Women Want to Know More About Infertility According to Recent Survey

    ROCKLAND, Mass., April 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Fertility LifeLines(TM) and
 Conceive Magazine today released new survey data illustrating the need for
 resources for women seeking information about fertility health. The survey,
 supported by a leading fertility company EMD Serono, looked at unfulfilled
 needs of women and couples seeking information on infertility and provides
 new insights into the emotional impact of infertility. These issues, along
 with tips for handling one's personal experience with infertility, are
 addressed in a new free booklet provided by Fertility LifeLines(TM) and
 Conceive Magazine entitled In The Know: What No One Tells You About
 Fertility.
 
 

     The online survey, which was completed by 714 women, found:
 
     --  Women are waiting longer than recommended before seeking medical
         advice about fertility issues. It is commonly recommended that couples
         should seek medical help from a Fertility Specialist if they are
         unable to become pregnant after one year of regular, unprotected
         intercourse, or six months if the woman is over 35 years of age. Of
         all survey respondents, 64 percent have been trying to conceive for
         one year or more, and nearly one-third (32 percent) are waiting to
         seek medical help.
 
     --  Women are surprised when it happens to them. The survey found that
         although 86 percent of all respondents knew at least one person who
         had trouble getting pregnant and 40 percent knew three or more people
         who struggled to get pregnant, 70 percent were surprised when they had
         trouble initially getting pregnant themselves.
 
     --  Women experience an emotional rollercoaster when it comes to fertility
         issues. Survey respondents reported feeling stress (52 percent),
         jealousy of other people's happy baby news (44 percent) and depressed
         or sad (41 percent), most of the time. They also reported that they
         felt fear (78 percent), anger (77 percent) and loss of control (54
         percent) at least some of the time.
     "This survey found that there is a great need to provide women
 additional information on how to handle the emotional and financial
 stresses associated with experiencing infertility," said Kim Hahn, founder
 and CEO, Conceive. "The goal of the In The Know booklet was to address
 those and the many issues surrounding fertility concerns in a quick read,
 written in a friendly, candid, girlfriend-to-girlfriend style."
 
     The In The Know: What No One Tells You About Fertility booklet covers
 topics such as an overview of treatment options, tips on handling the
 additional stress in your relationship, working with your doctor to
 determine your treatment plan including financial considerations and
 talking to your partner about your concerns. Alice D. Domar, Ph.D.,
 Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School, Founder and Director of the
 Domar Center for Mind/Body Health at Boston IVF, acclaimed author and the
 "Fertility Goddess" according to Vogue, wrote the foreword to the In The
 Know booklet.
 
     "With current medical advances in fertility treatments, women are
 having more success getting pregnant today than they were just 10 years
 ago," said Dr. Domar. "Unfortunately, women are waiting longer than
 necessary to seek medical help because they are concerned with both the
 emotional and financial impact of treatment. The In The Know booklet is a
 great resource for these women."
 
     Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive after one year of
 regular, unprotected intercourse, or six months if the woman is over 35
 years of age. It affects about six million Americans, which represents
 about one in seven couples in their childbearing years. The majority of
 patients who complete treatment succeed in having a child.
 
     Where Are Women Getting Infertility Information and Advice?
 
     According to the survey, in addition to their healthcare provider more
 than 50 percent of women get information from health and women's magazines
 and 78 percent get information from Web sites and blogs. Women also seek
 information from girlfriends (42 percent), support groups (18 percent),
 family members (23 percent) and their partner (20 percent).
 
     Only about half of survey respondents felt that the available
 information on infertility is sufficient; of the remainder:
 
 

     --  23 percent felt there wasn't enough information on emotional issues.
     --  22 percent needed additional information on dealing with stress.
     --  22 percent wanted more male-oriented information.
     "As a company, we are committed to providing women and couples with
 knowledge they can use at every step throughout their fertility journey,"
 said Jim Hoyes, Chief Commercial Officer, EMD Serono, Inc. "We will
 continue to invest in programs and resources that allow patients access to
 an array of educational materials like the In The Know guide and Fertility
 LifeLines(TM)."
 
