Eligibility Criteria for Women Aged 40 and Above to Receive Government Co-funding for Assisted Reproduction Technology procedures

Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for Health whether the Ministry will be revising the eligibility criteria for women aged 40 and above to receive Government co-funding for Assisted Reproduction Technology procedures.

Mr Gan Kim Yong: Clinical evidence shows that the rates of conception for a woman who undergoes Assisted Reproduction Technology (ART) treatment decreases with age, and are significantly lower after 40. Therefore, Government co-funding for ART is directed towards couples where the woman is below age 40 on their first attempt, to encourage couples to start their families and seek treatment early.

To better support couples through this process, the ART co-funding scheme was enhanced in January 2020 to allow couples who have undergone assisted reproduction or intra-uterine insemination procedures before the wife turned age 40, to carry out up to two of the six co-funded ART cycles at age 40 or later. We will continue to monitor the clinical evidence and update the eligibility criteria where appropriate.