Fertility Education Campaign Gets Attention

As president of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Dr. Michael Soules spearheaded the society’s public health campaign to educate young people about risks to their fertility. The $50,000 budget was just enough to buy a few posters on buses in New York, Chicago and Seattle. However, when Newsweek locked onto one part of the campaign message and made it the center of a controversial cover story in August, media coverage was international.

“We intentionally made some provocative posters to catch people’s attention,” said Soules, professor of obstetrics and gynecology, and head of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. “We didn’t expect the BBC, NPR, Cosmopolitan, and Oprah.”

Soules weathered the controversy and the media storm with equanimity.

“We were pleased,” said Soules. “The controversy got our medical message out.”

The message was that four major factors could seriously reduce the chances of couples having children: smoking, unhealthy body weight, sexually transmitted diseases, and aging. The media ignored the first three factors and ran story after story about women who were waiting too long to try for their first child. The National Organization of Women came out against the campaign by characterizing it as pressuring young women.

Soules countered that the American Society for Reproductive Medicine campaign was providing information, not pressure.

“It’s a biological fact that it’s primarily the woman’s age that’s critical to fertility,” said Soules. “Women should be fully aware of how age factors into their decision about when and if to have children.”

The American Society for Reproductive Medicine is the largest professional organization of fertility specialists.

The Fertility and Endocrine Center in the UW Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology has received extensive financial support from the Dunnigan Family Foundation. Wanting to assist families coping with fertility issues, the Dunnigans have supported affordable counseling and the Mind/Body Program, which shows prospective parents ways to manage stress and promote well being. They also funded a position dedicated to raising awareness and support for the center.