Denmark expands free IVF to those wanting a second child

State funded IVF treatment is now available to Danish women wanting a second child.

Danish women and couples wanting to use IVF to conceive a second child will now be able to access free treatment. The new initiative, which came into effect on 1 December, fulfills a commitment made by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in her 2024 New Year message to the nation.

'If you eagerly want a child but cannot have one, it is a great pain,' en.365Nyt reported Minister of the Interior and Health Sophie Løhde said on Denmark's TV 2. 'We in the government want to strengthen assistance for involuntarily childless individuals, so that as many as possible have the opportunity to create the family they dream of.'

Funding is now available to women referred to public sector fertility clinics for treatment before they turn 40. Private clinics offer treatment until the age of 46, while there is no upper age limit for men.

Previously, government funding for IVF was limited to women and couples trying for their first child. Earlier this year, Denmark doubled the number of funded attempts at IVF at public fertility clinics from three to six.

'To those of you out there who are waiting for a child. To all you future mothers and fathers… You will now get more help. Up to twice as many treatment attempts,' Prime Minister Frederiksen said in her New Year's address. 'But tonight, the Government presents yet another proposal. We want to also introduce free treatment for child number two, so that it hopefully leads to a little brother or little sister.'

One in eight children in Denmark are now conceived following fertility treatment, and some clinics are recruiting extra staff and expanding their facilities in response to growing demand.

Interest in IVF treatment is expected to increase up to 50 percent following the announcement, raising concerns about waiting times which have already reached five months in some areas. Under the new policy, agreed between regional and central government in Denmark, regions are obligated to take steps to reduce waiting times and increase local capacity for fertility treatment.

In addition to helping individuals experiencing infertility, the new policy also aims to address concerns over Denmark's declining population growth. The current fertility rate in the country is 1.5 children per woman, falling short of the 2.1 needed to ensure a stable population. Similar concerns have been raised recently in other countries, including the UK (see BioNews 1263).

The government has allocated 150 million Danish kroner in the annual budget to cover the costs of expanding funding.