People 'getting into debt to pay for fertility treatment' 

A 2021 analysis of infertility treatment access by a European Parliamentary forum gave Ireland 27 marks out of 100, placing the country's services in the bottom four.

People are still relying on bank or credit union loans to access medical treatment for infertility as uncertainty continues over plans for State-funded care, a leading advocate has warned.

A World Health Organization report published this week found about 17.5% of the adult population — roughly one in six worldwide — experience infertility. They warned of a “medical poverty trap” for affected people.

National Infertility Support and Information Group (NISIG) chairperson Caitríona Fitzpatrick said similar financial pressures exist in Ireland.

She said for now, private clinics remain the only option.

“The private clinics fill a gap that otherwise people would have to go abroad for,” she said. “But we feel this shouldn’t be your first option, because private costs between €4,500 and €6,000 per round of IVF.” 

She added: “Loads of people get loans for this, lots of people go to the credit union to get a loan for medical treatment.”

The Government pledged to begin State-funded IVF (in-vitro fertilisation) from September using private clinics.

As this deadline for opening nears, the NISIG is getting correspondence on this from worried women.

“We are starting to get emails in, which we haven’t in a long time, saying ‘should I wait until September because I might be eligible for the public funding? ‘We can’t afford to save anymore’,” she said.

People are struggling with cost-of-living increases or their job situation has changed, she said.

“All we can say to them is go back and talk to your GP,” she said. 

People shouldn’t be making health decisions based on money, but the concern is people are putting off trying to start a family because of money concerns.” 

Ms Fitzpatrick called on the Department of Health to begin discussions around how State-funded IVF would work, saying many questions are unanswered. 

She pointed to a 2021 analysis of infertility treatment access by a European Parliamentary forum which gave Ireland 27 marks out of 100, placing the country's services in the bottom four.

“We would never accept being one of the worst in Europe for [other healthcare], and if it turned out we were like that, there would be an immediate outcry for action,” she said.

A Department of Health spokesman said the funding was “an interim measure” while a new Model of Care for Fertility was being rolled out which would include a National Advanced AHR Centre [assisted human reproduction] in 2024.

He said active preparations continue for September, including working out how this interim fund will reach patients, but additional details are not available yet.