Single women could become eligible for free IVF on NHS in Scotland

Single women in Scotland could become eligible for free IVF on the NHS, under proposals being considered by the country’s health quango.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) has been asked by the National Fertility Group (NFG) to examine the possible eligibility criteria for the change, along with the expected demand and cost.

The NFG, which comprises fertility experts from the NHS, charities and government bodies, will then make recommendations to SNP ministers.

Only couples who meet certain health and age-related benchmarks can currently access IVF on the NHS in Scotland, with single women forced to pay thousands of pounds to access treatment privately.

Unsuccessful cycles 

Until recently, single women in England only qualified if they were infertile, which was defined as not conceiving after two years of regular unprotected sex or if they had been through unsuccessful cycles of artificial insemination.

But individual health trusts south of the Border now decide the criteria for their respective areas. For example, for single women in south-west London to be eligible they need to be infertile and have had 12 cycles of unstimulated intrauterine insemination (IUI) over at least 12 months.

Official figures show just over 2,800 single people had IVF in the UK in 2021. Campaigners have petitioned the Scottish Parliament for the rules to be changed north of the Border and early work is now underway on examining the move.

Richard Anderson, professor of clinical reproductive science at Edinburgh University, said the change would be a “very positive step”.

‘Priority for IVF treatments’

He told the BBC that couples had always been regarded as the “priority for IVF treatments” but there were single women who were certain they wanted a child.

He said: “It’s very much a conscious decision that they make with a lot of thought and support from their friends and families. And the evidence is they do fine, so there’s no real reason why they shouldn’t.”

Around 7,000 couples across Scotland are referred to the NHS for IVF every year, with about 4,300 treatments performed in the four fertility centres in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

They are eligible for the treatment if they have been living in a stable relationship for two years and neither have been sterilised.

‘Expand treatment’ 

At least one of the couples must have no living biological children and they must have a BMI above 18.5 and below 30.

They are not allowed to smoke, drink alcohol or take drugs during the treatment and the woman has to be under 42 years old. Same-sex couples must also have had six failed cycles of donor insemination.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “The National Fertility Group have asked Public Health Scotland to model the eligibility, demand and cost implications of expansion of NHS IVF treatment for single people.

“The group will then make recommendations to ministers on what is required to expand treatment to single people.”

PHS was approached for comment.