Why it Matters

Around 30,000 veterans had an infertility diagnosis in fiscal year 2025, yet some interested veterans may be unaware of the fertility care available to them through the federal government, according to a new audit by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) published Sept. 29. The report found that the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has not implemented key performance management practices for its fertility care communications.

The Big Picture

Infertility, defined as the inability to conceive or sustain a pregnancy, can affect both men and women. Research cited in the report suggests veterans may experience infertility for a variety of reasons, including injuries in combat, environmental exposures, or trauma sustained during military service, and these factors impact treatment options.

To be eligible for certain fertility care, however, such as in vitro fertilization, a veteran's infertility must be causally related to a service-connected disability, meaning an injury or illness incurred or aggravated during military service, or to the treatment of one.

VHA's Office of Women's Health communicates about available fertility care through methods such as a fertility webpage and brochures. However, the GAO found that some interested veterans may be unaware of VHA's fertility care options. Stakeholders told GAO that male veterans may not seek out, or may find it difficult to seek out, eligibility information because it comes from the Office of Women's Health.

The Bottom Line

GAO issued two recommendations to the Veterans Health Administration, both of which remain open. The first directs the Under Secretary for Health to instruct the Office of Women's Health to implement key performance management practices for its fertility care communications, specifically by setting goals with quantitative targets and time frames, collecting data to measure progress, and using those data to assess performance and make adjustments. The second directs the Under Secretary for Health to determine whether the fertility eligibility determination process is working as intended and to make adjustments as needed.VA concurred with both recommendations, but implementation remains to be seen.

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