Hope for New Zealanders facing Fertility Treatment

Hope for New Zealanders facing Fertility Treatment

The announcement by Health Minister Mrs Annette King to provide additional public funding for a second IVF cycle was warmly welcomed by patient support group fertilityNZ.

“fertilityNZ are thrilled that the Government is at last honouring the commitment it made in 2002. It will give so much more hope to many New Zealanders faced with fertility problems and their quest to build a family” said Sue Domanski executive director of fertilityNZ.

Health Minister Mrs King’s announcement, that a 2nd IVF cycle would be available to couples meeting the criteria is a step in the right direction to provide fertility treatment which is adequate, accessible and equitable which fertilityNZ have long been lobbying for.

The Minister has included fertilityNZ in its consultations over the past two years and has indicated will continue to do so in conjunction with the Ministry of Health, DHBs and Fertility clinics as they work out an implementation plan for the 2nd cycle. “This indicates to us that our voices have been heard and our input is held in high regard,” says Mrs. Domanski.

fertilityNZ supports the move to Single Embryo Transfer (SET), affirming it is a sensible decision. Research has shown clearly that the group of women who would meet the criteria for SET have the same chances of pregnancy as with a multiple embryo transfer. It will provide safe and successful pregnancies.

The implementation of both a 2nd IVF cycle and the move to initiate SET will start from 1 October and fertilityNZ advises couples to contact themselves and fertility clinics to obtain information about eligibility. “Information will be available in due course on our website www.fertilitynz.org.nz and it is understood clinics will be mailing out newsletters to clients,” said Mrs. Domanski.

Infertility affects one in six New Zealanders; is classified as a disease and is a difficult medical condition to live with having an enormous effect on people’s lives.

“There will be many people around New Zealand celebrating the fact that creating their much wanted family is now more likely,” Mrs Domanski said.

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