Dr. John Wilcox and Dr. Lisa Becht were recently featured in Pasadena Now in a staff report titled “Pasadena Fertility Clinic – Commissioned Survey Finds Majority of Americans Reject ‘Geriatric Pregnancy’ Label.”

A national survey by Propeller Insights for HRC Fertility found that most Americans oppose the term “geriatric pregnancy,” citing its negative effects on women’s confidence and emotional well-being, with 65% saying it increases anxiety and 68% believing it lowers self-esteem. In response, HRC Fertility is calling medical organizations to eliminate the term altogether.

“This survey showed that fewer than 6% of Americans want to keep the term ‘geriatric pregnancy,’ signaling that the medical field is lagging behind public sentiment,” said Dr. John Wilcox, HRC Fertility Pasadena infertility specialist and chair of the HRC Fertility Medical Group.

“The term ‘geriatric pregnancy’ may have once reflected medical caution, but barring exceptional circumstances, it’s an outdated label in today’s society and of modern parenthood,” said Dr. Lisa Becht of HRC Fertility’s Newport Beach office.

HRC Fertility is advocating for the use of more neutral clinical terms such as “advanced maternal age.”

To learn more about the survey findings, read the full article here.