A case of age related discrimination has come up as alleged by a 24 year old nursery nurse. According to Andrea Heywood she was denied IVF treatment just because she was too young. Due to her childhood appendicitis she was unable to have a baby.

She along with her husband Aaron went to their local primary care trust in Portsmouth three times but was turned down stating that she had to wait until she is 30 before receiving a free round of fertility treatment worth £5,000. But the couple is of the view that if they waited for six years then the procedure won’t be that fruitful and the chances of its success. Moreover the delays are also taking a big toll on their relationship and work.

Mrs. Heywood said, “It is bad enough not to be able to have children naturally, but this is like someone is saying 'no you can't have children. I feel guilty for my husband because I am the one with the problem. It is very hard for me because I feel like I have let him down”.

It is clearly stated in the guidelines of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) that women should be offered three cycles of IVF from the age of 23 to 39.