Male GPs refer fewer patients for IVF, new report reveals

Male GPs in England refer fewer eligible patients for IVF, research from the Progress Educational Trust has found.

In its latest report, the charity has highlighted confusion and a lack of knowledge among family practitioners about eligibility criteria for NHS-funded treatment.

One in six couples in the UK face problems with infertility and rely on treatments such as IVF to conceive. GPs are often the ones who make the initial referral to clinics.

“For NHS treatment, GPs are the main initial gatekeeper. If you’re not getting pregnant, that’s who you go to for advice and support,” Sarah Norcross, the director of PET, told the Guardian.

“It struck me that, when people have a known cause of infertility, male GPs still weren’t passing them on.”

The charity’s report was based on a survey of 200 GPs and commissioners across England, carried out by an independent research company, which investigated knowledge of national fertility guidelines and criteria they use for referral decisions.

It found that GPs are sometimes not referring eligible patients and that a doctor’s age and gender could play a role.

In the case of a known cause of infertility or reduced fertility 52 per cent of male GPs said they would refer for treatment compared with 73 per cent of female GPs.

For patients who had tried to get pregnant through regular unprotected sex for one year, 57 per cent of male GPs said they would refer, compared with 66 per cent of female GPs.

Norcross said: “These survey results show that there is utter confusion over the current National Institute for Health and Care Excellence fertility guideline.

“Our results should send a strong message to the government, NHS England, the women’s health ambassador and commissioning bodies. The lack of understanding of the guideline by GPs is making the postcode lottery worse.”

The government’s Women’s Health Strategy has pledged to remove additional financial barriers to IVF. However, some MPs have said it failed to commit to any “concrete” action to improve access to treatment.

Labour MP Charlotte Nichols said: “It’s disheartening to see couples face this challenge, and to know that the hardship will be impacting countless more couples across the country simply because of where they live.

“Unable to afford private treatment, prospective parents will continue to face unacceptable pressures in trying to create a family.”