A year with public fertility aid for another child: 'It's essential for me'

Used 51,000 DKK on two attempts

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In September 2024, the couple begins the process in the private sector, and twice they have received eggs. However, neither attempt results in a pregnancy.

- It costs us 51,000 DKK with medication and treatments. We have the money for the treatment, but not much more than these two attempts, says Mille Christensen.

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> We opened between Christmas and New Year this year. We usually don't.

> Merete Husth, clinic chief, Aalborg University Hospital

Therefore, it is a significant financial help when they start a fertility process in the public sector at the end of December 2024. Here, the couple only has to pay for the medication.

- It gives us more financial flexibility, so we can also do some renovations on our new house, says Mille Christensen.

After four attempts with egg implantations throughout 2025, there is a pregnancy in the fall, and Mille Christensen and her partner are now waiting for a child in the summer.

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Staff are running short

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At the public fertility clinics, it also stirs excitement that couples and women have received help from them in the past year to fulfill their dream of another child.

But it has also required that the staff are working harder.

This is what Merete Husth, who is the clinic chief for the fertility clinic at Aalborg University Hospital, says, where the waiting time for the hopeful parents has become longer.

- We have, for example, opened between Christmas and New Year this year. We usually don't, but we don't have time for it now, so we are in full swing from week one in the new year, she says.

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Waiting time in your region

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DR has asked the five Danish regions about the waiting time for receiving fertility help in the public sector. This is the waiting time for both the first and second child.

*Region North Jutland:* 14 weeks waiting time. The waiting time has increased since the new offer.

*Region Mid-Jutland* : 2-3 weeks waiting time.

*Region South* : 8 weeks waiting time. The waiting time is lower than before.

*Region Zealand* : 14 weeks waiting time. The waiting time increased when the new offer came into effect, but has fallen to 14 weeks, which was also the waiting time earlier.

*Region Capital* : 9 weeks waiting time. The waiting time is lower than before.

The numbers are from the beginning of December 2025. Waiting times are a snapshot and can therefore change.

She points to a shortage of doctors in North Jutland as the main reason why waiting times for fertility treatment have become longer for them, after the new rules have come into effect.

- We have just been at record high 14 weeks waiting time. But it is already decreasing, and it looks like we will soon be down to around eight to ten weeks waiting time, says Merete Husth.

Before it was possible to receive help for a second child in the public sector, the waiting time was ten weeks in North Jutland.

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'More children are born than otherwise'

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To meet the high demand, they have, among other things, trained nurses and bioanalysts to be able to take on some of the doctors' tasks. At the same time, younger doctors have been hired, who are not yet specialized, but who are being trained for the tasks.

- We can feel that we have more employees when we have to buy bread on Fridays. Before we were 21 employees on the clinic, and now we are 30, many of whom are under training.

But the busier times cannot reduce the joy of knowing that more can now receive help.

- We have couples who received help for the first child from us five to six years ago, who are now coming back because they want another child. They have not sought help in the private sector in the meantime, says Merete Husth and continues:

- Our experience is clearly that more children are born who would not have been born otherwise.

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