UZ Brussel-VUB - Administrative Aspects of Fertility Treatment

Administrative Aspects of Fertility Treatment

There are a number of administrative formalities with any treatment at the CRG.

Written consent
Signing these contracts implies you both have been extensively informed about any medical, psychological and research aspects prior to the commencement of the treatment, and that – based on this information – you have been able to make a well-considered decision. The printed CRG guide and this website are essential to the obligation of information our centre has to our patients.

Conforming legal provisions regarding medically assisted fertilization you (and by this we mean both partners if you are a couple) are required to sign a number of consent forms before you can start any kind of treatment at the CRG. This involves the completion of certain contracts:

Strict permission must be given by the patients for all treatment, be it artificial insemination, or IVF/ICSI treatment;
if donor material is to be used during treatment, you will have to give specific permission for this;
on the other hand, you may decide during your treatment to become an egg cell donor in order to help couples who rely on donor material. Permission must also be given by the patient(s) for the use of their donated material.

Surplus embryo's

A maximum of two embryos may legally be replaced into the uterus.

If the treatment results in more embryos than can legally be used, remaining good quality embryo's may be frozen and stored for later use. Patients must grant permission for these embryo's to be frozen.
There is a possibility to donate surplus embryos which you no longer wish to use yourself, to couples who rely on donor material for their chances of success in achieving a pregnancy. Permission for this can be given on the same form.
The new legislation concerning assisted fertilization provides explicitly that you decide a number of things regarding surplus embryos before commencing your treatment. Do you want to have surplus embryos frozen for later use, or to donate them to other couples, or to medical science, or do you wish to have them destroyed. You can indicate your decision by crossing certain boxes on the consent forms which will be provided.
If you decide to freeze and store embryos, you will also have to provide information as to what you want to do after the maximum storage time of five years expires: donation, medical research or disposal?
You also have to give some thought to (and communicate your decision thereof in the signed form) what needs to be done with stored embryos if anything changes in your personal life (divorce, decease of one of the partners.) You do of course have the opportunity to revise your decision at any time during the five year period, but anu revision also needs to be signed by both partners.

Registration

Administrative Registration must take place as soon as you decide to begin fertility treatment. To do this, you have to register at the admissions desk in the entrance hall of the UZ Brussel Childrens Hospital. You will receive a identification label. You must produce this label, together with your SIS-card and identity card, at every appointment related to your treatment. Both partners are required to register, unless you undergo the treatment as a single prospective parent.

If we do not have the National Health Service's reimbursement consent form on the day of the pick-up, the laboratory fees will be charged to you.

Application for reimbursement
If you fall under the Belgian National Health Service system and meet certain conditions, the majority of the costs related to insemination or IVF treatment will be reimbursed for a maximum of six treatment cycles. IVF reimbursement applies to

Legal restriction

Belgian legislation regulates more than just the reimbursement conditions (which also stipulates an earlier age limit). The act of 2007 regarding medically assisted reproduction provides an absolute age limit for fertility treatment. An egg retrieval can only take place up till the day before you turn 45. For an embryo transfer, the age limit is 47. In other words, you have to have had your egg retrieval before your 45th birthday in order to qualify for an embryo transfer later (with thawed embryos). As soon as you turn 47, you can no longer be treated in Belgium.

medication for the stimulation treatment (bar the non-refundable part) as well as laboratory costs. When you have your first consultation with a CRG doctor, we submit an application for reimbursement to your National Health Service. The NHS will then provide a consent form for a maximum of six treatments either directly to us or to you. In the latter case, you have to provide us with the consent form no later than the day of the pick-up in order to ensure reimbursement.

Please also bear this in mind if your previous treatment was carries out at another centre. The National Health Service immediately provides a single consent for the maximum number of treatment cycles (six) and many centres keep this consent form in your file for you. You should therefore remember to ask for the form when moving to another centre.