The IVF Provision debate

You may have recently seen via our social media channels that I was asked to participate in an MP drop-in session related to the IVF Provision debate led by Kate Osborne MP.

Our friends at Stonewall brought together a group of us to all talk about our experience as LGBGTIA+ people embarking upon fertility treatment. I was joined by Laura-Rose from LGBT Mummies and Megan and Whitney Bacon-Evans who you may know as WhatWeganDidNext. Each of us have demonstrated a fierceness when it comes to campaigning and separately, we’re determined to raise appropriate awareness via networks and audiences when it comes to the discrimination faced by us as a community when navigating fertility treatment.

Lesbians can qualify for fertility treatments, but first they must demonstrate they have self-funded up to 12 rounds of IUI/IVF. This alone could cost a same-sex female couple upwards of ￡35k – not to mention the emotional and potential physical toll due to years of losses, miscarriages and obstetric surgeries could inflict whilst trying to conceive for such a long time.

Once Stonewall and Kate Osborne had set the scene, we each told our story about our journey and the route to parenthood. It’s been almost a year since the announcement of the Women’s Health Strategy and as part of that, ICB’s (formally CCG’s) have been tasked with standardizing the way LGBTQ+ people (excluding men) access NHS fertility provision. You’ll notice that I have made a point that men are not included – which may not come as a surprise, considering its a Women’s Health Strategy – however, our task and reason for being asked to participate in this debate is to promote the ‘IVF For All’ wider campaign, and call for a national reform on IVF provision to include men – ensuring that encapsulates gay, bi, queer, trans and heterosexual men.

Currently if a man wants to have a child through reproductive medicine (with the help of a surrogate) they have to self fund the entire process. For embryo creation alone (with donor eggs) this could cost upwards of ￡15k. The full cost of UK surrogacy is approximately ￡55k.

Let’s also be clear here; surrogacy should not be funded on the NHS, and that isn’t what we’re suggesting.

However embryo creation should be funded, that's only fair. The lack of fairness means people are faced with financial infertility. They may be perfectly equipped to be a loving parent and role model, but excluded from a basic need to become a parent, due to exclusion and discrimination. Worse still they may make poor choices, cut corners, risk their health and the welfare of those future children by exploring international fertility treatment in countries unsafe for LGBTQ+ people. Moreover, they may begin exploring home inseminations without the safety of testing and the protection of the UK fertility regulator, the HFEA.

What’s happening in Scotland?

Did you know that our neighbours in Scotland don’t seem to have a problem with offering gay men funding IVF for the use of surrogacy? In fact, we’ve supported three sets of intended parents that were able to access funding and we’ve even supported NHS Scotland on how to update its criteria to cover what happens when it comes to surrogate matching and restrictions.

And guess what? Thousands of gay men aren’t rushing to create embryos, spending taxpayers money because they think they can. This isn’t a frivolous decision and the majority of people understand that. Not everyone wants a family, not every person yearns to have children this way. For some fur babies, adoption/fostering, co-parenting or simply being child-free by choice is enough. Scotland did the right thing, it ensured the provision was fair, and offered to all. Could more be done? Of course, we should always be striving to adapt and evolve services – but it’s a fantastic example for Europe (and the world) to look towards and take note. With a declining population, why shouldn’t people access funding to create their own tale of happily ever after? After all these children will become future taxpayers and contribute to the economy and society in time too.

MP contribution

Following each of our talks we were able to chat to those MPs who quickly visited to hear about our frustrations. We heard from Hannah Bardell (SNP, Scotland) who shared their own personal stories of wanting a family. There were also helpful contributions especially from Alex Davies-Jones (Labour, Wales), who shared her personal experiences and shed a light on the risks that many female same-sex couples face in their search for donor sperm. Nickie Aiken and Jim Shannon did not talk as much about the issues facing LGBTQ+ couples but they still drew some helpful links between our issue and the wider inequalities surrounding IVF access in both England and Northern Ireland.

The IVF Provision debate

The following morning, Kate Osborne gave her speech on IVF Provision and the so-called ‘Gay Tax’, relating to the costs LGBTQ+ people have to endure to prove their fertility or infertility. A recording of the session can be viewed here. It was pleasing to see TwoDadsUK and My Surrogacy Journey mentioned in the debate as well as our friends at LGBT Mummies and Megan and Whitney.

There were other MPs that spoke such as Nickie Aiken MP and Maria Claufield (Conservative, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care). Disappointingly though, there were no hard resolutions surrounding fertility equality. The government was behind with standardizing policies and no date could be provided for when ICB’s would have a more standardized approach when allowing female same sex couples and single women to receive funded treatment. For now, women must continue to either put up or shut up under the current rules.

There was a question from Hannah Bardell related to my argument and treatment for men. However, frustratingly, Maria Claufield swerved this by trying to bamboozle those present with the APPG for Surrogacy Law Reform and the Law Commissions final bill, which the government is late in responding to the public.

So what next?

We’re going to ensure we continue working with Stonewall to hold the government’s feet to the fire and hold them accountable. The fact that IVF provision funding discriminates against LGBTQ+ people, especially men cannot be brushed under the carpet. This is far from over, and just like our other acts of activism we will not rest until all IVF funding is equal and without barriers such as the self-funding limits.