Wolverhampton couples limited to one round of IVF

Childless couples in Wolverhampton will be limited to just one cycle of IVF on the NHS under cost-cutting plans confirmed today.

Plans to save £175,000 to be ploughed into other health services have been approved following consultation by Wolverhampton City Primary Care Trust (PCT).

Currently childless couples can get two cycles of IVF, at a cost of up to £5,000 a time, or other treatments but this will be halved from April 1. People currently on the waiting list will still get the full two cycles.

National guidelines recommend health chiefs allow for three rounds of IVF.

But keeping the existing treatment levels would deprive other services of funding, health bosses said in a report to councillors.

Women must be aged 23-39 to qualify, have no other children and both partners must be non-smokers.

Tim Jones, commissioning development manager for Wolverhampton City PCT, said people had accepted the plans when consultation took place.

He added: "The general response to the proposed options was positive and there were no significant objections to the preferred option. The recurring comment was in relation to the impact reducing to one cycle would have on success rates. While discussion on this issue was frequent, there was no substantial objection.

"WCPCT has made a commitment to those patients on the current waiting list to allow up to two cycles."

Couples desperate for a baby face a postcode lottery to decide whether they can access IVF through the NHS in the Black Country and Staffordshire. Women in some parts of the region are denied treatment.