TRIO Reveals New Data on the Attitudes and Barriers Surrounding Fertility in Canada

Groundbreaking IVI Institute Fertility Barometer finds that the desire for children is strong among women in Canada, but a mix of obstacles is keeping many from building families on their own timeline

TORONTO, Oct. 13, 2026 /CNW/ -- TRIO, a member of IVI Institute, the global leader in reproductive medicine, today released new data from the IVI Institute Fertility Barometer, a new global study exploring how women think and feel about fertility and the barriers standing in their way. The Canadian data reveal a measurable gap between the families women want and the families they ultimately build, highlighting the growing need for trusted information and expert care at every stage of the fertility journey.

According to the Fertility Barometer, motherhood is a mainstream goal for women across Canada – 74% are already mothers or want children, and 65% consider motherhood a personal priority. Yet for many, the path there is shaped by the timing, circumstances, and information available to them along the way.

"The Fertility Barometer confirms something we see in our clinics every day: the desire to become a mother hasn't changed, even though the path to parenthood is increasingly being delayed," said Nicole Condon, CEO of TRIO. "What's striking is that most women facing infertility do seek help, but far fewer take the next step into treatment, often because they lack confidence or clear information about what to expect. Joining IVI Institute gives us more tools to help close that gap, connecting TRIO patients across Canada to world-class physicians, advanced labs, and a global research network dedicated to helping people navigate fertility with more clarity and confidence."

The launch of the Fertility Barometer comes as IVI RMA North America evolves its brand identity. This marks a new chapter for clinics across North America as members of IVI Institute -- formerly known as IVI RMA Global -- which spans more than 200 clinics across 15 countries and nearly 40 years of experience in reproductive medicine. In Canada, TRIO clinics will continue serving patients under the name they know and trust, now backed by the full strength of IVI Institute.

What's Shaping the Fertility Conversation in Canada

• The desire for motherhood remains strong. Nearly three-quarters of Canadian women (74%) are already mothers or want children, and 65% say becoming a mother is a priority for them.

• Despite this strong aspiration, the path to parenthood is increasingly being delayed. Among Canadian women who had a target age for starting a family, 39% had their first child later than they hoped, and mothers have 1.9 children on average, compared to the 2.8 they say they actually want. This disconnect is shaped by circumstances with women pointing to finding the right partner (46%) and reaching personal maturity (34%) as the factors that made it feel like the right time to start a family.

• Infertility impacts one in five Canadian women, and the emotional toll is significant. Approximately 19% of Canadian women – 1.7 million – have experienced infertility at some point, and 4% – 360,000 women – are navigating it today. Among those facing infertility, 68% rate the negative impact on their lives at 7 out of 10 or higher.

• More than 83% of Canadian women who have experienced infertility do consult a doctor about it – yet only 16% of them undergo IVF: Most cite factors like a lack of confidence in success and emotional stress as substantial reasons deterring them from taking the next step, alongside financial concerns – meaning navigating fertility treatment is as much about trust and information as it is about cost. 

• For those who do start IVF, 67% end up with a baby. Reproductive medicine can help the 360,000 women experiencing infertility achieve the families they envision, and it could have a significant impact on birth rates around the world.

A Global Network, One Shared Vision

The Fertility Barometer shows the complex path to parenthood. While fertility care has never offered more possibilities, patients are also facing more decisions, more information, and often more uncertainty. IVI Institute was built to simplify that experience by connecting world-class physicians, embryologists, researchers, and laboratories across over 200 clinics and 15 countries.

For patients in Canada, TRIO's place within IVI Institute means access to that global expertise and innovation without losing the local, personalized approach TRIO is known for.

"The Fertility Barometer's findings confirm what we're seeing across our global network: women are increasingly aware of reproductive medicine's potential, and they're making family planning decisions based on that knowledge," said Javier Sánchez-Prieto, IVI Institute Global CEO. "Our unified structure aims to address emerging demand through expanded access and coordination of personalized care. We will continue setting the global standard in reproductive medicine through clinical excellence, data-driven advancements, and decades of experience."

To learn more about the IVI Institute Fertility Barometer's findings, visit fertilitybarometer.iviinstitute.com.

For more information about TRIO, visit https://triofertility.com/.

About TRIO

TRIO Fertility is proudly Canadian and part of IVI Institute, the global leader in reproductive medicine. Through IVI Institute's network of more than 200 locations across 15 countries, TRIO patients benefit from world-class scientific research, international clinical collaboration, and fertility expertise that helps advance the future of reproductive care. Together, TRIO and IVI Institute are committed to improving outcomes, expanding knowledge, and helping more patients build their families through innovation, evidence-based medicine, and compassionate care.

About IVI Institute

IVI Institute is the global leader in reproductive medicine, bringing together world-class fertility clinics and expertise to advance the future of fertility care around the world. With 35,000 babies born each year across more than 200 locations in 15 countries – including IVI Fertility, Everleap Fertility, LIVIO, Create Fertility, and TRIO clinics, among other brands – IVI Institute accelerates innovation, expands knowledge, and improves outcomes for patients around the world through groundbreaking research, collaboration, and rigorous clinical standards. Learn more at www.iviinstitute.com.

About the IVI Institute Fertility Barometer

Fertility is an urgent social and public health issue, yet it is still discussed with little evidence on what people themselves think, want, and fear. The IVI Institute Fertility Barometer was created to close that gap. IVI Institute surveyed a representative sample of 24,074 women aged 19 to 49 in nine countries: Canada, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Portugal, UAE, the U.K., and the U.S., from May 16 to July 3, 2026. The survey was administered online using Computer-Assisted Web Interviewing (CAWI). Results were weighted by region, age, and education level, except in the UAE, where weights were applied by emirate and age. The margin of error is ±0.63 percentage points at a 95% confidence level (p=q=50%), with larger margins among subgroups. IVI Institute and GfK, a NielsenIQ company, partnered on this research to understand how women think about fertility, parenthood, and family formation, and the barriers that shape reproductive decisions today. The research was conducted in collaboration with the member brands of IVI Institute: IVI Fertility, Everleap Fertility, ART Fertility, Genera, Create Fertility, LIVIO, and TRIO.

SOURCE TRIO Fertility

Tavia McLachlan, [email protected]