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No islanders have received full funding for their IVF treatment, according to a recent survey – with some respondents sacrificing home ownership to generate appropriate funds during a cost-of-living crisis.
The survey, carried out by fertility support and awareness charity ‘Tiny Seeds’, also showed that the high cost of IVF treatment, coupled with Jersey's increased cost of living is pushing many, if not most, to the limits of what they can afford.
The charity has called for a "much needed and overdue change to the funding system".
Of the respondents – which included individuals who had undergone IVF in the last 18 months, were due to undergo IVF soon, or who had been advised they needed IVF but did not have the means to pay for the treatment – 64% shared that they had, or would need, to borrow money to fund their treatment and that they are making sacrifices at the expense of reaching other life milestones to pay for treatment.
One respondent said: "We prioritised and spent the money for a deposit for a property on IVF.
"With our ages now and the high cost of housing, not sure we will ever afford a mortgage on-island."
Another said: "I sold my flat to be able to afford fertility treatment and start a family. I am currently renting and my proceeds/savings are almost at an end."
Pictured: Some islanders have admitted having to sacrifice their mortgage deposits to generate IVF funds during a cost-of-living crisis.
Marriages even suffered, with one respondent saying: "We were due to get married in May 2024 which was booked before we found out we would need IVF.
"We are now going to have to postpone this as anything we had saved towards the wedding went towards our first round of IVF and any future savings will be going into IVF."
The average amount that respondents had spent on IVF was £15,011, excluding the travel and accommodation costs associated with treatment only being available off the island.
The vast majority of respondents (87%) also stated that they could need further IVF in the future in addition to the treatment that they had already paid for.
Chloé Fosse, founder and charity operations manager for Tiny Seeds, commented: "We hear anecdotally all the time of the struggle those we support are facing to pay for IVF – it is one I know personally too.
"What we wanted to do with this piece of research was to quantify those accounts and to measure the impact alongside the high and rising cost of living here in Jersey as well."
She added: "Fertility treatment is time-sensitive and when almost everyone is feeling the strain financially, those needing IVF are being forced to make very difficult choices, in some cases this means forgoing taking a step onto the property ladder in order to pay for treatment, or in others, being unable to access the treatment (and the chance of building their families) at all."
Chloe hopes the survey will allow a "bigger picture" to be taken into account "to help a much needed and overdue change to the funding system happen".
The stats...
As many as 1 in 6 couples will face struggles with infertility.
Access to IVF in Jersey is on a predominantly private basis and is a high cost treatment, often requiring multiple cycles as well as incurring additional costs such as travel and accommodation.
In 2022, 107 cycles of IVF were facilitated by Jersey's Assisted Reproduction Unit for 62 unique patients or couples.
As at May 2023 in Jersey, if a couple undergoing IVF treatment has a joint annual income of less than £34,130 they would qualify for their IVF treatment to be fully funded for up to 3 cycles (subject to meeting further eligibility requirements).
Medication costs for up to 3 full cycles of IVF are currently funded for all those in a relationship under the age of 42. This equates to approximately £1,000-£1,500 per cycle of IVF. The starting cost for a full IVF cycle excluding medication, is approximately £4,000. For those that are successful it takes on average 3 full cycles.
Of the 56 people who responded to the survey, just 4 (7%) fell into the bracket that would provisionally qualify them for full funding.
Not one respondent stated that they had received full funding for IVF.
Tiny Seeds is encouraging anyone who would like to know more about the issues raised by the survey, or to better understand the impact of the cost of living alongside the need for IVF, to listen to a podcast discussing the findings HERE.
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