Free rounds of IVF a proposal to make procedure more affordable

Women will be able to get free rounds of IVF under proposals that will be put forward to the government by doctors. The scheme is one recommendation on how to spend $42 million promised in the election to make IVF affordable.

• Improvements in IVF lead to rise in ‘twiblings’
• ‘Revolutionary’ tech to boost chances of pregnancy

EXCLUSIVE: Women under 40 will get two free rounds of IVF under proposals being put to the government by the state’s top obstetricians on Monday.

Doctors from Westmead, Royal Prince Alfred, and Randwick’s Royal Hospital for Women will put up the idea at a meeting with the NSW Health Ministry.

The scheme is among recommendations on how to spend $42 million promised during the election to make IVF more affordable.

Doctors will also suggest that embryos be frozen free-of-charge for cancer sufferers about to have chemotherapy, which can reduce or destroy their fertility.

The two free IVF rounds is one recommendation under a $42 million promise to make the procedure more affordable.

MORE FROM JACK MORPHET

AGL accused of letting major dam ‘run dry’

Top butcher warns lamb could soon be ‘delicacy’ item

Aussie pregnancy breath test for cows a world first

The cash will be available from January 1, but doctors need to thrash out whether it is best to offer free treatments or stretch the money out by offering IVF at a “substantially reduced cost”.

NSW Health deputy secretary Nigel Lyons said: “In the private sector, IVF can cost up to $9000 or $10,000 in out-of-pocket costs, even after Medicare rebates.

“We want to bring that down substantially but we don’t know how far we can go. It is a trade-off between how many women we can treat and how heavily we reduce the costs.”

Low-cost clinics offering limited services and typically fewer eggs still cost about $2000 after rebates.

Couples are spending close to $10,000 in out of pockets costs before falling pregnant. Picture: iStock

Director of Reproductive Medicine at the Royal Hospital for Women, Professor William Ledger, will suggest all three hospitals provide two free treatments for women under 40 and with a body mass index below 36.

“We need eligibility criteria in the public sector to try to achieve the maximum benefit for as many people as possible,” Prof Ledger said.

“Patients over 41 have really low pregnancy rates because the egg quality is not good and science doesn’t have a fix for that at the moment. There is also good medical evidence that a BMI over 36 is risky for the baby.”

The scheme would be a major boost for women like Rebecca Tos of Thornleigh, in Sydney’s north, who had daughters Mahli, 3, and Scarlett, 10 months, through IVF.

She welcomed any move to make the treatment more widely available.

Rebecca Tos, pictured with her kid Scarlett and Mahli, welcomes any plans to make IVF more avilable. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

“I’ve been saddened talking to a lot of couples who would have to save 12 months for one round of IVF and if it wasn’t successful they’d have to start saving again. The strain is severe,” she said.

“I like how they are considering guidelines in terms of age and BMI because there’s certain things you can do to increase your chances. It’s the doctors saying we want to help you but help yourself first.”

The state government announced during the election that the $42 million would also include rebates of up to $500 for fertility screening.

Randwick’s Royal Hospital for Women has already built a laboratory combining clinical research with IVF and assisted reproduction treatment that will have its final inspection by the Reproductive Technology Accreditation Committee this week.

Originally published as Free rounds of IVF a proposal to make procedure more affordable