{"id":78763,"date":"2024-01-30T20:11:23","date_gmt":"2024-01-30T20:11:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2024\/01\/30\/va-to-drop-limits-on-ivf-services-for-vets-following-dods-lead\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T15:17:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T15:17:11","slug":"va-to-drop-limits-on-ivf-services-for-vets-following-dods-lead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/2024\/01\/30\/va-to-drop-limits-on-ivf-services-for-vets-following-dods-lead\/","title":{"rendered":"VA to drop limits on IVF services for vets, following DOD\u2019s lead"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Department of Veterans Affairs<\/a> for the first time will provide in vitro fertilization services to single troops and unmarried couples, bringing the agency\u2019s practices in line with newly announced policies by the Defense Department <\/a>that expand access to the reproductive procedures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Advocates hailed the move as a major step forward for veterans who are struggling to start a family but had been shut out of VA support<\/a> on the issue until now because of outdated rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis may be more significant than the Defense Department decision because it\u2019s a larger pool of retirees than active-duty personnel, and there are going to be more and more veterans in need of these services,\u201d said Sonia Ossorio, executive director of National Organization for Women NYC and Women\u2019s Justice NOW, which filed a lawsuit last summer<\/a> prompting the change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor many of these individuals, they wait to finish their tours and get out of the military before they can begin to deal with the issue.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n