Nisha Pandey

Making IVF Affordable: Experts Push For Insurance Cover, Public Funding & Better Access To Fertility Care In India

On Wednesday, the Integrated Health &amp; Wellbeing (IHW) Council on Wednesday released a national white paper urging significant policy reforms to tackle one of India's most overlooked public health challenges: <span><a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health/infertility">infertility</a></span>. 

The policy includes insurance coverage for <span>fertility treatment</span>, public financing through government health schemes, and fertility benefits at the workplace. 

The recommendations were disclosed at the 7th India <span>IVF</span> Summit &amp; Awards 2026, held on <span>World IVF Day</span>, where the <span>IHW Council</span> also launched Mission Fertility 2.1, a national initiative aimed at making fertility care more affordable, accessible and equitable. 

The white paper, 'Beyond the Burden of Infertility in India: Towards Reproductive Equity through Mission Fertility 2.1', argues that infertility should be recognised as a core reproductive health issue. 

Developed in partnership with IIHMR Delhi, the report draws on evidence from the World Health Organization (WHO), National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5), the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and other published research. 

The proposal comes at a time when India's total fertility rate has fallen below the replacement level of 2.1. This has renewed conversations around reproductive health, declining birth rates and support for couples who wish to conceive but are battling <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-wellness/world-embryologist-day-what-really-happens-inside-an-ivf-lab-article-155175443" data-type="tilCustomLink">infertility</a>. 

<h2>Five Key Reforms Proposed To Tackle Infertility </h2>

The white paper outlines five recommendations to improve access to fertility care: 

<ol><li>Recognise infertility as an essential <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-wellness/from-hope-to-parenthood-how-ivf-and-embryology-are-changing-the-fertility-journey-for-couples-article-155174750" data-type="tilCustomLink">reproductive health</a> condition.</li><li>Expand public awareness through <span rel="noindex">ASHA</span> workers, schools and workplaces, while giving greater attention to male infertility.</li><li>Reform private insurance by reducing waiting periods and improving coverage for fertility treatment.</li><li>Modernise reimbursement under government health programmes like CGHS and ESIC, and strengthen public financing through public-private partnerships.</li><li>Encourage employers to include fertility benefits within workplace wellness programmes.</li></ol>

The report also recommends creating a Fertility Benefit Package under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) for economically vulnerable families. 

It cites public financing initiatives in Goa, Sikkim and West Bengal as examples of how government-supported fertility care can improve access.

Also read: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-news/delhi-hc-allows-hpv-vaccine-drive-to-continue-due-to-no-immediate-safety-risk-article-155216639" data-type="tilCustomLink">Delhi HC Allows HPV Vaccine Drive To Continue Due To No 'Immediate Safety Risk'</a> 

<h2>'Fertility Care Should Not Be A Privilege' </h2>

Releasing the white paper, Smt. Baby Rani Maurya, Cabinet Minister for Women Welfare, Child Development and Nutrition, Government of Uttar Pradesh, joined fertility specialists, policymakers, researchers and industry representatives at the summit.

Experts at the summit said advances in clinical fertility technology have not been matched by public awareness, leading many couples to seek medical help only after delays. 

Dr Sunita Tandulwadkar, President of the Indian Society for Assisted Reproduction (ISAR), said, "Today is much more than a celebration of a scientific achievement. It is a celebration of hope. India is no longer merely following global advances in <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/parenting/world-ivf-day-why-men-need-to-be-part-of-the-fertility-conversation-article-155175039" data-type="tilCustomLink">IVF</a>. India is helping create them. IVF is not about laboratories or incubators. It is about families waiting to hear a heartbeat, and every patient deserves compassion and the very best science we can offer."

From PCOS to PMOS: A Big Shift in Women’s Health #shorts #shortsfeed

Shivani Sharma, Chief Operating Officer, Bharat Serums and Vaccines (<span>BSV</span>), said stigma continues to delay diagnosis and treatment. 

She said, "The gap between what medical science can offer and what many couples can actually access remains one of the biggest challenges before us. Awareness has not progressed at the same pace as science. Fertility conversations remain surrounded by silence and stigma, and by the time couples seek help, valuable time has often been lost." 

