Investing in Fertility: Supporting the Next Generation of Family Building

Global fertility is in flux. Birth rates are falling, infertility diagnoses are rising, and the path to parenthood looks very different than it did a generation ago. For many, building a family now involves fertility testing, IVF consults, egg freezing decisions, and difficult financial trade-offs.

As more families seek help and more providers adopt new technologies, demand is growing for better fertility diagnostics, treatments, financing tools, and emotional support. At the intersection of this healthcare challenge and opportunity stands Portfolia. Rather than seeing this as just another statistic-heavy problem, Portfolia treats fertility as one of the most important frontiers in women’s health. 

Through a portfolio of 46 women’s health companies and 100+ investments, our community of women investors is backing founders who are redesigning how people plan, pursue, and experience family building.

This article explores the fertility landscape, the gaps in today’s care, and how Portfolia and our community of women investors are investing in the future of family building

The Fertility Landscape: Declining Birth Rates and Rising Need

Global Fertility Trends: A Structural Shift

The world is experiencing an unprecedented shift in reproductive patterns. In the United States, the fertility rate dropped to an all-time low of 1.6 births per woman in 2024; well below the 2.1 “replacement level” traditionally needed to maintain a stable population.

This isn’t just a U.S. story; it’s a global pattern:

• Global fertility rate: 2.2 births per woman in 2023 (down from 4.7 in 1960)
  
• Europe: 1.4 births per woman—the lowest regional rate worldwide
  
• China: 1.0 birth per woman, among the lowest globally
  
• South Korea: 0.75 births per woman, the lowest national rate in the world
  

Several long-term factors contribute to this decline: increased educational attainment among women, delays in marriage and childbearing, economic uncertainty (including the lasting impact of the 2008 financial crisis on housing affordability), and a generational shift toward smaller families.

For innovators and investors, these trends point to a core reality: people still want families, but they are having children later, facing more biological constraints, and often needing more support to get there.

Infertility by the Numbers: 1 in 6 Affected

Overlayed on declining birth rates is a second, equally significant reality: infertility.

According to the World Health Organization, approximately 1 in 6 adults worldwide; roughly 17.5% of the global population experience infertility during their lifetime.

This affects people across all income levels:

• Lifetime prevalence: 17.8% in high-income countries
  
• Lifetime prevalence: 16.5% in low- and middle-income countries
  

Key statistics:

• 11.4% of men ages 15–49 in the U.S. experienced some form of infertility (2015–2019)
• In about one-third of cases, infertility is due to male factors; another third to female factors; the final third to both partners or unexplained causes
• Female fertility begins declining around age 30, with more significant decreases after 35
• 85–90% of infertility cases are treated with conventional medical therapies like medication or surgery
• 42% of Americans have either sought fertility treatment themselves or know someone who has
  

Behind these percentages are people navigating clinic visits, difficult conversations, and often years of uncertainty. 

Each stage including testing, diagnosis, treatment, and decision-making represents a touchpoint where new tools, technologies, and care models can make a meaningful difference.

In Vitro Fertilization: A Growing Solution

IVF has become a critical option for those facing fertility challenges, with usage steadily increasing. In 2023, IVF procedures in the U.S. led to over 95,000 babies born, with a 96.74% singleton birth rate—demonstrating both the growing demand and improving safety of the treatment.

Success rates vary significantly by age:

• Women under 35: Approximately 50% success rate with IVF
• Women aged 35 and younger: 50.8% of procedures resulted in live birth (2021 data)
• Women over 40: Success rate drops to approximately 25%, with 7.9% of egg transfers resulting in birth
• Average IVF cycles needed to achieve pregnancy: 2.5
• 12% of all IVF cycles in the U.S. involve donor eggs

Barriers to Care: The Cost Crisis

Despite technological advances, access to fertility care remains limited for many. The financial burden is particularly acute:

• 38% of people struggling with infertility have been forced to use their life savings to pursue having a child
• 35% of couples consider going abroad for potentially less-regulated care due to high costs
• In low- and middle-income countries, the cost of a single IVF round often exceeds the average annual income
• As of 2024, only 19 states require insurance coverage for infertility treatment
• 51% of people struggling to conceive have felt dismissed by medical professionals
• 71% of people battling infertility are burdened with feelings of failure

The U.S. performs only 922 IVF cycles per million people; far below the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology's recommended threshold of 3,000 cycles per million. To meet this standard, the U.S. would need to more than triple its current volume of IVF procedures.

These numbers reflect both the power and the limits of current technologies. They also highlight the need for innovation in areas like earlier diagnostics, better egg and embryo quality assessment, personalized protocols, and adjunct therapies that may improve outcomes.

Fertility and Women's Health Investment Boom: A Sector Coming of Age

The gap between need and access has created a massive market opportunity. Venture capital investment in women's health has surged dramatically, with 2024 marking a watershed year:

Record-Breaking Investment in 2024

• $2.6 billion invested in women's health startups—a 55% increase from 2023
• When including diseases affecting women disproportionately, total investment reached $10.7 billion
• Since 2018, investment in women's health has grown 314%—compared to just 28% growth in overall healthcare
• Precision medicine startups in women's health received $3.6 billion in 2024, up from $1.4 billion in 2023

This momentum reflects a growing recognition that health conditions often impact women differently than men and that women’s health is far broader than reproductive care alone. Today, women’s health investing spans fertility, maternal health, chronic diseases, autoimmune conditions, cardiovascular health, bone health, and more.

