A woman’s age is the most important factor in her ability to become pregnant and deliver a healthy baby. Over 40 years of age, the chance of a woman delivering a baby through Assisted Reproductive Treatment is about 5%. As such, services at Monash Health Fertility are only available to those women who are 42 years of age or under.
You are eligible for Monash Health Fertility services if you are a Victorian resident who holds a Medicare card and you:
The Victorian Government will provide funding for patients to undertake up to 2 stimulated cycles. A ‘stimulated cycle’ includes all the activities undertaken in order to grow follicles and collect eggs which are then frozen, or, fertilised through IVF, or ICSI.
*Monash Health Fertility does not provide egg freezing for non-medical or ‘personal’ reasons (such as a woman wishing to save her eggs in order to use them to have a baby at a more appropriate time in the future).
Monash Health Fertility services Victorians who reside in the eastern and south eastern Local Government Areas as listed below. The Royal Women’s Hospital service the remainder of the state. Referrers are asked to place referrals with the appropriate health service.
Monash Health Fertility provides fertility services to residents of the following Local Government Areas:
Yes
Yes, however in the first instance, it is the patient’s responsibility to source a sperm/egg donor. A Sperm and Egg Bank service will be introduced through the Royal Women’s Hospital in coming months. Please refer to the Royal Women’s for further information.
Your initial appointment will be with your GP or gynaecologist for a referral.
Monash Health Fertility services will be delivered from Monash Medical Centre Clayton, Moorabbin Hospital, and from our partner, City Fertility at their Notting Hill and Dandenong locations.
For patients from regional and rural areas, services such as pathology and radiology services will be facilitated through local service providers wherever possible.
Unless undergoing an essential onsite consultation or procedure, telehealth will be provided as an option to all patients.
Monash Health Fertility can help individuals and couples who have fertility issues to identify its cause, and subsequently, provide the most appropriate treatment to help create the family they desire.
Our services include:
Monash Health Fertility does not provide egg freezing for non-medical or ‘personal’ reasons (such as a woman wishing to save her eggs in order to use them to have a baby at a more appropriate time in the future).
Yes, you need a referral from a GP or gynaecologist to access Monash Health Fertility Services.
See your GP or gynaecologist from 18 October 2022 for a referral to Monash Health Fertility.
We expect there will be strong demand for services at Monash Health Fertility.
Upon receipt of referral from your GP or gynaecologist, it will be reviewed by a member of our clinical team and you will be placed on our service waitlist. Notification of this process will be provided to both patient and referrer.
Where a patient has been diagnosed with cancer and requires immediate fertility preservation, their referral will be escalated.
All other patients will be seen in accordance with their position on the waitlist.
When referred to Monash Health Fertility, your doctor will have provided you with referrals for blood tests and pelvic ultrasound or semen test. Please do not undertake these tests until you have been contacted by our Monash Health Fertility team who will book your first consultation with a Fertility Specialist and also coordinate your other tests.
Again, please note that there is high demand for this service. While referrals are open to all, due to the time sensitive nature of fertility management, it is advised that you continue to pursue fertility treatment options outside of this publicly funded fertility service.
We understand this can be a difficult and emotional time and we request that our staff are treated with respect at all times.
Upon receipt of referral from your GP or gynaecologist, it will be reviewed by a member of our clinical team and you will be placed on our service waitlist. Notification of this process will be provided to both patient and referrer.
Where a patient has been diagnosed with cancer and requires immediate access to the fertility preservation service, their referral will be escalated.
All other patients will be seen in accordance with their position on the waitlist.
Please note that there is high demand for this service. Due to the time sensitive nature of fertility management, it is advised that you continue to pursue fertility treatment options outside of this publicly funded fertility service.
Importantly, any contractual (including financial) agreement a patient has with a private fertility service provider cannot be revoked.
Victorian Government funding will cover costs for all fertility services. There may however be an out-of -pocket cost to patients for their fertility medication.
No, the funding only covers patients through Monash Health Fertility.
This is a newly funded program. Reimbursement for prior ART treatment is not available.
The Victorian Government will provide funding for patients to undertake up to 2 stimulated cycles in their lifetime. A ‘stimulated cycle’ includes all the activities undertaken in order to grow follicles and collect eggs which are then frozen, or fertilised through In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) or Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI).
Data from a 2021 publication from the Australia and New Zealand Assisted Reproductive Database (ANZARD) shows that in 2019 there were 88,929 ART treatment cycles reported from Australian and New Zealand fertility clinics in 2019 (81,049 and 7,880 respectively).
Of these, 73,401 (82.5%) had a successful outcome where either an embryo was created and could be transferred to a woman’s uterus, or, all eggs/embryos were able to be cryopreserved (frozen for later use).
Once an embryo is created using the IVF or ICSI process and then transferred, there is a 35.4% chance of becoming pregnant.
Of the 88,929 ART treatment cycles undertaken, the live birth rate was higher in younger women (36.4% for those younger than 30 years of age) than older women (5.0% for women older than 44 years of age).
IVF success rates vary slightly depending on whether the embryo is transferred directly to the woman, or whether it has been frozen, thawed, and then transferred.
GPs and specialists can read about the referral process on the ‘Information for referrers’ page.