WHEREAS, infertility is a disease characterized by the failure to establish a clinical pregnancy after 12 months of regular attempts to conceive; and

WHEREAS, infertility is a complex diagnosis and can be devastating with potentially serious consequences physically, socially, mentally and financially; and

WHEREAS, 1 in 8 couples will have trouble getting pregnant or sustaining a healthy pregnancy; and

WHEREAS, according to the National Survey of Family Growth, 7.3 million women between 15-44 years of age in the U.S. have received some form of infertility services in their lifetime; and

WHEREAS, infertility does not discriminate based on race, religion, sexual orientation, marital status or socioeconomic level, and affects both women and men. According to the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, about 9% of men (of reproductive age) in the United States experience fertility problems; and

WHEREAS, the financial burden of infertility treatment creates a barrier for many couples who are faced with family-building alternatives such as In Vitro Fertilization, adoption, surrogacy, or other third-party options; and

WHEREAS, raising awareness of infertility and the barriers faced by the family building community is the first step to removing these barriers; and

WHEREAS, Salt Lake City joins RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, The Utah Infertility Resource Center, and dedicated volunteers, health care professionals, and members of the infertility and family-building community by participating in this promotion.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Erin Mendenhall, Mayor of Salt Lake City, proclaim April 23-29, 2023, as:

Infertility Awareness Week in Salt Lake City

To view the electronically signed copy of the proclamation, click here.