Medical aid for procreation: amount, requests, beneficiaries… we explain how it works

Aide médicale à la procréation : une explosion des demandes

The law of August 2, 2021 changed the legal framework for medically assisted procreation: it widens its access to female couples and single women.

Since then, it’s been a real "tidal wave" according to Dr Marine Jeantet, general director of the Biomedicine Agency, in response to strong societal demand. She answers questions from Destination Santé.

Is this phenomenon settling ?

Between the promulgation of the bioethics law of August 2021 and June 30, 2023, nearly 29,970 requests for 1st consultation from couples of women and single women for ART with sperm donation were recorded. This is even a 25% increase in requests between the 2nd half of 2022 and the 1st half of 2023. We are observing a real tidal wave which shows no sign of weakening.

Demand has increased eightfold in two years, and this mainly concerns single women and couples of women who are embarking on this process. We think it will take between 5 and 6 years to absorb all these requests.

Who files these AMP requests in the majority ?

Thirty-year-olds represent the bulk of consultation requests for unmarried women. Indeed, the distribution is quite clear with 52% who are between 35 and 39 years old (7% between 18 and 29 years old). There is a real need and strong desire among many women to have children before it is too late. The situation differs among heterosexual couples, where the desire for a child often emerges after a certain period of living together and difficulty conceiving, for several months, or even years.

Deadlines therefore lengthen ?

The 2022-2026 ministerial plan for Human Procreation, Embryology and Genetics (PEGh) was developed to support the new legislative provisions.

This plan aims to facilitate access to AMP, particularly for single women and female couples. Particular attention is paid to reducing waiting times to access an AMP course. However, the scale of demand was underestimated at the time. Although the delays have not yet been reduced, they have not become longer thanks to careful monitoring.

It is true that some young women are at the age limit, which could impact their chances of pregnancy, given that success rates drop significantly after age 38. Every month counts at this point.

Is it possible to complete an AMP course abroad ?

Yes and moreover we are observing an increase, from 2022, in AMP courses taken abroad, including Spain. Starting a course abroad is possible and covered by French health insurance, in the same way as treatment carried out abroad and reimbursed by the National Center for Care Abroad ;rsquo;Foreign (CNSE).

We only have incomplete data at this stage on this phenomenon but the figures nevertheless show an increasing trend, particularly since the introduction of the new legislation. In 2021, there were 2,260 applications for AMPs abroad, of which 1,755 were accepted. In 2022, these numbers increased to 2848 applications, with 2032 acceptances.