Infertility is often framed as a woman’s problem — but the data tells a different story.
Written by Alex Downs during his final year of medical school as part of the FACTS elective, this article reviews a nationally representative study on male-reported infertility in the United States. Drawing on data from over 4,900 men, the research found that roughly 12% of reproductive-aged men experience couple infertility — a figure that closely mirrors female-based estimates and reinforces just how much men’s experiences matter in the fertility conversation.
In this piece, you’ll learn:
- How researchers used a “current duration” approach to estimate infertility prevalence from men’s reports
- Which factors — including age, health insurance status, and prior fatherhood — were linked to longer time-to-pregnancy
- Why reframing infertility as a shared challenge, rather than a woman’s burden alone, matters for clinical care and counseling
- What this means for the future of fertility awareness education, including the role of programs like the FACTS elective in training the next generation of clinicians
If you’ve ever felt fertility conversations leave men on the sidelines, this article offers a compelling, evidence-based case for bringing both partners fully into the picture.
Want to learn more? Read the full article on FACTS About Fertility.