     Women and healthcare providers can order a complimentary copy of In The
 Know: What No One Tells You About Fertility by registering at
 www.FertilityLifeLines.com or by calling Fertility LifeLines(TM) at
 1-866-LETS-TRY (1-866-538-7879).
 
     About the Survey
 
     Fertility LifeLines(TM) and Conceive Magazine co-sponsored a survey
 answered by 714 women about their experience with fertility concerns. The
 survey took place over a five week time period from 12/21/07 to 01/25/08.
 The average age of the women surveyed was approximately 35 years. The
 survey was posted on the Survey Monkey Web site and distributed to over
 6,300 women.
 
     About Fertility LifeLines(TM)
 
     Fertility LifeLines(TM) is a free and confidential educational service
 offering customized information and support to people with fertility health
 concerns, provided by EMD Serono. Fertility LifeLines(TM) is available by
 calling toll-free 1-866-LETS-TRY (1-866-538-7879), or via the Web at
 www.FertilityLifeLines.com. It is staffed with highly trained customer
 service representatives, infertility nurses and benefits specialists ready
 to assist callers with: general infertility information, insurance
 assistance, local Fertility Specialist referral, EMD Serono product
 support, and emotional support through compassionate listening to help put
 the patient journey into perspective and provide information about
 additional support and resources.
 
     About Conceive
 
     Conceive provides information and inspiration for women who have
 embarked on the journey to parenthood. In print (Conceive Magazine and
 books, including the new The Fertility Journal, A Day-by-Day Guide to
 Getting Pregnant and Fertility Facts, Hundreds of Tips for Getting
 Pregnant), online (www.conceiveonline.com) and on the air (Conceive's
 weekly Internet radio show, Conceive On-Air), Conceive thoroughly covers
 the topic of family- building, including preconception health, fertility
 and infertility, natural conception and fertility treatments, and adoption.
 Through all available media outlets, Conceive provides accurate and crucial
 information for women in this exciting stage of their lives.
 
     About EMD Serono, Inc.
 
     EMD Serono, Inc., an affiliate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, is a
 leader in the US biopharmaceutical arena, integrating cutting-edge science
 with unparalleled patient support systems to improve people's lives. EMD
 Serono is a leader in fertility treatments, with Gonal-f(R) (follitropin
 alfa for injection), Luveris(R) (lutropin alfa for injection) and
 Ovidrel(R) Prefilled Syringe (choriogonadotropin alfa injection). The
 company has strong market positions in neurodegenerative diseases, with
 Rebif(R) (interferon beta-1a), as well as in endocrinology, with Saizen(R)
 [somatropin (rDNA origin) for injection], Serostim(R) [somatropin (rDNA
 origin) for injection] and Zorbtive(TM) [somatropin (rDNA origin) for
 injection]. With a clear focus on the patient and a leadership presence in
 the biopharmaceutical industry, EMD Serono's US footprint continues to
 grow, with more than 850 employees around the country and fully integrated
 commercial, clinical and research operations in the company's home state of
 Massachusetts.
 
     For more information, please visit www.emdserono.com
 
     About Merck KGaA
 
     Merck is a global pharmaceutical and chemical company with total
 revenues of EUR 7.1 billion in 2007, a history that began in 1668, and a
 future shaped by 30,968 employees in 60 countries. Its success is
 characterized by innovations from entrepreneurial employees. Merck's
 operating activities come under the umbrella of Merck KGaA, in which the
 Merck family holds an approximately 70% interest and free shareholders own
 the remaining approximately 30%. In 1917 the U.S. subsidiary Merck & Co.
 was expropriated and has been an independent company ever since.
 
     For more information, please visit www.merck.de
 
 
 

SOURCE EMD Serono, Inc.