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[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 322 Introduced in House (IH)]

110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 322

 Supporting the goals of National Infertility Awareness Week to raise 
 awareness about the disease of infertility and the challenges men and 
 women face in building a family, including protecting fertility, and 
                          for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 19, 2007

 Mrs. McCarthy of New York (for herself, Mrs. Myrick, and Mrs. Capps) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                         on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
 Supporting the goals of National Infertility Awareness Week to raise 
 awareness about the disease of infertility and the challenges men and 
 women face in building a family, including protecting fertility, and 
                          for other purposes.

Whereas RESOLVE: the National Infertility Association is celebrating its 18th 
        annual National Infertility Awareness Week during the week of November 
        4-10, 2007;
Whereas infertility is defined as the inability to conceive after 1 year of 
        unprotected intercourse or 6 months if the woman is over age 35, the 
        inability to carry a pregnancy to live birth, or the inability to 
        conceive due to sterilizing medical treatments such as chemotherapy, 
        radiation, or surgery;
Whereas infertility is a disease which affects men and women and is a female 
        condition in 35 percent of the cases, a male condition in 35 percent of 
        the cases, a combined condition of the couple in 20 percent of the 
        cases, and unexplained in 10 percent of the cases;
Whereas infertility is different for each person who faces it, and the most 
        important thing a person must do is to be informed about the disease;
Whereas according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United 
        States has 7.3 million men and women with infertility, constituting 12 
        percent of women of reproductive age, or 1 in 8 couples;
Whereas approximately 140,000 cancer patients diagnosed annually during their 
        reproductive years will undergo potentially permanently sterilizing 
        medical treatments;
Whereas during the last decade, health care providers have made great strides in 
        the ability to diagnose and treat infertility as well as preserve 
        fertility;
Whereas infertility is a medical problem that may be treated;
Whereas at least 50 percent of those who complete an infertility evaluation will 
        respond to treatment with a successful pregnancy;
Whereas some infertility problems respond with higher or lower success rates;
Whereas those who do not seek help have a ``spontaneous cure rate'' of about 5 
        percent after a year of infertility; and
Whereas it is important that infertility patients have access to educational 
        programs across the United States on a variety of family-building 
        options, including assisted reproductive technologies, adoption, third-
        party reproduction, and child-free living: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved,  That--
            (1) the House of Representatives--
                    (A) recognizes that infertility is a disease;
                    (B) recognizes that knowledge about infertility 
                will help people make educated decisions about family 
                building whether through medical intervention, 
                adoption, or deciding not to have children;
                    (C) commends RESOLVE: the National Infertility 
                Association and other national and community 
                organizations for their efforts to promote greater 
                public awareness about the disease of infertility; and
                    (D) supports the goals of National Infertility 
                Awareness Week to raise awareness about the disease of 
                infertility and the challenges men and women face in 
                building a family; and
            (2) it is the sense of the House of Representatives that 
        the Federal Government has a responsibility--
                    (A) to endeavor to raise awareness and improve 
                education about infertility, fertility side effects, 
                and fertility preservation options;
                    (B) to encourage research that will improve 
                infertility treatments and outcomes and fertility 
                preservation technologies; and
                    (C) to continue to consider ways to improve access 
                to information on infertility and fertility 
                preservation options.
                                 <all>
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