Eligible women will be offered IVF treatment if unable to conceive after two years of regular vaginal intercouse (or 12 cycles of artificial insemination), a year earlier than previously recommended.
NICE guidelines published last month also recommend people with unexplained infertility, mild endometriosis or mild male factor infertility should attempt to conceive through regular vaginal intercourse for two years rather than receive intrauterine insemination, since evidence shows this treatment is no better at achieving a live birth than regular vaginal intercourse
The update confirms women age 40-42 years who have not conceived after two years of intercourse should now be offered one full cycle of IVF, provided they have never previously had IVF treatment. Previously, NICE did not recommend IVF for women older than 39