Unanswered questions abound as B.C. gets closer to rolling out free IVF program
Posted April 23, 2025 7:26 am.
Last Updated April 23, 2025 7:30 am.
In less than two months, the provincial government’s publicly funded in vitro fertilization (IVF) program is set to begin taking applications, but while marking Infertility Awareness Week, one doctor says there are still too many unknowns.
Dr. Ghadeer Akbar is a specialist at Grace Fertility Clinic in Vancouver. She tells 1130 NewsRadio that the waiting list at the clinic is growing, which shows demand and how desperate some people are for help.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO 1130 NEWSRADIO VANCOUVER LIVE!While a lot of the details haven’t been publicly released yet, she feels that two things that are known should be changed. Akbar wants the cut-off age raised from 42 to 43 years old and thinks the province should offer at least two free rounds of IVF. Currently, it’s just one.
“I think patients should start looking at IVF at an earlier stage in their lives, and there is room for doing more. We know for a fact that when it comes to one’s fertility, especially that we’re dealing with eggs — it’s all about how young the eggs are at the time of presentation. The younger the couple, the better the reproductive outcome, so I would say below 32,” she explained.
The application steps include:
- Review the eligibility requirements
- Contact your health care provider to discuss your fertility concerns or needs
- Request a referral for consultation with an IVF specialist at a participating B.C. fertility clinic
- Complete a consultation with a participating B.C. fertility specialist
- Complete any recommended diagnostic testing or mandatory treatments as determined by your B.C. fertility specialist
- Complete other fertility treatments first, if recommended by your B.C. fertility specialist
Akbar applauds the province for providing funding, but she says the delay in the program can be detrimental.
“Do not wait. We did not expect the delay. Nobody did. I don’t know what will happen in July — nobody knows. Hopefully, we get things started, but the fact that people are delaying just to get into the April coverage and then that April got pushed to July — it makes a difference,” she said.
“Me, as a scientist, I know that eggs have an age factor, so then I will deal with a lower outcome, unfortunately.”
She adds that the delays and ensuing worse outcomes can be emotionally taxing.
“It is a bit of a disappointment. I can see that when I talk to my patients and tell them there was a delay, so we have to wait, most patients are still optimistic, but from my end, I have to educate my patients, and I have to tell them, ‘It does make a difference. It does make a difference with the number of eggs I would be collecting, it does make a difference with the birth rate, and the quality of embryos that are created,'” Akbar said.
“Three months does make a difference, especially when we are dealing with anyone above the age of 37, and we know the majority of our patients, especially in B.C., we are talking about 38 and above.”
Akbar recently spoke to a couple in their early 40s and had to be clear that the delay could affect their chances of starting a family.
“I cannot promise anyone, anything. We are still not clear who is covered, who’s not. Who’s eligible, who’s not. Again, we are talking about just the one cycle, so how much can I do with a delayed decision? Every three months counts.”
She encourages anyone to look past the stigma and to take charge of their reproductive health, adding that if IVF is not an option immediately, consider freezing eggs, which isn’t covered in B.C.
B.C.’s Ministry of Health says it hit pause on the program as it tries to figure out a number of details — including which clinics will be taking part, funding models for those who are approved, and whether surrogacy will be included.
“This is a brand-new program with many factors and issues to consider, and we’re making sure these details are worked out and finalized,” the ministry said in a statement to 1130 NewsRadio. “We know that timing is incredibly important to people wanting to start a family. We recognize the delay in the program launch can add an extra layer of complexity to an already involved process.”
The IVF program was announced in the spring of 2024 with the province setting aside $68 million over two years. Applications will begin to be accepted as of July 2.