Meanwhile, Dr Hrishikesh Pai, Founder and Managing Director of Bloom IVF Group and Immediate Past President of the Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI), stressed that expanding access should be the next priority for India's fertility sector. 

He said, "India has grown from ten IVF centres in the early days to nearly five thousand today, and the next phase of this journey has to be about access, which rests on four pillars: awareness, availability, affordability and assurance of ethical, quality outcomes."

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On Wednesday, the Integrated Health & Wellbeing (IHW) Council on Wednesday released a national white paper urging significant policy reforms to tackle one of India's most overlooked public health challenges: infertility. The policy includes insurance coverage for fertility treatment, public financing through government health schemes, and fertility benefits at the workplace. The recommendations were disclosed at the 7th India IVF Summit & Awards 2026, held on World IVF Day, where the IHW Council also launched Mission Fertility 2.1, a national initiative aimed at making fertility care more affordable, accessible and equitable. The white paper, 'Beyond the Burden of Infertility in India: Towards Reproductive Equity through Mission Fertility 2.1', argues that infertility should be recognised as a core reproductive health issue. Developed in partnership with IIHMR Delhi, the report draws on evidence from the World Health Organization (WHO), National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5), the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and other published research. The proposal comes at a time when India's total fertility rate has fallen below the replacement level of 2.1. This has renewed conversations around reproductive health, declining birth rates and support for couples who wish to conceive but are battling infertility. Five Key Reforms Proposed To Tackle Infertility The white paper outlines five recommendations to improve access to fertility care: Recognise infertility as an essential reproductive health condition.Expand public awareness through ASHA workers, schools and workplaces, while giving greater attention to male infertility.Reform private insurance by reducing waiting periods and improving coverage for fertility treatment.Modernise reimbursement under government health programmes like CGHS and ESIC, and strengthen public financing through public-private partnerships.Encourage employers to include fertility benefits within workplace wellness programmes.The report also recommends creating a Fertility Benefit Package under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) for economically vulnerable families. It cites public financing initiatives in Goa, Sikkim and West Bengal as examples of how government-supported fertility care can improve access.Also read: Delhi HC Allows HPV Vaccine Drive To Continue Due To No 'Immediate Safety Risk' 'Fertility Care Should Not Be A Privilege' Releasing the white paper, Smt. Baby Rani Maurya, Cabinet Minister for Women Welfare, Child Development and Nutrition, Government of Uttar Pradesh, joined fertility specialists, policymakers, researchers and industry representatives at the summit.Experts at the summit said advances in clinical fertility technology have not been matched by public awareness, leading many couples to seek medical help only after delays. Dr Sunita Tandulwadkar, President of the Indian Society for Assisted Reproduction (ISAR), said, "Today is much more than a celebration of a scientific achievement. It is a celebration of hope. India is no longer merely following global advances in IVF. India is helping create them. IVF is not about laboratories or incubators. It is about families waiting to hear a heartbeat, and every patient deserves compassion and the very best science we can offer."       Shivani Sharma, Chief Operating Officer, Bharat Serums and Vaccines (BSV), said stigma continues to delay diagnosis and treatment. She said, "The gap between what medical science can offer and what many couples can actually access remains one of the biggest challenges before us. Awareness has not progressed at the same pace as science. Fertility conversations remain surrounded by silence and stigma, and by the time couples seek help, valuable time has often been lost." Meanwhile, Dr Hrishikesh Pai, Founder and Managing Director of Bloom IVF Group and Immediate Past President of the Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI), stressed that expanding access should be the next priority for India's fertility sector. He said, "India has grown from ten IVF centres in the early days to nearly five thousand today, and the next phase of this journey has to be about access, which rests on four pillars: awareness, availability, affordability and assurance of ethical, quality outcomes."

making ivf affordable: experts push for insurance cover, public funding & better access to fertility care in india

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Making IVF Affordable: Experts Push For Insurance Cover, Public Funding & Better Access To Fertility Care In India

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