Fertility and assisted conception
NHS Bournemouth and Poole and NHS Dorset have a Joint Assisted Conception policy which defines what assisted conception treatments are offered in Dorset and sets out the eligibility criteria for patients wishing to access these services. In developing the policy available clinical evidence, existing guidelines, local clinical and public opinion were all taken into account.
Assisted conception technologies and techniques that are supported in Dorset are:
- Intra-uterine Insemination (IUI);
- In-vitro Fertilisation (IVF);
- Intra-cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI);
- Percutaneous Epididymal Sperm Aspiration (PESA) / Testicular Sperm Extraction (TESE) and associated cryopreservation techniques, for full information please consult the policy.
Any exceptions to this policy will be applied in accordance with the Joint Policy for Commissioning Treatments for Individual Patients.
In the general population (which includes people with fertility problems), it is estimated that 84% of women would conceive within one year of trying. This rises cumulatively to 92% after two years and 93% after three years.
Infertility can be primary, in couples who have never conceived, or secondary, in couples who have previously conceived. It is estimated that infertility affects one in seven couples in the UK. It appears that there has been no major change in the prevalence of fertility problems but that more people now seek help for such problems than did so previously.
Couples experiencing secondary infertility may use gynaecological investigation to determine a cause, and may have hormonal treatment if clinically appropriate but will not be eligible for assisted conception.
Couples experiencing primary infertility may be entitled to assisted conception (IVF or similar) if they jointly meet all the access criteria for treatment.
If the cause of infertility is unknown in most instances referral to a gynaecological department cannot occur until the couple have been trying for a period of more than two years.
