Ontario Funded Fertility Program

 

Patients may opt to pay privately for fertility treatments; this will not affect their eligibility for the Ontario Funded Program as clinics are responsible for managing their own waitlists and prioritizing patients using the physician’s best clinical judgement.

 

Eligibility:

  • Patient must have a valid OHIP card; for those participating in Third Party Reproduction; egg donors, surrogates and 1 intended parent must have a valid OHIP card
  • Female patient must be <43 at the time of eligibility submission even if using an egg donor
  • An IVF patient or fertility preservation* patient must not have started funded services at another fertility clinic
  • Patient must sign required consent form to participate in the funded program
  • All funded IVF cycles must adhere to a single embryo transfer policy**

*Fertility preservation patients are referred to as those who have been diagnosed with a medical condition where planned treatment is known to affect fertility and may lead to infertility.

 

Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)

  • Unlimited number of funded IUI cycles
  • No age limit exists
  • 1 insemination per cycle (>23 days apart)
  • Patients may transfer care to another fertility clinic for treatment at any time between IUI cycles

Does not include:

  • Medications
  • Sperm wash
  • Purchase, shipping and storage of sperm

End Point:

  • Physician advise discontinuation or patient concludes care of the IUI program

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) & Egg Freezing (FP)*

  • One IVF cycle per lifetime for the purpose of becoming pregnant in the near future*
  • Female patient must be <43
  • Once the consent form is signed for the IVF funded program, a patient cannot transfer care to another fertility clinic for funded IVF treatment.

Does not include:

  • Medications (can range from $3000.00-$8000.00/cycle)
  • Ancillary services such as: anesthesia, Pre-Genetic Screening (PGS/PGD), purchasing and shipping of gametes (sperm/eggs/embryos), annual storage.
  • Additional services such as Immune testing & therapy, time lapse photography (EEVA), Augment and alternative therapies such as Acupuncture.

End Point:

  • One (1) IVF cycle resulting in an egg retrieval; even if no eggs are retrieved, no eggs fertilize or no embryos are available for transfer
  • Two (2) cycle cancellations after cycle monitoring has begun and an egg retrieval was not done
  • Patient chooses to discontinue and concludes care

Sperm Freezing

  • The Funded program will cover sperm freezing diagnosed with a medical condition where planned treatment is known to affect fertility and may lead to infertility*
  • Freezing of sperm obtained by masturbation and ejaculation; includes as many attempts at obtaining one viable sample
  • One (1) attempt at sperm retrieval through medical surgical procedure to aspirate sperm; including Testicular Epididymal Sperm Aspiration (TESA) or Percutaneous Epididymal Sperm Aspiration (PESA); even if no viable perm is retrieved

Does Not Include:

  • Medication/supplements
  • Ancillary services such as anesthesia, shipping & sperm storage

End Point:

  • One (1) sperm sample is frozen and stored

Frozen Embryo Transfer(s) (FET)

  • The Funded Program will cover FET’s resulting from a single IVF cycle previously done by the patient

Does Not Include:

  • Medications
  • Ancillary services such as: PGD/PGS, purchasing and shipping of gametes (sperm/eggs/embryos), annual storage.
  • Additional services such as Immune testing & therapy and alternative therapies such as Acupuncture.

End Point:

  • All embryos from the “batch” or the funded IVF cycle have been transferred to the patient
  • Patient chooses to discontinue treatment and concludes care

IMPORTANT:

  • Physicians must adhere to the Government’s Single Embryo Transfer policy for funded FET cycles.
  • Once the patient signs the consent to participate in the funded FET program; all funded FETs must be done at that specific clinic

 

 

                                       SINGLE EMBRYO TRANSFER POLICY

Patient Age (at time of egg retrieval) Maximum Number of Embryo(s) permitted per Fresh/ Frozen Embryo Transfer
Up to Age 35 1 embryo per transfer regardless of embryo’s stage of development
Age 36-37 1 embryo (blastocyst) per transfer OR 2 embryos per transfer if Day 3
Age 38+ 2 embryos per transfer regardless of the embryos stage of development
Exception After 3 failed single embryo transfers, may proceed to 2 embryos per transfer

 

 

 

IMPORTANT: Third Party Reproduction

  • Legal and Administrative requirements for the acquisition of donor embryos, eggs and sperm are the responsibility of the intended parent and must adhere to clinic requirements.