LATVIA —-
Last year, 260 births took place as a result of the medical insemination program paid for by the state, the National Health Service (NVD) informs. At the same time, NVD explains that the number of babies born could also be higher, because the statistics do not include information about births that took place in foreign countries and paid births, and it should also be taken into account that women after the age of 35 are provided with the opportunity to transfer two embryos.
This year, more than 2.5 million euros are planned from the state budget to provide the service, which will provide the opportunity to perform 1,400 state-paid medical fertilization procedures. Thanks to the funding granted last year and this year, the service can now be received without long waiting in line. If a couple or a woman has applied to a fertilization clinic, the medical fertilization procedure can be started in about one month.
Taking into account the demand for the service, the demographic policy and the experience of other countries in providing the medical fertilization service, the age up to which women can receive the service at state funds was increased last year, i.e. the procedure is performed for women up to 40 years old (previously – up to 37 years old). Thanks to the increase of the age threshold, the number of women registered in the queue in the age group from 35 to 40 years has increased.
In NVD’s last year’s survey* on the experience of medical insemination service recipients, 91% of the surveyed women praised the service, giving a rating of 7 to 10 points. For the first time, 60% of the surveyed women performed a state-paid fertilization procedure, while for the second time – 38%. At the same time, 28% of women indicated that they had previously performed medical fertilization for a fee.
Consultations of specialist doctors and the necessary examinations to determine the diagnosis of infertility are paid for from state funds, after which the path to a state-funded medical fertilization procedure is started. This service is provided by several medical institutions in Latvia: clinic “EGV”; clinic “Northway”; “My Clinic Riga” clinic; “iVF Riga” clinic; “AVA Clinic” clinic; reproductive medicine center “Embryons”.
In general, since 2012, when the state-paid medical fertilization program was introduced in Latvia, until January 2023, almost 7 thousand fertilization procedures have been performed. According to the information provided by medical institutions, a positive result of the procedure can be observed in about half of the cases.
More information about the state-paid medical fertilization service can be found in the “Medical fertilization” section of the NVD website www.vmnvd.gov.lv.
