Alberta couples are hoping a new report might convince the provincial government to fund fertility treatments.
The report on assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) shows that the cost of high-risk multiple births as a result of fertility treatment is enormous compared to the relatively low cost of funding the fertility treatment itself.
The ARTs report suggested the province could actually save money if it paid for fertility treatments, in particular in vitro fertilization or IVF because it could also restrict the number of embryos which are implanted. Doing so would reduce the number of multiple births.
Dr. Cal Greene with the Regional Fertility Program in Calgary says “you can save money in the healthcare system; you make safer pregnancies and delivery healthier babies”.
Multiple births often result in premature babies who require expensive NICU care and sometimes have chronic health problems.
Terri Abraham conceived both her sons through IVF. It cost Terri and her husband close to forty-thousand dollars of their own money.
Abraham now heads up the charity, Generations of Hope. It offers financial assistance to infertile couples.
She strongly believes fertility treatments should be publicly funded, but with appropriate restrictions so that the money is well spent.
Abraham says “we even do that as a charity when we look to the funding of couples. We look to the doctors we ask if there's a 20% chance of success with these people, because if there isn't - with our limited amount of funds we choose to give it to couples with a better chance”.
To read the full report you can click here.
