The NHS South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board launched a consultation on reducing the number of IVF cycles available down from two to one, noting the main reason for the proposal is to be cost-effective and in line with other care boards. https://syics.co.uk/.../Seeking_your_views_on_IVF_-_FINAL

This is problematic for several reasons:

1) Creates a Postcode Lottery - Infertility is recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a medical condition. Limiting or denying treatment due to cost or geography can lead to a postcode lottery where some patients get IVF and some do not based on their locality's ICBs policy. Two years ago, the SYICB reduced the number of cycles from three to two cycles to have an 'equal policy' in line (again) with neighbouring ICBs, creating a proposal that is a race to the bottom. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/infertility

2) Evidence - Evidence shows that success rates improve with two full IVF cycles (women under 40). The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends up to three cycles, and by offering only one cycle, this can result in emotional distress and wasted investment if it is unsuccessful and no follow-up is provided, also there is learning from each cycle and treatment protocols can be tailored to improve the chances for subsequent cycles. https://www.nice.org.uk/.../fertility-problems-assessment

3) Mental Health - Infertility can cause significant psychological distress, comparable to other serious health conditions. IVF offers hope and potential resolution with two chances providing better emotional support and reducing the trauma of immediate failure, as there are risks with IVF including Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS), increased chance of multiple pregnancy and multiple failed treatments can also cause emotional distress (services usually include psychological support) https://www.uhsussex.nhs.uk/.../ovarian-hyperstimulation.../

4) Other Financial Costs - Children born via IVF go on to become social contributors, this is not just a personal gain, but a societal one. Emotional and mental health consequences of untreated infertility (mental health, impact on relationships) can cost the NHS and public purse more in the long run.

5) Practicality - Women’s health including fertility treatment are often the first services to be cut, therefore women are not often known whether they have fertility issues until a year after trying to conceive, for example women can be waiting up to an average eight years and ten months to be diagnosed with issues such as endometriosis – which is often linked fertility problems – noting the national average age of women giving birth is increasing into 30s. https://www.endometriosis-uk.org/getting-diagnosed

6) Safety - The consequence of not providing safe and fair IVF treatment opportunities, may mean putting couples/partners at risk of unprotected sex – particularly women with men (if the male has a low fertility) and the creation of unsafe practices offering ‘cheap’ IVF treatment or taking a risk by going to clinics abroad with unknown hygiene and safety records, again also putting women at risk.

7) Class Barriers - Generating a financial barrier for couples to have children (the costs of insemination, egg freezing and accessing private IVF treatment) which many in Doncaster and South Yorkshire cannot afford.

8) Values - This proposal does not marry with two of SYICB's core values as stated "Improve outcomes in population health and health care, Tackle inequalities in outcomes, experience and access."

Whilst the proposed savings are expecting to £100k - £150k per year – there would be many more ‘interventions of limited effectiveness’ that would reap a better and more acceptable saving than this proposal.

Therefore, this petition, alongside the public consultation, is asking for SYICB to drop the proposals and reconsider the three cycles as recommended by NICE. 

Whilst signing petition, please select Option 1 to maintain the existing policy and service offering two cycles for IVF treatment via ICB consultation link:  http://www.bit.ly/ivfcycles

The end date for the consultation is Friday 17th October 2025, and responses will be presented to and debated at the next SYICB Meeting on 5th November 2025.

UPDATE - SYICB have amended the meeting date for when the decision will be taken due to the high number of consultation responses. They have proposed early December.