More families benefit from public fertility care

4 May 2026 | Fertility

When Melbourne parents Jess and Simon needed fertility treatment, private IVF felt both emotionally and financially out of reach. Instead, they turned to Public Fertility Care, which helped them conceive their second child.

Jess conceived her first child easily but delayed plans for another baby after the challenges of navigating Melbourne’s COVID-19 lockdowns. When she later tried to conceive again, she spent more than a year facing secondary infertility, with no clear medical cause.

“Private fertility just wasn’t something we felt we could afford,” Jess said. “When my GP mentioned the public service, I jumped at it.”

She expected a long wait but received an appointment within a few months.

Doctors collected a number of eggs, resulting in several embryos. Her first embryo transfer was successful.

“I was trying not to get my hopes up, but it worked,” she said. “At the first scan, hearing the heartbeat, I just burst into tears.”

She says access to Public Fertility Care made growing her family possible and wants more people to know the service exists.

“I don’t think people realise this option is there,” she said. “For us, it made all the difference. The stress and anxiety of infertility on top of the financial strain is extremely heavy, to be able to take away one of those factors was an incredible gift.”

Funded by the Victorian Government, the Women’s leads Public Fertility Care.  Together with 10 partner health services across Victoria, Public Fertility Care makes it easier and fairer for Victorians to try for a family.

Public Fertility Care was awarded the 2025 Public Health Care award for partnering in Healthcare.

Learn more about Public Fertility Care and the egg and sperm bank.