Frequently asked questions

Am I eligible?

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: 

• Are under 35 years of age and have tried to become pregnant for a year or more and have not been successful 
• Are between 35 and 42 years of age and have tried to become pregnant for 6 months or more and have not been successful 
• Have a diagnosed condition causing you to have lowered fertility such as 

• Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) 
• Endometriosis 
• A low sperm count 

• Have had recurrent miscarriages and do not have any children 
• Have or are a carrier of a single gene disorder (eg. cystic fibrosis, fragile X) and will therefore require embryo testing 
• Need fertility preservation due to medical treatment (eg. cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy)* 
• Need access to donor or surrogacy services (eg. single people or LGBTQI+ couples) 

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). 

Do I need to live in the Monash Health catchment?

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. . From 1 July 2024 until our laboratory facilities are fully operational referrals for Monash Health will be directed to the Royal Women’s Hospital.

Monash Health Fertility provides fertility services to residents of the following Local Government Areas: 

Are same-sex couples eligible?

Yes 

Are single men and women eligible?

Yes. A public egg and sperm bank service has been established at the Royal Women’s Hospital. Please refer to the Royal Women’s for further information.

Where would I/we go for treatment and appointments?

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 the Women’s while the lab at Monash Medical Centre is constructed.

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.

What fertility services does Monash Health Fertility offer?

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: 

• Diagnostic and/or therapeutic examinations for women 
• Diagnostic examinations for men 
• Diet and lifestyle management 
• Counselling 
• In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF)
• Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)
• Pre-implantation genetic testing for monogenic conditions (PGT-M)
• Ovulation Induction (OI)
• Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)
• Surrogacy
• Cryopreservation

I want to freeze my eggs. Can Monash Fertility Services do this for me?

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). 

Do I need a referral?

Yes, you need a referral from a GP or gynaecologist to access Monash Health Fertility Services.

The Royal Women’s requires all investigations to be completed prior to referral. Please check The Women’s website for a list of investigations required, to ensure referrals are not delayed.

How soon will I be seen after I’m referred to Monash Health Fertility Services?

From 1 July 2024, all referrals for public fertility services will be triaged by the Royal Women’s Hospital.

This referral will be triaged and your care will be allocated to either The Women’s or Monash Health Fertility, depending on suitability and availability.

This arrangement will remain in place until construction of Monash Health Fertility’s new laboratories is complete in 2025.

I have cancer and require fertility preservation – is there a priority access program?

Upon receipt of referral from your GP or gynaecologist, it will be reviewed and you will be placed onto a 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. 

I’m already having fertility treatment through a private provider. Can I switch?

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. 

Is there a cost involved?

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.  

Will the Government pay for the private cycle I’ve just started or about to start?

No, the funding only covers patients through Monash Health Fertility.

Can I be reimbursed for past private treatment?

This is a newly funded program. Reimbursement for prior ART treatment is not available. 

Is there a maximum number of cycles?

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).

How successful is fertility treatment?

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.  

I am a GP/gynaecologist. Where can I find more information? 

GPs and specialists can read about the referral process on the ‘Information for referrers’ page or from 1 July 2024 at The Women’s referral information page.