Austrian IVF fund limits treatment eligibility to women under 40

A woman in Austria successfully conceived through in vitro fertilization (IVF) after seeking treatment just before her 40th birthday.

Sabine, who began her journey in late 2023, secured a spot at the Kinderwunschzentrum an der Wien because she met the specific age requirements for state funding. She became pregnant during her first attempt, a process that included hormonal preparation and an embryo transfer.

Andreas Obruca, the head of the Kinderwunschzentrum an der Wien, explains that fertility rates drop significantly as women age. He notes that while a 25-year-old might conceive in six months of regular unprotected intercourse, it can take up to two years for a woman who is 40.

The center treats women up to age 45, but the Austrian IVF-Fonds only covers 70 percent of the costs for up to four attempts if the woman is under 40 and the man is under 50. The clinic reports that approximately 18 percent of patients in Austria are over 40 years old. Obruca states that about 70 percent of couples seeking help at the center have men with limited sperm quality.

While the Austrian funding has a strict age cap, Obruca points out that countries like France and Scandinavia offer state support for women up to 42 or 43 years old.