Overview
- Courtney Reen and Josh Grant say they have been refused NHS-funded IVF more than three times because Reen’s BMI is recorded at 16, and they went public with their case on July 4, 2026.
- Hull’s fertility policy requires a female patient’s BMI to be between 19 and 30 before referral to specialist services, and commissioning panels have declined referrals when a patient falls below that range.
- Three GPs and Reen’s consultant have written letters arguing her slimness is genetic and that she is healthy, and dietitians assessed her efforts to gain weight but ultimately discharged her when weight did not rise.
- After exhausting NHS appeals and clinical attempts to change her weight, the couple launched a GoFundMe and say private IVF could cost about £12,000 for a first attempt, creating a major financial barrier to treatment.
- NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board says BMI can affect treatment safety and success and points to NICE guidance and local policies as the reason for refusals, while urging patients to discuss individual cases with clinicians.