Hmmm,lots of heartless people who have obviously nothing better to do with there time than sit and write thoughtless comments about a subject that has obviously not effected them!!

Vikki, Brighton,

Those saying that infertility is not life-threatening and should not be provided on the NHS should remember that a great deal of treatments carried out on the NHS are for non life-threatening conditions. Think breast reductions, ear pinning, broken limb repairs, cut stitching, delivering babies...

Mike, Harrogate, England

Simon, Beckermann, David, Abdul. Can I ask how many of you have experienced infertility? I suspect none. I suggest you don't make ignorant comments without actually fully understanding the issue being discussed.

Emma, Herts,

Again, another set of ignorant comments from people who obviously either down want or already have children, until you have suffered infertility I don't think you can comment on how hard it is. I am amazed by your lack of compassion some of you, how can you be so heartless?

Mary, Swindon, UK

yes i welcome it i think its a priorily for a lot's of couples who is longing for a child

nadine, brighton, england

Being infertile is NOT always due too woman putting there careers first. Many woman like myself may have missing ovarys, or fallopian tubes, they could of had Cancer, they possibly could of been in a terrible accident which has left them infertile!
We all have rights Simon, u should considerthat

Mel, Essex, England

Yesterdays news was that the population of the UK is rapidly expanding,approaching 61 million, due to high fertitity rates,greater logevity and immigration.
Do we still need more balmy schemes like this to add to the population growth ?

Abdul Jaleel (Dr. ), Darlington , United Kingdom

If the NHS would offer the programme that the charity www.foresight-preconception.org.uk offers, many of the childless couples would have healthy babies without need of IVF. Meantime you can go to the charity-their programme costs less than IVF, or if you do both, greatly improves your chances.

Dee, Bedford, UK

My husband and I are in the unfortunate position of needing IVF to have our own child/ren. It is heart breaking at times especially as so many of our friends and family have had babies in the last 4 years. I find some of the comments on here ignorant. Both of us have been in tears at times.

Cate , Omagh, Northern Ireland

Beckerman, London,
you are right infertility doesn't kill but if you think people don't suffer well you are very much mistaken
i think the nice guideline of 2004 should be brought in ASAP throughout england & wales.

kara, pembrokeshire, wales

I agree with Simon of York.

Infertility is not a priority.

Oh and by the way, it's not for women (feminist or not) to seek to exclude men from this discussion.

Men have a right to express opinions on this and any other subject.

It's called equality - get used to it.

Chris, Wokingham, England

I would ask How many of you have children? When having children is as easy as getting drunk and falling into bed with the nearest stranger then you would be totally against money being put into fertility. I work hard, a role model, its not just a tantrum!!! I hope you never have to go through it !

Jane , Norfolk, England

As a woman who has longed for a child, battled with infertility for 10+ yrs, & has been through 3 unsuccessful, stressful, very expensive IVF cycles, yes I KNOW I wont die from it, but do I suffer with it? In answer to those who think not, all I can say is, I hope you never get to know first hand!

Angela, London, UK

Err, what about all the cancelled operations mentioned in yesterday's papers?

Ian Burgess, Bristol,

I simply cannot believe this! With the NHS (seemingly) being underfunded, forcing NICE to withdraw life-saving treatment from cancer & Alzeimer sufferers, how can they even THINK of wasting OUR money like this? Especially with the world already so overpopulated - and getting worse! Just crazy...

MS, Staffs, UK

It's not a feminist society if young women have to delay pregnancy to protect their careers or because they can't afford to take time off and decent childcare if they return to work. A truly feminist (and egalitarian) society would have proper maternity and paternity leave provisions, and affordable

Sheila, London,

For many couples paying full rent/mortgage, council tax, etc, who would like to give any potential child a reasonably decent upbringing, having a child is financially inviable at least until they reach their thirties due to the UK's high cost of living and ludicrous nursery fees.Consider that, Simon

Rachel, Edinburgh,

it's not just women who are infertile Simon.

Paul, Dublin,

I don't think IVF should be available on the NHS at all. Infertility, although difficult for those concerned, isn't an illness, you're not going to die or even suffer from it. The priority for the NHS should be to concentrate on treating the many serious conditions that effect the wider population.

Beckerman, London,

Being infertile is not life threatening and should not be on the NHS!

sarah, london, uk

Simon, that is an astonishingly ignorant opinion. It is narrow to suggest that infertility is simply a result of "waiting too long" (if you read the article you will see there is indeed an age limit). Would you also advocate certain types of cancer go untreated if exacerbated by lifestyle choices?

Laura, London, UK

thankyou simon from york, now there a mans veiw who clearly knows nothing about infertlity, im someone who has had IVF myself and it not a dance in the park let me tell you, why dont you maybe do your homework on how infertility affects people, im not talking just ladies you know.

talie , rayleigh, essex

In an age of increasing overcrowding on this planet why are we wasting money pandering to the wannabe parents tantrums?
NHS money should be spent on real and not imagined illnesses, if these people absolutely MUST have a child then let them pay privately for the chance to do so.

David, London, UK

Simon, I find comments such as yours incredibly annoying. Most women I know (I’m 30) have jobs because they need to pay the rent, but would be delighted to get married and have kids – but can’t because their ‘commitment phobic’ boyfriends are too busy drinking lager and moaning about not giving up their freedom. But hey, women are always to blame for the wrongs of the world, right?

Jane, London,

There's something quite sick about the fact that our feminist society brainwashes girls into thinking a job is the b all and end all, thus increasing costs of infertility as a result of waiting too long. This money could have been spent on indiscriminate diseases - e.g. Alzheimers, Cancer, Blindness

simon, York, England