Fertility treatments to return, women under 35 excluded
The process will begin with women above the age of 39, as well as fertility treatments that do not involve surgical procedures for women over 35.
By TAMAR URIEL-BEERIPregnant woman (Illustrative)(photo credit: PIXABAY)
Fertility treatments in hospitals will gradually be returned to full functionality starting next week, the Health Ministry announced.The process will begin with women above the age of 39, as well as for fertility treatments that do not involve surgical procedures for women over 35.The decision was recommended by the National Council on Women's Medicine, the Israeli Union for Fertility Research, and the Israeli Union for Obstetricians and Gynecologists, who initiated the move after fertility treatments were frozen due to the COVID-19 crisis. The only such treatments offered amid the pandemic were fertility preservations for cancer patients.Many in the community of women attempting to receive fertility treatment were furious at the decision, saying that it is arbitrary, as approximately three in every four women seeking treatment will not receive it.Different countries throughout the world have had mixed responses regarding fertility treatment during the coronavirus crisis. Australia, according to Mako, continued fertility treatments as usual, while most of Europe has stopped them entirely.Likud MK Sharren Haskel, who has previously stated that she is undergoing fertility treatment, praised outgoing Health Minister Ya'acov Litzman for the decision. She thanked him for taking the first step, but clarified that it is only the first step.
