PHOENIX - s4story -- Infertility Awareness Week, April 20-26^th, 2025, seeks to spotlight the challenges related to infertility, with the goal of making in vitro fertilization more accessible in the U.S.

A common problem, one in 5 (19%) married women aged 15 to 49 years with no prior births are unable to get pregnant after a year of trying.

When I decided to incorporate the issue of infertility into the plot of Misconception, I had no idea how timely it would be.

Faced by millions, infertility is just one of many problems faced by Cassie and Jake Nichols.

Since the majority of states don't cover costs associated with infertility procedures, a couple must often come up with the money themselves. This leads to an exorbitant amount of stress placed on an already anxious couple hoping to conceive.

An estimated 85,000 infants were born as a result of IVF in 2021, according to data provided by the U.S. Health and Human Services Department.

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While IVF costs vary across the nation, a handful of states have enacted legislation requiring insurers to pay the costs for the procedure. One procedure can cost between $12,000 to $25,000 per cycle. Typically, a number of procedures are required to ensure a viable pregnancy.

Nineteen states have mandated insurance coverage for some level of infertility treatment, according to the National Infertility Association.

Twelve states require qualified employers to include IVF coverage in the insurance coverage offered to employees: Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island.

In the book, tension builds as Jake tells Cassie they will need to stop because of the cost.

While some may see the ultimatum as unreasonable, anyone on a budget knows there is an end point to how much one can spend.

As an author, I often work to include current issues I see day-to-day. It adds a layer of authenticity, highlighting the impact on fictional characters that live in the stories I write.

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Infertility Awareness Week is a good starting point to address reproductive challenges faced by so many. While a global issue, here in the U.S., the new administration recently signed an executive order expanding access to fertility treatment options.

Hopefully, by next year's awareness week, change will have been effected, and coverage for IVF will be available across all states in the U.S.

Denise Forsythe is a freelance business and ghost writer and the author of the domestic suspense novel, Misconception, and the forthcoming, Misconstrue.

Misconception is available in paperback and digital format through https://books2read.com/misconceptionbyDeniseForsythe. Review copies, interviews, and media appearances can be arranged upon request by visiting deniseforsythe.com