1 in 4 Infertility Patients Stop Treatment Due to Costs, Male Patients Surge 67% Over 7 Years

As the age of marriage and childbirth is delayed, the number of infertile couples is increasing rapidly. However, the reality they face is a harsh struggle that goes beyond simple physical pain, leading to economic bankruptcy and psychological isolation. According to the investigation by KBS documentary, the massive costs incurred during the infertility treatment process and social prejudice are major causes destroying the lives of infertile families.

Treatment costs reaching tens of millions of won, infertile families even considering 'private loans'

The most direct pain experienced by infertile couples is the economic burden. Major infertility treatment procedures, such as in vitro fertilization, fall under non-reimbursable items, incurring costs ranging from as little as 2 million won to as much as 5 million won per procedure (cycle). According to the video, if procedures are repeated several times, the total cost can approach 40 million won. In this process, some patients find themselves in extreme situations where they must resort to private loans beyond credit card debt.

The government provides support of up to 1.9 million won per session to encourage childbirth, but the eligibility for support is limited depending on income and age, and the number of supported sessions is also capped at a maximum of 6. As the number of supported sessions decreases, the psychological pressure felt by patients increases. According to a survey by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, it was found that one out of every four couples actually undergoing infertility treatment stops treatment due to this cost burden.

Regional medical disparities and the temptation of unverified folk remedies

The imbalance in medical infrastructure is also a problem. Since major infertility treatment hospitals are concentrated in large cities, patients living in provinces must endure so-called 'medical tourism.' Patients who travel to the capital to receive treatment from provinces such as Jeju Island must bear additional accommodation and transportation costs, and they complain of physical fatigue to the extent of having to quit their jobs in the process of traveling to and from hospitals in large cities. The government agrees on the need for regional hub hospitals, but clear measures have not yet been prepared.

Patients facing economic and physical limits sometimes rely on unverified information. Due to the characteristic of having strong emotional solidarity, infertility patients tend to react sensitively to internet communities or word-of-mouth from experienced individuals. In this process, they are easily exposed to commercial comments promoting unreliable folk remedies or specific products. Obstetricians and gynecologists warn that consuming unverified herbs or foods containing hormone components can instead lead to results contrary to pregnancy.

Male infertility surges 67%, social verbal abuse like "Do you have nothing in your stomach?"

Statistical changes are also notable. According to data from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the number of infertility patients increased from around 170,000 in 2007 to 208,000 last year. The increase in male patients is particularly noteworthy. Compared to the approximately 7% increase in female patients during the same period, male patients surged by 67%, from about 28,000 to about 47,000. This is interpreted as a result of changes in lifestyle, such as smoking, drinking, obesity, and stress, along with a change in perception that does not limit the cause of infertility to women only.

However, social perception still remains in the past. Indifferent remarks from those around them, such as "Do you have nothing in your stomach?" or "You're just not having children to make things easy for yourself," inflict serious mental pain on infertile couples. Such social prejudice isolates patients and drives them into depression or marital conflict. The government is trying to solve the problem through the application of health insurance to infertility procedures, but criticisms are being raised that practical detailed measures, such as expanding support conditions, are still insufficient.