Malta Widens Genetic Testing Eligibility to Support More IVF Families

Prime Minister Robert Abela, accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Ian Borg and Equality Minister Rosianne Cutajar, visited the Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Clinic and IVF Laboratory at Mater Dei Hospital, meeting doctors, nurses, midwives, and embryologists to review the IVF process, from embryo storage to laboratory procedures.

According to a Labour party statement the visit marked the fulfilment of their electoral manifesto commitment: expanding the list of conditions eligible for Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Monogenic Disorders (PGT-M) by seventeen additional genetic conditions. The procedure allows prospective parents to avoid passing on hereditary health conditions to their children.

Abela noted that after introducing IVF law amendments, including PGT-M, within the first hundred days of the previous legislature, the government is now broadening eligibility, reducing bureaucracy while reinforcing an inclusive, modern, science-based service.

He also highlighted Malta's IVF success rates, which recently surpassed the European average for both traditional treatments and donor sperm/oocyte procedures. Last year alone saw a record 254 IVF births, bringing the total since the service began to over 1,000 babies.

Abela reaffirmed the government's commitment to continued investment in reproductive medicine, thanking healthcare professionals for their dedication and specialized care.

#MaltaDaily