ASK THE EXPERT
HOW EASY IS IT TO GET IVF AND WILL WE HAVE TO PAY?
Ahead of Fertility Week starting on October 29, the chief executive of Fertility Network UK discusses the ‘rules’ covering IVF on the NHS.
QWE’VE been trying for a baby for two years. How easy will it be for me to get IVF, and will we have to pay for it?
AAILEEN FEENEY, chief executive of Fertility Network UK, says: “An IVF cycle costs from £6,000 to £10,000 or more, depending on the procedure and whether you have ‘add-on’ fertility treatments.
“Unfortunately, the majority (59%) of people will have to pay. Where you live, your personal circumstances, medical situation and age are all factors determining whether you will be one of the almost two-thirds of people paying.
“The national recommendation is for women under 40 to have three full IVF cycles, and women aged between 40-42 to have one cycle. However, outside Scotland, NHS fertility services are rationed – Fertility Network’s scream4IVF campaign aims to end this.
“Scotland offers Gold Standard nationally recommended treatment plus provision if either partner has a child from a previous relationship.
“Wales provides two full cycles under 40, plus one aged 40-42, and access if there is a child from a previous relationship.
“Northern Ireland provides just one partial IVF cycle for women under 40 and access to treatment if there is a child from a previous relationship.
“Access to NHS fertility treatment is worst in England and depends on your GP’s postcode. Only three of the clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) offer the Gold Standard; the rest ration access by reducing the number of cycles offered, or by introducing additional criteria.
“You may be denied NHS IVF if: you’re over 35, your husband’s body mass index is unacceptable or he is too old, if either of you has a child from a previous relationship, or you’ve not been trying to conceive for long enough (two/three years).
“If you fulfil all the additional criteria, then it’s a postcode lottery regarding the number of rounds of treatment offered. Seven areas in England don’t offer any IVF at all; two-thirds offer only one full or partial cycle; just 11% offer three full cycles, and a further one in 10 CCGs is consulting on cutting or removing NHS fertility services.”