Within that landscape, fertility is one of the most visible and emotionally resonant categories: it sits at the intersection of healthcare, family life, employment, and financial planning.

How Portfolia Invests in Fertility and Family-Building Solutions?

In a venture capital ecosystem where most firms have invested in fewer than 10 women’s health companies, Portfolia has taken a very different path.

Our women’s health portfolio includes:

• 46 women’s health companies
• More than 100 total investments across the sector
• Multiple companies directly focused on fertility, reproductive health, and the surrounding journey

But the way we invest is as important as where we invest.

Rather than a small partnership making decisions in isolation, Portfolia is built around a community of women investors. Unlike traditional venture capital firms where decisions are made behind closed doors, Portfolia's community members actually get involved in the pitches, democratizing access to venture investing while simultaneously directing capital toward solving problems that matter to women.

Portfolia's Fertility-Focused Portfolio Companies: Innovation in Action

Within Portfolia's extensive women's health portfolio are several groundbreaking companies specifically focused on fertility and reproductive health. These companies represent the cutting edge of fertility innovation, addressing everything from diagnostics to treatment to the emotional journey of family building:

1. Gameto — Engineering Ovarian Health to Transform IVF

‍Gameto is a biotechnology company modernizing reproductive medicine through cell engineering. Best known for its breakthrough IVF technology. Gameto’s engineered ovarian cell lines are designed to improve egg maturation, hormone regulation, and overall ovarian function. 

By making IVF cycles more efficient and biologically aligned, Gameto aims to improve success rates, reduce the number of cycles needed, and ease the physical, emotional, and financial burden of family building for patients worldwide.

2. Proov — At-Home Hormone Intelligence for Fertility

Proov helps people understand their hormones and fertility from home with simple urine tests and an easy to use app. Instead of waiting for limited clinic appointments, users can track key hormones across their cycle, including PdG, which confirms whether ovulation was successful. 

This kind of insight can uncover issues that might be getting in the way of conception and give patients clearer next steps with their providers. By making hormone data accessible and actionable outside the clinic, Proov is giving people more control, more clarity, and a more informed path toward pregnancy.

Why Portfolia’s Community-Based Model Matters for Fertility Innovation?

The fertility crisis demands more than capital. It calls for investors who understand what it means to sit in a waiting room, refresh lab results on a phone, or weigh the cost of another cycle against other life goals.

1. Deep Understanding: Thousands of women investors bring diverse perspectives and lived experiences to evaluate potential investments.

2. Smart Capital: Investment decisions are informed by real understanding of market needs, not just financial projections.

3. Network Effects: Portfolio companies gain access to a network of knowledgeable investors who can provide guidance, connections, and market insights.

4. Scaling Impact: With 46 companies and 100+ investments, Portfolia is building an ecosystem of women's health innovation that creates synergies across the portfolio.

From Fertility Crisis to Opportunity in Women’s Health Investing

The convergence of declining fertility rates, increasing infertility diagnoses, and technological innovation has created unprecedented opportunity in the fertility sector. The need is clear: globally, 1 in 6 people experience infertility, yet access to care remains limited by cost, geography, and outdated medical practices.

The response is building: venture capital investment in women's health reached $2.6 billion in 2024, with investors recognizing the massive addressable market and the urgent need for innovation. But not all capital is created equal.

Portfolia's approach; combining the scale of 46 women's health companies and 100+ investments with the wisdom of thousands of women investors—represents a new model for venture capital. One where the people funding innovation are deeply connected to the problems being solved. Where investment decisions are made with both financial acumen and lived experience. And where portfolio companies gain not just capital, but a community.

As fertility challenges continue to reshape demographics worldwide, the innovations emerging from companies in Portfolia's portfolio and across the broader women's health ecosystem offer hope. From improved diagnostics to more accessible treatments, from mental health support to holistic care models, these companies are building the future of family planning.

The fertility revolution is already underway. The question is how we, as investors and innovators, choose to participate.

Ready to Invest in the Future of Family Building?

The way people build families is changing and so is the kind of capital that’s needed to support them. Fertility solutions don’t just require funding; they benefit from investors who understand the human, emotional, and economic stakes behind every data point.

If this vision resonates with you, we invite you to explore the fertility-focused opportunities within Portfolia’s women’s health funds and start a conversation with our team. Inside the Portfolia experience, you’ll see how thousands of women are pooling their capital, insight, and lived experience to back founders reimagining family building.

Add your perspective to that table, and help move fertility innovation from “nice to have someday” to “available when families need it most.”

Connect Today!

Sources and References

• Pew Research Center. (2025). 5 facts about global fertility trends.
• CDC National Center for Health Statistics. (2025). U.S. birth data and fertility rates, 2024.
• World Health Organization. (2023). 1 in 6 people globally affected by infertility.
• American Society for Reproductive Medicine. (2025). US IVF usage increases in 2023.
• Silicon Valley Bank. (2025). Innovation in Women's Health Report 2025.
• Visual Capitalist. (2025). Sinking fertility rates in the world's 10 largest countries.
• SingleCare. (2025). Infertility survey and statistics 2025.
• PBS NewsHour. (2025). The U.S. fertility rate reached a new low in 2024.
• Fertility Family. (2025). The Infertility Awareness Report 2024.
• BioPharma Dive. (2025). Women's health faces growing headwinds, despite jump in venture investment.