Insights from the PET/ESHRE report: Fertility funding

Our report Fertility, Embryo Research and Genome Editing: Public Attitudes in Europe presents research on public attitudes in four European countries (see BioNews 1346a and 1346b). One of the issues explored in the report is state funding of fertility treatment.

Nationally representative samples of the public in the UK, the Netherlands, Spain and Italy were asked: 'Should the state offer funded/paid for fertility treatment, for people who are infertile and wish to conceive?'

More specifically, respondents were asked whether the state healthcare system in their own country – for instance the NHS in the UK, the Sistema Nacional de Salud in Spain, or the Servizio Sanitario Nazionale in Italy – should offer funded fertility treatment. 'Fertility treatment' in this context was defined as 'medical intervention to help people conceive'.

In response to our question, the majority of respondents in all four countries expressed support for the state offering funded fertility treatment for people who are infertile and wish to conceive. This was supported by 64% in Italy, 62% in Spain, 57% in the UK and 54% in the Netherlands.

Where support for state-funded fertility treatment was lower in a particular country (albeit still representing the majority view), this corresponded with opposition to state-funded fertility treatment being higher (rather than with a higher proportion of respondents saying 'Don't know').

Above: Proportion of respondents (per country) who gave particular answers, when asked 'Should the state offer funded/paid for fertility treatment, for people who are infertile and wish to conceive?'
Base: n=2217 UK, n=2174 Netherlands, n=2171 Spain, n=2126 Italy, all adults aged 16-75. Online fieldwork conducted by Ipsos, 6-14 February 2026.

Except in Italy, where there were fairly consistent levels of support across all age bands, answers to this question tended to vary with age.

Both the UK and the Netherlands saw support for state-funded fertility treatment – that is, 'Yes, definitely' or 'Yes, probably' responses – start to fall off in respondents older than 34. The reverse trend was seen in Spain, where respondents older than 54 were more likely to be supportive than respondents aged 16-24.

Above: Proportion of respondents in particular age bands (per country) who answered either 'Yes, definitely' or 'Yes, probably', when asked 'Should the state offer funded/paid for fertility treatment, for people who are infertile and wish to conceive?'
Base: n=2217 UK, n=2174 Netherlands, n=2171 Spain, n=2126 Italy, all adults aged 16-75. Online fieldwork conducted by Ipsos, 6-14 February 2026.

In both Spain and Italy, the highest levels of support for state-funded fertility treatment were expressed by respondents in the oldest age band – that is, people aged 65-75 – and it is interesting to speculate as to why this might be. If you have an explanation or theory of your own about this, please get in touch and let us know.

Answers to our question also tended to vary according to the respondents' gender. In all four of the countries surveyed, women were more likely than men to support state-funded fertility treatment, while men were more likely than women not to support state-funded fertility treatment. This difference between responses from men and women was most apparent in the UK and in Spain.

The UK, the Netherlands, Spain and Italy all provide some level of state-funded fertility treatment at present, but the offer varies by country. Most patients in the Netherlands and in Spain can access three cycles of state-funded fertility treatment, whereas the UK and Italy have regional variations in what is available and to whom.

In fact, the UK – where England has recently had more than 40 separate commissioning bodies (ICBs), resulting in an infamous 'postcode lottery' (see BioNews 1326 and 1344) – is an extreme example of regional variation in funding of fertility treatment. This is illustrated starkly by the data we provide via our regularly updated PET NHS Fertility Funding Tracker.

In conclusion, we are encouraged by the fact that a majority of the public – in the UK, the Netherlands, Spain and Italy – supports state funding of fertility treatment. It is also good news that younger respondents are generally supportive of this, and we hope that the message reaches those who are responsible for commissioning and providing publicly funded fertility treatment.

For further detail on public opinion of fertility funding in different European countries, and for data on public views on a wide range of other issues, please see our full report Fertility, Embryo Research and Genome Editing: Public Attitudes in Europe. If you are interested in helping us build on this work, by proposing and collaborating with us on related events and initiatives, please contact us.

All percentage calculations above are rounded to the nearest whole number. Where percentages do not add up to 100%, or do not otherwise add up as expected, this is due to rounding.

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Registration is now open for this year's PET Annual Conference – AI and Automation in Fertility and Genomics: Pipeline? Or Pipe Dream? – which is supported by ESHRE, and is taking place in central London on Wednesday 9 December 2026.

Find out more and register here.