Woman told she is ‘too slender’ for NHS IVF

A woman who weighs eight and a half stone with a BMI of 18.5 has been told that she could not access NHS IVF because she did not meet the healthy range limit of 19 for fertility treatment

At 5′ 7, Samantha Barrett is a size ten and within the normal BMI healthy range but has been repeatedly turned down for treatment despite her attempts to put on a little extra weight.

The 29-year-old from Downham Market, in Norfolk, is now on antidepressants.

She told the Daily Mail: “It got to the point where weighing myself all the time and tracking calories, I started to not cope.”

It is believed Samantha has endometriosis which can affect fertility.

A spokeswoman for NHS Norfolk and Waveney said: “We sympathise with the couple’s situation and understand the frustration and distress this must cause.

“When it comes to IVF treatment, we follow guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) which outlines standard clinical and health criteria for treatment, including recommendations on minimum and maximum body mass index levels.”

Have you been told your BMI is too low or too high? We’d love to hear your views. Get in touch, email mystory@ivfbabble.com.

Why is BMI such a weighty problem when having IVF treatment?