Public Fertility Care makes parenthood possible for more Victorians. Ask your GP for a referral.
Until now, fertility services have been out of reach for many Victorians wanting to try for a family. Public Fertility Care is here to make fertility assessments and treatments – like IVF – affordable and easier to access for more Victorians.
To access Public Fertility Care, speak to your GP or relevant specialist about a referral. The cost of care will be free, but there may be some out of pocket costs for medication and specialist tests if required.
This service could help if you:
- need fertility support but it's financially out of reach
- live in rural and regional areas in Victoria
- need donor services or altruistic surrogacy support, such as LGBTIQA+ and single people
- need fertility preservation due to medical treatment, such as people with cancer and people undergoing gender affirming treatment
- need genetic testing because you're a known carrier of medical conditions that may pose a threat to the life of your child.
Eligibility
To be eligible for Public Fertility Care, you must:
- be a current resident in Victoria
- hold a Medicare card
- have a referral from a GP or specialist.
The clinical access criteria are:
- You must be aged 42 years or younger, using your own eggs, or less than 51 years and seeking to use donor eggs (the donor eggs must be 42 years or younger at the time of collection).
- There is a maximum of 2 treatment cycles per person per lifetime. This is to ensure Victorians experiencing infertility have a fair chance of creating a family through the public service.
The clinical criteria are designed to provide Victorians with fair and equitable access to Public Fertility Care. They are based on research and clinical best practice.
Cost
The cost of care will be free, but there may be some out of pocket costs for medication and specialist tests, such as diagnostics if required.
How to access
If you are interested in Public Fertility Care, speak to your GP or relevant specialist about a referral.
If you are eligible, you will be referred to a fertility specialist at one of the participating health services.
Types of services
Public Fertility Care services include:
- intrauterine insemination, IVF and intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment cycles
- less invasive fertility treatments before IVF or ICSI treatment
- pre-treatment testing, counselling and fertility information
- donor services, supported by the establishment of Australia's first public egg and sperm bank
- altruistic surrogacy support
- fertility preservation where medical treatment may compromise fertility, including cancer treatment and gender affirming treatment
- genetic testing for people who are known carriers of serious medical conditions.
The Royal Women's Hospital is partnering with health services across the state to provide Victorians with a range of fertility care services closer to home (such as fertility consultations, diagnostic tests, and ultrasounds). The exact range of services available will differ between health services, and patients are supported by telehealth where appropriate.
To find out what health services are available near you, visit the provider website:
- Royal Women's
- Monash
- Northern Health –
- Mildura Base
- South West Healthcare
- Barwon Health
- Goulburn Valley Health
- Grampians Health
- Western Health .
About egg, sperm and embryo donation
Bring the possibility of parenthood to more Victorians by registering your interest in becoming a donor through Public Fertility Care.
Becoming an egg, sperm or embryo donor is your opportunity to give someone a chance to start or grow their own family.
See Become a donor with Public Fertility Care to find out more about the specific eligibility criteria for donating.
Embryo donation
In some cases, you may already have access to an egg that has been fertilised with sperm – that is, an embryo.
If you are sure you no longer need or want your embryo(s), you may choose to donate. You can ask for your embryo(s) to be transferred to the public egg and sperm bank at the Royal Women's Hospital.
You can also donate your embryo(s) to someone you know. Staff at the public egg and sperm bank at Royal Women's Hospital will advise you on what steps you will need to take.
Rights and obligations
The Assisted Reproductive Treatment Act provides certain requirements for egg, sperm and embryo donations and donor treatment procedures occurring in Victoria.
It outlines rights and obligations for donors, recipients of donations and any donor-conceived children. This includes their rights and obligations in relation to access to information.
It is important you think about your contact preferences before you donate. For example, who you'd like to access your identifying information, and how you'd like to be contacted if someone (such as the recipient of your egg, sperm or embryo donation) wishes to connect with you.
Where to get help
This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:
