Health bosses to resume fertility funding in west Hertfordshire

In line with national guidance, elective fertility services have been halted across – with only fertility preservation and essential follow-up of existing patients continuing since March.

But on Thursday, July 23, a meeting of the Herts Valleys CCG board – which commissions the services in west Hertfordshire – gave the go-ahead for the services to re-start.

Miranda Strutters, consultant in public health, told the board that services had been paused because the risk of carrying on treatment – in bringing patients into a clinical setting – was considered too high.

And, she said, the impact of the infection on the foetus was not known.

She said that private specialist fertility clinics had already started offering services to their patients – and now to NHS patients.

And it was said that there were a number of couples who had had their treatment on pause during this period.

At the meeting it was noted that delays to restarting IVF could negatively impact on outcomes for fertility patents.

And the board backed the plans to re-start funding for elective fertility services.