How
much does IVF cost?
One round of IVF treatment can costs
around £2000 in the UK. Three rounds of IVF treatment
can cost around £3500. Fertility treatment is available
free on the NHS, but availability is limited due to limited
resources and so clinics have criteria for qualifying for
fertility treatment. Only around 18% of IVF treatment in the
UK is funded by the NHS. The success rate of IVF treatment
is around 15%. Treatment in a foreign country may be cheaper.
What is the criteria
for qualifying for NHS fertility treatment?
There a government guidelines on who should be eligible for
fertility treatment on the NHS, however there are only a guide.
This has resulted, as with other types of NHS treatments,
in what is referred to as treatment according to a “postcode
lottery”. The availability of certain treatment on the
NHS and who will receive them is determined by the primary
care trust running the NHS service in your area of the country.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
guidelines recommend that women between the ages of 23 years
and 39 years should receive three cycles of fertility treatment
on the NHS for free. Government guidelines say that only one
cycle of free fertility treatment has to be provided, but
that the NHS should work towards providing three cycles of
IVF treatment to every woman.
Each fertility treatment clinic decides its own criteria
for providing fertility treatment. These can include the age,
health, weight, family background, smoking, either couple
having had children from a previous marriage and any previous
fertility treatment provided to the person involved. Under
the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1991, clinic must
take account of the future welfare of any child born as a
result of fertility treatment.
In August 2006, the British Fertility Society recommended
that all fertility treatment clinics should provide treatment
based on the same criteria.
Does the NHS fund
all fertility treatment?
Approximately 18% of fertility treatment in the UK is funded
by the NHS.
Primary care trusts receive limited funding so can not allocate
enough money to the treatment of infertility in their area
to meet the full demand, therefore often the money is spent
mainly on the categories of people who would benefit most.
It may seem shocking that the fourth richest economy in the
world can afford to provide all its citizens with fertility
treatment as required, but this is also true of other treatments,
even for life threatening diseases like cancer.
You can try to get private, paid for fertility treatment
clinic, however all clinics have a criteria on who they will
treat and demand outstrips supply. An option for getting guaranteed
treatment is to go abroad.
What are the ages
for receiving free fertility treatment on the NHS?
The NHS national guidelines recommend that women between
the ages of 23 years and 39 years should receive three cycles
of fertility treatment on the NHS for free. However, these
are only guidelines and each fertility treatment clinic can
determine its own criteria.
A poll by the British Fertility Society in 2006 revealed
that around a quarter of fertility treatment clinic in the
UK only offer IVF treatment women in their late thirties.
It is believed that fertility treatment like IVF has an greatly
increased chance of being unsuccessful from the age of 40
years.
How much does a person
have to weigh to be eligible for fertility treatment?
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
recommends a body mass index (BMI) of 19 to 30 is ok for receiving
fertility treatment. Overweight pregnancies can put both the
mother and the unborn child at health risk. NHS guidelines
state that overweight women should be given warning about
the health risks before being given fertility treatment, but
do not say that treatment should be denied to overweight women.
In August 2006 the British Fertility Society recommended
that women with a BMI of over 36 should be denied fertility
treatment, as should women who are underweight. It said that
underweight and overweight women should have to overcome their
weight issues before being given IVF treatment.
How do you calculate
your Body Mass Index (BMI)?
The body mass index is used in medial practitioners to decide
whether a person needs to lose weight. It is calculated by
dividing ones weight in kilograms by ones the square of one’s
height in pounds. BMI calculators can be found on many websites
– use a search engine such as the one at the foot of
this page.
The BMI of an athlete should not be used in the same way
as that of a normal person as the body may be composed of
a higher muscle to fat ratio than normal.
What are the health
risks of pregnancy in overweight women?
Pregnancy in an overweight woman can put the health of both
the mother and the unborn child at risk. Common health problems
include high blood pressure and gestational diabetes (diabetes
during pregnancy).
Can same sex couples
have fertility treatment?
Yes, however due to the fact that each fertility treatment
clinic decides its on criteria for providing treatment, it
may be the case that non-heterosexual couples are given lower
priority in the availability of treatment or none at all.
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1991 required
clinics to consider the welfare of the child in providing
fertility treatment. It is thought that this may include the
child’s need for a father, however the government has
given indications that this clause may no longer be required.
How many babies
are born each year as a result of in vitro fertilisation (IVF)?
Approximately 6000 babies are born each year as a result
of IVF treatment.
What is the success
rate of IVF fertility treatment?
The success rate of having a baby as a result of IVF is approximately
15%.
How many rounds
of IVF are recommended?
Most couples try three rounds of IVF treatment. If its private
treatment, on average it costs £3500 for the three rounds.
What are the chances
of multiple births with fertility treatment?
Most couples try three rounds of IVF treatment. If its private
treatment, on average it costs £3500 for the three rounds.
Should I have private
fertility treatment?
The NHS offers free fertility treatment in certain cases,
but even private fertility treatment clinics in the UK have
their own rules about who they will treat due to limited resources.
Therefore opting for private fertility treatment will not
guarantee that treatment is available in the UK.
Fertility treatment abroad is another option and, if you
are willing to pay for treatment, it is likely that you can
guarantee the availability of treatment in other countries.
IVF treatment abroad may also be cheaper, e.g. in India, whilst
the quality of treatment available can still be high.
The quality of private treatment is unlikely to be of any
higher quality than private treatment.
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