Voortplanting anno 2012: in vivo of in vitro?

The Dutch Minister of Health has proposed reducing the number of reimbursed in vitro fertilisation (IVF) cycles per couple from 3 to 1, in order to save 30 million euros per year. In the Netherlands, the number of IVF cycles has increased by 50% in the past 13 years, resulting in, on average, one child conceived through IVF in every classroom today. The increase in the number of IVF treatments is also caused by expansion of the indications for IVF, despite the lack of evidence proving the effectiveness of IVF for some of these indications. In a time of financial constraint, the restriction of reimbursed indications would be fairer than reducing the number of reimbursed treatments with IVF or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) for all couples.

Conflict of interest: none declared. Financial support: none declared.