 90% in Belgium, France, Greece, Netherlands, and Slovenia, to 20 to 30% in Bulgaria, Romania, and Spain.

Hence, reimbursement for fertility treatment serves is expected to pose significant growth opportunities in the fertility services market during the forecast period.

Despite the growing adoption of fertility treatments, the high cost associated with the fertility treatment is hampering the growth of the market. According to the data mentioned by the Monash IVF Australia, the initial IVF cycle costs approximately USD 3065.22 (AUD 4,461) and subsequent IVF cycle after Medicare safety net costs approximately USD 2676.31 (AUD 3,895). Moreover, according to the CARE Fertility Group Limited (UK), IVF treatments cost USD 3340-3841 (3,000 to 3,450 Euros), Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) costs USD 890-950 (800 to850 Euros), and Intracytoplasmic sperm injection costs USD 1280-1503 (1,150 to 1,350 Euros) in the Europe region. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) lists the average price of an in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle in the US to be USD 12,400. Thus, the high cost of assisted reproductive techniques to treat infertility is restraining the growth of this market.