Public debate on changes to the legal regulations for patients facing infertility

At the public debate on the topic “Towards changes to the legal regulations for greater support for patients facing infertility”, held in the Assembly of the RNM and organised by the Association for Human Reproduction and Biomedically Assisted Fertilisation “To a Baby through the IVF Route”, conclusions were proposed, with the main emphasis placed on increasing the number of vouchers for “in vitro” fertilisation to a total of six, regardless of whether it is for a first, second, third or fourth child.

Several speakers, MPs, gynaecologists and associations took part in the public debate, where the Director of the HIFRNM, M.Sc. Magdalena Filipovska-Grashkoska, also gave an address, stating:

“The most important thing that we must all know is that, in order to grant this right for the total number of attempts to be six, the Health Insurance Law MUST be amended,” said Filipovska-Grashkoska.

The Minister of Health, Bekim Sali, placed special emphasis on activities to improve women’s health, as one of the ministry’s high priorities.

At the public debate, in addition to the proposal for six vouchers for “in vitro” fertilisation, the following conclusions were also proposed and presented:

• That most of the therapy be placed on the positive list;
• That a campaign be launched to provide the public with more information about the possibility of donation;
• That a software register be introduced for recording in-vitro procedures
• That regular gynaecological examinations be carried out, i.e. screening of young women;
• That counselling centres be organised in secondary schools and at faculties;
• That the regulations be reviewed and adapted to modern developments in bio-fertilisation.

Zoja Samandova-Petrusheva from the Association for Human Reproduction and Biomedically Assisted Fertilisation “To a Baby through the IVF Route” spoke about the path that patients follow towards realising their wish and dream of becoming parents, both on behalf of patients facing infertility and in her own name, as a patient who became a parent only after 12 years through the seventh “in vitro” fertilisation.

Dr Tatjana Gurzhanova, an in-vitro specialist, supported the Association’s initiative to increase the total number of vouchers to six, regardless of whether it is for a first, second, third child or fourth child, because experience shows that the greatest need is for a first child.

Specialist gynaecologist-obstetrician Dr Elma Abdula-Hasanagovski referred to the possibility of including gestrogen therapy for supporting early pregnancy on the positive list, while Dr Zorancho Petanovski, an IVF specialist and obstetrician, emphasised the need to establish a national register (software) for recording in-vitro procedures.

The President of the Club of Women MPs, Lolita Ristova, welcomed the idea of such a discussion.

Following the discussion, it was proposed that the presented conclusions be submitted to the Health Committee of the Assembly, the Ministry of Health, the State Commission for Biomedical Assisted Fertilisation at the Ministry of Health and the Health Insurance Fund.