One in six Japanese women who started fertility treatment left their jobs, and "non-regular employees", "less than university graduates", "no support at work", and "infertility period of 6 years or more" left their jobs. A research group consisting of Yuya Imai, a graduate student of Juntendo University School of Medicine, Associate Professor Genki Endo, Professor Takeshi Tanigawa, and part-time lecturer Keiji Kuroda has identified the cause.This is the world's first epidemiological study, and is expected to be useful for supporting the balance between fertility treatment and employment, measures against the declining birthrate, and promoting the active participation of women.
According to Juntendo University, the research group has set up a joint research group with medical institutions that implement fertility treatment nationwide, and started large-scale epidemiological research in outpatient clinics of medical institutions in August 2018.We analyzed the questionnaires for 8 people who answered about the actual employment situation.
As a result, of the 1,075 females who were working at the start of fertility treatment, 16.7, or 179%, had left their jobs.Furthermore, in terms of turnover risk, "non-regular employees are 2.65 times higher than regular employees", "female under college graduates are 1.58 times higher than college graduates", and "women without workplace support for infertility treatment are in the workplace". It was found that "1.91 times higher than women with support" and "2 times higher for women with infertility of 2 years or more than for women with less than 1.82 years".
While the number of births in Japan is declining, the number of women who are undergoing fertility treatment while continuing to work is increasing year by year, and balancing fertility treatment and employment has emerged as a major social issue.However, there are many women who are forced to leave their jobs due to lack of understanding in the workplace.The research group points out that not only subsidies for infertility treatment but also work style reforms that support employees undergoing infertility treatment without discrimination are necessary.
