The HFEA’s latest ‘fertility figures and trends’ report shows that IVF is helping more people than ever to grow their families. Here we look at some of it’s biggest finds:
More than 21,000 IVF babies were born in 2024
Over the past 20 years, the number of babies born from IVF has more than doubled from 10,200 in 2004 to around 21,400 in 2024. IVF births are making up a higher proportion of all UK births over time, more than doubling from under 1.4% in 2004 to 3.2% in 2024. This means around 1 in 31 UK births in 2024 were from IVF, approximately one child in every classroom, compared to around 1 in 65 in 2004.
The number of IVF patients tripled over 30 years
64,000 patients undergoing over 100,000 treatment and freezing cycles in 2024.
The average age of patients starting IVF decreased slightly to 34.8, after reaching its highest, at over 35.1 years old, in 2021, although this varied by family type and ethnicity. Single patients started IVF at 35.4 compared to 34.8 for opposite-sex couples and 33.4 for female same-sex couples.
The most popular treatment carried out by fertility clinics was IVF (76%) with frozen embryo transfers making up an increasing proportion, rising from 24% of IVF cycles in 2014 to 48% in 2024. Egg and embryo freezing cycles made up almost 1 in 5 cycles (17%) carried out in 2024. Most were embryo freezing cycles (10%) with egg freezing cycles remaining at a similar level to the previous year for the first time since 2020.
The UK’s multiple birth rate is one of the lowest in the world
Multiple births pose an increased risk of health problems for patients and their babies, such as preterm birth, pre-eclampsia, and still birth.
The average multiple birth rate in the UK is amongst the lowest in the world, decreasing from 14.4% in 2014 to 3.2% in 2024. Multiple births in the UK have decreased largely due to the high number of single embryo transfers,however, birth rates have continued to rise as the multiple birth rate has fallen.
NHS-funded IVF cycles have continued to decrease
NHS funding for IVF varies widely across the UK depending on national and local funding criteria. The HFEA report highlighted that NHS-funded IVF cycles decreased from 35% of all IVF cycles in 2019 to 28% in 2024. NHS funding for IVF varies widely across the UK depending on national or local funding criteria.
Between 2019 and 2024, the proportion of NHS-funded IVF cycles across all English regions decreased, excluding in the East of England and Yorkshire and the Humber.
The HFEA (Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority) is the UK’s regulator of the fertility sector.
The HFEA license, monitor and inspect fertility clinics, as well as providing free, clear and impartial information about fertility treatment, clinics and egg, sperm and embryo donation.
The HFEA fee is a statutory regulator charge for fertility treatments like IVF (£100 per cycle) and donor insemination (£40 per cycle) to cover the cost of regulating UK fertility clinics and is usually included in the cost of your treatment.