The COST-FiT Study

COST-FiT is a national, IRB-approved research study examining how inadequate insurance coverage for fertility treatment affects financial decision-making, employment choices, and family-building timelines.

TAKE THE SURVEY

Why This Study Matters

Unlike most other medical treatments, fertility care is frequently excluded from insurance coverage, shifting the burden of payment onto patients rather than insurers. COST-FiT examines how this lack of coverage influences financial stability, employment decisions, and family-building timelines, with the goal of informing research, policy, and advocacy efforts.

Who Can Participate?

You may be eligible to participate if you:

  • Are 18 years or older

  • Live in the United States

  • Have sought, considered, or undergone fertility treatment (e.g., IVF, IUI, ovulation induction medication) in the past 24 months

  • Have experienced full, partial, limited, or no insurance coverage for fertility care

What Participation Involves

  1. A one-time online survey (approximately 30 minutes; participants who complete the survey will receive a $10 Amazon e-gift card)

  2. Optional opportunity to express interest in a follow-up interview (participants selected for interviews will receive a $20 Amazon e-gift card)

Ethics & Oversight

The COST-FiT study was reviewed and approved by an independent Institutional Review Board (IRB). All study procedures adhere to established ethical standards for research involving human participants.

Participation is voluntary, and informed consent is obtained prior to participation. No personally identifying information is collected as part of the survey. Data are stored securely in access-restricted systems and analyzed in aggregate for research and public-interest purposes.

For Organizations & Partners

We are partnering with clinics, nonprofits, and community organizations to share the COST-FiT study with their communities. If your organization supports people navigating infertility or family building and is interested in collaborating, we’d love to connect. Please email us at info@whrac.org.

Study Team

  • Leah Chapman, PhD, MPH

    Principal Investigator

    WHRAC Founder & Executive Director

  • Laetitia Meyrueix, PhD

    Co-Investigator

    WHRAC Director of Research & Strategic Initiatives

    University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

  • Mary Kathryn Poole, PhD, MPH

    Co-Investigator

    WHRAC Scientific Advisor

    Stanford School of Medicine

  • Emma Richardson, MPH(c)

    Co-Investigator

    WHRAC Director of Programs

    University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

  • Sara Riese, PhD

    Co-Investigator

    Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

  • Andrea Sprockett, MIPH

    Co-Investigator

    Insight Metrics

  • Clay Brigance, PhD, LPC

    Co-Investigator

    Shiloh Counseling