IVF age limit raised to 42

The NHS will extend the age limit for women seeking IVF following advice about conception after treatment

Updated NICE guidelines issued today suggest the age limit for women undergoing fertility treatment should be raised from 39 to 42.

The NHS will extend the upper age limit for IVF by three years following advice that claims many women in their late 30s and early 40s could conceive after treatment.

The shift in guidelines will see thousands of women given the chance to conceive without having to pay up to £8,000 for treatment.

'The aim of these new and updated recommendations is to ensure that everyone who has problems with fertility has access to the best levels of help,' says Dr Gill Leng, from NICE.

The move will help eradicate the postcode lottery for IVF treatment by broadening the criteria for treatment on the NHS.

This will include people preparing for cancer treatment, those suffering from infectious disease such as Hepatitis B or HIV and those who are unable to have intercourse.

The guidance will also give same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexual couples when it comes to conception.

'Infertility is a medical condition that can cause significant distress for those trying to have a baby,' says Dr Leng. 'However, in many cases infertility can be treated effectively.' MORE HEALTH NEWS