The Challenges Faced by Single Women in IVF and the Need for Equality

Becoming a single mother through IVF can be a challenging and expensive journey. Nicole Collarbone, a single woman nearing her 40th birthday, decided to pursue IVF with a sperm donor. However, she was disappointed to learn that she did not qualify for any fertility treatment on the NHS due to her single status. Undeterred, Nicole borrowed money from her family and is now pregnant with her first child.

Nicole is not alone in her experience. The number of single women choosing solo motherhood through IVF has increased by 44% between 2019 and 2021, according to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. However, many single women face barriers in accessing affordable fertility treatment.

In England, over half of the NHS integrated care boards do not include single women in their IVF policies. The remaining boards require single women to undergo multiple cycles of artificial insemination, which can be costly and less effective than IVF. Heterosexual couples, on the other hand, are asked if they have been trying to conceive for two years before being considered for IVF.

This discrepancy in access to fertility treatment has been criticized as discriminatory by legal experts. Atina Krajewska, a professor in human rights law at Birmingham University, argues that single women should be treated similarly to same-sex couples, as they face similar challenges in conceiving. She believes that denying funding for IVF to single women is a violation of international human rights provisions.

The financial burden of fertility treatment is another major obstacle for single women. Georgie, who decided to pursue IVF at the age of 38, had to spend a significant portion of her savings on the treatment. She ultimately spent around £40,000 on six rounds of IVF. The high cost nearly made her give up, but she was determined to fulfill her desire to carry and give birth to a baby.

Campaigners argue that funding IVF for single women would not be a significant financial strain on the NHS. According to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, there were just over 2,800 single women undergoing IVF in 2021. Providing funding for these women would be a matter of equity and ensuring that they have the same opportunities to become parents as anyone else.

The government has stated that local health services in England follow guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). A review of these guidelines is expected to be published in 2024, which could potentially address the issue of fertility inequality faced by single women.

In conclusion, single women pursuing IVF face discrimination and financial strain. The lack of funding for fertility treatment and the requirement to undergo costly and less effective procedures create an unlevel playing field. It is crucial to address these challenges and ensure that single women have equal access to affordable and effective fertility treatment. By doing so, we can promote equality and support those who wish to become parents on their own terms.