<P> Research has shown that men largely view themselves as' passive' contributors since they have' less physical involvement' in IVF treatment . Despite this, many men feel distressed after seeing the toll of hormonal injections and ongoing physical intervention on their partner . Fertility was found to be a significant factor in a man's perception of his masculinity, driving many to keep the treatment a secret . In cases where the men did share that he and his partner were undergoing IVF, they reported to have been teased, mainly by other men, although some viewed this as an affirmation of support and friendship . For others, this led to feeling socially isolated . In comparison with women, men showed less deterioration in mental health in the years following a failed treatment . However many men did feel guilt, disappointment and inadequacy, stating that they were simply trying to provide an' emotional rock' for their partners . </P> <P> High costs keep IVF out of reach for many developing countries, but research by the Genk Institute for Fertility Technology, in Belgium, claim to have found a much lower cost methodology (about 90% reduction) with similar efficacy, which may be suitable for some fertility treatment . Moreover, the laws of many countries permit IVF for only single women, lesbian couples, and persons participating in surrogacy arrangements . Using PGD gives members of these select demographic groups disproportionate access to a means of creating a child possessing characteristics that they consider "ideal," raising issues of equal opportunity for both the parents' / parent's and the child's generation . Many fertile couples now demand equal access to embryonic screening so that their child can be just as healthy as one created through IVF . Mass use of PGD, especially as a means of population control or in the presence of legal measures related to population or demographic control, can lead to intentional or unintentional demographic effects such as the skewed live - birth sex ratios seen in communist China following implementation of its one - child policy . </P> <P> In the USA, overall availability of IVF in 2005 was 2.5 IVF physicians per 100,000 population, and utilisation was 236 IVF cycles per 100,000 . Utilisation highly increases with availability and IVF insurance coverage, and to a significant extent also with percentage of single persons and median income . In the USA 126 procedures are performed per million people per year . In the USA an average cycle, from egg retrieval to embryo implantation, costs $12,400, and insurance companies that do cover treatment, even partially, usually cap the number of cycles they pay for . </P> <P> The cost of IVF rather reflects the costliness of the underlying healthcare system than the regulatory or funding environment, and ranges, on average for a standard IVF cycle and in 2006 United States dollars, between $12,500 in the United States to $4,000 in Japan . In Ireland, IVF costs around € 4,000, with fertility drugs, if required, costing up to € 3,000 . The cost per live birth is highest in the United States ($41,000) and United Kingdom ($40,000) and lowest in Scandinavia and Japan (both around $24,500). </P>

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