An Airdrie family says it’s not fair that Alberta is one of the few provinces that doesn’t fund IVF treatments.

Ashley Fedun loves spoiling her nieces and nephews at Christmastime, but wishes she could include her own children in the fun.

“It doesn't really feel like Christmas or a holiday without being able to have that family,” she said.

Fedun has endometriosis, which affects fertility. She and her husband have been trying to get pregnant for six years with no success. They are not alone, one is six people is infertile, and many of them seek in-vitro fertilization treatments, or IVF. Unfortunately, IVF is not funded in Alberta.

“We’ve done polls in Alberta that show Albertans are very supportive of the idea of doing funding for fertility treatments,” said fertility specialist Dr. Cal Greene. “Ontario is going to be funding one cycle of IVF for patients, Manitoba, New Brunswick have programs, Quebec has a program, most countries that have socialized medicine have funded programs.”

The cost of IVF is high, about $15,000 per attempt. It’s more than Fedun and many others can afford, which is why she has started a petition to get the government to fund the treatment. IVF is also cheaper in the long run compared to drug therapy, which can result in dangerous and expensive multiple pregnancies.

Alberta's health ministry released a statement about IVF funding: 

"It's currently exploring the possibility of a publicly-funded, in vitro fertilization program. Given the current cost pressures facing the health system, the government has not yet made a decision."

There are some private dollars to help infertile couples, but it’s not enough for everyone.

“In 2005 we created the Generations of Hope Fertility Assistance Fund,” said Dr. Greene. “This fund over those years has helped a number of people, there were over 125 babies born now and it has granted more than a million dollars to help people struggling with the financial challenges of fertility treatments.”

More than 29-thousand Albertans has signed the petition asking the province to fund fertility treatment.