How did we collect this data?
Information about IVF treatment in the UK has been collected by the HFEA since it was established (1 August 1991). Since that date, clinics have been required by law to report details of the treatments they carry out to the HFEA.
Before August 1991, information was not comprehensively recorded. This means that some figures are rough calculations and are for illustrative purposes only.
Because the HFEA started work part way through a calendar year, the figures for 1991 are a mix of data collected by the HFEA and by the Interim Voluntary Licensing Authority (IVLA).
Sources of IVF statistics
The sources for the information about IVF treatments vary depending on when the data was collected.
- 1978-1984
Statistical information about IVF treatments was not routinely collected before 1985. Data for the numbers of babies and births for this period has been extrapolated from the main source for this period.
The main source used for this period is:
- 1985-1991
Between 1985 and 1991 information about IVF was collected by the Voluntary (Interim) Licensing Authority. Information collected by the Interim Authority is now held by:
The following report was the source of the data used for this period:
Voluntary (Interim) Licensing Authority (IVLA) – Statistical Analysis of the United Kingdom IVF and GIFT Data 1985-1990; Professor William Thompson and Miss Veronica English - 1991 to date
The information collected and published by the HFEA is a snapshot of data provided by licensed clinics at a particular time and may change as individual clinics notify the HFEA of amendments. Before publication, a preliminary validation process is performed on the data, and clinics are asked to confirm its accuracy, for which they remain responsible.
The main source used for this period is:
Page last updated: 17 March 2009
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