Women 42-years-old or younger trying for a baby can now get one round of IVF paid for by health bosses.

Couples who meet the criteria could have one cycle of IVF paid for by Merton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) which has reversed a decision to stop funding.

A statement from the group said its predecessor Sutton and Merton Primary Care Trust made the decision to suspend funding for IVF for new patients from April 2011.

It was announced on Monday couples who are struggling to conceive and meet eligibility criteria should speak to their GP about a referral to local fertility services.

Dr Howard Freeman, Chairman of Merton CCG said: "We fully appreciate that for couples who are having difficulty conceiving their first child it can be a heart-breaking experience. We are pleased to be able to assist couples who want to start a family.

"Sutton and Merton Primary Care Trust made the decision to suspend funding for IVF for new patients in order to focus resources on reducing the huge list of patients waiting for treatment.

"Merton CCG has always said that it wanted to reverse this decision and bring us back in line with other areas. We are delighted to be in a position to do this."

Criteria includes women being 42-years-old or younger, something which is recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and brings Merton in line with the majority of other CCGs in south west London.

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