Dr. Prati Sharma
President, CFAS
Leading national organization highlights trends in Canadian fertility, helping bridge the gap between knowledge and patient care.
For many Canadians, starting a family is a long-awaited aspiration. As social norms shift however, more Canadians are choosing to devote their early years to professional goals and are opting to delay having children. When they are ready, many realize fertility isn’t quite the linear path they’d hoped for.
Infertility affects one in six Canadians and fertility rates in Canada have reached their lowest on record. While data may show Canadians are having fewer children and are starting their families later, the desire is still very much alive, and addressing this challenge has become a critical step in Canada’s fertility journey.
Research Must Guide Treatment
The first birth resulting from in vitro fertilization (IVF) was recorded in the US only 47 years ago in 1978. Since then, science has continued to expand the options offered through assisted reproduction. While this most commonly refers to IVF, it encompasses a wide range of fertility treatments from ovulatory cycle monitoring and artificial insemination. It’s a world that Dr. Prati Sharma knows well as President of The Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society (CFAS), the national organization dedicated to furthering the field of reproductive care, composed of all types of reproductive professionals from nurses and clinicians to researchers and counsellors. The organization is responsible for disseminating cutting-edge, up-to-date information to its members and, through this process, indirectly ensuring that patients are kept informed of critical advancements in the fertility space. “Making sure our members have access to the best information will ensure Canadian patients in turn, will have the best information,” explains Dr. Sharma.
With clear economic and social impacts of a falling birthrate, CFAS continues to fund research and practices that create a better, more streamlined approach to fertility care. This includes playing a vital role in advising the government on relevant trends, fertility treatment outcomes, as well as advocating for the funding required to achieve a more inclusive system. “Having a family, if you want one, is a reproductive right,” says Dr. Sharma.
Driving a United Approach
It’s a right that’s attracting government attention. More provinces are exploring ways to fund reproductive care, but Dr. Sharma explains that a pan-Canadian approach, national funding that supports all Canadians, would represent the strongest message. “A nationally-coordinated system of support would mean we can address declining birthrates, ensure a younger population for the workforce, support national well-being, and show Canadians we stand with them in terms of family building,” Dr. Sharma says.
While member-facing, CFAS is committed to driving the fertility field forward with safe and inclusive patient care at the forefront. Engaging with government on key policy changes and funding recommendations is just one element of their work. Funding innovative research through grants like the newly launched Community Grant initiative, is another way the CFAS hopes to drive positive change in the reproductive space. The grant provides funding for small, local programs that address critical challenges like improving access to fertility care.
While fertility challenges are a personal journey, there is a whole community of practitioners behind every patient. Through the commitment of CFAS and its members, fertility outcomes continue to improve, and Canadians can experience the most promising and cutting-edge advancements the field has to offer.
To learn more about how Canadian practitioners are advancing fertility care in Canada, visit cfas.ca.
