Experts to examine if single women should have access to IVF for free on NHS in Scotland

A group of experts are looking at whether single women in Scotland should be able to receive In vitro fertilisation (IVF) on the NHS.

The treatment is currently only available for free to couples across the country who meet certain criteria, such as being in a stable relationship and having a healthy weight.

Those who meet the criteria, which can be found in full here, can receive up to three rounds of IVF treatment on the NHS.

Private fertility care is available throughout Scotland but costs tens of thousands of pounds.

The National Fertility Group – experts in the field from the NHS, government and charities – have asked Public Health Scotland to carry out work to understand the “eligibility, demand and cost” of expanding IVF.

It will then make its recommendations to ministers at Holyrood where a decision will be made.

IVF treatment was last expanded in 2017 and could be expanded further again. Getty Images

Each year about 7,000 patients and partners are referred from primary care to secondary and tertiary care across Scotland with about 4,300 treatments performed in the four NHS tertiary Fertility Centres located in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

According to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, around 2,800 single women went through IVF in 2021 across the whole UK – making up a fraction of the total. But the regulator said that was an increase of 44% from 2019.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Access to NHS IVF treatment in Scotland is the most generous in the UK with all new eligible couples able to access up to three full cycles of NHS IVF treatment.

“The National Fertility Group have asked Public Health Scotland to model the eligibility, demand and cost implications of expansion of NHS IVF treatment for single people.

“The Group will then make recommendations to Ministers on what is required to expand treatment to single people.”

The last major change to IVF in Scotland was in 2017 when ministers upped the number of cycles women under 40 could receive for free from two to three.

Women aged between 40 and 42 are allowed to have one round.

Public Health Scotland has been approached for comment.