CDC's 2021 state data brief (published December 2023) counts 8 reporting clinics in Tennessee and 2,532 ART procedures for women living in the state. That is 1,602 per million women aged 15 to 49, about half the U.S. rate of 3,250, and 1.3% of babies born to Tennessee residents in 2021 were conceived with ART (U.S.: 2.3%).
The figures count procedures for Tennessee residents and exclude cycles in which eggs or embryos were only banked:
| CDC measure, 2021 | Tennessee |
|---|---|
| Clinics in Tennessee reporting to CDC | 8 |
| ART procedures for women living in Tennessee | 2,532 |
| Procedures per 1 million women aged 15 to 49 (U.S.: 3,250) | 1,602 |
| Embryo-transfer procedures among them | 2,055 |
| Live-birth deliveries from these procedures | 1,012 |
| Live-born infants from these procedures | 1,071 |
| Babies born in 2021 to Tennessee residents conceived with ART | 1,025 of 81,717 (1.3%; U.S.: 2.3%) |
Counted by the patient's state of residence; excludes cycles in which eggs or embryos were only banked. Source: CDC, State-Specific ART Surveillance, 2021 Data Brief (December 2023).
Of the 2,532 procedures, 2,055 were embryo transfers, leading to 1,012 live-birth deliveries. During 2021, 1,025 of 81,717 babies born to Tennessee mothers were conceived with ART.
Tennessee's Fertility Treatment and Contraceptive Protection Act (HB 533, in effect July 1, 2025) codifies the right to obtain fertility treatment and contraception. It is not an insurance coverage mandate, and this research found no Tennessee law requiring insurers to cover infertility treatment, IVF or fertility preservation. Your plan's terms decide what you pay, so ask your insurer or HR and confirm with the state insurance department, because rules change.
CDC counts by state of residence, so Tennessee women treated elsewhere are included, and the 8 clinics are those that reported (453 of 501 nationally). Ask each clinic for its own results for women your age.
Map to the Positive sets common beliefs about IVF against what is known:
| Myth | Reality |
|---|---|
| "IVF will give you cancer" | No evidence of increased cancer |
| "You need complete bed rest" | Normal activity is fine |
| "You can't have sex" | Sex is allowed (with care) |
| "IVF only makes twins" | A single transfer means 1 baby in most cases |
| "It's only for extreme cases" | There are selected cases, but many indications |
Source: Map to the Positive, Chapter 35.
The book also notes there is no evidence that prolonged rest after the transfer improves outcomes.
The myths table closes Chapter 35 of Map to the Positive, in Station IV, which explains IVF phase by phase, from the first injection to the two-week wait, and lists the questions to ask before you start.
Take 30 days. If it does not give you more clarity than everything you have read for free so far, ask for a refund and you get every cent back. We cannot promise you a pregnancy. We can promise you will not be guessing.
References: State-Specific Assisted Reproductive Technology Surveillance, United States: 2021 Data Brief (CDC, with ASRM, SART and RESOLVE) (2023-12) · State-Specific ART Surveillance (CDC) (2024-10-09) · State Laws Aim To Reverse Baby Bust And Cut IVF Costs (Ogletree Deakins via Mondaq) (2025-12-12) · Coverage and Use of Fertility Services in the U.S., Appendix 1: State laws requiring private insurance coverage of infertility services (KFF) (2020-05) · Health Insurance & Fertility Services: State Laws (Triage Cancer) (2025-09)