21 August 2024
Health and Community Services has published proposed eligibility criteria for In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) that could see up to three cycles funded by the Department for women from a household with a gross annual income of less than £82,300.
Households with a gross annual income of less than £200,000 could be eligible for two funded cycles, while all couples could be eligible for one funded cycle, irrespective of household income.
In all cases, IVF must be clinically appropriate, the woman must be under 40, or aged 40 to 42, and have undergone tests showing they are likely to respond to treatment, and all other eligibility criteria must be met. This includes the requirement for the couple to be in a stable relationship, and for both partners to be childless.
The new criteria will be introduced from 1st January 2025 if the States Assembly approve the funding as part of the 2025 Government Plan debate, scheduled for November 2024. The new criteria would replace the current system that only funds IVF for couples with a combined income of less than £40,795.
Assistant Minister for Health and Community Services, Deputy Andy Howell, on behalf of the Health Ministerial Team said: 'We are pleased to be able to bring forward the proposed new criteria for funded IVF treatment which we hope will assist many more couples who are struggling to have a family. We thank all those who have helped shape these proposals.'
'We are publishing the proposed criteria now, ahead of the States Assembly confirming the necessary funding, because we know that couples who are experiencing difficulties with conceiving need time to plan.'
Full detail of the proposals are available here: https://www.gov.je/Health/PregnancyAndBirth/GettingPregnant/Pages/FundedIVF.aspx
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