TITLE:
Drastic Reduction in Household Income following the SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 Pandemic: Impact on Birth Rates in Italy and on Access to Assisted Reproduction Techniques (ART) in Lazio: Short Review and Observational Study
AUTHORS:
Francesca Sciarra, Elisa Nardi, Sofia Nardi, Arianna Pacchiarotti
KEYWORDS:
ART, COVID-19, Pandemy, PMA
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Biosciences and Medicines,
Vol.13 No.10,
October
22,
2025
ABSTRACT: Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the consequences of the health emergency and the consequent restrictive measures on the economic accessibility of medically assisted procreation techniques. Design: The results were obtained by administering an online survey consisting of 20 multiple-choice questions, which the participants answered anonymously. Setting and Partcipants: This is a transversal observational study conducted at the Medically Assisted Procreation Center of the San Filippo Neri hospital in Rome. 295 patients were enrolled with an overall average age of 37.5 years (minimum age 25, maximum age 47), of these 88.5% were women and 11.5% were men. Main outcome measures. Withdraw from ART treatment. Reduction of the family income rate. Results: Most of all, they said they had not seen their desire for offspring reduce since the onset of the health emergency. The willingness to use ART techniques during the pandemic remained unchanged for 58.7% of respondents, increased for 12.5% and decreased for the remaining 28.8%. The individuals who have declared that they have momentarily renounced the procedures of PMA have been 31.7%, of which 24% have renounced because of economic factors. When asked about the cost of the necessary medical procedures, 62.5% of the participants considered the price in public facilities to be “adequate” and 79.8% defined the cost in private clinics as “excessive”. Conclusions: Our findings show that the pandemic and the resulting economic and social restrictions have affected access to ART techniques, as well as the desire to become parents.