Infertility rates may be on the rise, but there’s hope: a range of treatments and support can still make the dream of starting a family a reality. Dr. Riki Dayan from Olive Fertility Centre is here to answer your top fertility questions.
Is infertility increasing?
Over the past two decades, infertility (defined as trying to conceive for one year) in Canada has surged, now affecting one in six people trying to start a family. One of the main reasons? More women are waiting until later in life to have their first child.
When is it time to get your fertility checked?
For most women under the age of 35, we recommend trying for one-year of regular unprotected intercourse prior to having a fertility evaluation. For women over 35 and older we recommend a fertility evaluation after six months.
Other reasons for getting your fertility checked include:
- Having endometriosis, a previous pelvic infection, or a sexually transmitted infection.
- The male partner has had a history of infection (e.g. mumps), injury, surgery on his testicles, difficulty with erection or ejaculation, or if has been diagnosed with a sperm problem.
- Irregular menstrual cycles.
- Health problem such as diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), high blood pressure, or a history of cancer treated with radiation or chemotherapy.
- A family history of early menopause or a diagnosis of decreased ovarian reserve.
How do you support individuals and couples on their journey to starting a family?
We offer a range of treatments tailored to specific fertility challenges. Options include ovulation induction with fertility medications, intrauterine insemination and in-vitro fertilization (IVF). IVF involves retrieving a woman’s eggs, fertilizing them with her partner’s sperm in a lab and then transferring the embryo to her uterus.
Sometimes, people simply want to check that "everything is working" without pursuing treatment—and that's perfectly fine. We are here to provide patients with as much knowledge as we can and help them achieve a pregnancy in the safest manner possible.
How should people who are experiencing infertility prepare for the new IVF funding in BC?
Currently, an initial consult and follow-up appointments with a fertility doctor are covered by MSP.
On Thursday, March 6th the Ministry of Health released an update on the publicly funded IVF Program including the start date and eligibility requirements.
The publicly funded IVF program will provide access to one-time funding, up to $19,000, for eligible BC residents. Applications open July 2, 2025.
Please visit Publicly Funded In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Program - Province of British Columbia for more information such as eligibility requirements and the application process.
If you are NOT an Olive Fertility patient, since March 8, 2024
Visit our How to Book page to learn how to become a patient.
If you are an existing Olive Fertility patient but have NOT seen a physician since March 8, 2024
Contact your Patient Care Coordinator to book an appointment.
If you are an existing Olive Fertility patient and HAVE seen a physician since March 8, 2024
If you meet the Ministry of Health’s eligibility requirements, we will send you further details via your patient portal once we have additional guidance.
We know that everyone will be anxious to learn more about the waitlist. Unfortunately, we have no further information from the BC Ministry of Health about how they want us to order patients when submitting their applications. The BC Ministry of Health has stated that they are developing a process for us to follow, and we will update when we know more.
Once we have more information from the Ministry of Health, we will be reaching out to those who qualify with next steps.
Virtual Referral Partner
Olive Fertility Centre offers patients the option to book a same-day, no-fee, virtual referral appointment with our partner, Rocket Doctor. The referral will be automatically sent to Olive Fertility and a member of our intake team will contact you shortly to schedule your fertility appointment.
In B.C., consultations with a fertility specialist and initial investigations for infertility are covered by MSP with a referral from a family doctor.
