Does Dutch insurance cover IVF for single women or lesbian couples?

Not under the standard basisverzekering rules, since lack of a male partner is not classified as a medical infertility indication. A separate government subsidy (Subsidieregeling KID) covers up to 12 IUI-with-donor-sperm attempts for women without a male partner instead, through 1 January 2030.

Is donor sperm ever covered by insurance?

No — donor sperm cost is always paid out of pocket, whether treatment itself is funded through basisverzekering, the KID subsidy, or privately.

How many IVF attempts does Dutch insurance cover?

Three IVF/ICSI attempts for women up to and including age 42 at the first attempt, when there is a qualifying medical diagnosis — coverage stops from age 43.

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Guide

IVF in the Netherlands: Costs, Insurance Coverage & Who Qualifies

Basic Dutch health insurance (basisverzekering) covers three IVF/ICSI attempts up to age 42, but only when there is a recognized medical infertility diagnosis — not having a male partner does not count as one, so single women and lesbian couples using donor sperm are not covered this way. Instead, a separate government subsidy scheme funds up to 12 IUI-with-donor-sperm treatments for women without a male partner, running until 1 January 2030; donor sperm itself is never covered by insurance or the subsidy, in any scenario.

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Key facts

Basisverzekering covers three IVF/ICSI attempts for women up to and including age 42 at the first attempt, but only with a qualifying medical diagnosis: blocked fallopian tubes, endometriosis, male-factor infertility, or unexplained infertility in a heterosexual couple.
For single women and lesbian couples: the absence of a male partner is not itself treated as a medical indication, so standard basisverzekering IVF/IUI coverage does not automatically apply.
A separate subsidy scheme (Subsidieregeling KID) specifically funds up to 12 IUI-with-donor-sperm attempts for women without a male partner, in effect through 1 January 2030 — clinics charge a reduced one-time contribution (around €192.50, half the standard deductible) instead of the full treatment cost.
Donor sperm itself is never covered by insurance or the subsidy in any scenario — a vial from a Dutch sperm bank typically costs €100–€475, and imported (e.g. Danish) donor sperm €800–€1,200 or more.
The mandatory annual deductible (eigen risico) is €385 in 2026 and applies to whatever portion of treatment is reimbursed.

Legal considerations

Only licensed Dutch fertility clinics can perform IVF/IUI with donor sperm, and all donors must be registered under the Artificial Fertilisation Donor Information Act — anonymous donation has been banned since 2004.
Undergoing IVF/IUI doesn't by itself determine legal parenthood for a non-birthing partner — that depends on marital/registered-partnership status and donor type (see the Known Donor guide and the Netherlands country page for the co-mother rules).

Costs

A single IVF/ICSI cycle outside insurance coverage typically costs €3,000–€6,000; a single IUI cycle €600–€1,000. For single women and lesbian couples using the KID subsidy scheme, treatment itself costs a one-time ~€192.50 contribution per clinic claim rather than the full price — but donor sperm (€100–€1,200+ per vial depending on the bank) is always an out-of-pocket cost on top, regardless of which funding route applies.

Timeline

Weeks 1–4: intake and fertility workup at a licensed clinic; for donor-sperm treatment, choosing a donor through the clinic or an external sperm bank.
Per cycle: IUI is typically a single-day procedure around ovulation; an IVF/ICSI cycle runs 2–4 weeks from stimulation to egg retrieval and transfer.
Multiple cycles are common — the 3-cycle IVF/ICSI allowance and 12-attempt KID subsidy both reflect that success often takes more than one attempt.

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