Health Ministry launches public consultation on IVF

The Health Ministry will be holding a public consultation meeting on In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) services, which will eventually be given at Mater Dei Hospital.

The meeting will be held next Thursday at Mater Dei's central auditorium at 6:30pm. The general public, NGOs and all interested are urged to attend.

IVF will be considered as part of the National Health Service Package. The health ministry said couples would soon start to be screened to determine eligibility and subsequently initiate the clinical phases of IVF.

Couples will be selected as articulated in the Embryo Protection Act. To be clinically eligible for this service, a couple has to be referred to the Fertility Assisted Clinic at MDH by their family doctor or specialist, after conforming to the necessary criteria.

Assisted reproductive services namely IVF/ICSI will be offered as a process with the following three phases:

1.     Clinical assessment of the couple, hormonal stimulation and induction of ovulation of the female prospective parent.

2.      Oocyte retrieval, production of sperm sample, sperm preparation and surgical extraction of sperm as clinically indicated were necessary. IVF procedure itself, including embryo culture, assisted hatching and the transfer back of fertilised eggs.

3.      Obstetric follow up till birth.

"All the phases will be done at MDH thus maximising Continuity of Care by health care professionals; clients comfort and convenience whilst at the same time maximising the assets that have already been invested in the Maltese island's main public hospital, including the necessary equipped theatre, whilst also saving on further expenditure," the ministry said.

It added that IVF service, to be carried out through public-private partnership, would give an additional option to couples seeking a specialised service who would now avail of the service given by the public sector. 

"All the above will be in conformity with the Embryo Protection Act and with the Protocol Code of Practice of the Embryo Protection Authority and also the Superintendent of Public Health to ensure that high standards are maintained. Furthermore, Infertility Counselling Services will also be offered in the whole process."

 The main clinical justification for the immediacy of the MFH commitment to offer assisted reproductive services as part of the National Health Service (NHS) Package of care, arises from the female biological fertility window, constraining the immediacy of this intervention especially as regards to those couples who have been waiting for the longest time, and who are eligible to undergo the procedures.