OCTOBER 13, 2024

Stronger commitments to fertility care needed in B.C. election promises

VANCOUVER – The Fertility Coalition of BC (FCBC) is encouraging voters to review

where each political party stands on helping people grow their families before they cast

their ballots in the provincial election on October 19.

While the FCBC applauds the commitments from the BC NDP and Conservative Party

of BC to fund in-vitro fertilization (IVF), more needs to be done to help remove financial

barriers to fertility care and treatment.

“Everyone in B.C. deserves access to fertility care and support to start or grow their

family, no matter who they love or how much money they make,” said Penny Blesch,

FCBC founder. “Many people have spent their life savings and gone through years of

treatments to fulfill their dream of having children. While there have been good first

steps, we believe all voters should think about how our leaders will continue removing

barriers to parenthood.”

While one-in-six families worldwide struggle to conceive, regardless of where they live

or their socioeconomic status, many more British Columbians require access to fertility

treatments beyond a medical diagnosis, such as single parents by choice, 2SLGBTQ+

couples, and those requiring fertility preservation for medical reasons.

One cycle of treatment costs $15,000 to $20,000 in B.C., with the average patient

requiring two-to-three rounds to be successful.

The BC NDP, through its election platform and provincial budget, has promised to

launch a new publicly-funded IVF program, funding both treatment and medication for a

single cycle, beginning in April 2025. The Conservatives have promised to provide

funding for a second round of IVF treatments, including for clinics outside the province,

while working to expand capacity in B.C. The BC Greens have not made any

commitments to fertility care.

No matter which party is successful in the provincial election, the FCBC is urging the

next B.C. government to take these additional actions:

• Include other treatments, specifically Intrauterine Insemination (IUI), in

public coverage: Coverage of three rounds of IUI first would reduce costs, be

less invasive than IVF, and in many cases, be just as effective, particularly for

same-sex female couples.

• Cover multiple rounds of IVF: While parties are currently promising 1-2 rounds

of treatment, many patients require three rounds to be successful.

• Make funding more equitable: Means-tested support for fertility treatments

could help ensure more rounds of treatment are covered and that public funds

are better allocated to families most in need of financial support.

• Build out support systems for pregnancy loss: Adequate support systems

must be in place in the health care system, beyond paid time off, in response to

the potential that more IVF treatments could lead to additional miscarriages.

• Lower wait times for diagnostic tools: Fundamental tools such as

hysterosalpingography (HSG) already have long waitlists to access them. The

government will need to take steps to ensure the increased demand for fertility

treatments does not result in even longer waitlists.

While asking voters to consider how parties will remove barriers to parenthood, the

FCBC also stands ready to work together with the next government on policy to ensure

the most effective delivery of fertility care and treatment for British Columbians.

“We must ensure that the B.C. government, regardless of political stripe, brings fertility

clinics, health experts, patients and their advocates to the table,” said Blesch. “Our

focus will always be on working hand-in-hand on policy that makes parenthood a reality

for more people in our province.”

About the Fertility Coalition of BC (FCBC):

FCBC is a non-partisan, not-for-profit movement that recognizes the provision of high-quality services for

family-planning, including fertility care services, is one of the core elements of reproductive health. Our

mission is to unite British Columbians behind removing financial barriers and providing equitable access

to fertility care and treatment. FCBC founder Penny Blesch is the former COO of a leading fertility clinic in

Vancouver.

May, 2022

The Fertility Coalition of BC Applauds BC Liberal's New Policy to Fund IVF

VANCOUVER Canada - As a non-partisan coalition advocating for access to fertility treatments in the province, the Fertility Coalition of BC (FCBC) welcomes today's BC opposition government announcement to fund in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. 

FCBC strongly encourages the Premier and BC Ministry of Health to change their government's stance by taking a hard look at the facts: infertility is a medically recognized condition, and the lack of government-funded IVF program has resulted in gross inequality of care for people living in British Columbia.

“Having spent my life savings and six years of treatment to conceive my child I believe that having a child should not be considered a privilege for only those that can afford it.” Says FCBC founder Penny Blesch. “I founded the Fertility Coalition of British Columbia to unite a coalition of fertility stakeholders to lobby the BC government to remove the financial barriers for all British Columbians and to provide everyone with equal and equitable access to fertility care and treatment.

The lack of funding for fertility care has disproportionately impacted LGBTQ2S+ people, low-income women, and those who through no fault of their own find themselves diagnosed or suffering from infertility. Unlike their peers living in Ontario and Quebec, British Columbians have had to pay out of pocket for expensive medical procedures in order to have a child. This uneven medical coverage based on geography alone is an injustice and needs to be immediately addressed. 

“Fertility challenges have a significant impact on one’s mental health, personal relationships, and productivity at work. The cost of fertility treatment is the leading barrier to accessing fertility care in Canada. Supporting individuals and families with the up-front, out-of-pocket cost of the treatment needed to help all British Columbians with their desire to have a baby is long overdue and we applaud the BC Liberal party for making family building a priority.” Carolynn Dube, Executive Director, Fertility Matters Canada.

We believe that access to fertility treatments in British Columbia should no longer be a privilege and look forward to working with all elected officials in BC to make this a reality.

For media interviews, please contact: Penny Blesch, Founder of Fertility Coalition of BC

Phone: 778-668-8121 Email: plblesch@gmail.com