Fertility patients are starting treatment when chances of having a baby fall, says HFEA

Fertility patients are starting treatment older, although the success rates of treatment decline with age, according to the HFEA. The Fertility Treatment 2022: Preliminary Trends and Figures report shows the average age of patients starting IVF was over 35 years old for the first time. As the chances of having a baby through fertility treatment decline rapidly with age, this could impact on patients’ chances of success.

There is a large gap in the average age that women in England and Wales gave birth to their first child in 2022 (29.2 years according to ONS figures) compared with the age of patients accessing IVF for the first time in 2022 (35.1 years). Today’s report highlights both the necessity of early contact with a GP and an early referral to fertility services.

Across the UK, average IVF pregnancy rates using fresh embryo transfers increased nationally to 31% per fresh embryo transferred in 2022, from 21% in 2012. The highest pregnancy rates, at 42%, were among patients aged 18-34. Pregnancy rates improved across all age groups.

Julia Chain, Chair of the HFEA, said:

“IVF success rates continue to improve, but as the chance of a birth rapidly decreases with age, early access to fertility treatment is crucial for those who need it. Our data shows the average age of patients starting treatment for the first time is now nearly six years older than the average age at which women in England and Wales gave birth to their first child.

“There are several possible factors for this including the knock-on effect of delays across the NHS due to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in gynaecology, which has likely led to delays in some patients accessing fertility services.

“The higher average age may also relate to difficulty in funding fertility treatment, owing to recent increases in the cost of living, a fall in the proportion of NHS-funded IVF cycles and increased waiting times for further investigations before accessing NHS-funded treatment.

“Fertility treatment is not a guarantee of having a baby. It is important to seek advice about fertility issues so that, if treatment is needed, patients can access it as soon as possible to reduce delays. Early contact with a GP and referral to a fertility clinic, if needed, will help ensure the chances of success are as high as possible.”

Other findings from the report include:

• Around 52,500 patients had IVF treatment across the UK in 2022, compared to 50,000 in 2019
• Treatment numbers increased on pre-pandemic levels, with IVF cycles increasing by 11% between 2019 and 2022, while donor insemination (DI) returned to pre-pandemic levels of around 6,000 cycles.
• Egg storage cycles made up just 5% of all cycles in 2022, an increase of 81% from 2019 to 2022.
• Most IVF patients (46,145) were in heterosexual relationships, accounting for 90% of all IVF patients. The number of single patients undergoing IVF increased by 82%, from 1,953 in 2019 to 3,548 in 2022.
• Of those undergoing DI, most were single (50%), followed by patients in female same-sex relationships (41%).

The report also found the overall number of NHS-funded cycles decreased once again across the UK and has now fallen from 40% in 2012 to 27% in 2022. Funding for treatment varies considerably across the UK, depending on criteria set in England by Integrated Care Boards and national funding criteria in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Regionally, the East Midlands had the largest decrease in NHS-funded cycles from 1,451 in 2019 to 753 in 2022 at -48%, while Yorkshire and the Humber had the largest increase at +17%.

Multiple births from IVF have fallen to the lowest average yet, at 4% in 2022 from 28% in the 1990s. Multiple births cause an increased risk of health problems for patients and their babies. Following the launch of the ‘One at a time’ campaign in 2007 and the introduction of a multiple birth rate target in the UK in 2009, a 10% target was reached in 2017. In 2018, a study found that for every 10% reduction in the rate of multiple births, £15 million could be saved by the NHS.

Ends

For more information or for interviews with a HFEA spokesperson, please contact press.office@hfea.gov.uk or call 020 7291 8226.

For out of hours requests, please contact the duty press officer on 07771 981920.

Notes to editors

• This report provides preliminary treatment and pregnancy data for 2020-2022 and preliminary birth outcome data for 2019-2022. Due to the HFEA recently launching a new data submission system for licensed clinics and migrating our fertility treatment and outcomes data to a new database, the 2020-22 treatment and pregnancy data and 2019-2022 birth outcome data have not yet been validated.
• Data for 1991 covers a partial year, starting in August 1991.
• The report by the National Guideline Alliance about twin pregnancy costing was commissioned by the HFEA, British Fertility Society, The Multiple Births Foundation and Fertility Network UK.

About the HFEA

• The HFEA is the UK’s independent regulator of fertility treatment and research using human embryos
• Set up in 1990 by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act, the HFEA is responsible for licensing, monitoring, and inspecting fertility clinics - and taking enforcement action where necessary - to ensure everyone accessing fertility treatment receives high quality care.
• The HFEA is an ‘arm’s length body’ of the Department for Health and Social Care, working independently from Government providing free, clear, and impartial information about fertility treatment, clinics and egg, sperm and embryo donation.
• The HFEA collects and verifies data on all treatments that take place in UK licensed clinics which can support scientific developments and research and service planning and delivery.
• Around 4,100 children in the UK are born each year through the help of a donor (2019). The HFEA holds records of all donors and children born since 1991.
• The HFEA is funded by licence fees, IVF treatment fees and a small grant from UK central government. For more information, visit hfea.gov.uk.