Julia Chain
Chair, Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA)
Thanks to improved fertility treatment and laboratory practice over the last 30 years, pregnancy rates have increased, giving hope to thousands of people wishing to have a baby.
The latest data from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) — the UK’s independent regulator of fertility clinics shows that more people than ever before are having fertility treatment. Data also shows that around 55,000 patients have IVF treatment each year at UK-licensed clinics, amounting to almost 76,000 IVF cycles.
Reasons people have fertility treatment
Patients in same-sex relationships who wish to start a family may opt for fertility treatment. Some people want to freeze their eggs, sperm or embryos for use in the future. There are patients who have fertility treatment for medical reasons, such as lack of regular ovulation or poor-quality semen, endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome. Some patients have fertility issues that can’t be explained.
A growing number of treatments are now
using egg and/or sperm donation.
Donor conception helps people have families
Most fertility treatments involve patient and partner eggs and sperm, but a growing number of treatments are now using egg and/or sperm donation; in 2019, over 4,100 babies were born thanks to donor conception.
Some people will know that they need donor eggs or sperm before they start treatment, such as female same-sex couples and single patients. However, for others, using donor eggs or sperm may be the only — or best — possible chance of conceiving a child.
Finding the right fertility clinic
Egg and sperm donation is a complex area. We encourage everyone who chooses donation to use a HFEA-licensed fertility clinic, which offers important health and legal protections for the donor and recipient — and for the welfare of the future child.
UK clinics also offer expert advice, so the implications of donation are understood before patients make a decision. This is particularly important as most children — once they turn 18 — can access their donor’s full name, date of birth and last known address.
The HFEA is responsible for licensing, monitoring and inspecting fertility clinics to ensure everyone accessing fertility treatment receives high-quality care. Since the donor anonymity law changed in 2005, the Authority also offers the Opening the Register (OTR) service, through which it releases specific categories of information to donor-conceived people, their parents or donors. It also offers a wide range of free, clear and impartial information about fertility treatment; clinics; egg, sperm and embryo donation.
The HFEA’s Choose a Fertility Clinic tool helps patients search for, and compare fertility clinics, taking into consideration important factors such as location, professional and practical support provided, treatment success rates and cost. Find this and more at hfea.gov.uk.
