Fertility help for the armed forces

If you’re having difficulty getting pregnant, you could be faced with extra challenges if you’re in the armed forces. To help you overcome these hurdles, we’d like to make you aware of the help that’s available, including funding support.

What are the options?

Fertility preservation:

If you are not ready to grow your family just yet, but want to protect that option for the future, fertility preservation via cryostorage of your sperm or eggs may be the solution. At TFP Thames Valley Fertility we have the facilities to obtain, prepare and store these precious samples for up to 10 years.

Fertility treatment:

If you are ready to grow your family now we offer the full range of fertility treatments. Treatment options are personalised depending on your circumstances and the level of intervention required.

You may be entitled to NHS funding via the Armed Forces Families’ Programme, otherwise you can self fund any treatment yourself.

What funding am I entitled to?

Access to standard NHS funding for IVF treatment can be problematic for military families, who are often moving around the country or even further afield. However, if one person in a couple is a member of the armed forces, this is dealt with separately to the normal NHS funding process. Depending on certain other criteria, if the woman is aged under 40, three full cycles of IVF may be fully funded and if the woman is aged between 40 and 42, one full cycle of IVF may be fully funded. Please refer to the NHS Assisted Conception Policy for the full funding criteria.

Do I need to see my GP to apply?

For armed forces couples, a local or military GP is often the first port of call for fertility treatment. If you see a local GP, make sure you ask to enter the Armed Forces Families’ Programme. To prevent the application process stalling, it’s a good idea to ask your military GP for a letter on headed paper clearly stating which one of you is serving.

If you are planning on self funding your treatment a referral is not necessary. However, we recommend you obtain copies of any previous test results.

How will my application proceed?

After seeing your GP and completing a full set of tests, you’ll be referred to a secondary care fertility clinic, where the application process will continue. Depending on your test results and continued eligibility, you’ll then be able to choose an approved specialist clinic – such as TFP Thames Valley Fertility – to receive your treatment at.

Once referred to us we will immediately register you as a patient with us to initiate your fertility treatment.

Can TFP Thames Valley Fertility help?

Yes – we have experience providing treatment to couples in the armed forces and appreciate the additional challenges you can face.

To find out more, including whether you may be entitled to funding, please contact us.