National Resources Fund financed more than 5,000 assisted reproduction procedures
Between 2015 and 2022, the National Resource Fund (FNR) authorized financial coverage for 5,015 highly complex assisted human reproduction procedures, according to the agency. The Undersecretary of Public Health, José Luis Satdjian, recalled that in 2022 Parliament approved a law so that cancer patients can access fertility preservation methods.
Satdjian led the launch of the fifth edition of the Fertility Week in Uruguay, which will take place from June 5 to 9, accompanied by the general director of the FNR, María Ana Porcelli, and the president of the Uruguayan Reproduction Society Humana, Virginia Chaquiriand.
On the occasion, Porcelli indicated that in the period 2015-2022, 5,015 requests for financing of highly complex assisted reproduction treatments were authorized, of which 624 corresponded to last year.
Of the total volume, 51.5% came from Montevideo and 48.5% from the interior of the country. In addition, 6.4 out of every 1,000 women of reproductive age made use of the techniques; the frequency was higher in Montevideo: 7.81 out of every 1,000. 84% of the patients came from the private sector and 16% from the public. The average age in that period was 36.3 years and 36.1 in 2022. The total number of these births between 2015 and 2022 was 1,799.
Satdjian cited statistics from the World Health Organization indicating that infertility affects 48 million couples worldwide. Likewise, he recalled that in our country in 2013 the assisted human reproduction law was promulgated, in 2014 work began on the coverage of low complexity and in 2015 on high complexity, in the orbit of the FNR.
He also mentioned that in 2022 Parliament approved a rule so that cancer patients can access fertility preservation methods. “Preserve the right to be a mother and a father,” she said. The undersecretary recognized the work of the health teams in this area and considered that the challenge is to increase the number of requests from the interior of the country and from public providers.
