The strained National Health Service (NHS) is gradually cutting back on offering publicly-funded IVF treatment to save money.
13 areas of England have already restricted or completely halted IVF treatment since the start of 2017, and now another eight are considering taking similar steps, according to The Guardian.
In 2014, NHS watchdog the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) warned that couples seeking IVF would be subject to “postcode lotteries”.
Data provided by Fertility Network UK has revealed the scale of the cutbacks in various areas across the UK.
The figures show that, over the past four years, the number of clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in England offering three full cycles of IVF has fallen by 46 percent - from 50 in 2013, to 27 this year.
The London borough of Croydon has already completely de-funded IVF, saving the NHS £836,000 per year. The decision was taken due to “severe financial pressures”, according to a NHS spokesperson.
Other areas such as Swindon, Cheshire and Wirral have cut costs by reducing the number of IVF cycles offered on the NHS from three to one.
Meanwhile, other cash-strapped areas such as South Worcestershire are reducing the number of cycles offered from two to one.
Another cost-cutting measure adopted in some areas is limiting NHS funding to one embryo transfer only for couples aged between 23 to 39.
Currently, NHS providers in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire are consulting on restricting fertility treatment to women aged 30-35. If they do take this step, they will be the first area in the UK to limit IVF to such a narrow age range.
NHS access to IVF being cut in England https://t.co/lMZJy8gY9s
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) August 7, 2017
Meanwhile, in Cambridge and Peterborough, almost 3,000 people have signed a petition calling on the local CGC not to cut funding for IVF treatments. The local CCG has proposed cutting any specialist fertility services to save money.
One signatory wrote: “We had IVF on the NHS (Peterborough) 6 years ago, without it, we wouldn't have our daughter. Everyone should be allowed a chance to have a baby. We were lucky and fell pregnant on the first attempt, but I do think the three cycles on the NHS should continue.”
Several other areas are also consulting on cutting IVF services except in “exceptional circumstances”.
What do you think of these new measures, mums? Are you concerned about them?
