NHS fertility discrimination

[OceanShore]

Hi everyone,
I have discovered the NHS will pay for a man to have fertility tests over the age of 40 but in many parts of the country the funding for female fertility tests ends at 40 or maximum 42. Isn’t this a form of sex/age discrimination?

Well...men and women's fertility isn't the same, though. Much as a woman isn't going to get testicular cancer at 55 but a man might, a woman isn't going to be fertile at 55 but a man might.

Is it because of it being likely women are going through meopause/perimenopause and them doing other tests more related to that?

Also, the whole thing is a postcode lottery anyway. My friend and her husband had to fund their own treatment privately because she was too old in her area to qualify for IVF and fertility help (36).

No, it is not discrimination, because the age and sex of the patient are relevant to deciding if treatment is appropriate.

its because women’s fertility naturally decreases at a younger age than men. The toll of pregnancy is much more significant for a woman than for the small part a man plays in it. It makes perfect sense.

I don't know a huge amount about it, but if a couple are struggling to conceive, I'd imagine they test both (so the man too, of whatever age), but the provision to the couple of IVF is based on the woman's age and likelihood of carrying successfully?

If a man has low sperm motility or whatever, it's about whether it can fertilise an egg and less about what happens afterwards in terms of a successful pregnancy.

Men's sperm obviously can deteriorate, but lots of men can reasonably expect to have babies in their 50s or 60s, which is unfair but that is biology.

They don’t offer women prostate exams, and men don’t get mammograms either.

You are comparing two entirely different tests with two very different medical outcomes. I wouldn’t expect the criteria to be the same other than by coincidence.

Thank you for your responses, it is interesting to get your take on it. I can’t articulate it very well but I do think there is some form of discrimination going on. As an example, a woman for whatever reason does not have children until she gets to about 40, then would like to have them. Beyond the age of 40-42 she cannot get state funded fertility tests or treatment. If she wants them she must pay to get these from a private clinic. A man for whatever reason does not have children until he gets to about 40, then would like to have them. He can still get state funded fertility tests and treatment up to at least the age of 55 in some counties. He does not ever have to pay for these tests privately.

The man will have a partner that is a female of fertile age.

No it's not discrimination. It should be more heavily encouraged for women under 40 to get fertility tests.

But what are you expecting from the tests for 42 year olds?

Either it’s male factor infertility or the tests are going to come back and say you’re too old.

Private clinics will take your money to tell you what you already know and give you treatments that are very unlikely to work.

In your example, the male would only get these tests if his partner is below the cut off age for females.

Discrimination isn’t always negative. I’m discriminated against getting a job as a surgeon or getting UC or racing the 200m in the Paralympics.

it's not discrimination, it's based on facts and evidence. The likelihood of a women above 40 conceiving naturally or via IVF is low, whereas it is more likely a man above 40 with a young partner can conceive. NHS have to draw the line somewhere.

It isn’t discrimination, it’s based on chances of treatment being successful.

the chance of a 40 year old with fertility issues carrying a baby to term is extremely slim.

the chance of a 55 year old man successfully fathering a baby is high.

there is a difference between testing and treatment though. No point even testing a 40 year old woman, because of the above. It’s also complex and invasive.

testing male fertility is quick, inexpensive and easy. The question really is if he does have an issue, does the couple get funding for ivf, icsi etc?

Not discrimination.

NHS has a finite pool of money and resources, so have to prioritise.

Sadly for older women, their chances of conception at the age of 40 and over are far smaller than those of a man.

It would be discrimination to block both sexes from investigations/treatment, when a man is likely to get their desired outcome.

They've got to draw a line somewhere.

It's relevant to car insurance too, but that didn't prevent women-only car insurance from being banned.

Sorry - off the point, but it still rankles 😡