Assisted Reproduction Technology (ART) Co-Funding

1 March 2012

Question No. 283

Name of person: Dr Lim Wee Kiak

Question

To ask the Minister for Health (a) how many couples have benefitted from the Assisted Reproduction Technology (ART) co-funding scheme for in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) since its inception in August 2008; (b) what is the total amount of funds disbursed; and (c) what is the success rate thus far.

Answer 

1.     The Assisted Reproduction Technology (ART) treatment co-funding scheme was introduced to help make ART treatments, such as in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), more affordable for couples who have difficulty conceiving.

2.     Since the scheme’s inception in August 2008, MOH has subsidised a total of 5,503 ART treatment cycles, benefiting 3,841 couples in the process. Thus far, MOH has disbursed around $13 million in funding for this scheme.

3.     We are encouraged by the effectiveness of this scheme. About 26% of the treatment cycles under this scheme successfully resulted in live births; which compares well with the national average of 22%.