Assisted Human Reproduction (ART)

Verified 17 August 2023 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

Assisted reproductive technology (ART) may allow a heterosexual couple or a couple of 2 women or an unmarried woman to have a child. There are different techniques supported, under certain conditions, by the Health Insurance.

L'MPA: titleContent is a set of medical techniques that can be proposed

  • to a couple who have difficulty having or cannot have a child
  • or an unmarried woman.

FYI  

surrogacy (surrogacy) is prohibited.

L'MPA: titleContent responds to a parenting project and addresses the following people:

  • Heterosexual couple
  • Couple of 2 women
  • Unmarried woman

There is no possibility of discrimination in access to the MPA, particularly on grounds of sexual orientation or marital status.

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To benefit from a sample or the collection of his gametes

In preparation for a MPA: titleContent :

  • The oocyte sample can be taken from a person up to his 43rd birthdaye birthday
  • Sperm collection can be done in a person up to 60e birthday.

For the implementation of the AGP

L'MPA: titleContent may be carried out:

  • Until his 45the birthday in a woman, unmarried or in a couple, who has a vocation to bear the child
  • Up to its 60the birthday to the partner who will not be carrying the child

Please note

age conditions also exist for the self-preservation of its gametes with a view to the subsequent realization of an MPA.

There are several assisted reproductive techniques: artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization or embryo reception.

Artificial insemination

With artificial insemination, fertilization takes place naturally, inside the woman's body. The medical procedure consists in placing the sperm in the uterus to facilitate the encounter between the sperm and the egg (also called oocyte).

Artificial insemination can be done with one of the following techniques:

Most often, women are given hormone therapy before they begin (ovarian stimulation).

Artificial insemination is performed by a doctor specialized in fertility, most often without hospitalization.

In vitro fertilization (Ivf)

With a Ivf: titleContentHowever, fertilization takes place in the laboratory, not in the woman's uterus.

A sperm is then directly injected into the egg to form an embryo.

The resulting embryo is then transferred to the mother's uterus. This procedure is done under general or local analgesia or anesthesia.

IVF can be done:

The use of one or more donated gametes is proposed in the following cases:

  • Risk of transmission of genetic disease to children
  • Infertility in any member of the requesting couple
  • AMP in a single woman

FYI  

an embryo may be conceived in vitro only within the framework and according to the objectives of MPA: titleContent.

Embryo reception

Embryo acceptance may be offered in the following cases:

  • Risk of transmission of genetic disease to children
  • Infertility in any member of the requesting couple
  • AMP in a single woman 

The embryo is offered for foster care by a donor couple or an anonymous donor single woman and then transferred to the recipient woman's uterus alone or within a couple.

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Without intervention of a donor outside the couple: only the gametes of the couple are used

To benefit from a MPA: titleContentHowever, the couple's application is assessed by the clinical medical team at the AMP center and accompanied by several interviews with the professionals of this team.

Interviews shall include the motivation of the applicant(s) and shall be aimed at informing them of the techniques of MPAs and their consequences.

After the last information interview, the couple has a reflection period of one month. An additional reflection period may be considered necessary in the interest of the unborn child.

After this time, the couple must confirm their PMI request in writing to the doctor.

Donation of sperm or ova or donation of embryos

To benefit from a MPA: titleContentHowever, the request of the couple or unmarried woman is assessed by the clinical medical team of the AMP center and accompanied by several interviews with the professionals of this team.

Interviews shall include the reasons for the applicant(s) and shall be aimed at informing them of the techniques ofMPA: titleContent and their consequences.

They also cover the procedure related to access to non-identifying data (e.g. age, family and professional status, country of birth) and the identity of the donor third party by the adult person from whom the donation was made.

After the last information interview, the unmarried couple or woman is given a one-month reflection period. An additional reflection period may be considered necessary in the interest of the unborn child.

After this period, the unmarried couple or woman must confirm their application forMPA: titleContent in writing to the doctor.

FYI  

double donation of gametes (sperm and egg) is now allowed. Thus, an embryo can be conceived with gametes that do not come from either member of the couple.

The heterosexual couple or the couple made up of 2 women or the unmarried woman must first give their consent to a notary.

Who shall I contact

The clinical-biological medical team confirms its agreement to continue the journey of theMPA: titleContent. This agreement is the result of the likelihood of success of the MPA process and the creation of conditions conducive to the safe reception of a child.

Reasons for postponement or refusal by the inspection centerMPA: titleContent shall be communicated in writing to applicants upon request to the Center.

Acts ofMPA: titleContent are supported at 100% by the Health Insurance for a maximum of:

  • 6 inseminations (only one artificial insemination per cycle) to achieve pregnancy
  • 4 attempts to Ivf: titleContent to get pregnant.

This care is the same for everyone (heterosexual couple, couple of 2 women, unmarried woman).

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Adult born from donations made before September 1, 2022

This request for access to origins comes from the person born of the gift once he has reached the age of majority.

This access to origins depends on the donor's consent to the disclosure of his identity and non-identifying data (examples: age, family situation, country of birth). Before 1er in september 2022, this disclosure was not an obligation for the donor.

The donor may voluntarily contact the third-party donor data access commission (CAPADD) for persons born of assisted human reproduction to agree to the transmission of this information to persons born of his donation.

This agreement may also be given by the donor to that committee when the latter contacts him following a request for access to the origins.

Adult born after August 31, 2022

This request for access to origins comes from the person born of the gift once he has reached the age of majority.

This person may apply to the Commission for Access to Third Party Donor Data for Persons Born of Assisted Human Reproduction (CAPADD) to make a request for access to the origin.

Since 1er in september 2022, gamete donors or those proposing their embryos must agree to the disclosure of their identity and non-identifying data before donating.

As of March 31, 2025, gametes and embryos proposed for use at the reception will require donor consent.

Please note

The terms and conditions for entering the commission for access of persons born of assisted reproduction to third-party donor data (CAPADD) is specified by the Ministry of Health.

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