IVF

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In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) is a process in which an egg is surgically removed from the ovary and fertilised outside the body . One in seven UK couples trying for a baby experience delays in conceiving. Conception is a complex process involving many factors, and if one of these factors is impaired, infertility can result. IVF is one method used to help people with fertility problems to have a baby.

Approximately six thousand babies are born as a result of IVF each year. However, it should be noted that the procedure has an average success rate of only 15%.

The typical cost of one IVF cycle at a private clinic is Â£2,000. However, from April 2005, all Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) should be offering at least one cycle of IVF (In Vitro Fertilisation) treatment on the NHS to infertile couples. Women must be aged between 23 and 39 to qualify for free treatment. In addition, they must either:

have a specific problem such as absence of sperm or blocked fallopian tubes, or
have been unable to conceive for three years despite regular intercourse and no identifiable problem.

Under further recommendations from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE), eventually three free cycles of IVF should be offered, but a timescale for implementing these guidelines has not yet been announced.