Public perspectives on placing age limits on men and women seeking fertility treatment

Abstract

While the ASRM recommends that fertility treatments of women over the age of 55 should be discouraged, there are no suggested age guidelines for men. The objective of this study was to assess the US general public’s opinion regarding the upper age limit of parenthood and attitudes toward placing age limits on both men and women seeking fertility treatment. Cross-sectional web-based survey A nationally representative sample of adult US residents (balanced on gender, race and ethnicity, and age) completed an online questionnaire in February 2016. Demographic characteristics associated with support for age limits on men and women seeking fertility treatment, as well as with discordant responses (supporting age limits for one gender but not the other), were evaluated. Respondents who support age limits were compared with those who were neutral or in opposition using chi-squared tests and log binomial regression, adjusted a priori for age and gender, to calculate risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Of the 1,574 respondents, 1,427 (91%) completed the survey. 46% of respondents felt that the oldest age a woman should carry a pregnancy was 45-54 years. 32% respondents that felt that the oldest age a woman should become a non-biological mother (such as adoptive, or using a gestational carrier with donor egg) was 55-64. Similarly, 473 (33%) respondents felt that the oldest age a man should become a father (biological or adoptive) was 55-64. Support for placing age limits on women and men seeking fertility treatments were 70% and 57% of respondents, respectively. While 55% supported placing age limits on both men and women, 213 (15%) answered discordantly, with 12% supporting age limits on women but not men, and 3% supporting age limits on men but not women (p<0.0001). Male survey respondents were more likely to answer discordantly when compared to female respondents (RR: 1.45, CI 1.08-1.95). Individuals older than 50, who lived in the Western US, or had a personal knowledge of someone who used ART were more likely to support age limits on both women and men seeking fertility treatments. Republicans (compared to Democrats) were more likely to support age limits on women. Sexual minorities (compared to heterosexuals), people without biological children, and single, long-term partnered and divorced/widowed respondents (compared to married respondents) were less likely to support age limits on men or women seeking fertility treatments. 55% of respondents in a nationally representative sample support upper age limits on both men and women seeking fertility treatments. Support was associated with various demographic characteristics. Men were more likely than women to support age limits only on women.