Fertility Fairness

[Dunla]

Just read this article and thought I’d share. Fertility struggles are hard enough without having to deal with this injustice.

Women over 34 are being refused IVF treatment bbc.co.uk/news/health-45977524

[Lovefood1984]

I’d love to know how many people would know well enough before 35 that they had issues and manage 3 rounds of IVF before that cut off 🙁 IVF will become more and more out of people’s reach.

[Dunla in reply to Lovefood1984]

I know, it’s absolutely ludicrous. I think I was 33 or 34 by the time I had my first NHS cycle. It had taken about a year and a half of GP visits / referrals / investigations etc to actually get to that point. Just seems very, very unfair 😕

[LegoBatgirl]

The post code lottery of the NHS has always struck me as so unfair, we only get 1 cycle but if I lived 30 mins away we'd qualify for 3. Hopefully articles like this will help to spread awareness of the issues with the system to people who have never had to consider how unfair it is x

[Dunla in reply to LegoBatgirl]

I’m like you. In Northern Ireland everyone is entitled to 1 fresh cycle and one FET cycle. As a result we have had to self fund four rounds of IVF. I just don’t get why it can’t be the same access to treatment for everyone across the U.K. x

[genten]

My friend sent me the link to this, this morning.

I think it's an absolute disgrace and disappointment.

People being denied at the age of 34! And some CCGs only offer one cycle and it's unlikely that the first cycle will work. The first cycle is almost a test to see how you respond.

Just awful. Xxx

[Dunla in reply to genten]

Totally agree with you. My first cycle was a complete write off and definitely felt like a “trial run” in hindsight. We only had one NHS cycle as we live in Northern Ireland.

Sometimes feels like fertility treatment / IVF is viewed as some sort of lifestyle choice or optional extra! Makes me angry 😠

[genten in reply to Dunla]

Mine too, I had an absolute nightmare from beginning to end. The full story almost seems like everything that could have gone wrong did.

I get 2 cycles as I'm under Salford CCG Manchester so I have 2 more full cycle but even that doesn't mean I'll have a child at the end of it. The cut off point I believe it 40 but you never know when the goal posts will be moved.

Me too. It's unbelievable.

Trafford CCG they reduced this year from 2 cycles to 1 and saved £170,000, hardly seems worth it to me. There are other areas where resources could be saved but I won't go in to that.

Bury CCG where my friend loves cut 3 cycle to 1 just a few weeks ago. Thankfully she still gets the full 3 as she was already referred before the changes.

I can only see it getting worse.

People will be depressed as they can't get funding and that causes all other sorts of mental/emotional issues. And also this can cause people to lend more money than they can afford. The list goes on.

Xxx

[Dunla in reply to genten]

You’re so right about the knock on effect with regards to mental health.

There was actually an article on my local BBC news Facebook page yesterday about Fertility Fairness and campaigning for three NHS IVF cycles for women in Northern Ireland. The comments some of the people had written under it were absolutely awful. There is clearly a lack of understanding and empathy about infertility 😢

[Hidden]

Its 34 where I live, so we are having to pay. A friend of mine started having investigations for infertility at 32.. took them 2 1/2 years to discover both her tubes were permanently blocked.. and when they finally did she was too old for funded!! If they had found it sooner how different her life would have been.. so ironic she has to pay for an NHS delay! x

[Dunla in reply to Hidden]

I’m really sorry to hear you are effected by this, it’s so unfair.

Definitely a sad irony that your friend ended up being “ineligible” for funding as a result of NHS waiting times. It’s just not good enough x

[EmilyK5186]

It's very disappointing. I was lucky to have a wonderful GP. My husband and I started trying for a babe since 2015. Over 2 1/2 years, no success. Later 2017 I decided to call my GP and ask for advice. I was given an appointment the following day and started all the checks from the next period. In Feb 2018, I reached 34. I was discussing the option of having IVF with my GP. My GP immediately noticed my age and told me that NHS only covers before you are 35 years old. She then put an 'urgent' referral to the Gynecologist and asked them to refer me to a fertility clinic asap. I then started my IVF treatment in July this year. 1st Fresh transfer failed in August. Then started FET right away in September. I am now 4 weeks + 5 days pregnant! I am so thankful to have my GP. It is so disgrace to have this young age cut! Very unfair.

[Dunla in reply to EmilyK5186]

Congratulations on your pregnancy news and thank goodness for your wonderful GP!

It definitely takes several years before most of us have reached the stage where it’s realised IVF is needed. At which point you could have reached this ridiculous age threshold. Very unfair indeed x

[BBlucky]

Awful 😡