A PRIVATE IVF clinic claiming to be the cheapest in the UK has opened in Oxfordshire.

Founded by Praful Nargund, abc IVF is marketed as offering a more affordable form of fertility treatment as a solution to the NHS 'postcode lottery', which sees the amount of funded cycles vary widely depending on where people live.

Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group currently offers just one cycle of IVF for all women under the age of 35, rather than the three for those under 40 recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

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Abc IVF says by getting rid of unnecessary tests, appointments or add-on treatments, it has managed to reduce the cost of a single cycle to £1,500, up to 55 per cent cheaper than the UK market average.

Mr Nargund said: “We spent many years assessing every IVF process, procedure and protocol and through innovation and streamlining we devised a new, much more cost-effective way to deliver IVF treatment.

Oxford Mail:

“We are delighted to bring the UK’s lowest-priced IVF to Oxford and provide an opportunity for people who have previously been unable to afford IVF."

He added their mission was to 'end the inequality' around access to IVF treatment and make fertility treatment more affordable for both private and NHS patients.

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Mr Nargund continued: "We also hope to encourage greater price transparency across the IVF industry, as we believe that IVF treatment should be fair and accessible to all, not simply reserved for those with deep pockets.”

Co-founder and medical director Professor Geeta Nargund added: “We are leading the way in terms of low-cost IVF treatment in the UK and are committed to helping local couples and women finally fulfil their dream of becoming parents.

"Backed by scientific research and expertise, we have pioneered a new approach to successful, affordable IVF treatment.

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"With up to 60 per cent of people across the Oxford region likely being eligible for treatment, abc IVF provides a real alternative for thousands who have either lost out as a result of the postcode lottery or who have been priced out of the private IVF market.”

It comes after Abingdon couple Emily and Ben Scott shared their own story of the issues facing potential parents in Oxfordshire.

A parliamentary petition started by the pair calling for standardised NHS IVF funding has now gained more than 5,000 signatures, including local MPs Layla Moran and Ed Vaizey.

Abc IVF Oxford will operate as a satellite clinic of Create Fertility and is located at 5 The Quadrangle, Woodstock.

The company also has clinics in London, Bristol and Manchester. Visit abcivf.co.uk.