Fertility treatment 2024: HFEA trends and figures report published

IVF is helping more people than ever start or grow their families, a new report from the HFEA shows, with numbers tripling in the past three decades.

Number of IVF patients triples in 30 years, says fertility regulator

Overall, IVF births continue to account for roughly one child in every classroom (1 in 31) across the UK, with most (81%) babies born from IVF treatment using a patient’s own eggs and partner sperm. However, as patient numbers increase, differences remain – particularly when it comes to birth rates and age when starting treatment.

Worryingly, Black and Asian patients aged 18-37 continue to have lower IVF birth rates than those from White and Mixed ethnic backgrounds, with the biggest difference showing White patients having a birth rate above 35% per embryo transferred (36%) and Black and Asian patients having a birth rate of just 30%. For Black patients, this disparity continues despite starting IVF earlier than in previous years, with the average age at the time of treatment decreasing by around a year from 2019 to 2024.

Although the gap is starting to close for Black patients, they are still starting IVF almost a year later than Asian and White patients. The data also shows that patients from Mixed ethnic backgrounds are starting treatment a year later, increasing from 35 in 2019 to 36 in 2024.

Julia Chain, Chair of the HFEA, said:

“The UK has long been a pioneer in fertility treatment, and with the 50^th anniversary of the birth of Louise Brown, the first baby born from IVF, fast approaching, we are pleased to see that more people are starting or growing their families with the help of IVF.

“At a time when national birth rates have fallen to an all-time low, more single patients and female same-sex couples are having IVF, but almost three quarters of patients are having to pay for treatment themselves, ensuring fair and equitable access to treatment for all patients has never been more important.

“The fertility sector has grown significantly over the past 30 years, yet disparities in access to, and outcomes of, treatment remain, and we will continue to highlight these through our data and ongoing call to action.”

The fertility sector has grown significantly over the past 30 years, yet disparities in access to, and outcomes of, treatment remain, and we will continue to highlight these through our data and ongoing call to action

Other findings from the report include:

• The number of patients undergoing in vitro fertilisation (IVF) has almost tripled over the last 30 years, from around 19,000 in the early 1990s to 53,000 in 2024.
• Frozen embryo transfers have increased in use, now accounting for almost half (48%) of all IVF cycles carried out in 2024.
• Egg and embryo freezing cycles made up almost 1 in 5 cycles (17%) carried out in 2024. Most (10%) were embryo freezing cycles.
• IVF births have doubled from less than 1.5% of all UK births in 2004 to over 3% in 2024.
• 81% of IVF births were from treatment using a patient’s own eggs and partner sperm. 1 in 5 births were from IVF using donor eggs, sperm, or embryos and DI, accounting for 1 in 137 of all UK births in 2024.
• The average IVF birth rate per embryo transferred was 30% in 2024. Birth rates were highest for patients aged 18-34 at 38%, compared with 8% for patients aged 43-44.
• The proportion of National Health Service (NHS) funded IVF cycles declined from 35% in 2019 to 28% in 2024 in the UK and was lowest in England (25%).

To read the Fertility Treatment 2024: Trends and figures report, click here.