Increasing insurance coverage can have widespread impact on chances of conceiving
Dr. Leslie Coker Appiah touches on the statistics of the people in Colorado who are diagnosed with cancer and the impact it can have on their fertility. In this article, The Colorado Sun talks with people who worked toward passage of the Colorado Building Family Act that would require insurance companies to cover in vitro fertilization (IVF), the most effective treatments for infertility. The expanded insurance coverage would also include the harvesting and freezing of eggs and sperm for people undergoing medical treatment that threatens fertility, such as chemotherapy.
“For males under 18, 66% of them will experience difficulty with testicular function after cancer treatment. And 40% of women from ages 18 to 39 will be less likely to conceive after cancer treatment,” said Dr. Leslie Appiah.