The Victorian Government is currently reviewing its assisted reproduction legislation, and on the table, amongst other issues, is the question: should Medicare for IVF end once a woman hits 40 years of age?
The argument for capping funding are compelling. The Medicare bucket of cash is not limitless. IVF is expensive, and currently around one in four women who undergo IVF is over 40. Add to that the fact that when you a woman is 30 she has a 37 per cent chance of having a baby via IVF, but that drops to less than eight per cent when a woman hits 40.
So what would happen if Medicare funding for IVF ended when a woman turns 40?
