MOUNT PEARL — For many people struggling with infertility, trying to conceive a child involves timely access to specialists and treatments — and often, not a lot of time. Any delay to that access could mean no conception at all.
St. John’s hairstylist Ledon Wellon and her partner, Trevor, have been trying to conceive for four years.
The couple, who live in Mount Pearl, spent roughly $22,000 for in vitro fertilization (IVF) in Calgary in March shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in Canada.
They had to travel to access the service because it’s not available in Newfoundland and Labrador. The procedure is available in every other province except Prince Edward Island.
Access and affordability of the treatments also vary drastically across the country. In Ontario, provincial health care covers one IVF treatment for all female patients under age 43 who need it. New Brunswick offers a $5,000 grant to help with the costs.
Newfoundland and Labrador offers no financial assistance for IVF, but does offer pre- and post-IVF supports at Eastern Health’s fertility clinic. This province also does not provide financial assistance to couples who travel out of the province to obtain fertility services.
The fertility clinic in St. John’s offers other fertility services, such as donor insemination and ovulation induction, but for couples such as the Wellons, IVF is what’s needed.
Services suspended
While IVF access was already far more limited in this province, it has become more pronounced with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fertility services at Eastern Health’s Major’s Path Clinic are suspended and will be rebooked at a later date, according to an email to The Telegram from Eastern Health.
“Planning is ongoing for the resumption of fertility services and will be communicated with patients once we are in a position to gradually and safely begin to resume these services.
“Eastern Health empathizes with all patients and families whose appointments and procedures have been cancelled in all program areas across the organization.”
During Wednesday’s briefing, Health Minister Dr. John Haggie said it’s his understanding that those services will remain suspended until the public health emergency is cleared up. He said it’s his understanding this is the same for fertility facilities outside the province.
“I'm furious at his statement,” Wellon told The Telegram after the briefing.
Her first cycle of IVF was unsuccessful. If she were living in Calgary, she’d be able to go back for another cycle.
The clinic where she has six frozen embryos waiting — the Regional Fertility Program in Calgary — began a limited reopening for fertility treatments May 4.
She said the clinic contacted her to see if she’d like to start another cycle this month with one of her frozen embryos, but she wasn’t able to say yes because the clinic in St. John’s where she would get pre-IVF care is still closed.
“There is no end in sight for the closure, or suspension of treatment, for thousands of Newfoundlanders,” she said.
‘More important to get your roots done’
Wellon has premature ovarian failure. She explained that this means even though she’s 30 years old, she has the same amount of time left to get pregnant as a 45-year-old.
“By not being able to access this now, we might lose our entire lifetime to be able to have children if we can’t have it in the next year. So, by not having access right now, you can take away someone’s chance to have a child for the rest of their life, which is so devastating.”
As a hairstylist, Wellon questions the timelines of what’s allowed to open, and what’s not, with the various alert levels. While she said she’s eager to get back to work, she doesn’t understand why hair appointments would be permitted before time-sensitive fertility treatments.
“It’s frustrating to know that they think it’s more important to get your roots done than to try to bring a child into the world when it’s so time-restrictive for so many people. It’s not like people who postpone an IVF treatment can still get it done next year necessarily.”
In a province with a higher death rate than birth rate, Wellon wonders why the provincial government wouldn’t offer IVF here if only as a way to increase the population.
“There’s so many people who are dealing with infertility issues that if you just help us have access to the treatments we need, your population could grow. There’s so many people who just can’t afford $25,000.”
In fact, Wellon said she was only able to access the treatment because three of her clients fundraised $12,000 to help with the costs.
“They took it upon themselves to start the fundraisers, and then told me about it because they said it’s not fair that your ability to have a child should be based on how much money you have in the bank.”
No response from politicians
Wellon said she knows about 10 people personally whose IVF has either been postponed or cancelled because of the pandemic.
A Facebook post she made highlighting the issue has nearly 400 shares. In it, she called on the government to resolve the issue.
“IVF should be available here. We have the qualified doctors, we just don't have the government support.”
"We have the qualified doctors, we just don't have the government support.” — Ledon Wellon
Wellon told The Telegram that in the past few elections, she has contacted candidates to ask what they think about trying to bring IVF to the province.
“I’ve never, ever got a response. I’ve probably sent it out to 10 different individuals, and I’ve never heard anything back. Even just an opinion on what we could do, or what they think.
“So, I feel like there are so many other issues that are kind of pushed down, but this is seen as a young woman’s issue, which doesn’t, I guess, appeal to people from a government standpoint to get people to vote for you. So, I’ve never really felt heard by anyone who could actually make a change.”
UPDATE:
On Friday, May 22 - one day after this story was published - Haggie addressed the issue during the daily provincial briefing. He was asked why fertility services will not be available when people can get their hair done.
“It’s a difficult situation, I appreciate that,” he said.
“In actual fact, there’s only one clinic that I’m aware of that is open - and that is partially open - and it’s in Calgary. Halifax is still closed, and the Ontario clinics that I am aware of are closed. As I say, these are all private facilities.
“The Newfoundland and Labrador fertility service is supported by Eastern Health, and has been providing a limited range of services throughout COVID, in actual fact, according to information I have supplied from Eastern Health as of this morning. So, again, that goes back to the clinical decision as to what is time sensitive from the point of view of treatment, and that’s a clinical decision.
“So, obviously I have no control of, and very little insight into, what goes on in other jurisdictions, but we have an expansion plan, a resumption of normal. Eastern Health have discussions with the clinic about when they’re going to expand the range of services that they’ve already been providing, and I would imagine that they would be making some announcements about that over the course of the next week or so.”
Twitter: @juanitamercer_