IVF a 'lifestyle choice', says Reform councillor

A Reform UK county councillor has been criticised for saying that people on low incomes should not have babies if they cannot afford them.

Bridget Porter made the comments during a discussion about reductions to IVF treatment at the Kent County Council (KCC) health overview and scrutiny committee on Wednesday.

She called IVF a "lifestyle choice" and made comparisons to "butt lifts" and "boob enhancements", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The remarks were called "shocking" and "revolting" by opposition members. Reform has been approached for comment.

On 1 April, Kent and Medway NHS brought in cuts to infertility services which dropped the eligibility age limit from 40 to 38, reduced the number of IVF cycles from two to one and brought down embryo transfers from four to two.

Porter, who represents Dover North, told members she felt the cuts represented an "adequate" amount when it came to "spending taxpayers' money on people needing IVF".

Anything more, she added, was "frivolous" and the NHS should not have to "pick up the tab".

Approached by the BBC afterwards, Porter refused to comment for fear of being "misquoted".

Green Party member Stuart Jeffery said he was "appalled" by the comments and added that Porter might "do some diversity and inclusion training".

Liberal Democrat opposition leader Antony Hook called the remarks "offensive" and said that "anyone who needs medical help to have children should get it".

The committee also voted in favour of referring the NHS decision on IVF cuts to the Secretary of State for a possible review.

The motion was proposed by Jeffery, a former senior NHS executive, who argued the changes would hit the poorest hardest.

He described the changes as discriminatory against "people on lower incomes and, quite simply, class warfare".

The committee also heard that to fund IVF treatment privately can cost couples around £30,000.

The Greens' Rob Yates also said the cuts were against the guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which suggest 40 as the upper age for eligibility and recommend three full IVF cycles, with consideration for three more if unsuccessful.

However, Becky Fox for the NHS told members that the data for IVF effectiveness after the age of 36 was "quite stark".

She said at the age of 35 there was a 40% success rate for live births, with 20% at 40 and just 10% at 42.

Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram and listen to BBC Radio Kent on Sounds. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.