Publicly funded IVF treatment in Northern Ireland is to be expanded, with some women entitled to additional embryo transfers.
Currently, women in Northern Ireland who are eligible for NHS IVF treatment are entitled to one fresh embryo transfer and one frozen embryo transfer. Patients will now receive funding for one full cycle, definded by the National Institutes of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as the transfer of all viable embryos created from a single round of egg retrieval.
'I recognise how difficult it is for people who long to have a child but who are unable to do so without intervention and this initial increase to one full cycle for eligible women should represent a positive step forward,' said Stormont health minister Robin Swann, who announced the new funding.
The change means that women who are not successful in their first embryo transfer, will be able to continue with their frozen embryos until they either have a live birth or have transferred all their frozen embryos. Women who are successful in either, or both, of their first fresh or first frozen embryo transfers will not be entitled to further funded treatment.
Despite this expansion, only women who have met the access criteria and were placed on the waiting list for publicly funded treatment on or after 1 October 2022 will be eligible. Those put on the waiting list before that date will not be able to access more funded treatment, even if the transfers they have already received have been unsuccessful.
'The harsh reality is that while this is good news for some, it's going to be a huge setback in terms of the mental impact for those who had initially got their hopes up.' Dr Gabrielle Nugent-Stephens, who was placed on the waiting list in June 2022, told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme.
As part of the New Decade, New Approach deal in 2020, Stormont announced plans to increase funding to provide three cycles of IVF treatment in line with the NICE Fertility Guideline. However, additional funds will need to be secured for this further expansion of treatment.
'There are several challenges that need to be addressed before second and third IVF cycles can be phased in,' said Swann, 'including increasing the physical footprint of the Regional Fertility Centre to enable capacity to be increased, as well as ensuring that we have the appropriate number of specialist staff in place to deliver this expanded service as planned'.
Sources and References
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Increase in funded IVF provision
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IVF: Woman feels 'left behind' after treatment funding changes
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Eligible women in north to receive one full IVF cycle
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NI women can now receive one full publicly-funded cycle of IVF
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Changes to IVF treatment in Northern Ireland announced by Health Minister
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'People are feeling excluded' by free IVF treatment scheme
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