Thanks to Karen for pointing out the absolutely appalling interview with Joseph Isaacs, the president and CEO of Resolve in this week's Newsweek. The draft of the letter I'm hoping to send tomorrow appears below. Please consider writing a letter of your own if you haven't already.
Joseph C. Isaacs, President and CEO
Resolve
7910 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 1350
Bethesda, MD 20814
Dear Mr. Isaacs:
I'm writing to let you know how disappointed I am with your responses in the March 13th "Ask the Pro" column in Newsweek.
As the president of an organization whose mission is to "provide timely, compassionate support and information to people who are experiencing infertility and to increase awareness of infertility issues through public education and advocacy," you had an opportunity to clarify the struggles and medical issues of infertile people. Instead, you left the faulty impression that women can avoid infertility if they "practice safe sex, maintain normal weight, avoid environmental toxins, don’t smoke and limit alcohol." This dramatically overstates the control that women have over their fertility and suggests that infertility is not a disease, but rather a punishment for unhealthy lifestyle choices.
Like millions of women, I suffer from unexplained infertility. After spending 3.5 years trying to have a child, I was fortunate enough to conceive by IVF and give birth in August of 2005. What's more, I was lucky enough to be able to afford this treatment that was not covered by my insurance company, which, like others described on the Resolve website, has "been slow to recognize infertility as a disease." Is it any wonder that insurance companies continue to deny that infertility is a disease when the President of the "only established, nationwide network of chapters mandated to promote reproductive health and to ensure equal access to all family building options for men and women experiencing infertility or other reproductive disorders," is himself so quick to point the finger of blame at women for causing their own infertility?
What's more, your advice that the first tests infertiles should have with an infertility specialist are "a temperature analysis so they can see if you're ovulating. A laparoscopy for women will check for obstruction" is alarmingly out of date. Although basal body temperatures are useful in documenting a pattern of ovulation, women can begin tracking these patterns well before consulting a reproductive endocrinologist who can do more precise blood tests and ultrasounds to pinpoint ovulation issues. Further, laparoscopy is an expensive and invasive surgical procedure that, while may be required as part of a complete infertility workup, is something that is generally undertaken after less expensive, less invasive tests such as a hysterosalpingogram have been performed.
I strongly suggest you step aside as the president and CEO so that a more compassionate, better informed individual can take the helm of Resolve to advocate for the medical needs of infertile people everywhere.
Sincerely,