The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Impact of IVF cutbacks
enough to deal with, our situation is made even harder just because of where we live.”
Personal and financial circumstances mean for the young couple that moving is not an option.
Amber explains: “It would make things harder for us both for our workplaces and would impact our finances.”
Upon private consultation it was decided that Amber needed ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) an IVF technique in which a single sperm is injected into the centre of an egg.
Private treatment costs vary dependent on case and clinic but the couplewould be expected to pay between £6,000-£9,000 for the treatment.
A decision to go ahead, is not an easy one for the couple financially so Amber said it is a “physically and emotionally testing time”.
The battle with infertility has left Amber struggling with her mental health.
“When it was confirmed that we needed IVF and I was told I was infertile, my mental health took a huge dive and I didn’t cope with that well at all,” she said.
“I was in a very dark place for about six months. When they announced they weren’t reinstating IVF, I had prepared myself for that but it was hugely disappointing, and I was very upset. I’m lucky that I have an incredibly supportive husband and a very supportive family that have really helped me deal with it.”
Amber is currently on a waiting list for mental health support. Sadly, this is not an isolated incident as other couples facing similar fertility problems cannot gain any help with starting a family.
Chris Slack, 30, and his wife, who did not want to be named, have recently discovered they would need additional IVF help after having a number of tests on Chris’ sperm count.
“It was crushing when we found out,” he said.
Chris has suspected there could be an issue due to familial problems with fertility.
“It has been difficult, we have spent the week in shock,” he added.
The couple who had been trying to conceive for two years, are now faced with paying thousands of pounds to begin their family. Chris has now had to seek support from his parents.
Despite there not being any NHS funded IVF on offer locally, the couple say the process of testing and referrals to reach a diagnosis still ‘longwinded’. To then find that no IVF is available has increased their distress.
Much like other couples, Chris and his wife have considered moving in order to receive NHS funded treatments, however they are unable to do so because of personal circumstances, and they have also been put off by a 12-month minimum wait to start the process again in another area. offer the service. However neighbouring counties that do include Lincolnshire (one cycle), Norfolk (two cycles) and Northamptonshire.
In other areas of the country,
• up to three cycles of IVF can be paid for.
How much does IVF cost?
•
According to the CCG, an average cycle costs £5,000 per cycle, per patient.
Originally, the suspension
• by the CCG was hoped to save £700K per year.
A report by the CCG states that between September 2017 and March 2019, a total of £730K has been saved.