BRUSSELS 10 DECEMBER 2021 – Fertility Europe in conjunction with the European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive rights have launched the European Atlas of Fertility Treatment Policies at an online event on December 10, 2021.
The document offers a detailed look into the state of fertility policy across 43 European countries and finds a mixed picture.
Regulations
Among these countries, 38 have dedicated laws on reproductive technologies and 33 have a national register of activity in this area. As for treatment however, the most notable trend appears to be a clear bias towards heterosexual couples at the expense of single people and LGBT couples.
Treatments
For example, 41 countries provide insemination with donor sperm to straight couples – yet only 19 countries provide this to female couples and just 30 countries provide it to single women.
Funding
Funding was also found to be lacking across the continent. Just 12 countries offer up to six funded cycles of IUI (intrauterine insemination). Three countries offer up to six fully funded cycles of IVF /ICSI with 35 offering it partially funded.
Education
With all of this in mind, it is revealing to learn that only two countries on either side of the continent, namely Armenia and the UK have a state organised fertility education programme that fully educates young people about fertility care and challenges. Furthermore, in just 13 countries do patient associations get consulted on public fertility policy.
Perfect country
Commenting on the launch, Anita Fincham, Manager of Fertility Europe stated that “Every country deserves to be a perfect country with good regulations granting equal, safe and efficient access to fertility treatment to all who need it; good regulations that consider rights and wellbeing of all parties involved including children and donors.
Fertility treatment should be offered as part of health system without discrimination against sexual orientation and civil status. This Atlas is to support the European and national policymakers in understanding how to make their country perfect.”
Authors
The European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive rights is a parliamentary network bringing together MPs from across Europe concerned with the spectrum of SRHR issues. For more information contact shane@epfweb.org
Fertility Europe is a Pan-European organisation representing patients’ associations dedicated to infertility and enabling a network for those concerned with fertility problems together. For more information contact office@fertilityeurope.eu
Download the Atlas here:
https://fertilityeurope.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/FERTIL-Atlas_EN-2021-v10.pdf
You can watch the Atlas launch event here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moUQEysokDc