Õnne Pihlak: fertility treatment funding in Estonia must be extended to age 42

Estonia saw just 9,092 births last year, 554 fewer than the previous year. Columnist Õnne Pihlak argues that in addressing the birth rate crisis, families who wish to have children but face health obstacles are too often overlooked. He is calling for fertility treatment funding to be extended to age 42.

Estonia's birth rate is on a worrying downward trend. Last year, just 9,092 children were born in the country-554 fewer than the previous year-demonstrating that the decline in births has not stopped. Yet public debate tends to ask why young people do not want to have children, overlooking those families who desperately wish to have children but face health barriers.

Õnne Pihlak points out that infertility affects a significant portion of Estonia's population, and state support for fertility treatment has so far remained limited. The current system restricts access to treatment through age limits and other criteria, leaving many who need help without support precisely when they need it most. In Pihlak's view, fertility treatment funding should be extended to age 42 so that more families have the opportunity to have the child they desire.

Fertility treatment is expensive, and without state support, many families simply cannot afford it. If the state expresses concern about low birth rates, that concern must be reflected in concrete policy decisions, not merely in campaigns urging young people to have more children. Real support means that everyone who wishes to build a family has a genuine opportunity to do so.

The birth rate crisis is a complex and multifaceted problem with no single simple solution. However, extending fertility treatment funding is one concrete step the state can take to support families whose desire to have children is thwarted by medical obstacles. Pihlak emphasises that society cannot look at only one part of the picture; birth rate policy must be inclusive and take into account all families.