THE HAGUE (ANP) – Women who have oocytes but cannot bear fruit on their own will in future be able to be reimbursed by basic insurance for an in vitro fertilization process with a surrogate mother. Health Minister Ernst Kuipers plans to adopt a board from the Health Care Institute to expand the basic package with IVF surrogacy. He will do so as soon as the Child, Surrogacy and Descent Bill comes into effect, he told midwives’ umbrella organization KNOV.
At the same time, Kuipers indicates that he still does not want IVF surrogacy reimbursed by primary care when it comes to other family forms such as male couples, single future fathers or trans people. The Zorginstituut supports it, also because otherwise there would be legal inequality.
The minister understands that these groups may also wish to have children, enlisting the help of an IVF surrogate mother. But in these situations it’s not a medical indication, and that’s the basis on which health insurance reimburses, says Kuipers. However, he also sees the attention now being paid to these situations. “This calls for a larger discussion,” which he wants to address. He will soon be sending a letter on the matter to the House of Representatives.
In in vitro fertilization, fertilization (with an egg and a sperm) takes place in the laboratory. The embryo is then transferred back to the uterus.
