Conceiving Policy Design: Perspectives From Women Pursuing IVF in British Columbia

People experiencing infertility often face challenges accessing treatment, such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), especially in contexts where treatments are not funded by government or public health insurance plans. Using an original survey, this paper examines barriers to accessing IVF in British Columbia (BC), a province that recently announced that it would start funding IVF, beginning in fiscal year 2025/26. The survey findings highlight the financial, geographic and personal barriers that limit access to treatment. BC's new publicly funded IVF program should address patient challenges related to upfront costs, regional variation in the unaffordability of treatment and existing research related to embryo transfer limits in other provinces.