Many more couples are using IVF to try to have babies since the coronavirus epidemic forced a lockdown on the country.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Canberra fertility specialist Dr Tween Low thinks it's because the seriousness of the crisis has made couples think hard about what is important in their lives - and having a baby has come out on top.
"With the pandemic and the time people have on their hands, the coronavirus may have helped crystallise what is important for them," Dr Low said.
In-vitro-fertilisation was one of those procedures which was banned at the height of the lockdown.
Initially, Dr Low thought the upsurge once she was allowed to resume work was because couples feared the block would be re-imposed.
But there has been no easing of heightened demand which makes her think that couples have refocused their values towards family.
Across the country, there was a 15 per cent rise in couples seeking IVF in the two months after the procedure was allowed again compared with the same period last year, according to Genea, one of Australia's providers of IVF and other infertility treatments.
Genea Canberra has decided to offer financial support to couples.
A cycle of IVF involves collecting eggs from the woman, fertilising the eggs in a laboratory and then inserting the embryo back into the woman.
It is a delicate and complex procedure which costs a couple about $10,000 for each cycle. Half is usually paid by Medicare.
Genea said it would offer a rebate so that the cost to the couple was reduced to zero for the fourth and fifth attempts if the first three failed.
Dr Low said she got emotionally close to her patients so removing the substantial financial burden for later attempts was "great news".
Jess Richardson and her husband Joel had their first baby, Charlotte, on February 20. It was their tenth IVF attempt. Jess had two miscarriages after conceiving on the fourth and fifth attempts.
She thought the reduced cost of IVF would make "a huge difference". "It can go on and on," she said, "and if you add the financial burden to the emotional side, it can be a reason to stop."
She said people pulled money out of their super funds to finance IVF. "This means that people will not have to do that."
She said the IVF journey was one of highs and lows. "Each month we were hopeful it would be our month and we'd get our baby, but many embryos unfortunately did not stick"
"Lucky number 10, was our miracle rainbow baby Charlotte. It was such a hard journey but we are so glad we never gave up."