It’s been almost a year since the B.C. government announced it is going to pay for one round of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) for those struggling to get pregnant naturally, but many details of the funding program have yet to be released.
Penny Blesch is the founder and director of the Fertility Coalition of British Columbia. She got married in 2003 and says almost immediately she tried to grow her family but couldn’t. She underwent multiple rounds of intra-uterine insemination (IUI) and IVF, a heartbreaking journey that lasted several years before the couple welcomed their daughter, who will be 15 this year.
“It was actually a devastating and isolating experience. It changes your future forever. And if you’re entrenched in this journey, you’re either in it or you’re out because it can destroy your whole life.”
Blesch says going through the process was hard on her marriage, which survived. It was challenging emotionally, physically, and financially with the couple having spent roughly $80,000 and nearly being forced to sell their home. She believes the costs are higher today.
B.C. is among the last provinces in Canada to cover fertility treatments. Announced in March last year, the program is slated to begin in April of this year.
The 54-year-old advocate explains she was among those who the province consulted for the program, and while she says the government stepping up to pay for one round is a step in the right direction, it isn’t good enough.
“One cycle is often not enough. Statistically, you need three rounds of IVF,” she explained. “It’s not perfect. Not even close.”
Penny Blesch is the founder and director of the Fertility Coalition of British Columbia. (Supplied)
She says the current information gap is a critical problem, adding some local clinics are getting calls.
“There’s a lack of communication with the progress that has been made and it has not been communicated to the general public. Of course, I’m going to call and say, ‘What’s going on? When can I get in? When is the funding going to kick in? When can I make an appointment?’ And they don’t have answers and it’s leaving these people, who are already vulnerable, [without] an answer,” she said.
“They can’t even plan their future. So, do I pay now and just pray to God that maybe the government will reimburse me? Infertility is time-sensitive.”
Blesch adds that the lack of information isn’t the only barrier people are facing.
“We don’t have enough clinics in British Columbia, especially for people who live outside the Lower Mainland, they have to travel across the entire province to get to only a few clinics which are extremely busy,” she said.
“Even to be diagnosed is a journey for many people. No one has access to a doctor. How are you going to get even a referral to a fertility expert?”
In addition to calling for funding for more than one round, she’s also calling for costs to be covered for those who are travelling for treatments and for mental health support.
“It was such a horrible time in my life because all of my friends were having babies and I watched every single one of my friends get pregnant and they all knew I was trying to get pregnant and towards the end because it took years, they’d be on their second pregnancy and they wouldn’t tell me. They’d keep it away.
“People stopped telling me they were pregnant because they didn’t want to hurt me … but it caused me so much pain to witness other women being pregnant.”
Regardless of how painful the road to parenthood can be, Blesch says, for her, it was worth it.
“It was the best thing I ever did in my life.”
In an email to 1130 NewsRadio, the Ministry of Health did not say what the official launch date was, eligibility criteria, potential age cut-off, or a timeline for more information to be released. Adding, the total funding set aside in last year’s budget for this was $68 million.
This article is part of a series of stories about IVF. If you are currently looking to take part in the B.C. program and are interested in sharing your story, please reach out to reporter Sonia Aslam.