First IVF births expected in September 2014

The first babies born through in-vitro fertilisation are expected in September 2014, the health ministry confirmed.

So far, 53 couples have been offered their first IVF treatment at Mater Dei Hospital while 135 others are being prioritised.

Fourteen of the 225 applications filed for in-vitro fertilisation treatment were rejected by the Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Prioritisation Committee.

According to the ministry for health, these 14 couples were found “ineligible” to benefit from the treatment now available through the national health service.

In reply to a question raised by Nationalist MP Claudio Grech, Health Minister Konrad Mizzi said that the first group of couples – 53 – were offered the treatment last year. This however did not mean that 172 applications were refused. The first screening exercise by the ART prioritization committee was carried out in November 2013.

The health ministry said that another 135 couples were now being prioritised for IVF treatment at Mater Dei Hospital.

“Some of these couples will be undergoing their second IVF cycle,” the ministry said.

Another 78 couples are still undergoing the necessary “investigations” prior to initiating the IVF treatment.

Replying to further questions by Grech, Mizzi said the 14 couples that were rejected did not meet the entitlement criteria as set by the national health service.

Among others, the NHS IVF entitlement criteria states that IVF should be offered to those parents who cannot conceive naturally and where the prospective mother is between 25 and 42 years old.

Mater Dei will be offering IVF on the national health register in conjunction with a private partner, as yet unidentified by the government. It was only confirmed in parliament that the tender has been awarded.

During an interview on Reporter, former health minister Godfrey Farrugia confirmed patients seeking in vitro fertilisation will be charged up to €2,500 for the hormonal stimulation of female patients.

The fee covers hormonal induction, which stimulates the production of female ova to create a greater number than usual, which are then harvested, or extracted, so that they can be implanted with sperm.

The fee also includes the cost of the drugs used, which could amount to €1,000.

The total cost of an IVF treatment process, if fully funded by the couple, can be as much as €6,000.