BOURN HALL APPLAUDS IVF FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENT
East of England first region in country to end IVF treatment lottery
Couples desperate for a child are being given new hope by the launch of a ground-breaking initiative that will provide free access to a comprehensive package of fertility treatment. From 1st May 2009 the NHS East of England will be the first region in the country to fund ALL eligible couples for up to six attempts at achieving a pregnancy with fertility treatment, thus removing the current IVF postcode lottery where couples in adjacent towns are offered widely differing services.
The initiative has been warmly welcomed by Mike Macnamee, Chief Executive of Bourn Hall Clinic which was established by IVF pioneers Patrick Steptoe and Robert Edwards:
"It was always the dream of Steptoe and Edwards when they established Bourn Hall as the world’s first IVF clinic, that treatment would be available to all who needed it. We are delighted that the East of England is taking a lead in making IVF more widely accessible and creating a clearer and more consistent treatment pathway across the Primary Care Trusts."
In the general population 70 percent of couples will conceive naturally within 18 months of trying for a baby and 90 percent after two years. The chance of natural conception can be improved through greater awareness of the woman’s monthly cycle and by making lifestyle changes such as stopping smoking, improving diet and losing weight (see notes). Couples that have already taken these measures and not conceived, or have a diagnosed cause of infertility, should see their GP to discuss the next steps.
To qualify for treatment couples must meet specific eligibility criteria. In particular women must be aged between 23 and 39 with no children from the current relationship. Women must also be registered with a GP in one of the six counties in the East of England. Six attempts includes a maximum of three full cycles of IVF treatment with a maximum of a further three frozen embryo transfers, totalling a maximum of six embryo transfers.
GPs will refer couples with fertility issues to the relevant hospital where checks such as hormone tests will be undertaken to try and identify the cause of infertility. The couple will then be able to have treatment at a specialist fertility clinic. Bourn Hall has excellent success rates and prides itself in managing a very successful donor sperm bank as well as egg and embryo donation programmes. If the infertility is unexplained, conception may happen naturally given a bit more time so couples may have to wait before the NHS will fund treatment.
Mike Macnamee believes that simplifying the pathway (from GP, through hospital, to Bourn Hall) and clarifying the eligibility criteria will also reduce stress for patients.
"The team at Bourn Hall is the most experienced in the country as we were the first to offer IVF treatment. Over half of our patients become pregnant on the first attempt and we treat patients with some of the most challenging medical conditions. Patients who come for treatment here are happy that they have received the highest quality of care, whatever the outcome."
More information about the East of England Specialist Commissioning Group's announcement is available. www.escg.nhs.uk.
To help couples gain a better understanding of fertility treatment and the options available, Bourn Hall is offering a series of free seminars at the clinic, which is a Jacobean country house in the village of Bourn just 20 minutes from Cambridge.
