From Guidance to Global Impact: How ASRM’s Updated Definition of Infertility Helped Shape Policy in Australia

From Guidance to Global Impact: How ASRM's Updated Definition of Infertility Helped Shape Policy in Australia

When ASRM released its updated definition of infertility in 2023, the goal was not simply to revise language, but to expand the understanding of infertility so that it would encompass the realities of modern family building and encourage equitable access to fertility care for all individuals seeking treatment.

Historically, infertility has been centered on heterosexual couples experiencing failure to conceive after a set period of unprotected intercourse. While clinically useful, the framework excluded many individuals and partnerships; single parents by choice, same-sex couples, and others who require medical assistance to build families.

ASRM's Practice Committee intentionally moved beyond this limitation by updating its definition and recognizing infertility not only as a disease of the reproductive system, but as a condition shaped by circumstance and access to reproductive resources.

The resulting impact has been profound. The updated definition became a catalyst for regulatory action internationally and yielded new hope for growing families on the other side of the world.

Dr. Alison Gee, a reproductive specialist based in Sydney, Australia, explained on ASRM's Podcast ASRM Today, how Australian medical societies leveraged the new definition to address gaps in medical coverage.

"We all agreed that it was a very thoughtful, considered and appropriate definition of infertility," Gee said.

In Australia, access to assisted reproductive technology (ART) is closely tied to Medicare rebates, which historically rely on the World Health Organization-aligned definition of infertility. While clinically established, this approach effectively excluded many patients who required donor gametes or other forms of assistance to conceive.

Although Australian medical societies had begun examining the issue, progress was stalled until ASRM released its revised definition in 2023.

Recognizing its relevance, the Australian and New Zealand Society for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Specialists formally adopted ASRM's definition and worked with two other professional bodies to develop a national consensus statement. That statement was then presented to the Australian government.

"I'm very pleased to say that in March of 2025, we had confirmation from the Australian government that they had accepted that expanded definition of infertility," Gee said.

This has resulted in Medicare rebates for ART being reflected in a more inclusive understanding of infertility, improving access for same-sex couples, single individuals, and others previously excluded.

For clinicians, patients, and advocates alike, the shift illustrates the possible strides in reproductive medicine worldwide.

ASRM is not a regulatory body, and its guidance is voluntary. Yet, Australia's response illustrates the influence of clear, values-driven leadership in reproductive medicine.

While the policy shift marks a significant milestone, gaps remain. In Australia, surrogacy-related services are still excluded from Medicare funding, an issue Dr. Gee describes as the next hurdle in achieving full equity.

"That is something that needs to go through a separate pathway for us to get that changed," she said.

Still, the broader impact is undeniable. What began as a carefully revised definition has become a tangible policy lever that has improved access to care for patients.

• Latest News
• Infertility