The introduction in France in 2021 of medically assisted procreation for all had given rise to some 22,800 requests for first consultations by the end of 2022 from couples of women or single women, according to figures published on Wednesday March 8 by the Agency. of biomedicine.
“We were surprised by the scale of the requests and now we are going to enter a normalization process”told Agence France-presse (AFP) Claire de Vienne, referent doctor at the Biomedicine Agency, the structure which governs the donation of gametes and medically assisted procreation or “PMA”.
The PMA, or AMP (medically assisted procreation), has been open to lesbian couples and single women since its entry into force on September 29, 2021. Until then, it was reserved for heterosexual couples with fertility problems or wishing to avoid transmit a serious disease.
In detail, in 2022 alone, nearly 9,300 requests were recorded in the first half of the year for an initial consultation with a view to ART with sperm donation for the benefit of female couples or unmarried women, followed by a slowdown to 5,800 requests in the second half. Between August 2021 and the end of December 2022, nearly 11,800 first consultations were actually carried out, continues the Biomedicine Agency in a press release.
Opening of new centers
Moreover, since the entry into force of the law, almost 2,000 first attempts at ART have been carried out for the benefit of female couples (47%) or unmarried women (53%). And as of December 31, 2022, nearly 5,600 people were waiting for ART with sperm donation, including 36% of female couples and 38% of unmarried women, i.e. 74% of people on the waiting list who correspond to new audiences.
The fact remains that the treatment time for ART with sperm donation continues to vary greatly from one center to another. The average time is however stabilizing and was estimated at 14.4 months at the national level, from making the appointment until the first attempt, continues the agency which intends to reduce this time with the opening of new centers dedicated to this activity.
“All these projects are only possible if there are men who give”also recalls Claire de Vienne, who renews the call for donations already launched in 2021 by the Biomedicine Agency.