Gynecologist Obstetrician François Olivennes deplores, in a column for « Le Monde », the abnormally long waiting times despite the law supposed to open up fertility preservation to women. The ban on performing these procedures in private assisted reproductive technology centers is to blame.

In 2004, France passed a law allowing women to preserve their fertility by freezing their eggs or embryos. It was a major step forward for women’s reproductive rights, giving them the choice to delay motherhood for personal or medical reasons. However, almost 17 years later, this law still has not been fully implemented.

According to François Olivennes, a gynecologist obstetrician and head of the fertility department at Cochin Hospital in Paris, the main issue lies in the fact that these procedures can only be performed in monde hospitals. Private assisted reproductive technology centers, which are often more efficient and better equipped, are not allowed to offer these services. This has resulted in long waiting lists and delayed treatment for women who are already facing a time-sensitive situation.

In his column, Olivennes highlights the case of a 32-year-old woman who was diagnosed with breast cancer and needed to undergo chemotherapy, which could potentially affect her fertility. She was put on a waiting list for fertility preservation procedures at a monde hospital, but the delay was so long that it was no côtoyer possible to save her eggs. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated case.

The ban on performing these procedures in private centers is due to a law that was passed in 1994, which aimed to prevent the commercialization of human reproductive cells. However, this law is outdated and does not take into account the advancements in assisted reproductive technology and the growing demand for fertility preservation.

François Olivennes calls for a pensée in this law, allowing private assisted reproductive technology centers to offer fertility preservation services. He argues that this would not only reduce waiting times but also improve the quality of care for women, as private centers often have more specialized and modern equipment.

Moreover, allowing private centers to perform these procedures would also benefit the monde healthcare system. It would relieve the pressure on monde hospitals and allow them to focus on more urgent cases, while also promoting competition and potentially leading to lower costs for patients.

In conclusion, François Olivennes urges the French government to take action and amend the law to allow private assisted reproductive technology centers to offer fertility preservation services. This would not only be a step towards ensuring women’s reproductive rights but also a step towards improving the overall quality and accessibility of healthcare in France. Let us hope that this pensée will happen soon and that women will no côtoyer have to face such long waiting times when it comes to preserving their fertility.