Shepton Mallet couples trying to start a family will still be able to access fertility treatment during lockdown.

The Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) funds cycles of IVF (in vitro fertilisation) to enable couples who have struggle with fertility issues to have a family.

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic is placing pressure on NHS resources across the county, with a number of non-urgent operations being postponed.

But health bosses have said that IVF appointments and treatments will continue during the crisis – and that all cycles which were funded before the pandemic will continue to be honoured.

The CCG's current policies (which were ratified in February 2020) allow one cycle of IVF to be funded on the NHS, provided the prospective mother is aged between 23 and 39 and the father is under the age of 54.

Couples also need to met a number of other criteria, such as:

• Being registered with a GP within the Somerset CCG area
• The prospective mother having having a BMI of between 19 and 30
• Neither party should be a smoker
• Neither party should not have any children from a previous relationship (excluding foster children)
• The couple must have been in a stable relationship for at least two years

All couples seeking to go through IVF are referred to the CCG by their GP, though a gynaecologist's opinion may also be sought.

The CCG has confirmed that both existing cycles of treatment and new referrals from GPs would continue in spite of the coronavirus.

A spokesman said: "We would like to reassure patients that fertility treatment is continuing for Somerset CCG NHS patients who have received funding authorisation through our EBI (Evidenced Based Interventions) service.

"We are also still accepting new referrals for NHS-funded fertility treatment. Fertility treatment with authorised funding from the EBI service which may have been delayed or postponed as a result of Covid-19 will be honoured by the CCG.

"Any patient with queries regarding their treatment, for example regarding appointment or attendance, can discuss these with the fertility services they have chosen to provide their NHS authorised fertility treatment."