Warrnambool couple welcomes IVF funding promise

Ellie Read, 40, and her partner Matt Baker have been on a roller coaster of emotions since first deciding to try IVF in 2020.

Ms Read first decided to freeze her eggs in 2018 after she lost an ovary and a fallopian tube during surgery to remove a cyst.

"It gave me anxiety about my fertility," she said.

In January 2021, she underwent a transfer, which failed.

"In July or August 2021 I underwent the drugs for the transfer and on the day of the transfer the embryo didn't defrost," Ms Read said.

"In January 2022 I did another egg retrieval and there were five eggs, two fertilised but were not the best quality. We decided to transfer the best one anyway. It failed and the other wasn't good enough to be frozen. I had nothing again. It was devastating.

"I was fortunate in January that I had already started the medication when the code brown came in so I didn't have that set back."

Ms Read said she decided to seek a second opinion on the couple's struggles and had an egg retrieval two weeks ago at a new fertility clinic.

"We have two high quality frozen embryos right and and we are awaiting the results of some chromosome tests," she said.

"I finally have hope that a baby will be in our future and I won't have to use an egg donor."

Ms Read said welcomed a commitment by the state opposition to offer up to $4500 to women undergoing fertility treatment.

She said she and her partner had done everything they could to cover the cost of the treatment.

"It is a choice - between holidays or going out for dinner and entertainment and the expense of IVF," she said.

"Most clinics you have to have the money upfront and wait for a Medicare rebate to come back to you.

"There are then further costs, medication, plus holistic treatments like acupuncture and vitamins, there's hospital costs and anaesthesiologists, fuel to travel for the procedures and often accommodation the night before if your procedure is very early in the morning."

Ms Read said in addition to that the treatment and failed rounds took a toll on the couple's mental health.

"It is a roller coaster of hope and loss of all hope," she said.

"I cried daily after embryos don't stick, you feel like it will never happen there is no reason. You gain weight and don't feel like seeing anybody, ashamed of the toll it's taken on your body.

"You give yourself multiple needles each day, your bloated and covered in bruises, plus the medication impacting your mood. You put up a guard to babies and feel uncomfortable and a bit sad when you hold other people's babies, because I don't want to know how nice it feels to care that much - in case I never get it for myself."

Ms Read said she believed the opposition's promise of funding would ensure people could achieve their dream of having a family.

"IVF takes up all your space and the ability to have a little less worry, stress or anxiety around it just gives people back some power to get through the process as normally as possible," she said.

State opposition leader Matthew Guy said too many families were being left in an unacceptable position of choosing between starting a family or supporting household budgets.

He has promised:

"Our plan means an easier road to starting a family for thousands of Victorians," Mr Guy said.

Opposition health spokeswoman Georgie Crozier said the plan would provide the flexible support women and families undergoing IVF deserve.

"Cost should never be a barrier for starting a family and our plan will go a long way to help ease the financial and emotional stress of IVF and fertility treatments," she said.

"Women don't want to interrupt their treatment and start again at a new facility. Our plan will allow women to continue receiving the treatment they want at the clinic they want it."

A state government spokesman said it was making it easier for more families to achieve their dream of becoming parents by establishing the first public fertility care service in Victoria.

"IVF can help people who want to become parents achieve their dreams, but too often and for too many, it's financially out of reach," the spokesman said.

"That's why we're removing the financial barrier faced by too many families and making IVF easier, fairer and more affordable.

"Last year we invested $70 million to establish public fertility care services in Victoria and work is already well underway to get these services up and running this year, which will help up to 4000 Victorians every year.

"Matthew Guy's half-baked proposal will still leave Victorian families thousands of dollars out of pocket, while our policy will see families save on average $10,000 each."

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