Donated eggs and masturbation are common in fertility treatments. But they may not be OK for Muslim patients

For those experiencing fertility issues, cost can be a major barrier to becoming a parent.

Rebates and other public funding aim to make access to fertility health care fairer. Australia’s first public fertility clinics in Victoria, for example, were announced in 2021 to ensure “bank balance is no barrier” to fertility treatment.

But money is not the only barrier. Muslims who experience fertility issues also face specific cultural and religious barriers – but they are often overlooked.