When Melbourne woman Beth* called her fertility clinic on 10 January to arrange prepaid testing, she was told her procedure had been cancelled, and she would have to wait three months.
Beth has been undergoing IVF for almost two years, and has had six unsuccessful transfers and two miscarriages in that time. It was hoped a biopsy, to be sent to Japan, would help to provide answers as to why she wasn’t getting pregnant.
But on 6 January, Victorian health minister Martin Foley announced a ban on all non-urgent elective surgery – including IVF treatments – in metropolitan Melbourne and major regional cities, in an effort to free up health resources amid the Omicron wave.
The latest quarterly data reveals 67,596 patients are on the elective surgery waiting list – which includes some cancer treatments and cardiac surgeries.
Leading IVF providers Virtus Health and Monash IVF Group warned the new regulations, which came into effect on 12 January and will last three months, would have a “devastating effect” on patients who couldn’t afford to wait for treatment.
The pandemic order halted all new stimulation cycles until further notice, while allowing current cycles, urgent surgeries, telehealth specialist appointments and preservation cycles prior to cancer treatment to continue.
Here is the letter we received that explains everything, it’s all very reasonable. pic.twitter.com/RGcmxB8sUI
— MezHunt (@MACEEGroup) January 19, 2022
“There’s a lot of ups and downs, it’s a very emotional journey to go on,” Beth said. “It’s really devastating, I need those answers.”
Turning 35 in May and living with polycystic ovary syndrome, Beth said she was acutely aware the quality of her eggs was starting to decrease, and she was reaching a stage where “it might just not happen”.
“The quicker I can get testing done and get another chance makes such a difference. The backlog will mean clinics are having to play catch up for three months with patients who’ve missed those procedures … for some women, with medical conditions, myself included, I don’t have the option to wait, this is how I have to grow my family.”
The premier, Daniel Andrews, on Wednesday flagged the possible easing of elective surgery restrictions for IVF and a range of other day procedures “as soon as possible” but could not provide a timeframe for when they would resume.
“Let’s try and have them back up and running as soon as we can,” he said.
“The most time critical procedures within an IVF journey are still happening but … I’ve heard ... just how challenging accessing it is.
“It’s a very, very difficult process to go through for so many, the pandemic has made it even harder but we’ll work as hard as we can to try and get those day procedures back on and … I hope to be able to provide a positive update very, very soon.”
Fertility Society of Australia president and Monash IVF medical director, Prof Luk Rombauts, said the industry had reached out to health authorities to find a way forward for the sector amid rising Covid cases.
“While we understand the need not to add extra pressure on the health system during this difficult time, we can’t ignore the anguish and heartache that this has caused to so many of our Victorian patients,” he said.
“It is particularly difficult for those patients who do not have time on their side, due to factors such as age and health conditions which are out of their control.
“For some an extended period of time without IVF treatment may mean they will not achieve a pregnancy at all.”
A Change.org petition calling for the reinstatement of IVF treatments in Victoria has gained more than 100,600 signatures online.
“IVF is my only option of trying to have children,” one signee wrote.
“I should not have that chance taken away and be told my treatment is considered elective. I didn’t choose to have PCOS, severe stage four endometriosis and adenomyosis.
“These are all fertility-debilitating conditions and without IVF I have no hope having children. IVF is hard enough with having to worry about whether a cycle is going to be cancelled due to being classed as ‘elective’. IVF is not a choice.”
Melbourne IVF medical director Dr Fleur Cattrall said IVF had continued safely during Victoria’s six lockdowns, including the Delta wave of the virus in 2020.
“It’s been devastating to tell Victorian patients that they can’t start their IVF treatment for the next three months,” she said.
“Many of these patients have already endured years of infertility struggles. Studies show the psychological impacts of living with infertility are comparable to the stress levels of patients diagnosed with cancer.”
Other states including New South Wales have allowed IVF and fertility services to continue while suspending other elective surgeries.
The prime minister, Scott Morrison, said on Wednesday he believed there was “no choice” involved in infertility treatments, but it wasn’t a decision for the commonwealth to make.
“It is a decision of the Victorian government and I appreciate the extreme pressure their hospital system is under and I can appreciate that this is a very difficult choice for the Victorian government,” he said.
“But earlier on in the pandemic at national cabinet we said that IVF treatments were not elective procedures and should continue and I believe that should be done wherever possible and that should be such a last resort measure.”
*Names have been changed to protect people’s privacy
