•HRES 345 IH 
mental ailments can and do suffer from infertility, and 
data from the Department of Veterans Affairs show that 
15.8 percent of female veterans reported infertility (4 
percent higher than the female average) and 13.8 percent 
of male veterans reported infertility (4.8 percent higher 
than the male average); 
Whereas infertility can be caused by genetic conditions, birth 
defects, injury, environmental factors, medical treat-
ments, medications, gamete aging and decreased con-
centration, viruses, disorders, or other diseases, or may 
be idiopathic; 
Whereas common causes of infertility are ovulation disorders, 
uterine or cervical abnormalities, fallopian tube damage 
or blockage, endometriosis, primary ovarian insufficiency 
(early menopause), pelvic adhesions, cancer and its treat-
ment, abnormal sperm production or function, problems 
with the delivery of sperm, and overexposure to certain 
environmental factors; 
Whereas infertility disproportionately affects individuals with 
particular health complications, such as cancer, because 
patients must undergo treatments such as chemotherapy, 
radiation therapy, hormone therapy, or surgery that are 
likely to harm the reproductive system, organs, or 
gametes, and fertility preservation becomes medically 
necessary; 
Whereas the risk of infertility is increased by age, smoking, 
excessive alcohol use, extreme weight gain or loss, exces-
sive physical or emotional stress, or other conditions like 
diabetes that result in amenorrhea (absent periods), use 
of marijuana, exposure to certain medications, and expo-
sure to environmental toxins; 
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•HRES 345 IH 
Whereas infertility is a major life event which may bring 
about social and psychological problems, such as anger, 
depression, anxiety, marital problems, sexual dysfunction, 
social isolation, stigma, sense of loss, and diminished self- 
esteem; 
Whereas a Harvard University study shows that in about 1 
in 3 cases, both partners have had physiological problems 
during and after experiencing infertility; 
Whereas regulatory disparities and lack of access to health 
care specialists cause inequities in the financial burden 
carried by people who seek diagnostic testing and treat-
ment for infertility, presenting a barrier to health care 
and better health outcomes, and these factors dispropor-
tionately impact minority and lower income individuals; 
and 
Whereas 37 percent of White Americans report they have un-
dergone fertility treatment or know someone who has, 
which is significantly higher than 22 percent of Black 
Americans and 26 percent of Hispanic Americans who re-
port the same: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives recog-
nizes— 
(1) that infertility is a disease; 
(2) that the United States Government has a 
responsibility to help examine, create, and imple-
ment solutions to address and alleviate the problems 
associated with the disease; 
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•HRES 345 IH 
(3) the growing racial, ethnic, and income-based 
disparities associated with access to education and 
awareness, screenings, treatments, and procedures; 
(4) the importance of raising awareness and im-
proving education about infertility, disabling side ef-
fects, associated mental health issues, and preserva-
tion options that will help people make educated de-
cisions about family building, whether through med-
ical intervention, adoption, or deciding not to have 
children; 
(5) the need for encouraging research that will 
improve infertility treatments and outcomes and fer-
tility preservation technologies; 
(6) the importance of necessary oversight of 
government agencies involved in research and data 
collection related to infertility prevalence, treat-
ments, outcomes, and fertility preservation tech-
nologies, and working to ensure the consistency of 
data and information-sharing across government 
agencies; and 
(7) a duty of the Federal Government to ensure 
the availability of infertility-related services to all in-
dividuals and families without barriers such as ac-
cess, cost, and coverage. 
Æ 
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