Belgium leads Europe in fertility treatment

One in 30 babies in Belgium is born to parents who have undergone some form of fertility treatment. That's the highest rate in Europe, and on par with Scandinavian countries, reports Gazet van Antwerpen.

"The longer you wait to try for a baby, the harder it gets. That is well known, but still there are people who wait too long,” says Professor Luc Delbeke, head of the Centre for Reproductive Medicine at Antwerp University Hospital UZA. “Couples give priority to home and career before even starting to think about having children. And if they don’t fall pregnant after a while, they expect it to happen quickly in the fertility clinic."

"In women, fertility increases up until the age of 30, and then gradually tapers off, especially after 35 years. The age of the man is also an important factor in fertility, with higher age linked to less chance of pregnancy and increased risk of disease in the baby. That’s why we’ve organised open days at the UZA fertility clinic this week, as a sort of campaign to say: you can’t turn back the clock; don’t wait too long," explains Delbeke.

Figures from last year show that every baby conceived by way of in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) costs the government €20,000. The Belgian health insurance funds partially reimburse up to six IVF procedures.