Free IVF treatment for Black Country couples to be halved by health bosses

Health bosses have revealed controversial plans to halve the number of free rounds of IVF given to couples in the Black Country.

Desperate couples living in Sandwell towns including West Bromwich, parts of Smethwick, Tipton, and Wednesbury, are usually granted two free cycles of treatment.

But the organisation which commissions health services wants to reduce that to just one meaning would-be parents face forking out up to 5,000 for another round of IVF if the first one fails.

The IVF cuts have been recommended by the Sandwell and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group following a review of fertility services.

If approved, the policy would bring the region in line with West Birmingham, which currently offers one free cycle to couples.

A survey of health professionals, potential and past patients, members of the public and local politicians was carried out as part of the review.

And figures revealed 48 per cent wanted to INCREASE the number of cycles offered, with 34 per cent endorsing a policy of one cycle per couple.

Yet Dr Nick Harding, chairman of the commissioning group, said there was a clear recommendation that the number of treatment cycles offered should be one.

He said: As a GP I am very familiar with the fertility problems faced by some patients.

"However, we have clinical evidence that by using the latest medical techniques in Sandwell and West Birmingham, the first cycle of treatment is much more likely to be successful than later cycles.

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Free IVF treatment for Black Country couples to be halved by health bosses