Legislature's impact on the outcome of infertility treatments – The German political contradiction

To this day, more than three million children worldwide have been born after the treatment with extracorporal assisted reproductive techniques (ART). This makes ART a “tool” in combatting negative population growth in countries with declining birth rates. Germany today shows the lowest reproductive rate since World War II yet legislation closes its eye to the role of reproductive medicine and instead issues counterproductive laws: while vast economic resources are activated to trigger changes in reproductive behavior, couples wanting to bear children by means of assisted reproduction techniques are discouraged by a 50% co-payment towards their treatment.

By pointing out the relationship of demographic development, economic value of children and current legislation the article shows the contradiction between legislation and social need.