Launched in July 2011 the subprogram stipulates a number of strict criteria for infertile couples. Their files are analyzed by a specialized committee. The president of this committee, doctor Szabo Bela, who is also the manager of the Maternity Hospital in Tg. Mures, will talk next about the national in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer subprogram:

Szabo Bela: “The program was a must because, except for 3 countries, Switzerland, Ireland and Poland, all countries have national in vitro fertilization programs. The population of Europe is dwindling; therefore states have the obligation to take care of their population. As the subprogram is recent in Romania, we thought of supporting first those couples that do not have children at all. If any of the partners has children from a previous marriage, the couple cannot enter the program and the woman has to be under 40. Also the ovarian reserve has to be assessed though various tests, because if the woman does not have enough eggs, chances of conceiving are minimal. Also at least one partner needs to have stable residence in Romania and at least one has to be a contributor to the public healthcare insurance system."

The Health Ministry provides only part of the money which is used for the in vitro fertilization procedure. Back at the microphone is doctor Szabo Bela:

Szabo Bela: “The amount of money provided as funding is similar to that offered by other east European countries: 1 200 euros. Normally an infertile couple has to go to an in vitro fertilization center and if they meet the conditions, that respective center will draw up a file, which will be forwarded to the specialized committee within the Health Ministry. After the file is approved, it is returned to the center and following the in vitro fertilization procedure, the ministry will disburse the money. If after fertilization the woman gets pregnant and the pregnancy exceeds 3 months, given that, unfortunately, there are cases of miscarriage after only a few weeks, the center will receive a further 300 euros in order to boost the procedure quality and to help the in vitro fertilization centers develop.”

Despite the very rigid criteria and the partial funding provided through the national in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer subprogram Romanian infertile couples are happy with the existence of such a center and have already resorted to its services. Since the launch of the program more than 1400 files have been submitted, of which over 1130 have been approved. The first procedures financed through the program started in September 2011.

The babies started being born by mid-2012. In August, according to the Health Ministry, there were 39 of them. However, according to the SOS Infertility Association, official statistics don’t keep up with the situation, claiming their number to be much higher. The association was set up by Nicoleta Cristea-Brunel precisely to defend the rights of people with fertility issues. This national program appeared as a result of efforts by this association, which is exclusively volunteer-based, but even so, the association has been making progress. Here is Nicoleta Cristea-Brunel with details:

Nicoleta Cristea-Brunel: “I had consulted Romanian forums on the web and read about people in Romania with fertility issues, which had to sell their car and mortgage their house for treatment. In France I had simply paid my regular health care contribution, because there, infertility is considered an illness, and the health care system assisted me in my attempts to have a baby. I had a strong empathy with the couples in Romania living this drama, and I asked them if they wanted help. I realized that they had not been asking for anything, because there was no association for patients afflicted by infertility, and I started by writing petitions to the Health Ministry in 2008.”

Her persistence paid off. More and more people afflicted by infertility started calling on the SOS Infertility Association to militate for their rights and find understanding and counseling. One of them is Irina Popescu, diagnosed with severe endometriosis, one of the most common causes of infertility. She told us what she did about it:

Irina Popescu: “I undertook hormone treatment to prepare the body for future procedures for assisted reproduction. In a few months, after I finished the hormone treatment, which is rather tough, and which unfortunately has affected my health, I continued to attempt artificial insemination, which offered a small, but viable chance. Unfortunately, that did not work. In the end, I attempted in vitro, which is a last ditch solution.”

Right now, Irina is 14 weeks pregnant, after she took advantage of the national program. Her ardent wish to have children, however, impacted her mental and physical health, and her family relationships too:

Irina Popescu: “My motivation is extremely strong, but it is very hard to explain to the people who have never faced this issue how profoundly instinctual is the wish to have a biological child, and the impossibility of rationally suppressing this wish. It is hard to predict what psychological impact this routine has on one’s family. I had the great luck of having a beautiful marriage, a husband who supported me unconditionally, and so I got over this fairly well.”

Irina was lucky for several reasons, including the fact that she had financial means. The program only covers the in vitro procedure, but the tests and the drug treatment has to be covered exclusively by the couple in question. On an average, in Romania this costs over 1,000 Euro. As a result, money is still the main obstacle between a couple who wishes to have a child and their dream.