Bulgarian Fund Proposes Age Limit of 45 for 'In Vitro'

The birth of twins by 62-year-old psychiatrist Krasimira Dimitrova has spurred a motherhood age limit debate in Bulgaria. Photo by Standart Daily

The Bulgarian Fund for Assisted Reproduction has proposed that women over 45 years of age should not receive state funding for a free “in vitro” procedure.

The proposition by the head of the fund, Nikolay Lalev, came as a result of the decision of the Sofia Administrative Court to cancel the order by the fund, which has imposed an age limit of 43 years to women who want to conceive through “in vitro” procedures.

In Lalev’s words, for the past year and a half, the fund has refused financing 10 women because they were over 43 years old.

The regulations of the Fund for Assisted Reproduction do not include age limit. However, according to Act 28, doctors, as well as administrators, should comply with the imposed restriction that access to the fund’s money is allowed only to women below 43 years of age.

After a 43-year-old woman filed an appeal, the court ruled that the age limit is discrimination and is against the Bulgarian Constitution and the Protection against Discrimination Act.

The Bulgarian national Darik Radio has reported that the Health Ministry will appeal the court’s ruling.

The head of the Fund for Assisted Reproduction has admitted that there are cases in which even 50-year-old women are eligible for “in vitro” procedures.

“I agree, there are women who are perfect at the age of 50, or even 60. They have preserved reproduction system. However, these are single cases,” Lalev said.

He has also admitted that the documents of the woman, who filed the appeal to the court, have been delayed with 5 months, during which she turned 43 years of age.

“The woman’s reasons are right. The only thing that could be considered, and I do not know whether this is an infringement, is the later serving of the order,” Lalev said.

The debate on whether age limitations should be imposed on women who want to conceive through an “in vitro” procedure became very popular after a 62-year-old Bulgarian woman gave birth to twins in May. The health condition of the two girls was very bad and one of them died.

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