At age 45, Melanie Swieconek knows her chances of having a child are slim. She has pinned her final hopes on IVF.
But the Victorian government's decision to halt new IVF treatments due to the Omicron wave could be a crushing blow.
Ms Swieconek pleaded with the government to lift the ban this week, taking to Instagram in a tearful video that has gone viral.
"This is something we're doing as our only opportunity to have a child," she said.
Ms Swieconek is one of many women and fertility doctors who are calling on the state government to reverse its decision to include IVF treatments in its three-month suspension of non-urgent elective surgeries.
The suspension began earlier this month, as the state's health system came under increased pressure as COVID-19 cases and hospital admissions shot up.
The changes apply to a number of other surgeries classed as non-urgent, or category 3, procedures.
Under the rules, women scheduled to begin new IVF treatment cycles after January 6 have to wait until mid-April to resume.
Prior treatment cycles will be allowed to run their course, and exemptions will be granted for women undergoing other health treatments that would render their eggs unviable.
On Tuesday, Acting Health Minister James Merlino said the government would allow IVF clinics to resume their full services "as quickly as possible", but refused to provide a time frame.
"We'll return those services as quickly as possible. We're doing work right now on that."
About one in 20 Australian children are born through IVF treatment, according to University of New South Wales research published in 2020.
The medical director of Melbourne IVF, Fleur Cattrall, and another fertility specialist, Lynn Burmeister, said the ban on new IVF treatments would do little to help the state's health system battle a surge in COVID-19 hospital admissions.
"Our scientists, counsellors and fertility staff don't have the skill set to work on COVID wards," Dr Cattrall said.
Dr Burmeister said every month that passed was "very precious" for would-be parents.
"It's also emotionally draining," she said.
Decision 'cruel and heartless', Opposition Leader says
Another IVF Victorian patient, Kim Stolke, said she was undergoing the treatment having endured several miscarriages.
Ms Stolke, 39, said she feared the 90-day IVF ban would ruin her hopes of a successful pregnancy.
"That one month can be that time where we get that egg, and it goes in, and it works. You don't know when it's going to be your time," she said.
On Tuesday, federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said he had concerns about the Victorian government's decision to halt IVF treatments, while state Opposition Leader Matthew Guy described the ban as "cruel and heartless".
