NHS chiefs to review ban on IVF for couples who already have a child

A BAN on IVF for couples who already have a child is to be reviewed by NHS bosses, the Sunday Mail can reveal.

Campaigners fear up to one in six couples in Scotland struggle to conceive naturally.

But couples have been denied IVF treatment if either partner has a child from a previous relationship.

Now health chiefs have pledged to consider scrapping the child in the home rule.

The Scottish Government last year capped IVF treatments at two per couple in a bid to drive down waiting lists, make the system fairer and stop a postcode lottery for treatment.

Changes included offering women aged between 40 and 42 one full cycle of treatment and a ban on couples who smoke, drink or are obese until they changed their lifestyle.

The National Infertility Group, set up by Holyrood in 2010, will carry out the review and consider raising the number of cycles to three.

Infertility Network Scotlands Gwenda Burns said: Couples being denied treatment when there is a child living in the home is unfair.

The National Infertility Group agreed with this in their report in May 2013 but said cutting waiting lists was the priority.

A review is due to take place by early 2015 to look at increasing the number of cycles of IVF to up to three and to consider treatment where one partner has no genetic child.

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NHS chiefs to review ban on IVF for couples who already have a child