IVF will be offered only to women aged between 30 and 34 if a new policy is adopted in Berkshire.
The proposed age range differs from the current range of 35 to 38, and goes against national guidelines that say the service should be offered to women aged between 23 and 39.
The new policy also says couples must have been trying for three years to have a baby.
Do you think the policy is fair? Have you benefited from IVF treatment? Have a say here.
Under current rules, couples with a diagnosed cause of infertility only have to wait one year before they qualify for access to IVF, although those without a diagnosis have to wait three years.
The proposals are outlined in a document published by the NHS South Central region, which includes Berkshire.
It is asking people to comment on it by Friday, April 17. The South Central Specialised Commissioning Group will then look at all comments received and a decision on the next steps will be taken and published by the end of May.
The discussion paper, called Access to IVF – Help Us Decide, reveals the cost of allowing all infertile women aged 23 to 39 in the south central region to have IVF treatment – as recommended by NICE, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence – would cost around £16million a year.
Last year the region spent just £1.4million on IVF and under the new rules that figure would remain the same.
Funding women aged 30 to 39 would be £2.86million. The new policy will also allow couples to pay for two private cycles of IVF and still qualify for one NHS cycle.
At the moment, those who have any private treatment cannot then have IVF on the NHS.
The new policy will also fund couples who need to use donated eggs in their IVF treatment, but will only fund IVF using freshly-fertilised embryos rather than frozen embryos.
However the NHS will fund the freezing and storage of embryos for up to three years – or until the woman’s 40th birthday – so that couples can use them in private IVF treatment if they wish.
Jane Wells, head of public health for NHS Berkshire West, said: “This is a way for people to help shape the future policy for IVF in NHS South Central, and we encourage people to comment and give us their views.
“There is an online survey for people to fill out, as well as a document which gives the background on access to IVF.”