IVF could help women rise up the career ladder, finds study

Increased access to IVF means that women are more likely to marry later, to complete their university education and to pursue postgraduate qualifications, according to new research.

The study by Naomi Gershoni of Tel Aviv University and Corinne Low of the University of Pennsylvania, to be presented at the annual congress of the European Economic Association in Mannheim this week,looks at Israel, where IVF was made free to all citizens in 1994. Following the change, Israel became
the world leader in IVF technology. This resulted in 4% of all babies in the country being born via IVF.

The researchers find that as a result:

– Women are more likely to marry later by a third of a year.
– Women are 3% more likely to complete college education.
– These women are then 4% more likely to finish graduate school.
– Men and women both became more likely to marry at an older age (over 30), suggesting men’s decisions were also affected by women’s fertility prospects.

The authors say their findings indicate that the asymmetry in later life fertility between men and women could be an important force in explaining women’s educational, career and marriage
outcomes. They add that policies that protect against later life infertility could have far-reaching impacts, beyond merely increasing actual usage of assisted reproductive technologies.

They say: “Our findings show that the beneficiaries of IVF and other assisted reproduction technologies extend to young women who have been otherwise discouraged from making significant career investments. This is especially relevant as companies consider funding for employees to freeze their eggs as well as other fertility-extending measures, and policy-makers consider the need for public funding of infertility treatments.”

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